Research funded in part by the Faculty of Music and the University’s John Fell OUP Research Fund has resulted in the publication of a new edition of the Durante mass.
Stephen Darlington’s Urtext edition of Francesco Durante’s Messa de’ morti in C minor with full critical commentary has been published by Peters Edition and will feature in Leipzig’s Buchmesse from 12–15 March. This is the first modern edition of Durante’s work. The first performance was given in Rome on 15 September 1746 in the church of S. Giacomo degli Spagnoli in the Piazza Navona at a special requiem mass for King Philip V of Spain, who had died earlier that year. Despite its subsequent popularity throughout Europe, it was never published. More details can be found at this link.
The work has already been recorded by Stephen Darlington and the Christ Church Cathedral Choir, with soloists from The Sixteen and Oxford Baroque (Coro 16147).
Stephen Darlington was Associate Professor of Music in the Faculty, Director of Music and Tutor in Music at Christ Church from 1985 to 2018. He has an extensive discography with Christ Church Cathedral Choir, comprising over 60 CDs, including several award-winning recordings.
