Francesco Durante: Requiem Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Baroque & Stephen Darlington

• Francesco Durante (1684 - 1755): Requiem Mass in C Minor:
• 1 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Introitus - Requiem - Kyrie 06:06
• 2 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Graduale - Requiem - Tractus 05:06
• 3 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Dies irae 01:28
• 4 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Tuba mirum 02:14
• 5 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Mors stupebit 01:34
• 6 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Quid sum miser 01:22
• 7 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Recordare 00:52
• 8 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Quaerens me 01:38
• 9 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Ingemisco 05:38
• 10 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Lacrimosa 02:55
• 11 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Offertorium "Domine, Jesu Christe" 02:16
• 12 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Offertorium "Hostias" 01:59
• 13 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Sanctus "Osanna" 02:41
• 14 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Benedictus "Osanna" 03:43
• 15 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Agnus Dei 02:02
• 16 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Communio 03:25
• 17 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Libera me "Libera me", Pt. I 02:39
• 18 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Libera me "Dies illa" 01:31
• 19 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Libera me "Requiem aeternam" 01:26
• 20 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Libera me "Libera me", Pt. II 01:48
• 21 Requiem Mass in C Minor: Responsorium 00:49
• Organ Concerto in B-Flat Major:
• 22 Organ Concerto in B-Flat Major: I. Allegro 03:29
• 23 Organ Concerto in B-Flat Major: II. Grave 02:56
• 24 Organ Concerto in B-Flat Major: III. Allegro 03:33
• Total Runtime 01:03:10

Info for Francesco Durante: Requiem

In an exciting new collaboration, Oxford’s Christ Church Cathedral Choir, one of the world's oldest and best-known cathedral choirs, joins forces with soloists from The Sixteen and Oxford Baroque on this new recording of Francesco Durante’s Requiem Mass in C minor.

Despite its enduring popularity in the 18th century this beautiful and majestic work was never published but survives through over 50 manuscript copies scattered across Europe. It is a remarkable work which can justly be described as one of the most important orchestral Requiem settings of the 18th century. This is the premiere recording of Stephen Darlington’s new edition of the work which shows Durante to be a composer of considerable skill and invention, who combined his mastery of counterpoint with an elegance of melody, a richness of harmony and an imaginative instinct for structure.

This album also features Durante’s exquisite Organ Concerto in B flat major - a rare example of an Italian keyboard concerto of the period - performed here by celebrated organist, Clive Driskill-Smith.

Although 500 years old, Christ Church Cathedral Choir is justly famous for the youthfulness of its sound and its daring and adventurous musical programming. Unique in the world as both Cathedral and College choir, the intimate acoustic of its musical home, Oxford’s 12th-century Cathedral, has given it a relationship with early sacred music and the rhythm and vigour of contemporary idioms which is second to none.

Oxford Baroque is rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting ensembles on the British historical performance scene. Building on their roots in Oxford’s choral tradition, they have collaborated with number of the Oxford choral foundations. With a strong commitment to upholding the highest standards of musical performance, integrated with the latest musicological scholarship, Oxford Baroque looks set to enjoy a bright future.

"The soloists are uniformly excellent, and the string playing as crisp and alert as the fresh young voices of the Christ Church trebles." (The Observer)

"...moments of elegance and charm which are beautifully rendered." (BBC Music Magazine)

Christ Church Cathedral Choir
Soloists from The Sixteen
Oxford Baroque
Clive Driskell-Smith, organ
Stephen Darlington, conductor

Christ Church Cathedral Choir
Although Christ Church Cathedral Choir is 500 years old, it is justly famous for the youthfulness of its sound and its daring and adventurous musical programming. Unique in the world as both Cathedral and College choir, the intimate acoustic of its musical home, Oxford’s twelfth-century Cathedral, has given it a relationship with early sacred music and the rhythm and vigour of contemporary idioms which is second to none.

Throughout its history, the choir has attracted many distinguished composers and organists, from its first director, John Taverner, appointed by Cardinal Wolsey in 1526, to William Walton in the twentieth century. In recent years, the choir has commissioned and recorded works by composers such as John Tavener, William Mathias, Robert Saxton and Howard Goodall.

Currently there are twelve clerks (adult singers) and nineteen boys in the choir, and two organists. The boys are selected for their musical ability and attend Christ Church Cathedral School. The Cathedral is renowned for training many of the country’s leading organists.

As well as their daily services in the Cathedral, the choir’s reputation inevitably leads to a busy annual programme of concerts and overseas tours. The choir has many award-winning recordings to its credit and works with several international orchestras and soloists.

The astonishing versatility of this choir has given them a strong media profile. They have appeared on all the major TV channels, including Howard Goodall’s Bafta award-winning series for Channel Four, and have been hailed as “one of the finest choirs on Earth”. This collaboration with Goodall has also led to the choir singing his TV and film themes for Mr Bean and The Vicar of Dibley. Whether Cardinal Wolsey would have envisaged so illustrious a future for his new foundation back in the sixteenth century is another matter!

Stephen Darlington
is one of the country’s leading choral conductors. From 1985 to 2018 he was Director of Music at Christ Church, Oxford. Previously Stephen was Master of the Music at St. Alban’s Abbey and Artistic Director of St. Alban’s International Organ Festival. He established Christ Church as an acknowledged centre of academic musical excellence, and maintained the highest choral traditions of the Church of England in the Cathedral. His outstanding strength is in his performances of choral music of the sixteenth century and of modern sacred music. An extensive discography, comprising over fifty CDs, includes several award-winning recordings. From 1998 to 2000 Stephen was President of the Royal College of Organists.

This album contains no booklet.