Gossec Requiem

 Day 186

Gossec Requiem

Soloists

Louis Devos

This was a fascinating piece. Gossec (1734-1829) lived though all of the turbulent developments in French history from the excesses of the Ancient Regime, the French Revolution, Napoleon and then the restoration of the monarchy. This impressive full-length setting of the Requiem dates from 1760 yet seems to foreshadow much that was to develop in French music. The basic musical language is Haydnesque but tinged with the spirit of French opera, particularly Rameau but sometimes looking forward to Mehul and Spontini. But the antiphonal effects in the Tuba Mirum and the general scale and ambition of the work are reminiscent of Berlioz’s own Requiem of two generations later. None of this would matter if the music itself was mundane but in fact there is some astonishing invention here both in the choral and orchestral writing. Some of it was quite thrilling.  

This was a significant discovery. I’ve long been interested in the development of French music from Rameau to Berlioz and beyond but hitherto Gossec has escaped my attention. I must put him higher up my list of composers to explore - there is plenty to go at. There are a dozen or so operas, at least 50 symphonies and a setting of the Te Deum which is said to require 1200 singers and 300 wind instruments.