Miguel Muelle asks about the War Requiem:

>I would love to hear from those who know the piece -- what they love about
>it, etc.

The War Requiem is a setting of the Latin Requiem Mass texts interwoven
with the (anti)war poetry of Wilfred Owen.  Owen was killed in World War
I the day before the Armistice was signed.

For more, see (for example):

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~tan/Britten/britwar.html

Since you can easily get a lot of info about this piece (and I'm sure
many listers will provide more as well), I'll just provide my impressions.
A Google search on "Britten War Requiem" will turn up a large number of
helpful links.

I think the War Requiem is one of the masterpieces of 20th century music,
if not all time.  I hold it in the same regard as the Beethoven Missa
Solemnis, the Brahms German Requiem, the Mozart Requiem, the Verdi Requiem,
the Berlioz Requiem, ...

I first heard it on the London LP set conducted by the composer, in the mid
'60s, issued shortly after its premiere.  Since then I have heard it live
several times, and I have 6 different recordings of it.  The work seems to
be impossible to perform badly.

It is a deeply moving work, regardless of your religious, patriotic, or
pacifist beliefs.  From a purely aural perspective, it has moments of
grandeur, terror, grace, poignancy, tenderness, bitterness.  But if you
understand the meaning of the Latin texts, the juxtaposition of the music,
the Latin, and Owen's poetry combine to provide an emotional experience
that is truly exceptional.

Don't miss it.  Do a little homework beforehand.  Let us know what you
think afterwards.

len.