Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's final Masterpiece was commissioned
in mid 1791 by the Austrian count Franz Von Walsegg,
as a Tribute to the passing of his young wife Anna.
Mozart began his final composition in Prague, suffering from an
undetermined illness, which would eventually take his life and
rob him of the chance to see the completion of his Magnum Opus.
After Mozart's death, his understudy 'Franz Xaver Süssmayr',
at the behest of Mozart's wife, completed
the missing parts of the Requiem.
Requiem Mass was first performed on January 2, 1793,
in a private concert for the benefit of
Mozart's grieving wife, Constanze Mozart.
The Following are the lyrics, translated from their Original Latin
Grant them eternal rest, Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on them.
You are praised, God, in Zion,
and homage will be paid to You in Jerusalem.
Hear my prayer,
to You all flesh will come.
Grant them eternal rest, Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on them.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Day of wrath, day of anger
will dissolve the world in ashes,
as foretold by David and the Sibyl.
Great trembling there will be
when the Judge descends from heaven
to examine all things closely.
The trumpet will send its wondrous sound
throughout earth's sepulchres
and gather all before the throne.
Death and nature will be astounded,
when all creation rises again,
to answer the judgment.
A book will be brought forth,
in which all will be written,
by which the world will be judged.
When the judge takes his place,
what is hidden will be revealed,
nothing will remain unavenged.
What shall a wretch like me say?
Who shall intercede for me,
when the just ones need mercy?
King of tremendous majesty,
who freely saves those worthy ones,
save me, source of mercy.
Remember, kind Jesus,
my salvation caused your suffering;
do not forsake me on that day.
Faint and weary you have sought me,
redeemed me, suffering on the cross;
may such great effort not be in vain.
Righteous judge of vengeance,
grant me the gift of absolution
before the day of retribution.
I moan as one who is guilty:
owning my shame with a red face;
suppliant before you, Lord.
You, who absolved Mary,
and listened to the thief,
give me hope also.
My prayers are unworthy,
but, good Lord, have mercy,
and rescue me from eternal fire.
Provide me a place among the sheep,
and separate me from the goats,
guiding me to Your right hand.
When the accused are confounded,
and doomed to flames of woe,
call me among the blessed.
I kneel with submissive heart,
my contrition is like ashes,
help me in my final condition.
That day of tears and mourning,
when from the ashes shall arise,
all humanity to be judged.
Spare us by your mercy, Lord,
gentle Lord Jesus,
grant them eternal rest. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory,
liberate the souls of the faithful,
departed from the pains of hell
and from the bottomless pit.
Deliver them from the lion's mouth,
lest hell swallow them up,
lest they fall into darkness.
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Let the standard-bearer, holy Michael,
bring them into holy light.
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Which was promised to Abraham
and his descendants.
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Sacrifices and prayers of praise, Lord,
we offer to You.
Receive them in behalf of those souls
we commemorate today.
And let them, Lord,
pass from death to life,
which was promised to Abraham
and his descendants.
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Lamb of God, who takes away
the sins of the world,
grant them eternal rest.
Lamb of God, who takes away
the sins of the world,
Grant them eternal rest.
Lamb of God, who takes away
the sins of the world,
grant them eternal rest forever.
-------------------------------------------------
Let eternal light shine on them, Lord,
as with Your saints in eternity,
because You are merciful.
Grant them eternal rest, Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on them,
as with Your saints in eternity,
because You are merciful.
Requiem Mass in D MinorWolfgang Amadeus Mozart's final Masterpiece was commissioned in mid 1791 by the Austrian count Franz Von Walsegg, as a Tribute to the passing of his young wife Anna. Mozart began his final composition in Prague, suffering from an undetermined illness, which would eventually take his life and rob him of the chance to see the completion of his Magnum Opus. After Mozart's death, his understudy 'Franz Xaver Süssmayr', at the behest of Mozart's wife, completed the missing parts of the Requiem. Requiem Mass was first performed on January 2, 1793, in a private concert for the benefit of Mozart's grieving wife, Constanze Mozart. The Following are the lyrics, translated from their Original LatinGrant them eternal rest, Lord,and let perpetual light shine on them.You are praised, God, in Zion,and homage will be paid to You in Jerusalem.
A complete version of Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations"
(No. 9-12)
This new upload may seem a bit out of place next to my belcanto-orientated recent postings, but the piece in question is just too delightful to pass. Most of the description is taken from "allmusic.com", while my commentaries will be mostly my personal impressions of the variations.
"At the end of an overlong day laden with teaching and other duties, Edward Elgar lit a cigar, sat at his piano and began idling over the keys. To amuse his wife, the composer began to improvise a tune and played it several times, turning each reprise into a caricature of the way one of their friends might have played it or of their personal characteristics. "I believe that you are doing something which has never been done before," exclaimed his wife". Thus, as the legend tells us, was born one of music's great works of original conception, and Elgar's greatest large-scale "hit": the Enigma Variations.
The enigma is twofold: each of the 14 variations refers to a friend of Elgar's, who is depicted by the nature of the music, or by sonic imitation of laughs, vocal inflections, or quirks, or by more abstract allusions. The other enigma is the presence of a larger "unheard" theme which is never stated but which according to the composer is very well known. A third enigma formed, when I decided to upload the variations, as I am completely baffled about the identity of either the conductor or the orchestra.
But getting back to the work itself, the work contains some most charming and interesting music.
As the piece is about thirty minutes long, I've divided it into three parts, each one finishing with a furious allegro passage (and, interestingly enough, the variations go well this way).
VIII. W.N. (allegretto; 0:00), Winifred Norbury, a gracious and gentle friend, hence the relatively relaxed atmosphere. At the end of this variation, a single violin note is held over into the next variation, the most celebrated of the set. The gentle chirping of the flutes, wonderfully contrasted by the plucking of the strings, paints a most gracious person.
IX. Nimrod (andante; 1:55), Augustus Jaeger, El gar's close friend. It is said that this variation, as well as an attempt to capture what Elgar saw as Jaeger's noble character, depicts a night-time walk the two of them had, during which they discussed the slow movements of Ludwig van Beethoven. The first eight bars resemble, and have been said to represent, the beginning of the second movement of Beethoven's Eighth Piano Sonata (Pathetique). The name of the variation cunningly refers to an Old Testament patriarch described as a mighty hunter, the name Jaeger being German for hunter. Though certainly the most celebrated of all the variations, I find myself admiring, rather than truly enjoying it, unlike, for example, the previous variation.
X. Dorabella (allegretto; 5:57), Dora Penny, whose infectious laugh is depicted in a repeated line for the the woodwinds.
XI. G.R.S. (allegro di molto; 8:33), George Sinclair, an organist. More specifically, the variation also depicts Sinclair's bulldog Dan, and a walk by the River Wye with Sinclair and Elgar when Dan fell into the river: one can actually see the dog running back and forth to and away from his master in a frenzy... and then falling into the water.
"Enigma Variations" (No. 9-12)
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A complete version of Edward Elgar's "Enigma variations"