Duruflé Messe ‘cum jubilo’ Poulenc Stabat Mater

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 8:00 pm

These two sumptuous French works will showcase Ascension’s magnificent new Manton Memorial Organ built by Pascal Quoirin of France. Composed about 20 years after his famous Requiem, Duruflé’s other major work, the Messe ‘cum jubilo,’ calls for a choir of baritones in unison. The Gregorian chant melodies they sing, combined with Duruflé’s glorious post-impressionistic accompaniment, provide us with a truly inspired work. We have chosen Duruflé’s own organ version for the accompaniment to make use of the extraordinary French timbres of the new organ!

Although Poulenc’s Gloria is more often performed, it is his Stabat Mater which he considered his greatest masterpiece. Scored for mixed chorus and soprano solo, it is one of the most beautiful of all French choral compositions. Here, too, we make use of the new Quoirin organ for this occasion: Dennis Keene has made an organ transcription especially for this concert.

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