Sat 4 Nov
Joseph Eybler
Requiem
8:30pm | St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Listen to the Requiem by one of Mozart's most cherished colleagues - Joseph von Eybler. It is significantly influenced by that great composer and yet unique in its form, an imposing work that is not without reason praised and loved by musicians and listeners alike.
Eybler's Requiem is characterised by its classical form and melodic lines, which are marked by baroque and classical influences. In its interpretation, it demands a supreme musical performance from the soloists as well as the choir and orchestra. Despite this, the work has rarely been performed in the past, but is considered an important example of the classical Requiem tradition and a masterpiece by the composer. It is a true legacy of music history and an unforgettable listening experience for anyone who has the chance to hear it.
It is hardly surprising that the composition of Eybler's own Requiem bears similarities to that of Mozart. At the same time, those similarities, coupled with unique ideas, also remove any doubts about Eybler's abilities, who openly-audibly had what it took to complete Mozart's Requiem. When Mozart died, his widow Constanze initially handed over the score to Joseph Eybler, who remained closely at Mozart's side during his illness and also received a recommendation from him as future court conductor. After a few successful additions and drafts, however, Eybler refrained from doing so - not out of lack of skill, but out of respect for Mozart's sublime work. He left the completion to Franz Xaver Süßmayr, but, like many of his contemporaries, was deeply inspired. The fact that Eybler suffered a stroke during a performance of Mozart's Requiem, which led to permanent paralysis, adds a macabre aftertaste.
See for yourself the greatness of Eybler's Requiem - in a performance by the Vienna Cathedral Orchestra, the Vienna Cathedral Choir and renowned soloists under the direction of Cathedral Kapellmeister Markus Landerer. A Requiem of a special kind, in the heart of Vienna, St. Stephen's Cathedral.
