Verdi’s Requiem

When Rossini died in 1868, he left Giuseppe Verdi the title of greatest living Italian composer. In fact, Verdi had already dominated the field of Italian opera for at least 20 years, since Rossini’s last opera, William Tell (1829), was followed by nearly 40 years of semi-retirement.

Verdi proposed a Requiem in Rossini’s memory, to be jointly written by leading Italian composers and to be performed on the anniversary of his death. The idea foundered, largely because there was no impresario or publisher behind it, but it seems that this unrealized project prompted Verdi to begin work on an idea he had considered a couple of years earlier: to construct a Requiem of his own. It wasn’t until May 1873, once he heard news of the death of Alessandro Manzoni — the hero of Italy’s fight for nationhood — that the idea found its impetus.

Verdi set to work that winter and had the whole Requiem completed by April 1874, allowing a month to prepare the work for its premiere at the church of San Marco in Milan. The first performance was immediately followed by three performances at the Teatro alla Scala. Verdi then took the work to Paris for seven performances, and in the following year toured Paris, London, and Vienna, conducting in each city to great acclaim. Verdi’s Requiem was unquestionably the most talked-about work of its time.

“This Mass is not to be sung in the way one sings an opera,” was Verdi’s instruction, and he was perfectly happy with any singer who had a beautiful voice. Yet Verdi could never disguise the fact that his Requiem work has dramatic qualities, as almost all critics have pointed out since the beginning. The text, after all, includes some highly colored passages, especially in the Dies irae, while the later parts of the work are more contemplative in character.

Verdi’s choral writing in his operas was generally in strong blocks, not in the complex counterpoint that had been relished since the days of Handel. In his Requiem, however, Verdi wrote a towering fugal chorus in eight parts for the Sanctus and another (in four parts) for the Libera me. The chorus also makes a deep impression when intoning words of penitence or self-abasement, as in the very first iterations of “Requiem aeternam” (Grant them eternal rest).

Verdi cared deeply about the unity of the work. Some of this is achieved by the recurrence of musical motives, such as the quotation of the opening cello phrase in the last movement; some is suggested by similar phrases for the solo voices echoed from earlier in the work. The most inescapable recurring passage is the mighty Dies irae, with great shouts from the chorus against the orchestra in full fury. Off-beat blows on the bass drum are withheld on the first statement but add a new level of terror several bars later.

The Dies irae is by far the longest section, at about half an hour, incorporating subsidiary portions of the text. The contrast is illustrated by the hushed unison on the words “Quando Judex est venturus” (When the Judge shall appear) in preparation for the sound of the Last Judgement itself. Four offstage trumpets call across to the orchestra’s onstage trumpets, and the choral basses explode with the Tuba mirum. That is followed by Mors stupebit — perhaps the lowest point in the penitent’s journey — the Liber scriptus (a beautiful solo for the mezzo-soprano), a return of the Dies irae, and so on.

The Pie Jesu (still within the Dies irae movement) calls for the quartet of soloists to sing as a group, unaccompanied, exploring those rich harmonies that add so much character to Verdi’s late music. The Offertorio again uses the soloists as a quartet, sharing a beautifully shaped phrase first assigned to the bass soloist on the words “Libera animas” (Deliver the souls). Even when the tempo quickens, the chorus is still silent, and the soloists close the movement with the motivic phrase on “Libera animas” now sung in a broad unison by all four soloists.

The Sanctus is a tour de force for the chorus: swift, short, and fiendishly difficult. With a no-nonsense cadence, thoughts of penitence and death are abruptly banished.

This is followed by a strange Agnus Dei, built like a set of variations on a theme presented in its most basic form at the beginning and left almost bare when it occurs again. Simplicity and purity seem to be the qualities to feed the imagination here.

In the Lux aeterna, bassoons, trombones, and a rumble of drums evoke the utter darkness that causes the penitent to plead for mercy. The response is in piccolo and high violins, which cast a gleam of light into the shadows and give a hint of the perpetual light for which they are praying. This is another movement assigned entirely to the soloists, leaving the chorus to return as major players in the Libera me.

If we can survive the final onslaught of the Dies irae in this final movement, the beautiful unaccompanied section that follows would restore anyone’s faith. Perhaps no more was needed, but Verdi gives us a life-affirming fugue on the words “Libera me, Domine” (Deliver me, O Lord) and a series of closing gestures that display his masterly control of mood, pace, color, and effect.

Verdi had learned through his work in opera over the years to never be satisfied unless everything was exactly right. When it came to writing a choral work for the concert hall, he worked persistently to make sure that his setting of this age-old text left no room for improvement. As we listen to the Requiem, whether for the first or for the umpteenth time, we can agree that he got it right.

— adapted from a note by Hugh Macdonald

Hugh Macdonald is Avis H. Blewett Professor Emeritus of Music at Washington University in St. Louis. He has written books on Beethoven, Berlioz, Bizet, and Scriabin, as well as Music in 1853: The Biography of a Year.

Sung Texts

I. Requiem and Kyrie

CHORUS
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 eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
A hymn, O God, becomes You in Zion,
and a vow shall be paid to You in Jerusalem.
Hear my prayer,
all flesh shall come to You.
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

II. Sequence (Dies irae)

CHORUS
Dies irae, dies illa,
solvet saeclum in favilla,
teste David cum Sibylla.

Quantus tremor est futurus,
quando judex est venturus,
cuncta stricte discussurus.

Tuba mirum spargens sonum
per sepulchra regionum,
coget omnes ante thronum.

The day of wrath, that day,
will dissolve the world in ashes,
as prophesied by David and the Sibyl. 

How great a trembling there shall be,
when the Judge shall appear,
and separate everything strictly. 

The trumpet, sending its wondrous sound
throughout the tombs of every land,
will summon everyone before the throne.

BASS
Mors stupebit et natura,
cum resurget creatura,
judicanti responsura.

 Death and Nature will be stupefied,
when all creation rises again
to answer Him who judges.

MEZZO-SOPRANO & CHORUS
Liber scriptus proferetur,
in quo totum continetur,
unde mundus judicetur.

Judex ergo cum sedebit,
quidquid latet apparebit,
nil inultum remanebit. 

Dies irae, dies illa …

When the Judge takes His place,
anything hidden will be revealed,
nothing will remain unavenged. 

The day of wrath, that day …

SOPRANO, MEZZO-SOPRANO & TENOR
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus
cum vix justus sit securus?

 What can a wretch like me say?
What patron shall I ask for help
when the just are scarcely protected?

SOLOISTS & CHORUS
Rex tremendae majestatis,
qui salvandos salvas gratis,
salva me, fons pietatis!

King of terrible majesty,
who freely saves those worthy of redemption,
save me, Source of Mercy!

SOPRANO & MEZZO-SOPRANO
Recordare, Jesu pie,
quod sum causa tuae viae.
Ne me perdas illa die. 

Quaerens me sedisti lassus.
Redemisti crucem passus.
Tantus labor non sit cassus. 

Juste Judex ultionis,
donum fac remissionis
ante diem rationis.

Remember, sweet Jesus,
that I am the cause of Your suffering.
Do not forsake me on that day. 

Seeking me, You descended wearily.
You redeemed me by suffering on the cross.
Such great effort should not have been in vain. 

Just Judge of Vengeance,
grant the gift of remission
before the day of reckoning.

TENOR
Ingemisco tamquam reus,
culpa rubet vultus meus:
Supplicanti parce, Deus. 

Qui Mariam absolvisti,
et latronem exaudisti,
mihi quoque spem dedisti. 

Preces meae non sunt dignae,
sed tu, bonus, fac benigne,
ne perenni cremer igne. 

Interoves locum praesta,
et ab hoedis me sequestra,
statuens in parte dextra.

 I groan like a criminal,
my face blushes with guilt:
God, spare a supplicant. 

You who absolved Mary Magdalene,
and inclined Your ear to the thief,
have also given me hope. 

My prayers are unworthy,
but, Good One, have mercy,
that I may not burn in everlasting fire. 

Grant me a place among the sheep,
and separate me from the goats,
keeping me at Your right hand.

BASS & CHORUS
Confutatis maledictis,
flammis acribus addictis,
voca me cum benedictis. 

Oro supplex et acclinis,
cor contritum quasi cinis,
gere curam mei fi nis. 

Dies irae, dies illa …

When the damned are dismayed,
and assigned to the burning flames,
call me among the blessed. 

I pray, suppliant and kneeling,
my heart contrite as ashes,
care for me when my time is at an end. 

The day of wrath, that day …

SOLOISTS & CHORUS
Lacrimosa dies illa,
qua resurget ex favilla,
judicandus homo reus.
Huic ergo parce, Deus.
Pie Jesu Domine,
dona eis requiem.
Amen.

What weeping that day will bring,
when from the ashes shall arise
all humanity to be judged.
But spare me, God.
Merciful Lord Jesus,
grant them eternal rest.
Amen.

III. Offertorio (Domine Jesu Christe)

SOLOISTS
Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae,
libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum
de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu!
Libera eas de ore leonis,
ne absorbeat eas Tartarus,
ne cadant in obscurum.
Sed signifer sanctus, Michael,
repraesentet eas in lucem sanctam,
quam olim Abrahae promisisti
et semini ejus. 

Hostias et preces tibi, Domine,
laudis off erimus.
Tu suscipe pro animabus illis
quarum hodie memoriam facimus —
fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam,
quam olim Abrahae promisisti
et semini ejus.

Libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum
de poenis inferni,
fac eas de morte transire ad vitam.

O Lord Jesus Christ, King of Glory,
deliver the souls of all the faithful departed
from the pains of hell and from the deep pit!
Deliver them from the lion’s mouth,
don’t let them be swallowed by hell,|
don’t let them fall into darkness.
But have the holy standard-bearer, Michael,
lead them into the holy light,
which You once promised to Abraham
and his seed. 

Sacrifices and prayers of praise, Lord,
we offer to You.
Receive them for the souls
of those we commemorate this day —
make them, O Lord, pass from death to life,
which You once promised to Abraham
and his seed. 

Deliver the souls of all the faithful departed
from the pains of hell,
make them pass from death to life.

IV. Sanctus

CHORUS
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,
Dominus Deus Sabaoth!
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua!
Hosanna in excelsis!
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Hosanna in excelsis!

Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God of Hosts!
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory!
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!

V. Agnus Dei

SOPRANO, MEZZO-SOPRANO & CHORUS
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
dona eis requiem.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
dona eis requiem sempiternam.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
grant them rest.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
grant them eternal rest.

VI. Lux aeterna

MEZZO-SOPRANO, TENOR & BASS
Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine,
cum sanctis tuis in aeternam, quia pius es.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.

May eternal light shine upon them, O Lord,
with Your saints in eternity, for You are merciful.
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.

VII. Libera me

SOPRANO & CHORUS
Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna,
in die illa tremenda,
quando coeli movendi sunt et terra,
dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem. 

Tremens factus sum ego et timeo
dum discussio venerit atque ventura ira;
quando coeli movendi sunt et terra. 

Dies irae, dies illa,
calamitatis et miseriae,
dies magna et amara valde. 

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis. 

Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna,
in die illa tremenda.
Libera me, quando coeli movendi sunt et terra,
dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem.
Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna,
in die illa tremenda.
Libera me!

Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death,
on that dreadful day,
when the heavens and the earth shall be moved,
and You shall come to judge the world by fire. 

I am seized with fear and trembling
at the judgement that shall come and at the coming of Your wrath;
when the heavens and the earth shall be moved. 

The day of wrath, that day,
of calamity and misery,
dreaded day of bitter sorrow. 

Grant  them eternal rest, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them. 

Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death,
on that dreadful day.

Deliver me, when the heavens and the earth shall be moved,
and You shall come to judge the world by fire.
Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death,
on that dreadful day.
Deliver me!