(5 out of 5 stars)
"When Andrew Lloyd Webber's father William, a classical composer in his own right, died in 1982, his by that time famous son decided to commemorate his death with a piece of newly composed music. But it was not the musical that ALW had in mind for this intimate occasion; he rather returned to his own classical roots he acquired while frequenting the Westminster music school, where his father was an organist.
The result of this effort is captured on this CD in form of a requiem mass. This precise form, immortalized by the likes of Verdi and Mozart in the past, seems an awkward and a rather risky choice for a composer who became famous by revitalizing the concept and the perception of the modern musical theatre. And yet, the whole piece managed not only to be embraced by the public, but also it established itself as an important contribution to the genre.