Immerse yourself in the profound and serene world of classical music with Johann Sebastian Bach's latest album, "Peaceful Rest." Released on November 18, 2024, under Warner Classics, this extraordinary collection spans a generous 3 hours and 42 minutes, featuring 55 tracks that encapsulate the essence of tranquility and reflection.
"Peaceful Rest" is a meticulously curated journey through the timeless compositions of Bach, alongside works by other masterful composers such as Mozart, Fauré, and Chopin. The album opens with the hauntingly beautiful "Lacrimosa" from Mozart's Requiem in D Minor, setting the tone for a deeply moving experience. It continues with pieces like Fauré's "In Paradisum" and Duruflé's "Lux æterna," which evoke a sense of peace and eternal rest.
The album is not just a collection of tracks but a symphony of emotions, each piece carefully chosen to create a cohesive and soothing atmosphere. From the somber tones of Schubert's "Death and the Maiden" to the ethereal beauty of Debussy's "Pour un tombeau sans nom," every composition tells a story of loss, remembrance, and ultimately, serenity.
Johann Sebastian Bach's own contributions, such as the "Marcia funebre" from his Piano Sonata No. 12, add a layer of depth and historical significance to the album. The inclusion of works by lesser-known but equally brilliant composers like Biber and Cardoso further enriches the listening experience, offering a diverse palette of musical expressions.
"Peaceful Rest" is a testament to the enduring power of classical music to comfort, inspire, and heal. Whether you are seeking solace, reflection, or simply a moment of quiet contemplation, this album is a perfect companion. With its rich tapestry of sounds and emotions, it is an essential addition to any classical music lover's collection.
Mozart: Requiem in D Minor, K. 626: VIII. LacrimosaWolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Pierre Génisson, Bruno Fontaine
Pierné: 6 Pièces posthumes: No. 1, Prélude sur le nom de Paul Dukas, pour son tombeauGabriel Pierné, Diane Andersen
Fauré: Requiem, Op. 48: VII. In ParadisumGabriel Fauré, Paavo Järvi, Choeur de l'Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre de Paris
Purcell: Funeral Sentences: Thou Know'st, Lord, Z. 58C (First Verse)Henry Purcell, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Timothy Byram-Wigfield, Robert Chilcott, Jonathan Robarts, Francis Grier, Michael Cockerham
Duruflé: Requiem, Op. 9: VIII. Lux æternaMaurice Duruflé, Michel Plasson, Orchestre Du Capitole De Toulouse, Marie-Claire Alain, Orfeon Donostiarra
Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D. 810 "Death and the Maiden": II. (b) Variation IFranz Schubert, vision string quartet
Vaughan Williams: O Taste and SeeRalph Vaughan Williams, Chichester Cathedral Choir, John Birch, Richard Seal
Walton: Henry V: Passacaglia "Death of Falstaff"William Walton, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Campra: Messe de requiem: VI. Agnus DeiAndré Campra, John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir, Wynford Evans, English Baroque Soloists
Schuman: Carols of Death: No. 3, To All, to EachWilliam Schuman, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury
Charpentier: Messe pour les trépassés, H. 2: V. Symphonie - Agnus DeiMarc-Antoine Charpentier, Michel Corboz, Coro Gulbenkian, Fernando Serafim, John Elwes, Michel Brodard, Orquestra Gulbenkian
Gossec: Messe des morts: XXII. Pie JesuFrancois-Joseph Gossec, Louis Devos, Howard Crook, Kurt Widmer, Maastricht Conservatory Chamber Choir, Musica Polyphonica
Debussy: 6 Épigraphes antiques, CD 139b, L. 131: No. 2, Pour un tombeau sans nomClaude Debussy, Aldo Ciccolini
Brossard: Troisième leçon des morts: IV. Symphonia. "Memento, quaeso"Sébastien de Brossard, Il Seminario Musicale, Gérard Lesne, Véronique Gens
Liszt: Recueillement, S. 204Franz Liszt, Stephen Hough
Ockeghem: Missa pro defunctis: I. Requiem aeternamJohannes Ockeghem, The Hilliard Ensemble, Paul Hillier
Biber: Requiem a 15 in A Major: VI. Agnus DeiHeinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Choir, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 12 in A-Flat Major, Op. 26: III. Marcia funebre sulla morte d'un eroe. Maestoso andanteLudwig van Beethoven, Cyprien Katsaris
Vivaldi: Concerto funebre in B-Flat Major, RV 579: I. LargoAntonio Vivaldi, Europa Galante, Fabio Biondi
Cardoso: Liber primus missarum, Missa No. 4 "Pro defunctis": VI. Agnus DeiManuel Cardoso, Pro Cantione Antiqua
Philidor: Marche des pompes funèbres pour les grandes cérémoniesAndre Danican Philidor, La Simphonie Du Marais, Hugo Reyne
Bartók: 14 Bagatelles, Op. 6, Sz. 38: No. 13, Elle est morte. Lento funèbreBéla Bartók, Piotr Anderszewski
Grieg: Peer Gynt, Op. 23, Act 3: No. 12, The Death of ÅseEdvard Grieg, Paavo Järvi, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
Janáček: Piano Sonata "1. X. 1905, From the Street": II. DeathLeoš Janáček, Mikhail Rudy
Gilles: Requiem: VII. OffertoriumJean Gilles, Joel Cohen, Boston Camerata, Anne Azéma, Chœurs du Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Ensemble de tambours provençaux, Jean Nirouët, Patrick Mason, William Hite, Maurice Guis
Sibelius: Pelléas et Mélisande Suite, Op. 46: IX. The Death of MélisandeJean Sibelius, Paavo Berglund, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38, Pt. 2: AndantinoEdward Elgar, Sir John Barbirolli, Hallé
Anonymous: O Deathe, Rock Me a SleepeAnonymous, The Musicians of Swanne Alley
Berlioz: La Mort d'Orphée, H. 25: V. Tableau musicalHector Berlioz, Michel Plasson, Orchestre Du Capitole De Toulouse
Verdelot: Il primo libro de madrigali: No. 15, Si liet'e grata mortePhilippe Verdelot, The Hilliard Ensemble, Paul Hillier
Schumann: Requiem, Op. 148: I. Requiem aeternamRobert Schumann, Bernhard Klee, Chor des Städtischen Musikvereins zu Düsseldorf, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker
Landi: Il Sant'Alessio, Act 2: "O Morte gradita" (Sant'Alessio)Stefano Landi, Les Arts Florissants, William Christie, Patricia Petibon
Ravel: 2 Mélodies hébraïques, M. A 22: No. 1, Kaddish (Transcr. Siloti for Piano)Maurice Ravel, Bertrand Chamayou
Visée: Pièces de théorbe, Suite No. 10 en ut mineur: Allemande, tombeau des Mesdemoiselles de Visée "La plainte"Robert de Visée, Pascal Monteilhet
Handel: Israel in Egypt, HWV 54, Pt. 1: Chorus. "The Merciful Goodness of the Lord"George Frideric Handel, Andrew Parrott, Taverner Choir, Taverner Players
Strauss, R: Don Quixote, Op. 35: Finale. Death of Don QuixoteRichard Strauss, Rudolf Kempe, Paul Tortelier, Staatskapelle Dresden
Falla: Pour le tombeau de Paul DukasManuel de Falla, Jean-François Heisser
Marais: Pièces de viole, Livre I: No. 83, Tombeau de Monsieur MelitonMarin Marais, Pierre Hantaï, Jérôme Hantaï, Kaori Uemura
Des Prez: La déploration de Jehan Ockeghem "Nymphes des bois / Requiem"Josquin des Prez, The Hilliard Ensemble, Paul Hillier
Howells: Hymnus Paradisi: V. I Heard a Voice from HeavenHerbert Howells, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, The Bach Choir, Heather Harper, Robert Tear, David Willcocks, New Philharmonia Orchestra
Prokofiev: Suite No. 3 from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 101: VI. The Death of JulietSergei Prokofiev, Armin Jordan, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Bach, JS: St John Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 39, Chor. "Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine"Johann Sebastian Bach, Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre.Grenoble, Christian Immler, Colin Balzer, David Hansen, Delphine Galou, Ditte Andersen, Felix Speer, Lenneke Ruiten, Valerio Contaldo
Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 6 in F Minor, Op. 80, MWV R37: III. AdagioFelix Mendelssohn, Quatuor Ébène
D'Anglebert: Pièces de clavecin, Suite No. 4 en ré majeur: Tombeau de Monsieur de ChambonnièresJean-Henri d'Anglebert, Scott Ross
Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35 "Funeral March": III. Marche funèbre. LentoFrédéric Chopin, François-René Duchâble
Rachmaninov: Vespers, Op. 37: IV. Svete tikhiySergei Rachmaninoff, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury
Dvořák: Requiem, Op. 89, B. 165: XII. Pie JesuAntonín Dvořák, Armin Jordan, Choeur de Radio France, Leonard Mróz, Peter Dvorsky, Stefania Toczyska, Teresa Żylis-Gara, Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
Couperin, L: Tombeau de Monsieur de BlancrocherLouis Couperin, Laurence Boulay