Faure: Requiem & Poulenc: Gloria

$20.99
Label
SWR
Release Date
January 23, 2026
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      Gabriel Faure, Francis Poulenc
    • PERFORMER
      Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Francoise Pollet, Francois Le Roux, Sudfunk-Chor, Chor de
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      January 23, 2026
    • UPC
      0747313916689
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      SWR19166CD
    • LABEL
      SWR
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Choral
    Works ⌄

    1. Introit - Kyrie (Chorus)

      Composer: Gabriel Fauré

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    2. Offertory (Baritone, Chorus)

      Composer: Gabriel Fauré

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Performer: François Le Roux

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    3. Sanctus (Chorus)

      Composer: Gabriel Fauré

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    4. Pie Jesu (Soprano)

      Composer: Gabriel Fauré

      Ensemble: Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Performer: Françoise Pollet

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    5. Agnus Dei (Chorus)

      Composer: Gabriel Fauré

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    6. Libera me (Baritone, Chorus)

      Composer: Gabriel Fauré

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Performer: François Le Roux

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    7. In paradisum (Soprano, Chorus)

      Composer: Gabriel Fauré

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Performer: Françoise Pollet

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    8. Gloria

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    9. Laudamus te

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    10. Domine Deus

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Performer: Françoise Pollet

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    11. Domine Fili unigenite

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    12. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Performer: Françoise Pollet

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre

    13. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR

      Performer: Françoise Pollet

      Conductor: Georges Prêtre


What distinguishes Fauré's Requiem from numerous other settings of the requiem text is it's rather intimate, restrained, almost chamber-music nature, a "lullaby of death", as it has also been called, initially more as a criticism of a work that for most of the time avoids depicting the dread of death and the Last Judgement. Fauré's reply "But this is how I feel about death: as a happy liberation, as a striving for happiness in the hereafter rather than as a painful transition", not only perfectly describes essential characteristics of his Requiem, but also reveals it to be a very personal expression of the composer's very own artistic nature. Two generations after Fauré (and Fauré's grand-disciple through his teacher Koechlin), Francis Poulenc's (1899-1963) displayed a significantly different approach to religion. Poulenc, who like Fauré was from the southern part of France, had been shaped by his homeland in the sense of a 'rural', intense but joyous Catholicism. He regarded his Gloria as a more joyful counterpart to some of his other sacred works, and it is in this spirit that the first movement, begins in a festive mood with a striking, fanfare-like motif in the full orchestra. If Poulenc cited Gozzoli frescoes with monks sticking out their tongues and Benedictine monks playing football as the source of inspiration for his Gloria, then nowhere is this more immediately comprehensible than in the second movement, with it's rhythmically pointed Laudamus te, of the choir. In both the opera house, and concert hall, Prêtre's interpretations were notable for their full-blooded and highly romantic character; in style, they were often different from those of French conductors of the previous generation. He was an effective conductor not only of the French repertoire, but also of the music of Italy, and Germany, a fact reflected by the admiration in which he was held in both countries. A highly experienced and polished recording artist, Prêtre had many years' experience of working in the studio. His discography was large. Especially important were his recordings of the music of Poulenc.