It is a very rare experience indeed to be able to describe a recording as near as can be to absolute perfection from start to finish, but this new issue of Faure’s Requiem truly provides this experience. The highest praise must go to all concerned in the venture, first to David Willcock’s inspiring and sensitive direction of this work and then to soloists, choir, organist, orchestra and engineers.

• Hi-Q Records Supercuts
• 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl
• Cut from the Original EMI Analog Master Tapes
• Mastered at Abbey Road Studios
• Features Original Album Artwork

"Cut at Abbey Road Studios from the original stereo analogue master tapes with the Neumann VMS82 lathe fed an analogue pre-cut signal from a specially adapted Studer A80 tape deck with additional 'advance' playback head, making the cut a totally analogue process. Pressed using the original EMI presses at The Vinyl Factory in Hayes, England"

From 1957 to 1974, Sir David Willcocks held the post for which he is probably best known, Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge.

He made numerous recordings with the college choir, of which the Fauré Requiem is probably the most admired and toured extensively with the choir, giving concerts worldwide, as well as garnering further acclaim internationally through television and radio appearances. He held this and other academic positions at Cambridge until the 1970s when he accepted the post of director of the Royal College of Music.

In the 1971 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and was created a Knight Bachelor in 1977 in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Honours.

Interestingly, the Fauré Requiem was not recorded in King's College Chapel but the more manageable acoustic of Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge, on 10 December 1967. Cut at Abbey Road Studios from the original stereo analogue master tapes with the Neumann VMS80 lathe fed an analogue pre-cut signal from a specially adapted Studer A80 tape deck with additional playback head.

In the original 1968 review AR of the GRAMOPHONE wrote:

It is a very rare experience indeed to be able to describe a recording as near as can be to absolute perfection from start to finish, but this new issue of Fauré's Requiem truly provides this experience. For the happy result the highest praise must go to all concerned in the venture. First and foremost to David Willcock's inspiring and most sensitive direction of the exquisite work and then to soloists, choir, organist, orchestra and engineers...

Track Listing:

Side A
Fauré: Requiem
1. Introit and Kyrie
2. Offertoire (Solo baritone: John Carol Case)
3. Sanctus
4. Pie Jesu (Solo treble: Robert Chilcott)

Side B
Fauré: Requiem (cont.)
1. Agnus Dei
2. Libera Me (Solo baritone: John Carol Case)
3. In Paradisum
4. Fauré: Pavane Op.50 (orchestral version)

John Carol Case, baritone
Robert Chilcott, treble
John Wells, organ
Choir of King's College, Cambridge
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Sir David Willcocks