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The roofless, gothic ruin of Coventry Cathedral - built in the 14th and 15th centuries - has been left to stand as a testament to the destructiveness of war. It fell victim to Luftwaffe raids involving 500 planes, which had the aim of flattening a civilian city. The attack became a blueprint for future air raids, including those by the RAF against German cities, such as Hamburg. After the War, the decision was made to keep the cathedral ruins as an open-air memorial park and a new, modernist cathedral was built alongside. The ruins contain a sculpture called 'Reconciliation' and the new cathedral has a 'peace bell' from Germany. #churches #gothic #war #peace #psychogeography #conflict #history
@david_castleton Benjamin Britten composed his monumental "War Requiem" for the (re-)dedication of Coventry Cathedral. It calls for large orchestra, chamber orchestra, large choir, boys' choir, organ, and three soloists. Britten's original plan was to have the soloists be Peter Pears representing Britain, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau representing Germany, and Galina Vishnevskaya representing the USSR, but the Soviet authorities did not allow Vishnevskaya to travel to Coventry for the event, so another soprano, Heather Harper, stepped in.
The War Requiem blends and contrasts the traditional Latin requiem mass with the anti-war poetry of Wilfred Owen. The chorus exclusively sings the Latin text, while the tenor and baritone soloists sing the Owen texts.
I have had the privilege of singing in the chorus for two performances of this piece, in Duke University chapel. It was one of the musical highlights of my entire life.
@ossobuffo Great info, thanks :)