Beyond Time, Suspended among the Stars

Paquale Corrado & Matteo Succi

“Beyond Time, Suspended among the Stars”

Journey into the Requiem
(World Premiere)

Requiem (approx. 40 minutes), the new work by Pasquale Corrado, is a reimagining of a masterpiece of music history: the Requiem composed by Gabriel Fauré in 1886 in memory of his father. Corrado’s piece follows in the footsteps of Fauré’s original, tracing its contours while exploring evocative moments through the use of synthesiser timbres.

The composition is structured into the same number of sections as Fauré’s Requiem, although the durations differ. Corrado weaves in vocal and instrumental gestures reminiscent of the original, filtering them through processes that emphasise timbral textures, harmonic progressions, rhythmic pulses, and colour density. The mystery of death is reflected upon through the lens of Christian hope, within a musical form that mirrors the liturgical prayer for the dead.

The presence of both analogue and digital synthesisers is central to the overall sonic outcome. Their timbres—iridescent, intricate, and refined—‘freeze’ Fauré’s harmonies, creating sonic pathways that synthetically reconstruct the sonorities found in the original score. In Fauré’s Requiem, all violence and contrast are absent; instead, a sense of resignation and surrender prevails—at times even suggesting a yearning for absence and silence. Fauré rooted his work in the concept of eternal rest: it begins and ends with the word requiem, which is notably emphasised each time it appears in the text.

The refinement of tone, the restraint in the vocal lines, the elegance of structure, and the subtlety of delivery do not conceal the underlying sorrow in Fauré’s work. Rather, they express the quiet loneliness of one who has grasped humanity’s helplessness in the face of death, offering a sombre yet composed acceptance.
Corrado’s musical vision will be accompanied by visual artwork from SVCCY, an Italian digital artist. Through striking digital graphics projected on adaptable screens, SVCCY will create an immersive visual experience tailored to each venue, enhancing the impact of the performance.