Maurice Duruflé’s ethereal Requiem blends allusions to Gregorian chant with an enchanting play of timbres whose delicate musical texture is reminiscent of the skilled instrumentation of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. This all comes together to form a paradisiacal vision of heaven presented by the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and conductor Justin Doyle at the Musikfest Berlin. The second half of the programme features Alfred Schnittke’s Requiem, a polystylistic fresco of sound, oscillating between humanism and the force of spiritual faith. Unlike many of the famous masses for the dead, the work largely dispenses with dramatic contrasts: the choir does not rejoice in glowing terms over God’s greatness but meditates quietly on the words it sings in lines that sound improvised.

RIAS Kammerchor Berlin II / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin II

Berliner Philharmoniker

Alex performs a programme that contrasts the spiritual depth of Bach’s chorales with the vivid imagination of Jehan Alain, culminating in Duruflé’s poignant tribute to Alain’s life and music.

Franck’s expansive Choral No. 1 provides the centrepiece, weaving a rich tapestry of colour, contemplation, and the brilliance of French organ writing.

Alex Robson, Organ

Smith Square Hall

With the famous funeral march from the Eroica , Beethoven creates an unforgettable atmosphere of solemnity and dignity. It is among the most powerful expressions of grief and loss in music history. In his Symphonic Metamorphoses, Richard Strauss transforms musical themes, drawing listeners into a profound musical journey that moves between somber darkness and radiant light. Maurice Duruflé's Requiem blends Gregorian chant with impressionistic soundscapes, creating a unique, meditative atmosphere. With its delicate, almost ethereal harmonies and the full power of the orchestra and choir, it transports the audience to a place of reflection and peace.

8th Symphony Concert

Dom St. Petrus

EPSG:4326

Echoes of the Divine

University of California San Diego

Peabody Hopkins Conservatory Choir

Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Baltimore 

Gastkonzert in Dresden

Kulturpalast

Claude Debussy's "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" is a masterpiece of Impressionism. Inspired by a poem by the Symbolist Stéphane Mallarmé, the music paints the picture of a dreaming faun on a warm afternoon. With floating flute sounds and gentle harmonies, Debussy transports us into a world between dream and reality – a sensory delight in sound. Not many works of the 20th century are as naturally included in concert programs today as the music of Maurice Duruflé, who passed away in 1986. Particularly his sacred vocal music continues to enjoy enduring popularity, surely also due to its accessible musical language. Duruflé had little interest in breaking with tradition; in his 1947 Requiem, he engaged with the model of the two generations older Gabriel Fauré and let his enthusiasm for Gregorian chant run free. However, the work is not backward-looking: Contrary to the operatic settings of the Requiem in the 19th century, Duruflé focused less on the pains of the Last Judgment and more on the otherworldly redemption. Chief conductor Sir Donald Runnicles and the MDR Radio Choir infuse this work with a special intensity through their sensitivity and beauty of sound.

Sir Donald with Debussy

Palace of Culture

Works by Mendelssohn, Wagner, Duruflé and the world premiere of Præstholm

Organ Concert with Espen Melbø

Uranienborg kirke

Pei-San Chiu, flute; Tze-Ying Wu, viola; Chan Mi Jean, piano

Ford-Crawford Hall

We hear Royal Court Organist Johannes Skoog in a solo concert. He gathers masterful, atmospheric pieces by Ravel and Debussy, along with other favourites from the organ repertoire.

Organ favourites with Johannes Skoog

Göteborgs Symfoniker

The multiple-award-winning organist Daniel Hyde, who succeeded the late Stephen Cleobury as music director of King’s College, Cambridge, presents an inspiringly wide range of music this this performance.

Daniel Hyde: Bach, Mozart & Debussy

Southbank Centre

Film music on the concert organ, how does that work together? Anna Lapwood herself says: "In recent years, I have increasingly stopped defining music by genres, and started thinking about what music brings joy to me and my listeners. The boundaries between genres are so flexible anyway, and it's really fun to experiment with blurring these boundaries even more." You can feel this joy in this concert as well, when she plays her transcriptions from the films "The Da Vinci Code," "Interstellar," and "Pirates of the Caribbean" (Hans Zimmer) and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (Alan Menken). In addition, classics such as the famous Prelude by Johann Sebastian Bach, which was turned into "Ave Maria" by Charles Gounod, and Benjamin Britten's "Four Sea Interludes" from the opera "Peter Grimes" can be heard, as well as new works written for Anna Lapwood.

Interstellar

This very special concert, celebrating the Hallé Choir, offers a thrilling and rare opportunity to hear the full ranks of the Hallé Choir’s dedicated singers performing a cappella or with organ accompaniment whilst the orchestra is away on tour. Comprised of almost 200 singers from around the North West, the Hallé Choir’s performances garner them great acclaim from critics and great affection from audiences. With this handpicked programme, compiled by their inspiring Director Matthew Hamilton, they will explore musical creations celebrating the well-known – and perhaps less well-known – heroes of the choral repertoire. The concert includes a performance of Duruflé’s Requiem: often dramatic, it is filled with resignation, hope and terror, ending with the flight of the soul to Paradise.

The Hallé – An Afternoon with the Hallé Choir

The Bridgewater Hall

Kazuki Yamada conducts a program of French orchestral music with vocal elements: Maurice Duruflé’s Gregorian-inspired Requiem, Maurice Ravel’s Shéhérazade, and Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé. The concert also marks the beginning of choral conductor Simon Halsey’s tenure as the Oslo Philharmonic’s Choral Director and Artistic Advisor.

Kazuki Yamada Aigul Akhmetshina Konstantin Krimmel Oslo Philharmonic Choir

Oslo Concert Hall

A concert of reflection: The titular organist of Notre-Dame de Paris, Olivier Latry, dedicates his organ recital to the memory of parish priest Christian Öhler – a long-time companion of the festival, whose commitment extended far beyond Bad Ischl.

KIRCH'KLANG: Ad memoriam II

Parish Bad Ischl

Organ tone and voice sound

St. Nicholas Church Rostock - Evangelical Lutheran City Parish of Rostock

Join us and  the Brighton Festival Chorus, with conductor James Morgan, for a contemplative summer programme.

The Lark Ascending and Duruflé Requiem with Brighton Festival Chorus

Cadogan Hall 

Howells & Duruflé Requiem

Cranston City Hall

Worcester Theatre

The pipes of the Bridgewater Hall organ get a full wash, wax and valet tonight with a performance characterised by Romantic splendour. Saint-Saëns’s spectacular Third Symphony takes us on a dramatic journey from darkness to light, and gave us the theme music to the iconic pig-based classic, Babe.

John Wilson conducts Saint-Saëns’s Organ Symphony

Titular organist at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, and newly appointed Professor of Organ Interpretation and Improvisation at the Hochschule für Musik (University of Music), Saarbrücken, Germany, Vincent Dubois is one of the finest concert organists in the world today.

Back to All Events FORBES ORGAN SERIES: Vincent Dubois

Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo

The Requiem by Maurice Durufle is one of the greatest choral works of the 20th century. Based on Gregorian themes and adorned with truly transcendent harmonies the music transports you to an enchanted, ethereal place. As we conclude our 75th year, we find that the very composer we commissioned to celebrate our 50th is now our director. We will present a command performance of “Resounding Praise” and other delightful selections by Faure, Kean and Hagenberg in our program as well.

“Transcendental Journey”

James R. Armstrong Theatre

They are an unconventional and avowed duet: Vincent Dubois, titular organist of Notre-Dame in Paris, and accordionist Marie-Andrée Joerger have been performing together for many years. At their organ matinee, they transform the Philharmonie first into a French salon with works by Ravel and Debussy, then into an Argentinian café – with tangos such as Invierno porteño, Adiós Nonino and Decarisimo by Astor Piazzolla. Imposing works by celebrated French organ composers Louis Vierne and Maurice Duruflé round off the performance.

Organ matinee Vincent Dubois and Marie-Andrée Joerger

Berliner Philharmonie

Don't miss it – because in this concert in our popular organ series, a phenomenal artist unleashes a musical firework: our guest is the American Nathan Laube, who holds a professorship at the Eastman School of Music in New York and is also a consultant for organ studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. As a famous organist, he performs internationally in renowned concert halls and loves to engage his audiences and inspire them for the organ world. The programme is very romantic with outstanding works: His varied recital begins with a vibrant play of colours – in the concert overture written around 1885 by the blind composer Alfred Hollins. César Franck wrote an epic tone poem with orchestral effect with his Fantasie aus den drei Stücken für große Orgel in 1878 for the official opening of the first concert hall organ in France. Nathan Laube then also demonstrates his outstanding virtuosity with two arrangements of significant piano works. Mendelssohn wrote his glowing »Variations sérieuses« in 1841 with »true passion«: In the course of the work, a highly original theme is increasingly harmonically veiled and the expressive range is constantly widened. Liszt pointed far into the future with his »Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses« – and the piece »Funérailles« from this monumental cycle is also one of his most tragic compositions. The programme concludes with a highlight from the oeuvre of French composer Maurice Duruflé: with his three-movement organ suite, he created a milestone of the 20th century – and the finale toccata is still one of the most technically demanding pieces ever written for this instrument.

Orgelkonzert: Nathan Laube

Bamberg Concert Hall

Thomas Trotter returns to Huddersfield with a programme centred on his transcriptions of works by Holst. Two contrasting pieces by Duruflé open the recital, as featured on Trotter’s acclaimed recording from King’s College Cambridge, and Ponchielli’s Dance of the Hours ends on a playful note.

Thomas Trotter

Huddersfield Town Hall

Two contrasting pieces by Duruflé open the recital, as featured on Trotter’s acclaimed recording from King’s College Cambridge, and Ponchielli’s Dance of the Hours ends on a playful note.

Baltimore Choral Arts opens the 2024-25 season by connecting to our past in our first subscription concert, Sacred Heritage, pairing a unique selection of Benjamin Britten’s choral works with the iconic and retrospective Duruflé Requiem. We will be joined by the students of our CoroLAB program for a performance of See Me by Reena Esmail.

Sacred Heritage

Cathedral of Mary Our Queen

French music has always been considered to be particularly vocal. For the artistic director of the BR Choir, Peter Dijkstra, this is a good reason to present a fine selection of choral music by four Frenchmen. The focus is on Gabriel Fauré's musical requiem, which is one of the great requiem settings of the classical-romantic tradition.

Cum Jubilo

Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding

Sir Donald Runnicles is a master concert-maker. His concerts are always fascinating combinations – and here he conducts three beautiful French masterpieces by Claude Debussy and Maurice Duruflé.

Donald Runnicles Conducts The Duruflé Requiem

Sydney Opera House

Guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero brings two stunning masterworks to the Grant Park Orchestra: Beethoven's monumental Emperor Concerto with soloist Stewart Goodyear and Maurice Duruflé's soul-stirring Requiem featuring the renowned Grant Park Chorus. Adding to the evening's gravitas, the concert opens with a world-premiere composition by Chicago composer Jim Stephenson.

Beethoven Emperor Concerto

Millennium Park

MCP Festival Choruses

Carnegie Hall

Join Dr. Jerry Blackstone and perform one of the most beloved masterworks of all time. The festival chorus will perform with the New York City Chamber Orchestra and soloists as part of MCP’s Masterwork Series. Singers will represent a variety of ensembles from across the country.

Duruflé Requiem

Treasured masterpieces and novel experiences highlight the unique talents of this year’s Festival artists. The consummate perfectionist, Maurice Duruflé allowed only a few of his compositions—like his famous Requiem—to be published. Written for the unusual combination of flute, violin, and piano, his breathtaking Trio is among the few chamber works he composed. Modeled after Mozart and written early in his career, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Quintet in E-flat Major is almost symphonic in scope. Harnessing the magic of spontaneous live performance, two exciting young Festival faculty—Tessa Lark and Mike Block—join Jeffrey Kahane for an impromptu take on the famous theme from Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony. Dvořák’s emotionally charged Piano Trio No. 4 unfolds in a series of vividly colorful dumka, or poetic elegies.

Something Old, Something New

Sarasota Orchestra

Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center

A concert presented by the Oberlin College Choir and Musical Union under the direction of Gregory Ristow '01.

Concert: Oberlin College Choir and Musical Union

Oberlin College

The Choral Society joins forces with Mercer Singers to present one of the greatest 20th century choral masterpieces, conducted by Townsend School of Music Dean Gary Gerber and featuring Christ Episcopal Church’s Director of Music and Liturgy Jonathan Poe on organ.

Choir Concert: Maurice Duruflé’s “Requiem”

Mulberry Street United Methodist Church

Boston Conservatory at Berklee Combined Choirs present Duruflé’s Requiem.

Boston Conservatory Combined Choirs: Duruflé’s Requiem

Old South Church in Boston

In a celebration of instrumental odd couples, three duos highlight the extremes of possibility for their ensembles. Maurice Duruflé’s post-Romantic trio augments the duo format, and all join for the concluding septet by virtuoso pianist Hummel, who was the pupil of Mozart and Haydn and was admired by Beethoven.

Instrumental Odd Couples: Beethoven, Rossini, Duruflé, Britten, Hummel

The Barns At Wolf Trap

In a celebration of instrumental odd couples, three duo teams highlight the extremes of possibility for their ensembles. Maurice Duruflé’s post-Romantic trio augments the duo format, and all join for the concluding Septet by virtuoso pianist Johann Hummel, who was a pupil of Mozart and Haydn and was admired by Beethoven.

Instrumental Array

Spa Little Theatre

I was fortunate enough to perform at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida back in 2016 through an invite from Chelsea Chen. A fellow Madisonian who winters in Florida (I now understand why!) was in attendance and recommended my name to my predecessor here in Madison, Sam Hutchison. Well, the rest is history, and I am excited to invite Chelsea Chen back to Overture Hall to delight us with a program featuring some of the most captivating standards of the organ repertoire. You won’t want to miss Ms. Chen’s spectacular playing and engaging stage presence that will keep us warm during this chillier month. – Greg Zelek

Chelsea Chen

Overture Center for the Arts

All programs and performers are subject to change.

U of T students admitted free with a valid TCard, space permitting.

U of T presents: Choirs in Concert

University of Toronto Faculty of Music

Notable Encounter Experience Weekend

Cuesta College

Berklee College of Music and BoCo Chamber Singers are proud to present their debut program, ENTRANCES, a culmination of their collective work since the beginning of the fall semester. This program is presented with utmost care, respect, and thought in regard to the technical and contextual aspects of the music.

Berklee College of Music and BoCo Chamber Singers: ENTRANCES

Boston Conservatory at Berklee

The Los Angeles Times extolled the organist-composer for her “rare musicality and lovely lyrical grandeur” and “charming and irresistible compositional style.” As a soloist, Chen has performed recitals and with orchestras all over the world. As a composer, she seeks to expand traditional organ repertoire with her own works based on Asian folksongs.

Maurice Duruflé

Events

Past events

Sep 23, 2026

RIAS Kammerchor Berlin II / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin II · Berliner Philharmoniker

Jun 25, 2026

Alex Robson, Organ ·

About

Maurice Duruflé hasn't added a bio