a dose of music: a classical injection - part 5

I’ve taken a slight hiatus from making entries, but I’m back, and here's my next listening suggestion. Recently, I’ve been on a little Requiem kick as I’ve had the opportunity to perform three of them in the past couple weeks, so I’d like to suggest listening to one of my favorites, Mozart’s Requiem. A Requiem is a sacred piece which is typically composed in the adjustable form (meaning movements can be retracted or added depending on likes of the composer) of the Roman Catholic Liturgy, and written primarily to be performed in a liturgical service, but may also be played in concert settings. They were, and are, primarily written as dedications to the souls of those who have passed away, and thus may also be played for special services or occasions such as Good Fridays, funerals, etc.

Mozart began composing his Requiem, his last composition, in 1791, but died before completing it. He only completed the first movement, and sketches have been found over the years from other parts of the Requiem. Because of this, there is debate as to how much of the piece was written actually by him, and subsequently many versions have been completed by numerous musicologists and scholars. The most famous and traditional version of which is called the “Sussmayr” edition. I hope you like the piece, and you might find that even if you think you’ve never heard it before, that you might recognize parts of it as its often used in movies, commercials, and other mediums.