1st Movement: Requiem Aeternam
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The Requiem Aeternam is accompanied by a video tour of the Cathédrale Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais de Soissons in Soissons, France. The Requiem Aeternam, like each of the composition's movements, was inspired by the beauty and grandeur of some of the world's great cathedrals and churches.
The Text Requiem Aeternam (Eternal Rest) This is traditionally the first movement of the Requiem Mass, and is derived from a verse in the second book of Esdras in the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible. This is the origin of the designation "Requiem" for the entire Christian funeral rite.
The Composition Rather than beginning with a "bang" (I'd already done that in the Introit), here, in the first movement of the Requiem proper, I divided the chorus into three sections, each entering in succession. Tenors are at center concert stage position, women are on the right, and basses on the left, The dynamics of the opening quickly build as each section enters in succession, then join together in the fortissimo plea, "Let perpetual light shine on them." When I sketched out the Requiem, my intention was that this prayer at the start would subsequently be given its most ardent expression in the 24th (and final) movement, Lux Aeterna.
Requiem Aeternam is scored for a large chorus, strings (11 violins, 13 cellos, and 9 double basses), and 6 French horns.
Latin Text and English Translation
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion,
Et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem.
Exaudi orationem meam ad te omnis caro veniet.
Requiem aeternam
dona defunctis, Domine
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Grant them eternal rest, Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on them.
Thou art praised, God, in Zion,
and homage will be paid
to Thee in Jerusalem.
Hear my prayer.
To Thee all flesh will come.
Grant them eternal rest, Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on them.
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