Requiem (Jenkins)

Requiem is a classical work by Karl Jenkins, first recorded and performed in 2005. It was premièred at Southwark Cathedral on 2 June 2005, by the West Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra and Adiemus percussion and brass, conducted by the composer. Soloists were Nicole Tibbels (soprano), Clive Bell (shakuhachi), Sam Landman (treble) and Catrin Finch (harp).^[1]

In this work, Jenkins interjects movements featuring Japanese death poems in the form of a haiku with those traditionally encountered in a Requiem Mass. At times, the Latin text is sung below the text of the haiku, sung in Japanese. Oriental instruments are included in the orchestration, such as the shakuhachi, the darabuca, daiko and frame drums.

The work was released in a 2005 album of the same name.