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Reviewer: Lindsay Kemp
The Moravian-born composer Franz Xaver Richter (1709-89) is one of those ‘pre Classical’ figures whose music is written about more than it is heard, with what interest there has been focusing squarely on his symphonies: as a member of the ‘Mannheim School’ he is remembered for his contribution to the early development of the genre, albeit one with a conservative but not unattractive attachment to properly written counterpoint. What, however, of his church music? Richter spent the last 20 years of his life at Strasbourg Cathedral, where he produced around 80 sacred works which are almost wholly unexplored today. As this release shows, they certainly don’t lack quality. The main work is the Requiem composed in the last year of his life, its 16 short but rich-textured movements mixing assured choral writing (some fine fugues included) and vocally grateful solos. In this last regard it is less like Mozart’s Requiem (composed two years later) than his C minor Mass, while in atmosphere it has very little of the Mozart’s anxiousness and dread. Though there is mild trembling in the ‘Dies irae’ and a touch of awe at ‘death and nature shall marvel’, the overall mood is one of confidence, more untroubled farewell to earthly life than vision of Hell. An interesting touch comes at the opening: a brief a cappella intonation of ‘Requiem’ joined to a subdued trumpet fanfare before the works starts in earnest. The disc also includes an eloquent De profundis and a rather lopsided symphony whose 13-minute opening fugue is followed by two much shorter and more conventionally galant movements.
The
performances by all-Czech period forces are competent, well-shaped and stylish.
If you are interested in the music, you’ll be content with them. The church
acoustic takes away much chance of making the music bite but helps create an
imposing, dignified yet unclogged sound. |
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