Among the sacred works that have secured a lasting place in the concert repertoire, Fauré’s Requiem occupies a unique position. Far removed from the operatic grandeur and dramatic intensity of the requiems by Mozart, Berlioz, Brahms or Verdi, this is an intimate work of modest proportions, imbued with an unmistakably French elegance and refinement. Fauré had no desire to rival his illustrious predecessors; instead, he wrote a work that reflected the devotional spirit of late nineteenth-century Paris, where religious expression sought intimacy and accessibility. In this respect, his Requiem stands closer in spirit to the more recent settings by Liszt and Saint-Saëns.

First performed at the Church of La Madeleine in 1888 during the anniversary memorial service for an architect, the work soon transcended its liturgical origins to enjoy remarkable success in the concert hall, despite—or perhaps because of—its air of quiet introspection. As Fauré himself remarked: “It has been said that my Requiem does not express the fear of death; someone has called it a lullaby of death. But that is how I see death: as a joyful deliverance, an aspiration towards the happiness beyond, rather than as a painful passage.”

More than a century after Gabriel Fauré’s death, it is only fitting to return to his most celebrated sacred work. Victor Jacob presents the version performed at La Madeleine for the centenary of the execution of Louis XVI on 21 January 1893: the original church scoring for chamber orchestra, notably without violins but with a richly coloured viola section, faithfully recreating the forces used on that occasion. The programme is complemented by spiritual works by Rossini, Schubert and Brahms, offering the choir a central role—an ensemble Fauré held especially dear during his years as Maître de Chapelle at La Madeleine. The Choir and Orchestra of the Opéra Royal of the Château de Versailles provide a magnificent setting for this radiant collection of sacred masterpieces.

Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) – Quelques mesures de chant funèbre à mon pauvre ami Meyerbeer (from Morceaux réservés)

Charles Gounod (1818–1893) – Repentir

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) – Ave verum corpus

Pietro Mascagni (1863–1945) – Cavalleria rusticana, Intermezzo

Pietro Mascagni (1863–1945) – Ave Maria

Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924) – Requiem (1893 version)

Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924) – Cantique de Jean Racine

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764) – “Tendre amour” (from Les Indes galantes) – without instrumental introduction