Requiem

ARequiem(orRequiem Mass) is aEucharistservice in theRoman CatholicChurch to pray for the repose of the soul of someone who has died. There are special words for a Requiem Mass. They are inLatin.The best-known part of the Requiem Mass starts with the words “Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine” ( “Give them eternal rest, O Lord” ). This is why it is called a “Requiem”.

Manycomposersthroughout the centuries have composedmusicto these words. The word “Requiem” can mean a piece of music which sets the words of the Requiem Mass.

Celebration of the Eucharist to pray for people who have died goes back at least as far as the2nd century.

In theMiddle Agesthe words of the Requiem Mass were sung toGregorian chant.

In theRenaissancechurch music was generallypolyphonic.This sort of music, which has several voices weaving in and out of one another, is the kind of music used at the time for requiems. The composerJohannes Ockeghemis an example of a composer who wrote such music.

Polyphonic settings of the Requiem Mass continued during theBaroque period(17thand early18th centuries), even though other musical forms (e.g.opera) had developed a much more modern style.

The most famous Requiem from the 18th century is the one byMozart.Many musicians think it was one of the greatest pieces of music ever written. It was left unfinished when Mozart died.

In the19th centurymany composers wrote Requiems. Most of these were written for performance atconcerts,not for church services, but they still used the Latin words of the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass.

Luigi Cherubiniwrote a Requiem in C minor for the annual remembering of theexecutionofLouis XVI.He wrote another Requiem in D minor, which he wrote for himself. It was performed at his ownfuneral.

Giuseppe Verdiwrote a very excitingMessa da Requiem(1874) which sounds very operatic. Verdi rearranged some of the text (words) of the traditional Requiem Mass.

Bruckner,Saint-SaënsandDvořákall wrote requiems.

Brahmswrote a work which he calledEin Deutsches Requiem(A German Requiem). It is unusual because, instead of setting the traditional Latin words, he took some words from theGermantranslationof theBible.

In 1888Gabriel Fauréwrote a Requiem which uses an orchestra withoutviolinsexcept for a solo violin in the movement called “Sanctus”. In 1900 he made some changes and added an importantbaritonesolo.

In the20th centurymany composers continued to write Requiems. The most famous one isBritten’sWar Requiem(1961). Secular Anglican non Roman The message of this work is that war is cruel and pointless. Britten uses the Latin words of the Requiem Mass, but also someEnglishpoemsbyWilfred Owenwho was killed in theFirst World War.Thebaritoneandtenorsoloists who sing these English words represent the German and the English soldiers. The work was written forCoventryCathedral which had been rebuilt after the old cathedral had been totally destroyed inWorld War II.

Different parts of a Requiem

Older Requiems

• Introitus:Requiem aeternam dona eis, domine
• Kyrie
• Dies irae:Dies irae, dies illa solvet saeclum in favilla
• Offertorium:Domine Jesu Christe
• Sanctus
• Benedictus
• Agnus Dei
• Lux aeterna

For example, Mozart's Requiem follows this. In his requiem, the Lux aeterna (written by someone else) is the same as the Introitus, with different words.

Some musical examples:

• Mozart's "Requiem" with the completion of its unfinished musical score of musicologist Robert Levin.Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Carlos Kalmar, conductor.
• Dvořák's "Requiem".Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Carlos Kalmar, conductor.[1]
• Fauré's "Requiem".(together with works of Nielsen and Sibelius). Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Petri Sakari, conductor.

Newer Requiems

• Introitus
• Kyrie
• Graduale (same text as Introitus)
• Tractus: Absolve domine
• Offertorium:Domine Jesu Christe
• Sanctus
• Benedictus
• Agnus Dei

This sequence was fixed by theCouncil of Trentin the16th century.It was slightly modified in theSecond Vatican Council.

Other websites

• New completion of the original uncompleted musical score of Mozart'sRequiemby the musicologist Robert Levin.Live concert.
• Fauré'sRequiem.Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Petri Sakari, conductor. Live concert.