Requiem

To this day, the fascination with the fragment endures, yet one question remains unresolved even after more than 200 years: Did Mozart, out of disappointment with the true nature of Freemasonry in the last months of his life while working on the Requiem, once again wholeheartedly dedicate himself to the service of the Church, or did he, just before his death, remain steadfastly devoted to the ideals of the lodge and accept the commission only out of material necessity? Opinions on this matter differ. In addition to its retrospective elements, the composition also contains forward-looking aspects; its unique character arises from sonically suggestive ideas of both color and harmony, which this prominently cast recording from 1984, under the noble direction of Sir Colin Davis, beautifully highlights.