André Campra (1660 – 1744) was a French composer and conductor of the Baroque era. The leading French opera composer in the period between Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau, Campra wrote several tragédies en musique and opéra-ballets that were extremely well received. He also wrote three books of cantatas as well as religious music, including a requiem. His Requiem of 1695 is one of the first great settings of the liturgy of the dead in France. It was composed during his time as Kapellmeister at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris as a commissioned work in memory of the deceased Archbishop of Paris. The work was so appreciated that from the end of the 18th century until 1805 parts of it were regularly performed at funerals or memorial services in southern France. Campra envisages four groups of performers: a five-voice Grand Choeur, a two- to three-voice Petit Choeur (which could be drawn from the Grand Choeur), three vocal soloists and an instrumental group designated as a "symphony".

Messe de Mort or Requiem Mass is of uncertain date of composition but, since the closing fugue is an elaboration of one which he had incorporated into his grand motet of 1723, Der profundis, we might suppose it to have been composed sometime after that. Others, however, place the work earlier in Campra's life.

During the eighteenth century there were various permutations of the content of the Requiem Mass and in Campra's version there are certain omissions. There is no Dies irae, for instance, nor a Libera me. The Benedictus, too, is excluded, though this is also true of some of Charpentier's Masses. Campra's setting is, nevertheless, quite extended and falls into seven section—Introit; Kyrie; Gradual Offertory; Sanctus; Agnus Dei and Post Communication. These sections are further sub-divided variously into recits, dialogues, duos, trios and choruses. This is considered a great work of enduring beauty.

Campra was a gifted theatre composer and knew well how to handle the components of an elaborate sacred work in a colourful and dramatic manner evidenced by the Gradual, whose reiterated ''non, non'' etc. recalls a chorus in Act 3 of Charpentier's Medee, and in the throbbing bass of the Offertory opening. But it is the quiet intensity and the strongly contemplative character of Campra's Requiem which, perhaps, strike the profoundest note. It is, furthermore, a work of considerable individuality which stands out from among the greater number of sacred works of the ''Grand Siecle''.

Source: AllMusic (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Campra)

Although originally composed for Chorus (SSATB), Strings and Continuo, I created this Interpretation of the "Messe de Requiem" for Winds (Flute, Oboe, English Horn, French Horn & Bassoon) and Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).