Abstract
André Campra (1660-1744) lived and worked in France during the transitional period between Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) and Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764). He earned a reputation as one of France’s most accomplished composers through his sacred and secular works, including twenty-six major works for Paris Opera, three masses, fifty-three grands motets, and sixty solo motets. The Messe de Requiem’s twentieth-century discovery renewed interest in the Frenchman’s oeuvre. European musicians have embraced André Campra’s Requiem in recent decades, but American ensembles have been slow to engage in performances of Campra’s work. This document attempts to make this masterwork more accessible to modern musicians. It provides biographical information on the composer; a history of the Messe de Requiem; a structural overview; an analysis of each movement; performance practice suggestions; a French-Latin pronunciation guide; an instrumental and vocal usage chart; and a new performance edition for SATBB chorus and orchestra that makes the work more practical for the use of the performer.