Supertonic presents Rest - Faure's Requiem and Song of Remembrance

Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, 2 Hill Street, Thorndon, Wellington

Saturday 19 June 2021, 7.30pm

Supertonic is delighted to announce its first concert for 2021. Join us on Saturday 19 June for a warming winter evening of musical meditation.

Rest: Fauré’s Requiem and Songs of Remembrance will take place in the magnificent Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Under the direction of Isaac Stone, Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem in D Minor will feature organist Michael Fletcher along with the brilliant voices of soloists Nicola Holt and William McElwee.

The audience will be treated to the 1893, seven-movement version of Fauré’s Requiem, accompanied by a moving array of works from across the globe to complement Fauré’s beloved choral lament. Written in 1887, the ‘first’ version of the Requiem, the only one for which any manuscripts survive, consisted of five movements. Fauré wrote the Requiem from a personal selection of texts, laying emphasis on motifs of rest and peace. A masterpiece written in Fauré’s ecclesiastical style, the Requiem was written to be appreciated with ease, described by Fauré himself as a "lullaby" and "happy deliverance".

This concert will explore the theme of remembrance through a collection of pieces including Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing by Herbert Howells, written to honour the memory of J.F. Kennedy; Y Comienzo a Bailar, a poem about Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) by Elizabeth Alexander and Indodana, a traditional South African song arranged by Michael Barrett and Ralf Schmit.

Supertonic is a 64-strong SATB Wellington choir that takes pride in presenting a variety of contrasting musical styles. This concert is our opportunity to perform an ambitious arrangement of classical music supported by the rich acoustic of Wellington Cathedral. Whether this is your first or fiftieth time enjoying Fauré’s Requiem, this evening of traditional choral entertainment will be sure to satisfy your musical fascination.