I. Introitus – Kyrie II. Offertorium III. Sanctus IV. Pie Jesu V. Agnus Dei VI. Libera me VII. In paradisum
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) was born the six child of a village teacher and at the age of nine, entered the Niedermeyer piano school in Paris where because of his exceptional talent, he received free tuition for ten consecutive years. It is probable that the young composer's compositional style would have developed in a completely different direction has he studied at the famous Paris Conservatoire (where he was later a teacher of composition and then the director). Neidermeyer primarily taught church music, thus Fauré grew up in a music environment where the ancient church genres and modes received special prominence. The influence of this background is evident not just in the Requiem and other church works, but in some of his songs as well. Fauré's father died in 1885 and his mother passed away two years later. These two deaths led to the composition of the Requiem which was premiered in 1888, and was later performed at Fauré's own funeral service in 1924. In contrast to the Requiem settings of Berlioz and Verdi, Fauré's does not place the emphasis on the day of reckoning and the drama of the Dies irae, but rather on eternal peace and the depiction of the %u2018requiem.' The exterior features do not disturb the expression of mourning and meditation, no trace of doubt is allowed to enter this belief in eternal life.