Experience a sublime evening of French sacred music as Gloucester Choral Society performs a deeply moving program featuring Duruflé’s ethereal Requiem, Vierne’s magnificent Messe Solennelle, and Fauré’s serene Motets in the spectacular setting of Gloucester Cathedral. All complemented by César Franck's Choral No.3 in A Minor to showcase the new organ.

 

Masterpieces of the French Choral Tradition

 

Immerse yourself in the profound beauty, harmonic warmth, and spiritual grace of France's greatest choral treasures. This curated evening showcases the soaring acoustics of the Cathedral through some of the most emotionally resonant music ever written.

 

• Maurice Duruflé: Requiem, Op. 9

A pinnacle of 20th-century sacred music, Duruflé's masterpiece weaves ancient Gregorian chants with rich, shimmering modern harmonies. It offers a message of peace, hope, and sublime consolation.

 

• Louis Vierne: Messe Solennelle, Op. 16

Originally written for two organs and choir, this monumental work is a dazzling display of Romantic grandeur. Its sweeping melodies and thrilling organ passages are tailor-made to echo through the Cathedral’s awe-inspiring nave.

 

• Gabriel Fauré: Motets - Tantum ergo, Ave verum, Maria Mater and Ecce Fidelis

​Delicate, introspective, and beautifully crafted, these exquisite shorter works perfectly balance the program with their gentle lyricism and elegant vocal phrasing.

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