John Rutter: Requiem

Rutter Requiem

I would recommend The Rutter Requiem as performed by the choir of King's College in Cambridge, England, to anyone with an interest in that piece or in timeless religious music. The performance by both the singers and the instrumentalists is flawless and exquisitely beautiful, with an incredible range of emotions expressed as the composer meant for them to be. March 10, 2008

One of the Best Classical Music of our time

The Rutter's Requiem is one of the most beautiful music written in our time. It has a lyrical and very lovely melody, meaningful words and wonderful SATB voices. Highly recommended. March 13, 2007

A celestial experience & a wonderful memorial piece

I agree with so much of what's been said in the other reviews ... "it never fails to get me," etc. I wanted to add my 5 stars and a few comments, as well.

I incidentally discovered this work when a local classical radio station broadcast "Pie Jesu," and like the writer above, I scrambled for a pen. Honestly, I still have the same sense of wonder and amazement that I first experienced that day, every time I hear the piece. I've since researched and listened to other versions of "Pie Jesu", and I agree that this is the finest version ever recorded. (I would say the same for the entire "Requiem" on this CD.) This version of this composition is something that you "feel" as much as you hear it.

John Rutter apparently wrote this specifically for the acoustics of King's College Cathedral, and the superb technical quality of this recording adds a lot to the experience. There are wonderful French horn and oboe solos in several pieces (not so in other versions I've heard.) Rutter comments that he wrote it in memoriam, after he suffered a personal loss, and I believe he's musically expressed the human experience of death & loss as well as anyone ever has. So when I lost my father in October 2006, I included several movements in the funeral service: "Pie Jesu", sung in Latin with just a few phrases repeated throughout; Psalm 23, sung in English, at times hauntingly; and Lux Aeterna, again Latin, in which I sense a celebration of one's life, and the beginning of one's healing after a loss.

If you're interested in a CD to listen to, when you're mostly in the mood for a spiritual experience - this one comes highly recommended. January 3, 2007

SIMPLY EXQUISITE

We had heard of neither Rutter nor Cleobury until a chance airing of "Te Deum" on the local classical station's sacred music concert had us scrambling madly for pen and paper and thence directly to the music store.

This CD contains a stellar cross-section of Rutter's work. He combines the melodic simplicity of Bach with a distinctly modern sensibility. The combined effect of the music's sheer beauty, the exquisite skill of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, and the magisterial hush of the King's College Chapel make for an ethereal and thoroughly transformative musical experience.

It's truly *lovely.* Words simply cannot convey the listening experience, let alone do it justice. This recording will blow you away, if not change your life.

--VMS/PTS July 27, 2000

Glorious

This is a fine recording of John Rutter's masterpiece. The Choir of King's is exceptional. The recording features the full orchestral accompaniment with amazing soloists, specifically flute, cello and oboe. I am particularly found of performances by all-male choirs of this composer's music - Pie Jesu is breathtaking as a boy soprano solo. I believe this to be the best recording yet on disc of the Requiem. The programme is rounded out by other secular choral works. The Wallace Collection brass ensemble is a great guest on the disc as well. Highly Recommended. June 6, 2000

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