[Music] Requiem: A Gentle Solace in the Face of Death

 

(Denver = Won Jeong) – The Colorado Symphony presented a performance of Mozart’s Requiem.

 

From last Friday, the 22nd, to today, the performance, led by conductor Peter Oundjian, took place at the Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, focusing on Mozart’s Requiem.

 

Like the low-hanging clouds on a gloomy day, conductor Oundjian’s white hair added to the atmosphere of the concert.

 

The Colorado Symphony Chorus joined the performance, along with Soprano Yulia Van Doren, Mezzo Soprano Diana Moore, Tenor Isaiah Bell, and Baritone Andrew Garland.

 

Mozart’s Requiem began solemnly, as requiems typically do. However, in the Lacrimosa, a bright melody flowed like blooming spring flowers, offering a glimpse into how Mozart, who died at the age of 35, viewed death.

 

The themes of death, judgment, and eternal life were expressed dramatically in the Requiem. The Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) section vividly depicted the fear of death with its intense rhythm and harmony.

 

In contrast, the Lacrimosa (Day of Tears) provided solace to the audience with its sorrowful melody. Lacrimosa, composed of beautiful melodies and enhanced by the grandeur of the chorus, prompted the audience to contemplate death.

 

As I left the concert hall, the clouds had thickened, and rain began to fall, as if by chance.

 

Mozart’s Requiem and the falling rain seemed to be accompanying someone on their final journey…