Requiem

Those who are deeply familiar with the Mormon choral traditions in composition, arrangement, and/or performance will be somewhat less surprised than other listeners at the beauty of Mack Wilberg's oecumenical Requiem (to parts of the Romish Catholic text in Latin of the Missa pro defunctis mixed with other texts in English). Indeed, Mormon choral music and hymnody have flourished in both of the major Mormon groups, i.e. in the L.D.S. as well as in the (lesser-known, numerically less numerous) R.L.D.S./Community of Christ denominations (or, as many rather acerbically designate (whether justifiably or merely contentiously) the former as a pagan cult and the latter as a slightly off-kilter Christian sect). The texts which Mack Wilberg sets to music on this CD of his choral music include only two, both by David Warner (a frequent collaborator with Wilberg as author of words for his music), that, presumably, are by any specifically Mormon author.

The mostly gently flowing,…