Two sacred works for this sacred day, one a Mass for the dead, reflecting the events of the first Good Friday, the other a triumphant proclamation of the Resurrection. Among the most beloved Requiems, that of Gabriel Fauré, filled with rich, soulful melodies, differs from other Requiems in eschewing a somber mood for one of consolation and hope. Complementing this is Bach’s majestic Easter Oratorio, for the first time in our programming, about the finding of the empty tomb by Jesus’s disciples on Easter morning, a triumphant work of praise, hope and overwhelming joy that is the message of Easter.
