New Millennium Strings

Maurice Durufle

Requiem

Maurice Durufle was born on January 11, 1902, in Louviers, France. He was known as both a distinguished organist and composer. Although he composed only a few pieces, his Requiem gained the most acclaim. It is a well-crafted, modal work, which combines both new and old compositional techniques.

Durufle studied organ and piano from an early age. From 1919 to 1921 he was enrolled at the Paris Conservatory, studying organ with Charles Tournemire (the permanent organist at St. Clothilde) and with Louis Vierne (organist at Notre Dame) and composition with Paul Dukas. He worked as the assistant organist at St. Clothilde from 1919 to 1929, and in 1930 he was appointed as principal organist of St. Etienne-du-Mont. In 1943, he became a professor of composition at the Paris Conservatory, and remained there until 1969. Durufle wrote the Requiem in 1947 for choir, soprano and baritone soloists, orchestra, and organ. This piece was written in memory of his father, but ironically, it was also performed in 1986 at Durufle's own memorial.

The Durufle Requiem is firmly based on melodic material taken from Gregorian chant and exhibits refinement of form and modal harmony, as well as reserve in the use of expression. His teacher Tournemire introduced Durufle to the world of chant. At this time Gregorian chant was regaining popularity among his contemporaries. The famous composer Charles-Marie Widor wrote two symphonies that used Gregorian chant (No. 9, the Gothic, written in 1895, and No. 10, the Romantic, composed in 1900). As a result of this influence, Durufle used many examples of plainchant in his Requiem.

The opening Introit features a solemn chant that is first introduced by the tenors and basses and is later heard in the altos and sopranos. The vocal line lilts through mixed meters. The singers are accompanied by a continual murmur of running sixteenth notes heard in the violas. Kyrie is characterized by succinct imitative writing in the vocal lines.

Domine Jesu Christe (Offertory) is introduced with a gentle, pulsating pedal heard in the trombones. Above it, the clarinets and bass clarinet play a reserved and expressive line, which mysteriously disappears as it drops in range. After the introduction, a Gregorian melody is heard in octaves in the cello and bass, and then it is sung by the altos. The added instrumentation and the dynamic level become more forceful, which serves to highlight the libretto. The tempo becomes animated from the vigorous triplet figure played first in the strings, then in the winds. In this passage, Durufle makes use of harmony and orchestration which reflects French 20th Century technique. As the movement ends, style antique is heard in the horns, and then again, the chant melody is repeated by the chorus.

The Sanctus begins with sixteenth notes, which were previously heard in the Introit. His use of a motive of swirling sixteenth notes supports the mood of exaltation in the vocal text. The excitement increases with the dynamic and by his use of added instrumentation. Durufle's use of brass, harp, and percussion creates a pictoral scene, which is reminiscent of Debussy's La Mer (1905), in his musical depiction of the sea. Pie Jesu features a mezzo-soprano soloist. The vocal line is portrayed with dignified restraint, although the musical texture is rich and expressive. A soft string accompaniment characterized by slow rhythmic motion illuminates the text.

Agnus Dei begins with the cyclical sixteenth note rhythm, which is now introduced by the harp. Then the violas and cellos play a smooth syncopated line that leads to the chant melody in the altos. Lux Aeterna begins with a bassoon solo characterized by mixed meters. It is a gentle and pure melody played in the medium-high range. The chorus then resumes the bassoon's melodic line. Libre Me features the baritone soloist, who now portrays a darker mood in the music by emphasizing the pleading text "Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death in that awful day." In the last movement, In Paradisum, an ethereal mood is created when the celeste and harmonics in the harp are combined. This special effect enhances the text, "May Angels take you into Paradise." The suspension of time is created by infrequent chordal changes in the string accompaniment. The haunting flute melody, heard at the end of the movement, concludes the Requiem.

-- program notes by Laurien Jones

November, 2002