Note by note: Duruflé Requiem, part 1 of 2

Durufle’s music is not for beginners. And when you add choral accompanying multitasking on top of a piece that’s already exceedingly difficult to play, then the organ solo accompaniment version of the Requiem, Op. 9, just might be the hardest organ music the great maestro wrote. The chamber version is less difficult but still must be practiced, and the organ part in the full orchestration is perfectly manageable.

Anyone who has played the solo version tends to celebrate [brag about] the accomplishment. My brain thrills to the challenge, but my soul and heart and tear ducts soar from hearing any part of the opus. More than once, I have had the dream that I was granted a sit-down with Duruflé and tried through much blubbering and sobbing to let him know just how life-changing this piece is and how the entire music world would love to have seen the many manuscripts he burned out of excessive modesty and shyness. If ever there was a composer who deserved every bit of press they ever received, Maurice Duruflé is one.

There are three accompanimental versions of Op. 9: full orchestra, chamber orchestra with some ossia instruments, and the organ solo version. The choral parts remain the same in all three. The present post deals primarily with the organ solo version, with exceptions noted.

In general, Duruflé tells you everything you need to know in the score. He works out registrations, a few fingerings, and cross-manual “thumbings,” etc. The piece works great as registered on a two-manual organ in France. But if you are seated on an organ bench anywhere else in the world, you’ll need to make some decisions about manuals and registrations. Those decisions might be better-informed if you know the orchestration. Go ahead and spring for the Durand study score, plus the organ parts for the solo and chamber versions. And plan to have all of these re-bound in some way that stays open on a music rack.(!)

Introit

Page 2: three measures before Square 1: the fourth, fifth, and sixth sixteenth notes are likely misprints. The printed A-G-A should probably be G-F-G. The full score and chamber version show G-F-G, which also matches more closely the voice leading of the tenors and basses there.

Page 4: penultimate measure: The right hand could move to the Positif on that downbeat, to achieve a smoother decrescendo. Duruflé registered the entire book for two manuals, but he surely would not mind using a larger instrument to any extra degree of smoothness. One should avoid “kaleidoscopic” changes (Widor’s word of warning for his own works), but with a large instrument in capable hands, then nuance and subtlety will be welcome.

Page 5: two measures before Square 5: On some organs, the Great solo may need to be stronger than it was at the beginning of the movement, to be heard in the tenor range. At that same place, the Pedal is instructed to reduce slightly, but it still must be heard, especially since the rhythms are off-beat and of interest.

Page 6: Square 7: The orchestrated versions put the chant canon (right hand) in the strings, and I feel that a similar texture is called for here, for clarity. It doesn’t need to be stentorian, but it could use a little clarity of tone. But not too much, because the other hand will join it at Square 8.

Page 9: Square 10 and following: One could create a decrescendo of stops in addition to a decrescendo of box.

Page 9: five measures after Square 10: The left hand could move to the Positif to effect a more gradual decrescendo. Then in the next measure (three from the end), I split my left hand across Swell and Positif, playing the upper voice on the Positif and the lower on the Swell. Depending on the organ, those rhythms may otherwise get too buried if they are not brought out in this or some similar way. The object here is not to be dashing nor daring nor clever but rather to be clear. Duruflé is Mr. Clarity if nothing else.

Kyrie

Page 10: Measure 1: Duruflé’s new registration for this page should not go into effect until the left hand is clear from the Swell! This is a tricky registrational moment because the Great on many organs may be too strong for the accompaniment it is being asked to play here. Larger organs can easily manage this with a different manual.

Page 10: four measures before Square 11: It may be tricky to keep things piano, because the box MAY have to be adjusted for the upcoming chant beginning at Square 11.

Page 11: Square 11: The feet need to be ready to adjust the box for the reed chant. Therefore, plan pedalings carefully one measure earlier. I tend to register the chant with 8- and 4-foot reeds and play only the lower notes, so that I don’t have to play so many octaves legato.

Page 13: Square 15: I begin a subtle crescendo here, building the Swell both here and two measures later as instructed. The move to the Great two before Square 16 is another step, but I find the addition of so many stops at Square 16 to be jarring most of the time. Depending on the organ, feel free to grow this section more incrementally from, say, Square 14 to 16.

Page 14: Square 16: Duruflé calls for fortissimo, with lots of stops drawn all of a sudden. This threatens the balance with the chorus. I tend to use lots of organ but keep it controlled inside the box. I do this so that Square 17 can enjoy a poco crescendo that tends to invite the chorus back in, in full, beautiful force. But be careful! Not every choir is a match for a large instrument.

From Square 17, the reducing of the organ needs to be as incremental as you can make it. Duruflé tries to help with specific stops, but that won’t translate smoothly to all organs. Listen carefully to how the chorus is moving into their lower ranges, and make sure the organ gives them their space. Many organs would do well to remove mixtures and 2-foots before removing reeds.

To be continued.