Giuseppe Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem”
I. Requiem et Kyrie
| Latin | English |
| Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine: | Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord: |
| et lux perpetua luceat eis. | and let perpetual light shine upon them. |
| Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion, | A hymn becomes Thee, O God, in Zion, |
| et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem: | and to Thee shall a vow be paid in Jerusalem: |
| exaudi orationem meam, | hear my prayer, |
| ad te omnis caro veniet. | unto Thee shall all flesh come. |
| Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. | Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. |
II. Dies Irae
| Latin | English |
| Dies irae, dies illa, | Day of wrath, that day |
| Solvet saeclum in favilla: | Will dissolve the world in ashes: |
| Teste David cum Sibylla. | As foretold by David and the Sibyl. |
| Quantus tremor est futurus, | How great a trembling there will be, |
| Quando judex est venturus, | When the Judge shall come, |
| Cuncta stricte discussurus! | To weigh everything strictly! |
| Tuba mirum | The Trumpet |
| Tuba, mirum spargens sonum | The trumpet, scattering a wondrous sound |
| Per sepulchra regionum, | Throughout the graves of every land, |
| Coget omnes ante thronum. | Will gather all before the throne. |
| Mors stupebit | Death shall be stunned |
| Mors stupebit et natura, | Death and nature shall be stunned, |
| Cum resurget creatura, | When the creature shall rise again, |
| Judicanti responsura. | To answer to the Judge. |
| Liber scriptus | The written book |
| Liber scriptus proferetur, | The written book shall be brought forth, |
| In quo totum continetur, | In which all is contained, |
| Unde mundus judicetur. | Whereby the world shall be judged. |
| Rex tremendae | King of Majesty |
| Rex tremendae majestatis, | King of awesome majesty, |
| Qui salvandos salvas gratis, | Who freely savest those worthy of salvation, |
| Salva me, fons pietatis. | Save me, fount of pity. |
| Ingemisco | I sigh |
| Ingemisco, tamquam reus: | I sigh, like the guilty one: |
| Culpa rubet vultus meus: | Guilt reddens my face: |
| Supplicanti parce, Deus. | Spare the supplicant, O God. |
| Lacrymosa | Full of tears |
| Lacrymosa dies illa, | That day of tears, |
| Qua resurget ex favilla | On which shall rise from the ashes |
| Judicandus homo reus. | Guilty man to be judged. |
| Huic ergo parce, Deus. | Spare him then, O God. |
III. Offertorio
| Latin | English |
| Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae, | Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, |
| libera animas omnium fidelium | deliver the souls of all the faithful departed |
| defunctorum de poenis inferni. | from the pains of hell. |
IV. Sanctus
| Latin | English |
| Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, | Holy, Holy, Holy, |
| Dominus Deus Sabaoth. | Lord God of Hosts. |
| Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. | Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. |
V. Agnus Dei
| Latin | English |
| Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, | Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, |
| dona eis requiem sempiternam. | grant them rest everlasting. |
VI. Lux Aeterna
| Latin | English |
| Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine: | May eternal light shine upon them, O Lord: |
| Cum Sanctis tuis in aeternum: | With Thy Saints for ever: |
| quia pius es. | for Thou art merciful. |
VII. Libera Me
| Latin | English |
| Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna, | Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death, |
| in die illa tremenda: | on that day of terror: |
| Quando caeli movendi sunt et terra: | When the heavens and the earth shall be moved: |
| Dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem. | When Thou shalt come to judge the world by fire. |
| Tremens factus sum ego, et timeo, | I am seized with trembling and I fear, |
| dum discussio venerit, atque ventura ira. | until the trial shall approach and the wrath to come. |
| Libera me, Domine… | Deliver me, O Lord… |
View today’s full program book HERE
Musicians performing in today’s concert
Program Notes by Ava McDowell
Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) was born in Le Roncole, the eldest child of Carlo Verdi (an innkeeper) and Luigia Uttini (a spinner). Grove’s Dictionary declared Verdi “one of the greatest and most popular opera composers of the nineteenth century” in 1910. In the ensuing century, his operas have become staples of the repertoire, and several conservatories and theaters have been named in his honor.
Verdi shared, “From the ages of 13 to 18, I wrote a motley assortment of pieces,” while Philharmonic Society director Antonio Barezzi declared, “He shows a vivid imagination, a philosophical outlook, and sound judgment on the arrangement of instrumental parts.”
In 1834, Verdi became rehearsal director for Rossini’s La Cenerentola at the Società Filarmonica, led by Pietro Massini, who encouraged Verdi to write his first opera. Following several revisions, Oberto was successfully staged in November 1839 at La Scala, and Verdi was offered a contract for three more works.
Following the failure of his second opera and the deaths of his wife and two children, Verdi had no interest in composing. Bartolomeo Merelli gave him a copy of a libretto at a chance meeting. Verdi took it home and “threw it on the table with an almost violent gesture. In falling, it had opened of itself… to one special line: ‘Va, pensiero, sull’ali dorate.’”
Verdi recounted how he gradually worked on the music, “and little by little the opera was written.” The result was Nabucco, a juggernaut of an opera that premiered in March 1842, setting a record at La Scala with 57 performances and being staged around the globe within three years.
Gaetano Donizetti wrote of Verdi, “I am very, very happy to give way to people of talent like Verdi… Nothing will prevent the good Verdi from soon reaching one of the most honorable positions in the cohort of composers.”
The next several years saw Verdi working more closely with his librettists, especially Temistocle Solera (Nabucco, I Lombardi) and Francesco Maria Piave (Ernani, I due Foscari). Both contributed to Verdi’s 1846 production, Attila. While not considered one of Verdi’s strongest operas, it did produce the famous quote, “You can have the universe, but leave Italy for me,” and became the signature role for Samuel Ramey in the late 20th century.
The trio of operas—Rigoletto, Il trovatore, and La traviata—cemented Verdi’s reputation as a master of opera. Composed between 1851 and 1853, all three featured heroines “who come to grief because of sexual transgression, actual or perceived,” as described by opera critic Joseph Kerman, perhaps a reflection of Verdi’s relationship with Giuseppina Strepponi, which many did not approve of. “Cortigiani” may be a reflection of Verdi’s reaction to Strepponi’s treatment by the citizens of Busseto.
Rigoletto was a change in form for Verdi. In a letter to his friend Francesco Maria Piave (often cited in place of Julian Budden, who was a later biographer), Verdi wrote, “I have conceived Rigoletto almost without arias, without finales, but only an unending string of duets.” As was typical, audiences loved it and critics did not.
La traviata was as controversial as it was popular. Verdi told Piave, “I don’t want any of the everyday subjects that one can find by the hundreds.” Indeed, the opera that included a song about the joys of drinking and debauchery (“Libiamo”) saw the Church trying to ban it and the Queen avoiding performances (although the music was heard in the palace). One critic wrote, “Those who have quietly sat through the glaring improprieties of Don Giovanni will hardly blush or frown at anything in La traviata.”
In La traviata, Verdi opened the door to a new style of opera that would take hold in the 1890s: verismo. Verismo is a more realistic portrayal of everyday situations, including violence and more “sordid” behavior. This style would remain prevalent through the early 1900s.
Over the next 18 years, Verdi all but walked away from opera and into politics, composing six new works compared to the 16 composed in the previous decade and taking a seat on a provincial council. Strepponi complained, “His love for the country has become a mania, a madness!”
La forza del destino has left a lasting legacy: superstition! Likely from the Act 2 aria, “Il santo nome di Dio,” where Guardiano declares the grotto to be sacred and to attempt entry would bring a curse. As a result, Pavarotti never performed La forza, and others perform rituals to protect themselves.
Verdi’s final major works—the Requiem, Otello, and Falstaff—incorporated more drama and emotion. Verdi wrote, “What joy to be able to say to the public: HERE WE ARE AGAIN!!! COME AND SEE US!” Come see them they did, forcing Verdi and his family to take refuge in a tool shed following the premiere of Falstaff.
The final years of Verdi’s life were spent composing smaller works for benefits for earthquake victims, the building of a hospital, and other charities. He was sketching a poem commemorating the death of King Umberto when he suffered a stroke and died at the age of 87.
Messa per Rossini (Mass for Rossini)
Verdi, like all Italian children of his day, was brought up in the Catholic Church, yet his relationship with the Church was antagonistic at best. Following a series of negative experiences as a child, he became increasingly distant. His friends considered him an agnostic, much to the chagrin of his second wife, Giuseppina Strepponi.
Giuseppina wrote in several letters that he was “quite happy to believe in nothing at all, while rigorously observing every strict moral precept,” and “…all with a calm obstinacy that makes you want to thrash him.”
One thing that Verdi ardently believed in was Italy and the two artists who most represented Italian culture to him: opera composer Gioachino Rossini and author and statesman Alessandro Manzoni.
Gioachino Rossini defined the elegant bel canto style of early 19th-century opera. Verdi built upon the foundation laid by Rossini, incorporating some of his elements (chorus usage, crescendos, storylines) while adding emotional depth and dramatic power. Verdi revered Rossini, while Rossini recognized and respected Verdi’s talent, often including his works in concerts. They, however, were never destined to be friends or collaborators, as their personalities and politics would not permit it.
Following the death of Rossini in 1868, Verdi wrote, “He was the most widespread, the most popular reputation of our age and he was Italian glory!”
Verdi came together with twelve other composers (thirteen total) to create a Messa per Rossini, a requiem in commemoration of his passing and importance to Italy. The intent was for it to be performed at San Petronio in Bologna, then set aside so no composer would profit from the work.
The Messa very nearly made it to the stage. Each composer completed their part and a conductor was appointed. Alas, finances kept the work from the stage until its discovery by musicologist David Rosen in 1970.
The work premiered at the European Music Festival in Stuttgart in 1988. It was finally performed on December 7, 2017, at the Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna, the place Verdi had originally planned for the premiere, nearly 150 years later.
Not all of the Messa per Rossini remained hidden. Alberto Mazzucato discovered the manuscript of “Libera me” in 1871 and urged Verdi to complete the score. Verdi declined; however, his sketches of the “Dies irae” and “Libera me” were called upon following the death of Italian author Alessandro Manzoni five years later, in 1873.
Messa da Requiem
Alessandro Manzoni was the literary equivalent of Rossini in Verdi’s opinion. He was a novelist, philosopher, poet, and statesman. His 1827 novel, The Betrothed (I promessi sposi), was a cornerstone in developing a unified Italian language, and its patriotism made it a symbol of the Italian Risorgimento.
It was this novel that captivated the then 16-year-old Verdi. He later referred to it as “not only the greatest book of our time, but one of the greatest books ever [to] come forth from the human brain.”
One can only imagine Verdi’s excitement when his wife met Manzoni through a family friend, Countess Maffei, and shared the news that Manzoni wanted to meet him. When they finally met a year later, Verdi wrote to the Countess, “How can I express to you the new, indefinable, sweetest sensation produced in me by the presence of that saint?”
Manzoni’s death in 1873 deeply affected Verdi. Too distraught to attend Manzoni’s funeral, Verdi instead turned his attention to composing. He wrote to his publisher on June 3, 1873: “I would like to show my love and esteem for the Great Man… I would like to compose a Messa da morto to be performed next year on the anniversary of his death. This mass would be of quite vast proportions….” With a self-imposed deadline of one year, Verdi had a lot of work to do.
Structure
Verdi was not a composer known for subtlety, nor tradition. His idea of a mass of “vast proportions” was best interpreted as “grand opera” proportions, minus the Gregorian chant. Through the Requiem, Verdi takes the listener through the full range of emotions from fear and dread, through passion, to peace: the same emotions Verdi himself was experiencing.
Composed in seven movements, the Requiem begins with the Introit’s whispered entrance followed by the Kyrie’s plea for mercy, softly declaring the solemnity of the work.
Fully one-third of the Requiem consists of the Dies irae, the movement that has become synonymous with judgment and fear. The movement moves through hope, despair, and judgment, ending on a plea for mercy.
Once fully scored from his original sketches, Verdi’s final version of the movement follows a series of scenes depicting what critic Filippo Filippi described as “full of things terrifying and at the same time moving and pathetic.”
The Offertorio is exactly that: an offering of prayers for the souls of the departed. In this movement, the chant and counterpoint of liturgy combine with the rich emotion of opera in a moving series of prayers that concludes with the heartbreaking Lacrymosa.
The Sanctus begins with a joyous brass fanfare announcing, “He who comes in the name of the Lord,” followed by a fugue for divided chorus and concluding with an antiphonal (alternating choruses) Hosanna.
The shortest movement is the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). In conjunction with the movement Lux aeterna, this section is among the most ethereal of any of Verdi’s works. Completely opposite of the Dies irae, this movement is introspective and simple in its orchestration to allow the voices to shine.
Concluding the Messa da Requiem is another nod to the Requiem for Rossini, the Libera me. Opening with a dramatic solo for soprano, Verdi builds in layers from previous movements amid Gregorian chant and Baroque fugue. The work concludes on a hushed C major chord that is, perhaps, the most powerful chord of all.
The Requiem was completed in April 1874 and received its premiere in Milan the following month—one year following Manzoni’s death. Exactly as Verdi planned.
Reception
The response to Verdi’s Requiem was, to say the least, mixed. Audiences and most critics were enthusiastic, and it became one of the most performed choral works of its era.
Critic and Brahms acolyte Hans von Bülow declared it an “opera, though in ecclesiastical vestments,” among other criticisms in an assumed attempt to defend Brahms’ honor. The Catholic Church, however, agreed and, while parishioners were not banned from attending performances, they were discouraged.
Later, when it was revealed that von Bülow had never actually attended a performance, Brahms broke his silence: “Bülow has disgraced himself for all time; only a genius could write such a work.”
Conductor Franz Welser-Möst highlighted the balance between devotion and drama: “It certainly contains theatrical elements and moments of high drama, but it is all too easy to focus on the volcanic qualities and overlook the tenderness embedded in the Latin text.”
Counter to the drama of the Dies irae, the heart of the Messa da Requiem is the quiet moments—the sheer beauty of the music born from Verdi’s deep grief at the loss of Manzoni and Rossini. There lies the true genius of the Requiem.
