Review: Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ at King’s College Chapel, Cambridge

The Cambridge Music Autumn Festival continued with a performance of Mozart’s Requiem in King’s College Chapel on Friday, 15 November.

Presented in partnership with Concerts at King’s, the concert also included Elgar’s Serenade for Strings and Stravinsky’s Mass.

The three pieces were expertly conducted by Daniel Hyde, director of music for the choir of King’s College, Cambridge, and featured the Choir of King’s College and Cambridge-based chamber orchestra ensemble Britten Sinfonia, along with four renowned individual singers who performed Mozart’s Requiem: soprano Mary Bevan, mezzo Avery Amereau, tenor Andrew Staples and bass Neal Davies.

First up was the instrumental Serenade for Strings (1892), which came in three parts: I Allegro, II Larghetto, which showcases Wagner’s influence, and III Allegretto.

It’s a beautiful piece of music and the string orchestra did a superb job.

I found Stravinsky’s Mass, competently played by the Britten Sinfonia - minus its string section - rather less enjoyable, however, as for me the somewhat tuneless melody didn’t soar as sweetly as the Elgar piece.

After the interval, the full orchestra, the choir and the four singers brought Mozart’s Requiem, completed after the composer’s death in 1791 by his former pupils Eybler and Süssmayr, to life.

It was an amazing performance, with each person playing their part in delivering a masterful, rousing and wholly satisfying display.

For more on Cambridge Music Festival, visit cambridgemusicfestival.co.uk.