The War Requiem, Op. 66 is a large-scale, non-liturgical setting of the Requiem Mass composed by Benjamin Britten in 1962. Interspersed with the traditional Latin texts are pasted, collage-like, settings of Wilfred Owen poems. The work is scored for soprano, tenor and baritone soloists, chorus, boys' choir, organ, and two orchestras (a full orchestra and a chamber orchestra). It has a duration of approximately 85 minutes. Opus, from the Latin word opus meaning work, is usually used in the sense of a work of art. In this sense the plural of opus, opera, is used to refer to the genre of music drama. ... A liturgy is the customary public worship of a religious group, according to their particular traditions. ... A requiem is a Roman Catholic mass performed in commemoration of the dead, also known in Latin as the Missa pro Defunctis. ... Britten redirects here. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (March 18, 1893 – November 4, 1918) was a British poet and soldier, regarded by many as the leading poet of the First World War. ... This article is about the voice-type. ... This article is about Tenor vocalists in music. ... For other uses, see Baritone (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Organ in Katharinenkirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The organ is a keyboard instrument played using one or more manuals and a pedalboard. ... For other uses, see Orchestra (disambiguation). ...

Composition

The War Requiem was commissioned for the reconsecration of Coventry Cathedral on May 30, 1962 after the original fourteenth century structure was destroyed in a World War II bombing raid on the night of November 14, 1940. As a pacifist, Britten was inspired by the commission, which gave him complete freedom in choosing the type of music he would like to compose. He conceived of setting the traditional Latin Mass for the Dead interwoven with nine poems about war by the English poet Wilfred Owen. Owen, who was born in 1893, was serving as the commander of a rifle company when he was killed in action on 4 November 1918 during the crossing of the Sambre-Oise Canal in France, just one week before the Armistice. Although he was virtually unknown at the time of his death, he has subsequently come to be revered as one of the great war poets. The roofless ruins of the old cathedral. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes or gaining advantage. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mass (disambiguation). ... Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (March 18, 1893 – November 4, 1918) was a British poet and soldier, regarded by many as the leading poet of the First World War. ... Year 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Sambre-Oise Canal is located in France and saw one of the last Allied victories of World War I. The forcing of the Sambre-Oise Canal took place on November 4, 1918. ... Front page of the New York Times on Armistice Day, 11 November 1918 The armistice treaty between the Allies and Germany was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on November 11, 1918, and marked the end of the First World War on the Western Front. ... The term war poet came into currency during and after World War I. A number of poets writing in English had been soldiers, and had written about that experience. ...

Orchestration

The musical forces are divided into three groups that alternate and interact with each other throughout the piece, finally fully combining at the end of the last movement. The soprano soloist and choir are accompanied by the full orchestra, the baritone and tenor soloists are accompanied by the chamber orchestra, and the boys' choir is accompanied by a small portative organ (this last group ideally being situated at some distance from the full orchestra). This group produces a very strange, distant sound. The soprano and choir, as well as the boys` choir sing the traditional Latin Requiem text while the tenor and baritone sing poems by Wilfred Owen, interspersed throughout. For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... This article is about the art form. ... Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (March 18, 1893 – November 4, 1918) was a British poet and soldier, regarded by many as the leading poet of the First World War. ...

The full orchestra consists of three flutes (third doubling piccolo), two oboes, cor anglais, three clarinets (third doubling E-flat clarinet and bass clarinet), two bassoons and contrabassoon, six horns, four trumpets in C, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (four players: two crotales, glockenspiel, tam-tam, tubular bells, vibraphone, cymbals, triangle, castanets, temple block, whip (instrument), bass drum, two snare drums, tambourine, and tenor drum), piano, portable organ or harmonium (a grand organ is called for only in the Libera Me, the last movement), and strings. ♠ This article is about the family of musical instruments. ... This article is about the instrument in the flute family. ... For other uses, see Oboe (disambiguation). ... The cor anglais, or English horn, is a double reed woodwind musical instrument in the woodwind family. ... Two soprano clarinets: a B♭ clarinet (left, with capped mouthpiece) and an A clarinet (right, with no mouthpiece). ... The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. ... The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers and occasionally even higher. ... The contrabassoon, also contrafagotto or double bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon sounding an octave lower. ... The horn is a brass instrument consisting of tubing wrapped into a coiled form. ... Trumpeter redirects here. ... The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. ... For other uses, see Tuba (disambiguation). ... A timpanist in the United States Air Forces in Europe Band. ... Percussion instruments are played by being struck, shaken, rubbed or scraped. ... Crotales (upper right) are often used with other mallet percussion Crotales, sometimes called antique cymbals, are percussion instruments consisting of small, tuned bronze or brass disks. ... Most orchestral glockenspiels are mounted in a case. ... A tam tam is also a kind of Gong A tam is also kind of Jamaican hat, probably from the Irish tam-o-shanter. ... Tubular bells (also known as chimes) are musical instruments in the percussion family. ... A typical vibraphone. ... It is also possible that you want to know about the Cymbalum instrument. ... An old-fashioned triangle, with wand (beater) Angelika Kauffmann: LAllegra, 1779 The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. ... Renoirs 1909 painting Dancing girl with castanets Castanets The castanets are a percussion instrument (idiophone), much used in Moorish music, Roma music, Spanish music and Latin American music. ... The temple block is a percussion instrument originating in China, Japan and Korea where it has a part in religious ceremonies. ... A whip being used in a marching band pit ensemble The whip or slapstick is a percussion instrument consisting of two wooden boards joined by a hinge at one end. ... A bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. ... The snare drum or side drum is a tubular drum made of wood or metal with skins, or heads, stretched over the top and bottom openings, and with a set of snares (cords) stretched across the bottom head. ... “Buben” redirects here. ... A tenor drum is a cylindrical drum, much higher pitched than a bass drum. ... A short grand piano, with the lid up. ... Organ in Katharinenkirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The organ is a keyboard instrument played using one or more manuals and a pedalboard. ... This article is about the musical instrument. ... A string instrument (also stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ...

The chamber orchestra consists of flute doubling piccolo, oboe doubling cor anglais, clarinet, bassoon, horn, percussion (one player: timpani, tam-tam, cymbals, bass drum, and snare drum), harp, and string quintet (standard string quartet and double-bass). For other uses, see Harp (disambiguation). ...

Movements and structure

The work consists of six movements:

• Requiem aeternam (10 minutes)
  • Requiem aeternam (chorus and boys' choir)
  • "What passing bells" (tenor solo)
• Dies irae (27 minutes)
  • Dies irae (chorus)
  • "Bugles sang" (baritone solo)
  • Liber scriptus (soprano solo and semi-chorus)
  • "Out there, we walked quite friendly up to death" (tenor and baritone soli)
  • Recordare (women's chorus)
  • Confutatis (men's chorus)
  • "Be slowly lifted up" (baritone solo)
  • Reprise of Dies irae (chorus)
  • Lacrimosa (soprano and chorus) interspersed with "Move him, move him" (tenor solo)
• Offertorium (10 minutes)
  • Domine Jesu Christe (boys' choir)
  • Quam olim Abrahae' (chorus)
  • Isaac and Abram ("So Abram rose") (tenor and baritone soli)
  • Hostias et preces tibi (boys' choir)
  • Reprise of Quam olim Abrahae (chorus)
• Sanctus (10 minutes)
  • Sanctus and Benedictus (soprano solo and chorus)
  • "After the blast of lightning" (baritone solo)
• Agnus Dei (4 minutes)
  • Agnus Dei (chorus) interspersed with "One ever hangs" (chorus; tenor solo)
• Libera me (23 minutes)
  • Libera me (soprano solo and chorus)
  • Strange Meeting ("It seems that out of battle I escaped") (tenor and baritone soli)
  • In paradisum (All)
  • Conclusion -Requiem Aeternam and Requiescat in Pace (Organ, Boys` choir and Mixed Chorus)

One striking juxtaposition is found in the Offertorium, a fugue in the repeating three-part time scheme 6/8, 9/8, 6/8 where the choir sings of God's promise to Abraham ("Quam olim Abrahae promisisti, et semini eius" — "which once Thou didst promise to Abraham and to his seed"). This frames Owen's retelling of the offering of Isaac, in which the angel tells Abraham to: Offertory (from the ecclesiastical Latin offertorium, French offertoire, a place to which offerings were brought), the alms of a congregation collected in church, or at any religious service. ... For other uses, see Abraham (name) and Abram (disambiguation). ... Sacrifice of Isaac, a detail from the sarcophagus of the Roman consul Junius Bassus, ca. ...

'...offer the ram of pride instead of him.'

But the old man would not so, but slew his son,

and half the seed of Europe, one by one.

As the male soloists sing the last line repeatedly, the boys sing "Hostias et preces tibi, Domine" ("Sacrifice and prayers we offer thee, Lord"), paralleling the sacrifice of the Mass with the sacrifice of "half the seed of Europe" (a reference to World War I).

The interval of a tritone between C and F♯ is a recurring motif, the occurrence of which unifies the entire work. The interval is used both in contexts which emphasise the harmonic distance between C and F♯ and those which resolve them harmonically, mirroring the theme of conflict and reconciliation present throughout the work.^[1] The Requiem aeternam, Dies irae, and Libera me movements end in a brief choral phrase, consisting mainly of slow half notes, that resolves the tritone's discord to an F major chord, while at the end of the Agnus Dei the tenor (in his only transition from the Owen poems to the Requiem liturgy, on the key words, Dona nobis pacem - Give us peace) outlines a perfect fifth from C to G before moving down to F♯ to resolve the chorus's final chord. At the end of the Dies irae, the tenor sings (from Owen's "Futility") "O what, what made fatuous sunbeams toil, to break earth's sleep at all?" The notes of "at all" form the tritone and lead into the choir's formal resolution. In the final Owen setting, "Strange Meeting", one of the most prominent expressions of the tritone is sung without accompaniment by the Tenor, addressing an opposing soldier with the words "Strange friend". This poem is accompanied by sporadic detached chords from two violins and a viola, which include the tritone as part of a dominant 7th chord. At the end of the poem, the final string chord resolves to the tonic, bringing the work to its final, reconciliatory In paradisum. On a more practical level, Britten facilitated musical execution of the tritone in the closing bars by having the F# sung in one voice, but the C in another.^[2] In music theory, the term interval describes the difference in pitch between two notes. ... For other uses, see Tritone (disambiguation). ... In music, a motif is a perceivable or salient reoccurring fragment or succession of notes that may used to construct the entirety or parts of complete melodies, themes. ... In music, a consonance (Latin consonare, sounding together) is a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance, which is considered unstable. ... The tonic is the first note of a musical scale, and in the tonal method of music composition it is extremely important. ...

Four other motifs that usually occur together are distinct brass fanfares of the Dies Irae: a rising arpeggio, a falling arpeggio followed by a repeated note, a repeated dotted fifth ending in a minor arpeggio, and a descending scale. These motifs form a substantial part of the melodic material of the piece: the setting of "Bugles sang" is composed almost entirely of variations of them. Various arpeggios as seen on a staff Notation of a chord in arpeggio In music, an arpeggio is a broken chord where the notes are played or sung in succession rather than simultaneously. ...

Although there are a few occasions in which members of one orchestra join the other, the full forces do not join together until the latter part of the last movement, when the tenor and baritone sing the final line of Owen's poem Strange Meeting ("Let us sleep now…") as "In Paradisum deducant" ("Into Paradise lead them...") is sung first by the boys' choir, then by the full choir (in 8-part canon), and finally by the soprano. The boys' choir echoes the Requiem aeternam from the beginning of the work, and the full choir ends on the resolved tritone motif mentioned above.

Premiere and performances

For the opening performance, it was intended that the soloists should be Galina Vishnevskaya (a Russian), Peter Pears (an Englishman) and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau^{[3] [4]} (a German), to demonstrate a spirit of unity. Close to the premiere, the USSR did not permit Vishnevskaya to travel to Coventry for the event. On 10 days notice, Heather Harper stepped in and learned the soprano role. Galina Vishnevskaya with Mstislav Rostropovich The Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya (Гали́на Па́вловна Вишне́вская) (born 25 October 1926) is well-known opera singer and recitalist. ... Sir Peter Neville Luard Pears (June 22, 1910 – April 3, 1986) was an English tenor and life-long partner of the composer Benjamin Britten. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (born May 28, 1925) is regarded by many as the finest Lieder singer of his generation. ... State motto (Russian): Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Translated: Workers of the world, unite!) Capital Moscow Official language None; Russian (de facto) Government Federation of Soviet republics Area  - Total  - % water 1st before collapse 22,402,200 km² Approx. ... Heather Harper (born May 8, 1930) is an Irish operatic soprano. ...

The premiere took place on May 30, 1962, in the rebuilt cathedral with the City of Birmingham Orchestra and Melos Ensemble conducted by Meredith Davies (full orchestra, soprano and chorus) and the composer (chamber orchestra, tenor and baritone).^[5] There was a profound silence between the final notes and the applause. It was a triumph, achieving an impact matched by few works in the twentieth century. Writing to his sister after the premiere, Britten said of his music, "I hope it'll make people think a bit." On the title page of the score he quoted Wilfred Owen: "My subject is War, and the pity of War / The Poetry is in the pity … / All a poet can do today is warn." is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is based in Birmingham, England. ...

The Southern Hemisphere premiere was in Wellington, New Zealand, on July 27, 1963. John Hopkins conducted the New Zealand National Orchestra (now the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra) and the Royal Christchurch Musical Society, with soloists Peter Baillie, Graeme Gorton and Angela Shaw. For the first Duke of Wellington, see Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... This 90 player orchestra is a Crown Entity owned by the Government of New Zealand. ... This article is about the city in New Zealand. ...

The North American Premiere took place later that same day at Tanglewood, with Erich Leinsdorf conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra with soloists Phyllis Curtin, Nicholas Di Virgilio, Tom Krause and choruses from Chorus Pro Musica and the Columbus Boychoir. Tanglewood Music Shed and lawn. ... Erich Leinsdorf (February 4, 1912 - September 11, 1993) was a conductor. ... The Boston Symphony Orchestra is one of the worlds premiere orchestras. ... Phyllis Curtin (born December 3, 1921) is an American soprano. ... Members of the American Boychoir. ...

The Dutch premiere took place during the Holland Festival, in 1964. The Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Netherlands Radio Choir were conducted by Bernard Haitink; the chamber orchestra (consisting of Concertgebouw Orchestra instrumentalists) by Britten himself. The soloists were Vishnevskaya, Fischer-Dieskau and Pears, in their first public performance together. Holland Festival is a performing arts festival which takes place every June in Amsterdam. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... For other uses, see Amsterdam (disambiguation). ... The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Dutch: Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, KCO) is the best-known and most respected symphonic orchestra in the Netherlands, and is generally considered to be among the worlds finest orchestras. ... ...

An interpretation of the work was performed by the English Chamber Choir at Your Country Needs You, an evening of "voices in opposition to war" organised by The Crass Collective in November 2002. Crass Agenda is the working title of a series of collaborations by ex-members of the anarchist punk band Crass and others. ... 2002 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for November, 2002. ...

Recordings

War Requiem
Studio album by Benjamin Britten
Released	1963
Recorded	1963
Genre	Classical
Length	1:10:37
Label	Decca Records
Producer	John Culshaw
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Benjamin Britten chronology
Sonata for Cello and Piano (1961) War Requiem (1961) Psalm CL (1962)

The first, and most famous recording of all, featuring Vishnevskaya, Fischer-Dieskau and Pears, with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Britten, was produced in 1963. It sold 200,000 copies, an unheard-of number for a piece of classical music at that time. Recording producer John Culshaw reports that Vishnevskaya threw a tantrum during the recording, thinking she should be placed with the male soloists instead of the choir. The newest CD reissue of Britten's recording includes 50 minutes of surreptitiously taped rehearsal footage at the time of the recording. A studio album is a collection of studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Britten redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about Western art music from 1000 AD to the present. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... For the English comedian and impressionist, see Jon Culshaw. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 5_stars. ... Britten redirects here. ... The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ...

Other recordings^[6] of the work include the following:

• EMI Classics: Elisabeth Söderström, Robert Tear, Thomas Allen; CBSO Chorus; Boys of Christ Church Cathedral Oxford; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Sir Simon Rattle, conductor
• Teldec: Carol Vaness, Jerry Hadley, Thomas Hampson; Westminster Symphonic Choir; American Boy Choir; New York Philharmonic; Kurt Masur, conductor
• BBC Legends: Stefania Woytowicz, Peter Pears, Hans Wilbrink; New Philharmonia Chorus; Wandsworth School Boys' Choir; New Philharmonia Orchestra, Melos Ensemble; Carlo Maria Giulini, Benjamin Britten, conductors
• Chandos: Heather Harper, Philip Langridge, John Shirley-Quirk; London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Choristers of Saint Paul's Cathedral; Richard Hickox, conductor
• Naxos: Lynda Russell, Thomas Randle, Michael Volle; Scottish Festival Chorus; BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Martyn Brabbins, conductor
• Deutsche Grammophon: Luba Orgonasova, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Boje Skovhus; Monteverdi Choir; Tölzer Knabenchor; NDR Sinfonie-Orchester; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
• Telarc: Lorna Haywood, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Benjamin Luxon; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Atlanta Boy Choir; Robert Shaw, conductor
• LPO: Christine Brewer, Anthony Dean Griffey, Gerald Finley; London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir; Kurt Masur, conductor
• Klavier: Jeannine Altmeyer, Ladd Thomas, Michael Sells; William Hall Orchestra and Chorale; William Hall, conductor
• Naxos: Christine Goerke, Richard Clement, Richard Stilwell; The Washington Chorus and Orchestra; Robert Shafer, conductor

Elisabeth Söderström (born May 7, 1927) is a Swedish opera soprano. ... Robert Tear (born March 8, 1939) is a Welsh tenor. ... Sir Thomas Allen is an English opera singer from Seaham Harbour, County Durham. ... The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is based in Birmingham, England. ... Simon Rattle recording Porgy and Bess with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road in 1988, aged 33. ... Westminster Choir College is a residential college of music located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. ... The New York Philharmonic is the oldest active symphony orchestra in the United States, organized during 1842. ... Kurt Masur Conducting Mendelssohns Scottish Symphony Kurt Masur (born July 18, 1927) is a German conductor. ... Sir Peter Neville Luard Pears (June 22, 1910 – April 3, 1986) was an English tenor and life-long partner of the composer Benjamin Britten. ... The Philharmonia Orchestra is an orchestra based in London. ... Carlo Maria Giulini (May 9, 1914 – June 14, 2005) was an Italian conductor, and violist. ... Heather Harper (born May 8, 1930) is an Irish operatic soprano. ... Philip Langridge CBE is an English tenor considered to be among the foremost exponents of English opera and oratorio. ... John Shirley-Quirk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is the BBCs classical music ensemble in Scotland. ... Martyn Brabbins is a conductor. ... Sir John Eliot Gardiner CBE (born April 20, 1943, Fontmell Magna, Dorset, England) is an English conductor. ... The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is an American orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia. ... This article is about the state capital of Georgia. ... Robert Shaw (April 30, 1916 – January 25, 1999) was an American conductor most famous for his work with his namesake Chorale, with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. ... The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... Kurt Masur Conducting Mendelssohns Scottish Symphony Kurt Masur (born July 18, 1927) is a German conductor. ... William Hall (April 28, 1827 – August 25, 1904) was the first black person, the first Nova Scotian, and third Canadian-born recipient of the Victoria Cross. ...

Film Adaptation

In 1989, the British film director Derek Jarman made a screen adaptation of War Requiem with no spoken dialogue and a soundtrack using the 1963 recording only. The film starred Nathaniel Parker as Wilfred Owen and Laurence Olivier as an old soldier. This was Olivier's last acting appearance in any medium before his death in July 1989, after suffering from ill health for the last 20 years of his life. Derek Jarman Derek Jarman (January 31, 1942 – February 19, 1994) was an English film director, stage designer, artist, and writer. ... Nathaniel Parker (born 18 May 1962) is a British actor most widely known as Inspector Thomas Lynley, in the BBC television series based on the novels by Elizabeth George. ... Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM, (IPA: ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and four-time Emmy winning English actor, director, and producer. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ...

Cast

• Laurence Olivier as an old soldier
• Nathaniel Parker as Wilfred Owen
• Tilda Swinton as a nurse
• Sean Bean as a German Soldier
• Nigel Terry as Abraham
• Patricia Hayes as a mother
• Jodie Graber as young boy soldier

Katherine Mathilda Swinton (born November 5, 1960), better known as Tilda Swinton, is a Golden Globe Award-nominated British actress known for both arthouse and mainstream films. ... Shaun Mark Bean (born 17 April 1959) is an English film and stage actor. ... Nigel Terry as King Arthur in Excalibur Nigel Terry (born August 15, 1945 in Bristol, England) is a British stage and film actor probably best known by movie audiences for his portayal of King Arthur in John Boormans Excalibur. ... Patricia Hayes, CBE (born Patricia Lawlor Hayes on December 22, 1909 in Camberwell; died September 19, 1998 in London) was a British-born comedy actress of Irish Catholic extraction. ...

Filming

Shooting for the film took place in a hospital in Kent, beginning 17 October 1988 and lasting for 18 days. It was released in the United Kingdom 6 January 1989, in Canada 12 September 1989, and in the United States 26 January 1990.

Video

The film was released on VHS in 1990, however was never widely released, meaning that copies are quite rare. The film has been released on DVD, but only in Japan.

References

1. ^ The Music of Britten and Tippett by Arnold Whittall, Cambridge University Press 1982
2. ^ Michael Berkeley, "Come let us mumble". The Guardian, 21 June 2003.
3. ^ Stephen Moss, "Golden cords". The Guardian, 31 March 2000.
4. ^ Martin Kettle, 'It is the start of the final episode'. The Guardian, 20 May 2005.
5. ^ Philip Reed, Obituary for Meredith Davies. The Guardian, 30 March 2005.
6. ^ Andrew Clements, "Keynotes". The Guardian, 23 April 1999.

External links

• Text of the War Requiem
• Britten - Pears Foundation website, including video introduction to the War Requiem
• War Requiem at the Internet Movie Database