Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/Requiem (Reger)

Requiem (Reger)

This is the archived discussion of the TFAR nomination for the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page.

The result was: scheduled for Wikipedia:Today's featured article/July 16, 2016 by Brianboulton (talk) 20:41, 29 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Requiem by Max Reger, also known as the Hebbel Requiem, is a late Romantic setting of Friedrich Hebbel's poem "Requiem" for alto or baritone solo, chorus and orchestra. The text begins with a plea to not forget the dead. Composed in 1915, Reger dedicated it in the autograph: Dem Andenken der im Kriege 1914/15 gefallenen deutschen Helden (To the memory of the German heroes who fell in the 1914/15 War). Reger had composed Requiem settings before: in 1912 a motet for male chorus, of the same poem, and in 1914 a setting of the Latin Requiem, in memory of the victims of the Great War, which remained a fragment. The Hebbel Requiem was published by N. Simrock in 1916, after the composer's death, with another choral composition, Der Einsiedler (The Hermit), to a poem by Joseph von Eichendorff, titled Zwei Gesänge für gemischten Chor mit Orchester (Two songs for mixed chorus with orchestra), Op. 144. Both works were first performed in Heidelberg on 16 July 1916 as part of a memorial concert for Reger, conducted by Philipp Wolfrum. Reger thought that The Hermit and the Hebbel Requiem were "among the most beautiful things" he ever wrote. (Full article...)

Most recent similar article(s): 30 May, opera
Main editors: Gerda Arendt
Promoted: June 2016
Reasons for nomination: centenary of the premiere
Support as nominator. Gerda Arendt (talk) 12:41, 19 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]
It needs the first link to be the TFA otherwise it causes technical problems for the TFA-day automatic processes, and there's a real risk of people clicking the wrong link. I've jiggled the words around slightly - thoughts? Bencherlite ^Talk (using his alt account Bencherheavy) 15:35, 22 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you, good idea. I jiggled further, avoiding the technical opus number in the beginning (one should be enough in such a short section), and have the composer much sooner, - please check. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 19:26, 22 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with losing the opus number. Three uses of the word "requiem" in the opening sentence is not ideal; the repetition of "chorus and orchestra" in short succession is awkward (moving the solo/chorus/orchestra to after the word "setting" also makes it clearer); "with a dedication in the autograph" ought to be reworded to avoid the "with" construction (see the advice here – search for the phrase "With as an additive link is another common problem on WP; it's usually awkward"). The phrase "Reger had composed Requiem settings before" is slightly confusing, as it conflates the poem called "Requiem" and the liturgical Requiem. The month of the composer's death could usefully be added too. But I'm getting fussy now... Bencherlite ^Talk (using his alt account Bencherheavy) 19:47, 22 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

"With" dropped. Is there an alternative term for "work for chorus and orchestra"? Or should we drop the "last work" part, which becomes apparent by a first performance after his death anyway? One line about the topic of the poem would be nice, only it doesn't fit in one line. Thoughts? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 20:24, 22 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I replaced now the "last work" by a hint at "forget not the dead", - moved the link to Requiem to the Latin one, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 22:06, 22 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]