Composition commission - Why?
Helga Pogatschar »MARS Requiem«

Preface to the production by Carl Erling, Chrom Records

Written in January 1995 - revised 1998 - Automatic translation: www.deepl.com/translate

WHY of all things does a pop label give such a composition commission for a Requiem? I don’t have any current deaths to complain about and I’m also doing quite well…. For me personally it is simply the fulfilment of a youth dream, and the chart successes of one of our bands finally make it possible to finance such an elaborate and costly project.

Of course, a pop label - unencumbered by the high standards that music history applies to such a work - can approach such a daring undertaking more impartially and perhaps more courageously, without the quality of the composition necessarily being lower than that of a traditional classical label. In my opinion, the unusual constellation offers a great opportunity for something really new.

Chrom Records has already made a name for itself with serious productions (apart from the current pseudo-classical fashion wave) in the border area between pop and classical music: DEINE LAKAIEN, QNTAL. In collaboration with the classical label Christopherus/Helikon, there has even been a pure-bred classical production: the medieval ensemble ESTAMPIE reinterprets “Ludus Danielis”, a medieval mystery play.

This tradition is now being continued and expanded with the Requiem. In addition to the creation of a new Requiems composition, there is another already recognizable cultural benefit: Our usually quite young pop audience is becoming more and more interested and curious to deal with classical music via this “bridge”, without the need for education and fear of threshold.

In the very open-minded composer Helga Pogatschar we have found the right partner for the project.

Carl D. Erling
Chrom Records