Interludium

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the end of the World War II, Helmuth Rilling asked 14 composers from 13 countries to set the texts of the Requiem to music. The resulting ‘Requiem der Versöhnung’ became a universal tribute to the victims of this war.

Being a representative of England, Bernard Rands did not chose a traditional requiem text for his Interludium, but created a piece of absolute, impressionist funeral music whose five-bar structure, too, is reminiscent of Gregorian melodies. The vocalising choir is treated like an additional orchestra part. Only once we can hear the word ‘deus’ which sounds like a desperate cry.