Requiem

Requiem is a highly interesting work which draws on Western and Oriental traditions. Requiem in paradisum (‘Rest in Paradise’) is a mass for the souls of the dead set to texts from the Christian Mass (in Latin), using the familiar Dies Irae, Pie Jesu and Lacrimosa plus Japanese jisei. These are traditional Japanese haiku whose timeless music highlights the cyclical nature of life, death and rebirth. The work is performed by a chamber orchestra, two choirs (leading amateur Welsh choirs), soprano soloist, incidental harp, percussion and shakuhachi (Japanese flute), incorporating a Western melodic style with ethnic and world music elements - the trademark of Karl Jenkins.

The album finishes with an additional track: Bryn Terfel sings ‘In these horizons stones sing’, which was commissioned for and premiered at the opening of the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff in November. It is a 15-minute work for chorus and bass-baritone solo to texts by eminent modern Welsh poets sung in Welsh and English. A sticker will feature on the front of the album representing this as the follow-up to the No.1 classical album The Armed Man.