Ludovic Morlot - Requiem at La Monnaie

For its annual requiem concert, La Monnaie presents a dialogue between two remarkable works under the baton of Ludovic Morlot. Alfred Bruneau, known for his talent as a music critic, has unjustly been forgotten as a composer. One of his most ambitious works is the Requiem for soloists, chorus and orchestra, in which he uses spatial effects for maximum dramatic impact. A different type of ‘requiem’, more intimate, is Berg’s magnificent Violin Concerto. Initially it was a commissioned work, but following the tragic death of 18-year-old Manon Gropius, Berg dedicated the composition to ‘the memory of an angel’. This was Berg’s last completed work, Lulu was to be left unfinished. The link between liturgical work and secular concerto is Bach’s chorale ‘Es ist genug’ which is referred to in Berg’s concerto, ‘Nun gute Nacht, o Welt!’