For the first piece, the choir, conducted by Antony Brannick, were accompanied by Gary Hulme on the organ. Overall, the requiem is calm and melodious and it ends with the blissfully peaceful and beautiful “In Paradisum”.
“The Armed Man” is a modern mass by Karl Jenkins. It uses extra musicians, including drums, flute and percussion. Beginning with the fifteenth century song about the armed man, it starts peacefully but builds to a loudly dramatic sound picture of war, including a poem about the Hiroshima bombing. It ends with calls for peace.
A great rendering of two contrasting pieces of music.