Britten: War Requiem

On January 10, 1963, recording sessions for this world premiere recording of Britten's War Requiem were completed in London. In 2023, sixty years later, Decca has made new high-resolution 24-bit/192 kHz transfers of the original quarter-inch stereo master tapes at British Grove Studios for the best possible sound quality. Conducted by the composer and featuring the three soloists (Galina Vishnevskaya, Peter Pears, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau) for whom the work was written, this still remains for many the reference recording par excellence.

For the 3 LP deluxe vinyl edition, the lacquer-foil cut was done at Abbey Road Studios using the half-speed mastering process. Appearing for the first time ever on LP are the secret recordings of Britten's rehearsals for the War Requiem. The truly comprehensive companion book includes excerpts from John Culshaw's autobiography, "Putting the Record Straight," reminiscences by three members of the original 1963 Decca recording team, technical notes, extensive essays on the War Requiem and the recording sessions, and rare, never-before-seen photographs.

Tracklist:

LP 1 & 2
I. Requiem aeternam
1. a. Requiem aeternam Chorus
2. b. What Passing Bells for These who die as Cattle? Tenor
II. Dies irae
3. a. Dies irae Chorus
4. b. Bugles Sang, Saddening the Evening Air Baritone
5. c. Liber Scriptus Soprano
6. d. Out there, We've Walked quite Friendly up to Death Tenor & Baritone
7. e. Recordare Jesu pie Chorus
8. f. Be Slowly Lifted Up Baritone
9. g. Dies irae Chorus
10. h. Lacrimosa dies illa Soprano & Chorus
11. i. Move Him into the Sun Tenor
III. Offertorium
12. a. Domine Jesu Christe
13. b. So Abram Rose, and Clave the Wood
IV. Sanctus
14. a. Sanctus Soprano & Chorus
15. b. After the Blast of Lightning from the East Baritone
V. Agnus Dei
16. One ever Hangs Where Shelled Roads Part Tenor & chorus
VI. Libera me
17. a. Libera me, Domine Chorus
18. b. It Seemed that out of Battle I Escaped Tenor
19. c. Let Us Sleep Now ... In Paradisum Baritone, Tenor, Boys, Soprano & Chorus

LP 3

Rehearsing War Requiem
1. Requiem aeternam Rehearsal                                                      
2. Dies irae Rehearsal of the opening section                                   
3. Dies irae Discussion in the control room between Britten and Galina Vishnevskaya (via her interpreter), then between John Culshaw and Galina Vishnevskaya
4. Dies irae Rehearsal of end of movement                                      
5. Offertorium Rehearsal                                                                  
6. Sanctus Rehearsal                                                                        
7. Sanctus Discussion in the control room between Britten and Galina Vishnevskaya (via her interpreter)
8. Agnus Dei Discussion in the control room between Britten, Peter Pears and John Culshaw
9. Libera me Discussion in the control room between Britten and John Culshaw
10. Libera me Rehearsal                                                                    
11. Libera me Rehearsal of closing page   
12. Closing remarks