More than 200 years after his death, Wolfgang Mozart consoled those mourning the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center.
On Sept. 11, 2002, Mozart’s Mass for the Dead became a means of paying tribute to the thousands lost in the disaster.
Mozart’s Requiem was played by orchestras and choruses from 26 countries in 25 time zones around the world at 8:46 a.m. Wednesday.
The Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Memphis Symphony Chorus performed the Requiem before an audience of more than 1,200 in the Eudora Auditorium at Eudora Baptist Church in Memphis.
“The Memphis Symphony is honored to join orchestras and choruses around the globe in lending comfort and solemn remembrance on this first anniversary of the disaster,” said Brian Wiuff, director of public relations and publications for the Memphis Symphony.
The hour-long performance created a 24-hour tribute to victims of the Sept. 11 attack by beginning at the international dateline and continuing around the world.
When the Orlando Singers Chamber Choir in Auckland, New Zealand, began singing at 8:46 a.m. in their time zone, it was almost lunchtime on Tuesday in Memphis. Singers continued through time zones in places as far away as Israel and Belgrade. As time passed in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the requiem was performed in Cork, Ireland and Vienna, Austria, among other cities, before it progressed to Memphis.
“The Rolling Requiem gives us an opportunity to connect with the world and reach out to the Memphis community in this time of mourning,” Wiuff said.
The Rolling Requiem originated during a performance of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, which upon hearing the idea, sent out mass e-mails to gain support for the event.
The event became so popular in Seattle that organizers were forced to move the performance to Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners, which seats 47,000.
Mozart’s Requiem was originally commissioned by a count who wanted it for his recently deceased wife’s memorial service. Mozart became obsessed that the work was actually his own Mass for the Dead and ironically died before completing it.
