War Requiem The chamber orchestra accompanies the intimate settings of the English poetry, while soprano, choirs and orchestra are used for the Latin sections; all forces are combined in the conclusion. The Requiem has a duration of approximately 80-85 minutes. The "War Requiem", first performed on 30 May 1962, was commissioned to mark the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral, which was built after the original fourteenth-century structure was destroyed in a World War II bombing raid. The reconsecration was an occasion for an arts festival, for which Michael Tippett also wrote his opera "King Priam". Britten, a pacifist, was inspired by
History of music in Paris Before the 16th century all music performed in the cathedral was a cappella, except for use of organ while chanting. One of the most famous Paris composers of the 14th century was Guillaume de Machaut, who was also renowned as a poet. He composed a famous mass, the Messe de Nostre Dame, or Mass of our Lady, in about 1350, for four voices. Besides church music, he wrote popular songs in the style of the troubadours and trouvères. The crowds on the streets, squares and markets of Paris were often entertained by singers of different kinds. The "goliards" were non-conformist