War Requiem

War Requiem was written by Benjamin Britten in 1961. It was completed in 1962.

Premiere
The premiere was on May 30, 1962.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does this combine?

A: This combines both the Requiem Mass and Wilfred Owen's poems.

Q: What poems by Wilfred Owen are used in Britten's War Requiem?

A:
 * Requiem Aeternam


 * Anthem for Doomed Youth
 * Dies Irae
 * But I was Looking at the Permanent Stars
 * The Next War
 * Sonnet On Seeing a Piece of our Heavy Artillery Brought into Action
 * Futility
 * Offertory
 * The Parable of the Old Man and the Young
 * Sanctus
 * The End
 * Agnus Dei
 * At a Calvary near the Ancre
 * Libera Me
 * Strange Meeting

Group I
3 flutes (3rd doubles piccolo)

3 oboes

English horn

3 B-flat clarinets (3rd doubles bass clarinet and E-flat clarinet)

2 bassoons

Contrabassoon

6 French horns

4 trumpets in C

3 trombones

Tuba

Timpani

Antique cymbals (C & F#)

Glockenspiel

Tamtam

Bells (C & F#)

Vibraphone

Cymbals

Triangle

Castanets

Temple blocks

Whip

Bass drum

2 snare drums

Tambourine

Tenor drum

Piano

Strings

Group II
Flute

Oboe

Clarinet

Bassoon

Horn

Timpani

Snare drum

Bass drum

Cymbal

Tam-tam

Harp

2 violins

Viola

Cello

Double bass

Group III
Organ

Group I
Soprano

SATB Choir

Group II
Tenor

Baritone

Group III
Girls' Choir

Form

 * 1) Requiem Aeternam
 * 2) Dies Irae
 * 3) Offertory
 * 4) Sanctus
 * 5) Agnus Dei
 * 6) Libera Me

Notable Performances

 * December 18, 2013 - Symphonicus, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Organus, Siperus, Tenor, Baritonus, Girls' Choir, Philharmonia Choir (This performance was after Holst's The Planets and before Mahler's 8th symphony.)