Requiem redux

MASS ATTACK: In the 1984 movie, Amadeus, actor Tom Hulce played young Classical composer Johannes Mozart as a juvenile, and musical genius. The movie soundtrack featured pieces such as Introitus (orchestral introduction), Dies irae, Rex tremendae majestatis, Confutatis, and Lacrimosa from Mozart's Requiem mass — which the Gisborne Choral Society will perform in March. Picture supplied

It's not as tiresome as the title's homonym might suggest.

In fact, Mozart's Te Deum is, as one writer put it, “radiant with joy”.

And in seven weeks time, Gisborne and Hastings choral societies, will perform the radiantly joyful Te Deum, composed by Mozart when he was only 13 years old, followed by the Classical genius's headline work, Requiem, in Hastings and Gisborne.

The Gisborne Choral Society embarked on Mozart's Requiem one year ago. Covid-19 interrupted rehearsals but the choristers are now back on track.

Newcomers are welcome to join Tuesdays' 7.30pm rehearsals in the St Andrew's Church hall but with less than two months to go until the Hastings concert some skill and familiarity with the works would be needed.

The Requiem is unusually passionate and powerful for a product of the classical era, GCS musical director Gavin Maclean told the Guide this time last year.

“There are entrancing melodies, brilliant harmonic sequences, and exquisite quartets for solo singers in Mozart's rendition.

“It clearly influenced Verdi, when 80 years later he composed his famously bombastic Requiem, in which some of Mozart's phrases clearly resonate.”