Musical Sunday

Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem is one of the most impressive works of the 20th century – music that is all about reconciliation. It combines the traditional text of the Latin requiem mass with poems by Wilfred Owen, who died as a young man in the First World War. The piece was first performed in 1962 for the dedication of Coventry’s new cathedral; its predecessor had been destroyed by German fighter-bombers in 1940. Remarkably, Britten was not only England’s most renowned composer, but also an avowed pacifist and conscientious objector.

Two enthusiasts of music have their say here: Marcus Imbsweiler publishes novels, including stories about composers; Timo Jouko Herrmann is a composer, violinist and guest conductor of the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra.