Review Summary: nothing more than a requiem for war
Benjamin Britten is definitely a household name in the ivory tower. Somehow he has not made such a graceful transition into the internet fandom. I suppose he does not have a great deal of relevant or even good work, but his War Requiem was a very big deal as a measure of success in contemporary classical. He received accolades for this ambitious work and it is very much obvious today. It could be said that Britten was no more than a 'one hit wonder' however the intentions of those who actually enjoy this music are fairly shallow anyway, though we wouldn't want you to believe so much.
It is very enjoyable to that degree. At first, I was very put off by the overuse of silence. When seeing the actual performance I'd imagine it to be very profound as the whole mass of singers look to their feet. On record it forces me to look to my feet and they are not very pretty. That was my first understanding which made me mad because the motifs are very well composed and the voices are gorgeous! I'm admitting that my attention span got in my way of enjoying the record as it's meant to be, though in further, there's obviously nothing wrong with being bored.
Then I pieced it together. If you are not aware, War Requiem draws its lyrics from traditional Christian mass in chorus, while its verses are poetry written during World War II. After all, it is meant to be a War Requiem, excuse me for being so slighted, and with the proper mindframe, it becomes a very moving work. It shouldn't have taken a total detailing. Think of war, not what movies and video games tell of it, but actual bloody warfare. The contrast between the bombasity of gunfight and the tense stalemate of the trenches. The sweltering anticipation of bloodshed before gunpowder lights up the sky. War Requiem's silence represents the anxiety before battle and it's glorious blaring bombastic horn-centric choruses consider the chaos of battle itself.
Here's what splits. It's easy to listen and praise its complexities with its myriad of influences. With my first listen, I couldn't muster such praise. The record felt and sounded like a gimmick. An honest gimmick – those who passed may rest in piece – yet still favoring elasticity over concretion. That's a serious problem with modern art in general, including contemporary strands of classical. It is very easy to become so hung up with style, flair, and pointed philosophy, then forgetting that music is supposed to sound awesome. War Requiem is honest and awesome, I must say, so it narrowly sidesteps this issue and combines the best of both worlds. It will probably take a few listens to hold Britten's own vision though.
To claim anything like understanding what it feels like to live in hand with death would be a lie. For Britten, it was not a lie, he lived through UK bombings. This could very well be more a tribute to the glory of recovered Europe, but in the end, I'm frightened of death. No matter how well it is painted. That is why I look to war with such reverence, as do many men. It is not completely unknown, but it rests nearby total deterrence. Britten's work conveys a stillness and warmness appropriate for those who passed in war and, for that, it is breathtaking.
