Mack Wilberg's Requiem is a large-scale work for chorus, orchestra, a soprano and a baritone soloist. Wilberg began composition in 2006 and it was premiered in 2007 in Salt Lake City, Utah.[1] It comprises seven movements, which together last thirty-four minutes. It was published in 2008 by Oxford University Press.[2]
| Requiem | |
|---|---|
| Sacred vocal music by Mack Wilberg | |
 Score Cover | |
| Text |
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| Language |
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| Performed | 27 April 2007: Salt Lake City, UT |
| Published | 2008: Oxford University Press |
| Movements | 7 |
The cover art of the album and the score displays the stained glass of the Chapel of Thanksgiving in Dallas, TX, created by Gabriel Loire. [1]
History edit
Wilberg completed Requiem in 2007. He called it a "requiem for the living."[3] Wilberg was first inspired to write a full requiem after Craig Jessop commissioned him to write an Introit and Epilogue for a performance of Vaughan Williams’s cantata, Dona nobis pacem, at Carnegie Hall's National High School Choral Festival on March 14, 2006. Wilberg later decided to compose other movements to fill the requiem, culminating in its premiere performance in April 2007, and later a CD recording, with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, and soloists Frederica von Stade and Bryn Terfel.[4]
Music edit
Wilberg scored the Requiem for mixed choir, orchestra, and a soprano and a baritone soloist. Wilberg structured the work in seven movements, similar to the setting of John Rutter. It switches between English and Latin throughout.
Orchestration edit
3 flutes (flute 3 doubles piccolo), 2 oboes (double 2 English horns), 2 clarinets in Bb, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, celeste (glockenspiel in absence of celeste), harp, piano, organ (optional), violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello, double bass
Table of movements edit
The following table shows the title, tempo marking, voices, time, key and text sources for the seven movements. The information is given for the beginning of the movements. Wilberg maintains triple time signatures throughout the whole work with mostly slow tempi, but he involves frequent, complex key changes from movement to movement. The source for the details is the vocal score, unless otherwise noted.[5]
| No. | Title | Tempo marking | Vocal | Time | Key | Text source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Requiem aeternam | Slowly, with mystical expression | Chorus | 3 2  =46 |
harmonic planing ends D major |
Introit |
| 2 | Kyrie | With intensity and outcry | Chorus Baritone |
9 8  .=72 |
polytonal, F♯ minor, A melodic minor | Kyrie & English Translation |
| 3 | I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes | With contemplation | Chorus Baritone |
3 2 =50 |
harmonic planing ends in B major | Psalm 121 |
| 4 | How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place | Moderately, with motion | Soprano w/ flute solo | 3 2 =76 |
polytonal with E♭ pentatonic minor melody | Psalm 84 |
| 5 | O nata lux | Luminous | Chorus | 3 2 =69 |
D♯ minor | An ancient Catholic text used for the Feast of the Transfiguration[6] |
| 6 | The Lord is my shepherd | With Expression | Baritone | 3 2 =72 |
F minor | Psalms 23 |
| 7 | I am the resurrection and the life—Requiem aeternum | With expression | Chorus | 3 2 =66 |
Multiple, ends in E major | John 11:25-26 Introit |
1: Requiem aeternam edit
The first movement consists of the Introit from the Requiem mass ("Requiem aeternam").[7]
This text originates from 4 Esdras 2:34–35 [8]
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Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine: |
Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord,
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2: Kyrie edit
The second movement is entitled Kyrie. It begins with choir singing in Greek, and then transitions to Baritone soloist singing in English.[9]
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Kyrie, eleison! |
Lord, have mercy!
|
3: I will lift up mine eyes edit
The third movement is I will lift up mine eyes. It is set for Baritone solo.[10]
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I will lift up mine eyes until the hills from whence cometh my help.
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4: How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place edit
The central movement is "How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place." It is set for Mezzo-Soprano with flute solo.[11]
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How lovely is Thy dwelling place, O Lord, O Lord of Hosts.
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5: O nata lux edit
The fifth movement is "O nata lux." It is set for choir and orchestra, with harp solo.[12]
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O nata lux de lumine, |
O Light born from Light
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6: The Lord is my shepherd edit
The sixth movement is "The Lord is my shepherd." It is set for Baritone solo.[13] It is interesting to note that Wilberg departs from his traditional KJV translation of biblical texts.
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The Lord is my shepherd; therefore can I lack nothing.
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7: I am the resurrection and the life—Requiem aeternum edit
The seventh movement is titled "I am the resurrection and the life—Requiem aeternum." It set for choir and orchestra, and switches from first an English text to then a Latin text. The choir first sings John 11:25-26 and then the Introit from the Requiem Mass.[14]
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I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord.
|
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Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine: |
Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord,
|
References edit
- ^ "A new requiem performed by choir". Church News. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
- ^ Mack Wilberg, Requiem. Oxford University Press. 24 September 2008. ISBN 978-0-19-380453-1. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
- ^ Hansen, Greg (2008). "Reviewed work: Requiem and Other Choral Works. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square, Mack Wilberg". Brigham Young University Studies. 47 (4): 182–184. JSTOR 43044686. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
- ^ "Music Vital in Bringing Comfort". Church News. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
- ^ Score 2008, pp. 1–72.
- ^ "O nata lux - ChoralWiki". www.cpdl.org.
- ^ Score 2008, pp. 1–10.
- ^ "2 Esdras, chapter 2, verse 34". www.perseus.tufts.edu.
- ^ Score 2008, pp. 11–20.
- ^ Score 2008, pp. 21–26.
- ^ Score 2008, pp. 27–44.
- ^ Score 2008, pp. 35–53.
- ^ Score 2008, pp. 45–53.
- ^ Score 2008, pp. 54–64.