The duration of the Requiem is approximately 90 minutes. Though it was commissioned to commemorate composer Hector Berlioz, the piece contains no references to the music of Berlioz. Rouse was more inspired by the War Requiem by English composer Benjamin Britten. Similar to the War Requiem, the composition follows the liturgical requiem text, but additionally incorporates text from other sources, specifically lyrics from European hymns and lines from the poetry of Seamus Heaney, Siegfried Sassoon, Michelangelo, Ben Jonson, and John Milton.
9/11
Having completed the work shortly after the events of the 2001 September 11 attacks, Rouse, after much personal deliberation, elected not to dedicate the Requiem to the victims of the attacks. In the program notes, Rouse commented:
Reception
Mark Swed of the Los Angeles Times lavished the Requiem with praise, declaring it "the first great traditional American Requiem" and called it "a Requiem of wondrous mixed emotions." George Grella of the New YorkClassical Review called the piece "fascinating, massive, ungainly, often moving, sometimes unhinged: if not a completely successful composition, at least an impressive showcase for musicians and composer’s craft alike." Corinna Da Fonseca-Wollheim of The New York Times praised the New York City premiere, saying, "The predominant mood of Mr. Rouse’s 'Requiem' is one of uncomprehending grief and fury almost as if, bereft of faith, it were mourning the death of consolation itself. But then there are glimpses of hope. Mr. Imbrailo’s limpid and smoothly flowing rendition of Jonson’s 'Farewell, thou child of my right hand' was joined by a fleeting, radiant flute solo. And when the Brooklyn Youth Chorus entered with the Marian hymn 'Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,' sung with a gleaming, pure sound from a side balcony, the effect was powerfully emotional, even as it skirted the fine line between pathos and kitsch." Barry Bassis of The Epoch Times said of the same performance, "Rouse’s splendid work deserved the standing ovationat the end, proving that audiences are receptive to modern works that are this well crafted and performed." At the New York City premiere, conductor Alan Gilbert said of the Requiem, "This work goes farther or comes from deeper in him than almost any other piece of his. It takes a lot out of you both technically but emotionally as well." Rouse himself said of the piece, "All of that was to try to put across the idea of facing death, whether you're facing it yourself or if you're going on after the death of a loved one. But it is a very personal work and I think it's the best work I've composed."
