Requiem is a dramatic and powerful work that takes
its inspiration from both Western and Oriental musical
traditions. It incorporates Western melodic style and
elements of world music, such as Japanese harmonies and
melodies, and instruments. It is a Mass set to texts from
both the Christian Mass, written in Latin, and Japanese
jisei, which are traditional Japanese haiku that highlight
the cyclical nature of life, death and rebirth.
Karl
Jenkins said “It was a moving and rewarding time for me
when composing this work, with its blend of traditional
Latin text combined with the haiku poems from Japan and a
thrill to bring what are seemingly disparate elements
together such as a fabulous orchestra from Kazakhstan, the
best of Welsh choirs and our brilliant soloists.” In
some tracks Jenkins combines the two styles, as in Farewell,
which is intoned by male voices in a monastic style as a
counterpoint to the Japanese text sung by the female voice.
Karl Jenkins has said that the Requiem is dedicated to his
late father “…who was a musician, friend and
inspiration.”
Performing the Requiem is the West Kazakh Philharmonic
Orchestra and this marks the first ever commercial
recording by an orchestra from Kazakhstan. This is a
historical milestone for this country and its culture. The
director and leader of the orchestra, Marat Bisengaliev
said “I feel that with this high profile recording of the
first Kazakh orchestra with worldwide distribution
represents the new post-soviet, democratic era that our
country is entering into, and its achievements both economic
and cultural. It shows Kazakhstan as a truly civilized and
fast-developing country with enormous potential. This very
first recording on EMI will be, no doubt, one of the most
popular recordings around the world and will be cherished by
millions of citizens of my country for many years to come.”
In addition to the Requiem, the commercial recording also
includes another new work by Karl Jenkins entitled In
these stones, horizons sing. Commissioned for the
opening of the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay, the
work was premiered there, performed by the renowned
bass-baritone Bryn Terfel and the award-winning
harpist Catrin Finch. Their performance was broadcast
live on television in the UK in November 2004 and they have
joined together again for this, the first recording of the
work. Set to the texts of eminent modern Welsh poets, this
piece celebrates Welsh culture, by combining folk music
elements that depict Welsh tradition, and saxophone
improvisations and ethnic percussion that evoke the
influence of the rest of the world.
