The Belgian composer Frans Jozef Kraft was born in Brussels in 1727. He completed his music studies in Italy with Francesco Durante, after which he returned to Belgium, where he worked in Leuven and Brussels, before accepting the position of music master at St. Bavo's Cathedral in 1768, where he, until a year before his death, in 1795. Kraft wrote the "Requiem" performed here for choir, soloists
… and continuo in 1765, almost certainly for the Begijnenkerk in Leuven, to which he was associated at the time. Kraft's "Requiem" is one of those many pieces of music from the mid-18th century that have an essentially Baroque structure, to which early classical elements have been added. (Incidentally, the claim in the explanation that Mozart would have been inspired by this piece for his "Requiem KV.626", downright ridiculous.) The almost uninterrupted restrained atmosphere is striking; even in the "Dies irae" there is hardly any uproar. This recording of Kraft's "Requiem", supplemented by his short "Magnificat", was made in 1973 by soloists, continuo and the Kortrijk Mixed Choir conducted by Herman Roelstraete. The aforementioned choir is not bad - they are amateurs -, but unfortunately their qualities fall short to make listening to this music a real pleasure. (JvG) _ The aforementioned choir is not bad - they are amateurs - but unfortunately their qualities fall short to make listening to this music a real pleasure. (JvG) _ The aforementioned choir is not bad - they are amateurs -, but unfortunately their qualities fall short to make listening to this music a real pleasure. (JvG) _more
