20 albums in 20 days Faure's Requiem

I was nominated to post 20 album covers in 20 days to Facebook by a friend. The albums posted have had a big impact on my life. No explanations or commentaries are expected. However, it did seem appropriate to make a comment or two on the albums on this blog.

So, I think my memory is a little hazy on this one. I think in 1985 a friend came to visit me in Colchester. He brought with him this album. He wanted me to hear it. He put it on and I was immediately transfixed by it. I've been playing it ever since.
I've heard a few recordings of this requiem over the years. But it is the one my friend bought that I've found so captivating. Maybe it's the overall softness or fullness of the sounds, Willcocks imbeds the organ within a full orchestral and choral setting. It never feels too loud or too quiet. 
After I married we used to play music to help us get off to sleep. I used to suffer from bouts of insomnia. This was one of the albums we played to help. We had it on a cassette recorder and each night we'd rewind and press the play button. For ages, we'd hear the whole requiem but gradually over a period of weeks, we'd fall asleep, at In Paradisum, then gradually the Pie Jesus and later still the Sanctus. At one point we'd be asleep just after hearing the opening chord of the Introit et Kyrie. And then we began to fall asleep just hearing the tape rewinding.
I began to realise that this became a form of self-hypnosis. For some time - years - it was very effective.

Click here to hear and watch a performance of the exquisite  Pie Jesus from the requiem.