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| Latest update: | 06-04-2024 |
Richard Smith
1965 -
United States of America, UT
| R.W. Smith |
Richard ('Rich') W. Smith (1965), an American composer. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. His musical studies have taken him around the world. He has studied piano with Bonnie Winterton and Gladys Gladstone at the University of Utah; Francios Regnat and Elmer Hereema at Cal State, Northridge (where he was a member of the Northridge Piano Quartet and accompanist for the University Singers); and with Marta Immovilli in Venice, Italy. He has studied composition with Daniel Kestler at Cal State, Northridge, John Williams at Berklee College of Music, and Scott Lanvatter at the University of Utah.
Rich was a staff member at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Ca, and at The Warner Bros. Studios, where he worked as a music editor under Dan Carlin. While at Warner Bros., he worked on such projects as Stephen Spielburg's Tiny Toons, Ghost, and Scenes From A Mall (with Woody Allen and Bette Midler). He has arranged and produced numerous albums, utilizing everything from full orchestra and choir to solo accoustic guitar. His production work for concert pianist David Glen Hatch netted a Pearl Award for Hatch in 1998.
Rich was a staff member at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Ca, and at The Warner Bros. Studios, where he worked as a music editor under Dan Carlin. While at Warner Bros., he worked on such projects as Stephen Spielburg's Tiny Toons, Ghost, and Scenes From A Mall (with Woody Allen and Bette Midler). He has arranged and produced numerous albums, utilizing everything from full orchestra and choir to solo accoustic guitar. His production work for concert pianist David Glen Hatch netted a Pearl Award for Hatch in 1998.
Mountain requiem
| Period: | 21st century |
| Composed in: | 2000 |
| Musical form: | free |
| Text/libretto: | Latin mass + English texts |
| Duration: | ca.47' |
| In memory of: | the composer's father |
| Label(s): | Arizona University AUR CD 3110 |
Mountain requiem for soprano and tenor soli, mixed chorus and orchestra. It contains:
01. Mountain dawn (Prelude) (4:58)
02. Requiem and Kyrie (4:34)
03. I will lift mine eyes (4:33)
04. Dies irae (1:35)
05. Salva me (4:38)
06. Pie Jesu (3:06)
07. Gloria (Rose windows on the desert) (3:28)
08. Agnus Dei (4:08)
09. The Lord is my strength and my song (2:31)
10. Crossing the bar (2:37)
11. Sanctus (2:49)
12. Hudson Valley (Postlude) (5:50)
13. The Lord bless thee (2:50)
01. Mountain dawn (Prelude) (4:58)
02. Requiem and Kyrie (4:34)
03. I will lift mine eyes (4:33)
04. Dies irae (1:35)
05. Salva me (4:38)
06. Pie Jesu (3:06)
07. Gloria (Rose windows on the desert) (3:28)
08. Agnus Dei (4:08)
09. The Lord is my strength and my song (2:31)
10. Crossing the bar (2:37)
11. Sanctus (2:49)
12. Hudson Valley (Postlude) (5:50)
13. The Lord bless thee (2:50)
| Source: | Richard W. Smith |
Mountain requiem was started in February of 1996, after the death of my first publisher and good friend, Don Hinshaw - President of Hinshaw Music. While I was working on my musical expressions of sadness and grief, my own father passed away after an extended illness. I found that with half of the Requiem finished, it was time to turn a musical corner. I pulled from my own beliefs in life and death, and found that the sadness had given way to hope and a sure knowledge that both my father and Don had not ceased to exist, but had embarked on a new journey.
With this understanding, I couldn't write in the standard "requiem" style; minor chords and dark overtones. I found that I had realized a place of light and life, a surety of thought that overcame the darkness of death. Even with the darkness and dread that the "Dies irae" carries with it, there was more. I found that the text carried a sense of hope. So Mountain requiem became a source of light, of peace, and ultimately of knowledge that in Christ all shall be made alive.
As we were in the refining process of the recording, this became even more apparent to all of those involved. Mary Wescott, choir director of First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City, was gracious enough to conduct the Premier in May of 1998, shortly before her move to Michigan. Mary offered insightful suggestions to the final score which helped to tighten sections and phrases.
The evening we recorded Bob Breault's stunning performance, he told me that a mutual friend of ours had been diagnosed with cancer that day. Bob used that emotion to complement his extraordinary vocal talent, and gave a performance that can never be rivaled. Our friend passed away before we were able to finish the final edits on the recording, but I think that he would have been pleased with Bob's rendition of the solos.
After 4 years and 3 complete re-recordings, I am glad to know that the requiem is finally entering the world. It is a statement of my hope for the world, my belief in the goodness of life, and my knowledge that death is not the end. It was written as a means for me to find peace. I hope that it will bring peace and comfort to you as well.
With this understanding, I couldn't write in the standard "requiem" style; minor chords and dark overtones. I found that I had realized a place of light and life, a surety of thought that overcame the darkness of death. Even with the darkness and dread that the "Dies irae" carries with it, there was more. I found that the text carried a sense of hope. So Mountain requiem became a source of light, of peace, and ultimately of knowledge that in Christ all shall be made alive.
As we were in the refining process of the recording, this became even more apparent to all of those involved. Mary Wescott, choir director of First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City, was gracious enough to conduct the Premier in May of 1998, shortly before her move to Michigan. Mary offered insightful suggestions to the final score which helped to tighten sections and phrases.
The evening we recorded Bob Breault's stunning performance, he told me that a mutual friend of ours had been diagnosed with cancer that day. Bob used that emotion to complement his extraordinary vocal talent, and gave a performance that can never be rivaled. Our friend passed away before we were able to finish the final edits on the recording, but I think that he would have been pleased with Bob's rendition of the solos.
After 4 years and 3 complete re-recordings, I am glad to know that the requiem is finally entering the world. It is a statement of my hope for the world, my belief in the goodness of life, and my knowledge that death is not the end. It was written as a means for me to find peace. I hope that it will bring peace and comfort to you as well.
| Author: | Richard W. Smith |