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Pie Jesu & Requiem
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World & British Premier Programmes
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Listen & buy & download from Amazon
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Sarah Brightman was born in 1960 and has already enjoyed considerable success in commercial television, dance, recording and theatre, including a year as a member of the original cast of Cats. However, it was in the title role of Charles Strouse’s opera for children, Nightingale, that she demonstrated her operatic voice for the first time. Her credits since then include The Pirates of Penzance at London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the starring role in the television version of Song and Dance. Recently she has given a series of operatic recitals for TVS. |
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SARAH BRIGHTMAN was born in 1960 and has already enjoyed considerable success in commercial television, dance, recording and theatre, including a year as a member of the original cast of Cats. However, it was in the title role of Charles Strouse’s opera for children, Nightingale, that she demonstrated her operatic voice for the first time. Her credits since then include ThePirates of Penzance at London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the starring role in the television version of Song andDance. Recently she has given a series of operatic recitals for Television South. With Paul Miles-Kingston, her single release from Requiem, Pie Jesu, climbed high in the United Kingdom music charts. |
World & British Premier Programmes
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The British Premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webbers REQUIEM. Westminster Abbey Sunday 21st April 1985
Starring
Placido Domingo Sarah Brightman Paul Miles-Kingston English Chamber Orchestra Conducted by Lorin Maaze |
Single / CD / LP Information - with tracks
Pie Jesu 7" Single
Released 1985 7", 12" Europe 0062005537
A Side - Pie Jesu - duet with Paul Miles-Kingston,
B Side - “Recordare
Pie Jesu 12" Single
A Side - Pie Jesu - duet with Paul Miles-Kingston,
B Side - “Recordare
B Side Hosanna
Requiem CD / LP
released 1985 CD, LP Worldwide 7777471462
1. & Kyrie
2. Dies Irae ... Rex Tremendae
3. Recordare
4. Ingemisco ... Lacrymosa
5. Offertorium
6. Hosanna
7. Pie Jesu
8. Lux Aeterna & Libera Me
Requiem - Taken from Album sleeve notes.
A Requiem from the composer of Cats, Evita, Starlight Express? The change of direction is less abrupt than appears at first sight. In many ways this Requiem marks for Andrew Lloyd Webber a return to the musical surroundings in which he grew up.
His school, Westminster, was traditionally closely linked to Westminster Abbey and, in Lloyd Webber’s day, attendance at certain church services was obligatory.
He recalls also going to the impressive memorial service held for Ralph Vaughan Williams and, as a thirteen-year-old, crossing the Abbey yard through a thick fog for the first London performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem, probably the last major, popular piece in the oratorio tradition to have been composed in England.
Lloyd Webber Snr. was an organist at All Saints, Margaret Street, and at the Central Hall, Westminster, as well as being a composer of sacred music. Some young people might have rebelled, but Andrew, on his own admission, preferred to absorb. He still enjoys ‘popping into evensong’ and his main interest outside music is architecture, especially church architecture.
It was the death of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s father in 1982 that first set the Requiem in motion. Lloyd Webber scored the Requiem for a boy, a girl and a man: in other words, treble, high soprano and tenor. He toyed with including a bass, but soon rejected the concept. The choral writing is strictly along cathedral lines, but Lloyd Webber, with an impish grin, admits that it might not always be academically correct — ‘My father insisted that I should not be over-trained musically.’
How ‘theatrical’ does Andrew Lloyd Webber consider his Requiem to be? It is the commonest criticism of the world’s most famous Requiem, Verdi’s, which was also inspired by a death (Alessandro Manzoni, Italian poet and patriot).
‘Let’s say there is an imprecise theatrical structure concerning the boy and the tenor, and the girl, who is the bridge between them’.
The presence of Placido Domingo as the tenor does suggest that the Requiem will also be described as operatic.
‘Maybe. But as far as I’m concerned it’s the most austere piece I have written so far. What excites me is writing for the operatic voice, whether Placido’s or Sarah’s, because you have almost another octave to play with and all the attendant melodic possibilities.’
The first draft of the Requiem was heard during the 1984 Sydmonton Festival, the Berkshire site where Andrew Lloyd Webber tries out most of his major works before taking them away and polishing them. That polishing took a further half-year, probably the most concentrated and lengthy period of work Lloyd Webber has given to any of his compositions to date. Nothing has been allowed to distract from the Requiem.
Now that it is complete, what is his own verdict? ‘I don’t know what place it will find in the music of today, but to me it is the most personal of all my compositions’.
© John Higgins 1985
Requiem will be performed by The American Ballet Theatre in a choreographed version by Kenneth MacMillan which will be presented at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York in 1986.
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Requiem |
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1. & Kyrie |
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2. Dies Irae ... Rex Tremendae |
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3. Recordare |
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4. Ingemisco ... Lacrymosa |
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5. Offertorium |
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6. Hosanna |
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7. Pie Jesu |
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8. Lux Aeterna & Libera Me |
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Notes on the text and English translation © Father David Evans, 1985.
Biblical quotations in the notes are taken from the Revised Standard Version.
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Requiem & Kyrie Offertorium Dies irae Hosanna Dies irae. . Rex tremendae Pie Jesu Recordare Ingemisco. . . Lacrymosa Lux aeterna & Libera me
The Requiem Mass, as such, was not a reality much before the end of the 10th century, and the special day for the commemoration of the dead, November 2nd (All Souls’ Day), was instituted by St. Odo, the Abbot of Cluny, in 998. This commemoration was observed everywhere by the 13th century, when the doctrine of Purgatory, taught by St. Thomas Aquinas and other theologians, and foreshadowed since the 3rd century, was universally accepted and Masses for the dead became a general feature of parish life. It would be true to sa~i that the Mass for the Dead, stemming from the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope St. Pius V in 1570, by decree of the Council of Trent, is of Franco-Gallican origin; and it is to this rite that these notes refer.
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REQUIEM AND KYRIE
TWO BOYS, SOPRANO, TENOR, CHORUS
The opening lines are based on a passage from one of the books of the Apocrypha: 2(4) Esdras2: 34-35, ‘Await your shepherd; he will give you everlasting rest. Be ready for the rewards of the kingdom, because the eternal light will shine upon you for evermore,’ and on Psalm 65 (64): 1-2 ‘Praise is due to thee, O God, in Zion; and to thee shall vows be performed, 0 thou who hearest prayer! To thee shall all flesh come on account of sins.’ Zion is the citadel of Jerusalem taken by David from the Jebusites (2 SAM. 5: 6-7). The name came to signify God’s holy hill at Jerusalem (Ps. 2: 6) or Jerusalem itself (Is. 1: 27) and it became the symbol of the contact between God and men, the point from which salvation radiates and the focus of the Messianic kingdom. Requiem and Kyrie are taken together and ‘Kyrie eleison’ is not repeated.
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Latin Lyrics
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, Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine; et lux perpetua luceat eis. |
English Translations
Rest eternal grant them, 0 Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon them. A hymn befits Thee, 0 God, in Zion; and to Thee shall be paid a vow in Jerusalem.
Hear my prayer, to Thee all flesh shall come. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Rest eternal-grant them, 0 Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon them. |
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DIES IRAE
BOY, SOPRANO, TENOR, CHORUS
The Dies Irae was not incorporated into the Mass until the 14th century and then not universally. The authorship is disputed: very probably a Franciscan and only just possibly Thomas of Celano (1200.55), friend and biographer of St. Francis. The poet’s inspiration for the Dies iroe undoubtedly came in part from the Libera me sung at the Absolution following the Mass, which in turn derives from Zephaniah 1: 14.16. The author was also indebted to several other sources, principally the 7th century Advent hymn Apparebit repentina dies magna Domini (’The great day of the Lord will suddenly appear’). 2 Peter 3: 7-11, Psalm 97: 1-6, and liturgical use was probably for that Sunday. Despite its one-time popularity, therefore, the Dies irae has no place in the Requiem Mass and, strictly, being cast in the first person singular, it even offends against liturgical norms which are concerned with the worship of the people as a community.
Nevertheless, the Dies irae was adapted for use in Requiem Masses by the addition of the last six lines, of which the first four are taken from a 12th century (or earlier) hymn, its fourth line being changed from ThpeccatisparceDeus. The first six verses of the poem describe the Judgement (the words of the 4th verse here being repeated after verse six), with the poet introducing himself into the scene in the seventh, asking who will be able to help him then. As no one can, since all are to be judged, now is the time to prepare for that day. He prays to Christ who will then appear as the ‘King of awesome majesty’, but who is now a ‘fount of Pity’. The first reason for mercy is Christ’s Incarnation — ‘Thy journey’, together with his life-work and death — ‘such toil’. The other reason is the repentance of the sinner — ‘I grown like one condemned’. Being shown mercy, the poet hopes to be with God when the Judgement is over.
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Latin Lyrics
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.
Mors stupebit et natura, Cum resurget creatura, Judicanti responsura.
Liber scriptus proferetur In quo totum continetur, Unde mundus judicetur.
Judex ergo cum sedebit, Quidquid latet, apparebit: Nil inultum remainebit.
Mors stupebit et natura, Cum resurget creatura, Judicanti responsura.
Qui sum miser tunc dicturus? Quem patronum rogaturus, Cum vix justus sit securus?
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English Translations
A day of wrath that day. It will dissolve the world into glowing ashes As attested by David together with the Sibyl.
What trembling will there be When the Judge shall come To examine everything in strict justice! The trumpet’s wondrous call sounding abroad In Tombs throughout the world Shall drive everybody forward to the throne.
Death and nature shall stand amazed When creation rises again To give answer to its Judge.
A written book will be brought forth In which everything is contained From which the world shall be judged.
So when the Judge is seated, Whatever (sin) is hidden will be made known: Nothing (sinful) shall go unpunished.
Death and nature shall stand amazed When creation rises again
To give answer to its Judge. What shall I, wretch, say at that time? What advocate shall! entreat (to plead for me) When scarcely the righteous shall be safe (from damnation)? |
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Rex Tremendae BOY, TENOR, BASS, CHOIR |
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Latin Lyrics
Rex tremendae majestatis, Qui salvandos salvas gratis, Salva me, fons pietatis. |
English Translations
King of awesome majesty, Who, to those that are to be saved, givest the grace of salvation. Save me, O fount of Pity. |
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Recordare SOPRANO |
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Latin Lyrics
Recordare, Jesi 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.
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English Translations
Recall, dear Jesus, That Jam the reason for Thy journey (into this world): Do not cast me away (from Thee) on that day.
Seeking me, Thou didst sit down weary, Thou didst redeem me, suffering death on the Cross: Let not such toil have been in vain.
Just Judge of vengeance, Grant me the gift of pardon Before the day of reckoning. |
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Ingemisco / Lacrymosa SOPRANO, TENOR, CHORUS |
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Latin Lyrics
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.
Inter oves locum praesta, Et ab haedis me sequestra, Statuens in parte dextra.
Lacrymosa dies illa, Qua resurget ex favilla Judicandus homo reus.
Confutatis maledictis, Flammis acribus addictis: Voca me cum benedictis.
Lacrymosa dies illa, Qua resurget ex favilla Judicandus homo reus.
Huic ergo parce, Deus: Pie Jesu Domine, Dona eis requiem. Amen.
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English Translations
I groan like one condemned. My face blushes for my sins: Spare a suppliant, 0 God.
Thou who didst absolve Mary (Magdalen), And heard (the prayer of) the robber, Hast given me hope as well.
My prayers are not worthy: But Thou, of Thy goodness, deal generously (with me), That! burn not in the everlasting fire.
Give me a place among the sheep, And separate me from the goats, Setting me on Thy right hand.
That day will be one of weeping On which shall rise again from the embers The guilty man, to be judged.
When the accursed have been confounded And sentenced to acrid flames, Call me along with the blessed.
That day will be one of weeping On which shall rise again from the embers The guilty man, to be judged.
Therefore spare him, 0 God. Merciful Lord Jesus, G rant them rest. Amen |
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