This Tuesday I will be playing in Japan Earthquake and Hurricane Sandy Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall.
The orchestra only plays Requiem in D minor by Luigi Cherubini. I had heard of Cherubini but never had any encounters with his work. He was Beethoven's contemporary; in fact, Beethoven regarded Cherubini as his greatest contemporary.
Born in 1760 in Italy, Cherubini spent most of his life time in France. When he traveled to Paris in his twenties, a violinist/composer Giovanni Batista Viotti presented Cherubini to Queen Marie Antoinette. Throughout his career, he had blessing from European courts including Napoleon in Vienna and Louis XVIII in Paris.
He is most known for operas and sacred music. We are performing the second requiem which he wrote toward the end of his life for his own funeral.
As I prepare for this concert, I keep falling in love with this Requiem. It's such a powerful and gorgeous piece. Here are YouTube clips of the piece. It's a shame his music is not more widely appreciated in the current musical scene...
He is most known for operas and sacred music. We are performing the second requiem which he wrote toward the end of his life for his own funeral.
As I prepare for this concert, I keep falling in love with this Requiem. It's such a powerful and gorgeous piece. Here are YouTube clips of the piece. It's a shame his music is not more widely appreciated in the current musical scene...
| | |
| | |
