M. Jansson: Requiem Novum
In memory of dear departed family and friends, the Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church choir, Christina Taylor (soprano) and a chamber ensemble of local musicians will offer: Requiem Novum by Mårten Jansson on Sunday, November 3rd at 4 PM in the sanctuary of Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church.
VOCES8, a professional vocal ensemble, premiered this piece on a new recording released in March of 2023. They had the following to say about this wonderful new composition:
"This new large work for chorus and orchestra, written by Swedish composer Mårten Jansson and American lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri, features the familiar movements of the Latin Requiem Mass, with new poetry in response to each movement, but from the perspective of the dead. The entire work moves from the somber, melancholy, even fearful tones of the mass movements to responses of hope and wonder, as those whom we mourn reveal the peace, redemption, and sheer wonder of their new reality beyond the veil of eternity. Requiem Novum expresses the grief we feel, our hope for life eternal, and provides an opportunity for those we have lost to comfort us."
Mårten Jansson says the following on his website: "My music is my own and I have never tried to be original. That has always been my motto and I have only tried to use music to express all the feelings life consists of. This has led people to describe my music as both 'so sad that it sounds like birds who have lost their wings' and 'the happiest classical music we ever heard'. I have also always preferred beautiful music to atonal music and that is surely the reason why the most part of my music is more on the sad side – but what a dream it would be to be able to create beautiful music that’s bubbling over with joy! My compositions consist of almost only sacral music. This is to express my own faith but also my appreciation and respect for the timeless texts that have been used for centuries after centuries."
GIA Publications, a well-respected music publishing company based in Chicago, IL, had the following to say about the work: "Requiem Novum, an evocative musical work from Swedish composer Mårten Jansson, weaves drama, emotion, and exquisite compositional technique into a masterpiece for our time. The choir (singing the traditional Latin texts) represents the mourning and God-fearing congregation, while the soloist (singing new English texts by Charles Anthony Silvestri) answers as one beyond the veil, sending back words of comfort and hope. Highly melodic and incredibly moving, Jansson's newsetting of the Latin Requiem offers a new perspective on grief and loss."