I hope you will indulge me in writing about what I know, even when it takes a few odd curves before finally reaching its destination. In 1837, Hector Berlioz was commissioned by the French Minister to write what would later become one of his greatest masterpieces, the Requiem Mass (Grande Messe des Morts), in honor of those who died in the French Revolution of 1830. Shortly before the premiere however, the performance was cancelled due to fears of rekindling revolutionary passions. Fate intervened later that year when General Damrémont, the governor of French Algeria was killed during a siege of Constantine, allowing the work to be rededicated to his honor and to that of his mortally wounded soldiers. This incredibly unique piece requires massive forces, with the score calling for an orchestra of roughly 200 players and a chorus of 220 singers! Additional notes indicate that these numbers may be doubled or tripled if space permits. The wide dynamic range, often progressing from triple pianissimo to triple forte and back, combined with Berlioz' stirringly lyrical musical lines creates an emotionally dramatic rendition. Berlioz later wrote: “if I were threatened with the destruction of the whole of my works save one, I should crave mercy for the Messe des Morts”.
As I recently returned from ECNP and AANP meetings and am now, in my spare time, preparing to sing this monumental work, it strikes me as interesting that the numbers required to stage this piece almost equal those needed for a successful Neuropathology meeting. In fact, our upcoming performance includes about 350‐400 singers and orchestral musicians from well over 30 San Francisco Bay area and Rochester New York choirs, not to mention the healthy sized audience we hope to attract. In rehearsals, it is quite clear that we represent an amazingly diverse group with widely varying levels of experience, skill, and talent. Nonetheless, by the time of our concert, the final product will appear seamlessly fluent, providing a rich harmony that is considerably greater than the sum of its individual parts. Similarly, in the field of Neuropathology, we represent a remarkably diverse group of clinicians, scientists, topic oriented subspecialists, students, trainees, and experts, all of whom are absolutely critical contributors. Having now participated in committees and business meetings on both sides of the Atlantic, the conversations and concerns seem extraordinarily similar.
Perhaps analogous to a choir solely composed of “highly mature singers” (using today's most politically correct terminology), it has become clear that we need to encourage our youngest members to attend and participate fully at our future meetings. Both the ISN and the AANP have installed a number of initiatives to do just that, including travel funding awards and scientific awards for best trainee presentations. Nonetheless, I would like to personally encourage all of us “mature neuropathologists” (myself included) to continue sharing our passion and enthusiasm for Neuropathology with all of our trainees, urging them to perform projects, submit abstracts, present at our meetings, serve on committees, and provide fresh perspectives to our societies' visions and objectives. Only with the entire complement of players can the full potential of the Berlioz Requiem (and our Neuropathology societies) be realized.
Arie Perry, MD