As I understand things Berlioz was a confirmed agnostic. His decision to
set the requiem mass to music was not religious and was most likely driven
by the opportunity for drama and sound effects (and I intend no derogation
by using that term). People have made comparable criticisms of the
Requiems of Mozart and Verdi ("the music's wonderful, but not appropriate
for liturgy").
Aaron J. Rabushka
[log in to unmask]