V.A. Mozart “Requiem”: history, video, interesting facts, listen

0 Some teenage subcultures are fond of all sorts of dark things, they dress in black, go to the cemetery at night, study ancient chronicles and treatises. Sometimes novice “goths” can discover strange words and expressions, the meaning of which is clear only by context. However, in order to fully immerse yourself in this oppressive atmosphere, you need to know the origin and meaning of various thematic words. Today we’ll talk about another term, this Requiem, which means you can read a little below.
However, before I continue, I would like to introduce you to some interesting publications on the topic of youth movements and subcultures. For example, what does Grunge mean, what does Steampunk mean, who are Furries, what is Vanilla, etc.
So let's continue What does Requiem for a Dream mean?? This term is the opening word of one prayer" Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine...", which can be translated as " Grant them eternal rest, Lord..." From this we can conclude that the Latin term " requiem", comes from the word " requies", which can be translated as " peace".

Requiem is a piece of music that is a form of Catholic worship.

Requiem is a religious ceremony performed for the deceased. A requiem, or dirge, may also be part of the music used for this ritual or in any other context honoring those who have died.

Synonym of Requiem: divine service, funeral service, mass.

Requiem is a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed in memory of a deceased person.

Requiem for a Dream- allegorically, this is the funeral of a dream, that is, parting with one’s dream.

This type of worship appeared in the first Christian centuries. During the time of Pope Gregory the Great (6th century AD), specific hymns based on Latin prose were associated with this mass. Word " requiem" comes from the opening words of the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead, which is said or sung in Latin (" Requies" means " peace"). In a non-religious context, the word simply refers to the act of remembering. Mozart, Brahms and Dvorak wrote important requiems. English composer Benjamin Britten wrote his famous " War Requiem" for the rededication of the cathedral, destroyed during the Second World War.

Many great composers created music and called it " Requiem", for example Britten, Brahms, Verdi, Mozart. The famous Russian writer Anna Akhmatova wrote a work that she also called " Requiem".

After reading this article, you learned What does the word Requiem mean?, and what the expression Requiem for a Dream means.

Mozart's "Requiem" and the history of its creation are shrouded in mystery, and disputes over authorship continue to this day. The circumstances of the work on this famous work are so tragic and mysterious that they still haunt researchers and admirers of the work of the brilliant composer. Conflicting facts indirectly confirm that "Requiem" is the result of the work of several authors.

What is Requiem

From Latin the word "requiem" is translated as "peace". This solemn, sad and sublime work belongs to the genre of concert religious music and was first part of a Catholic funeral mass. However, starting from the 15th century, as a rule, the requiem was performed in memory of the deceased, but was not directly related to the divine service. It was only a tribute to the memory of people who left this world, as well as a reminder of the wrath and mercy of God. The work had a strict structure, including a musical part and text, divided into 9-12 separate chants.

In the 18th century, the requiem became one of the most popular genres of sacred music, so that almost all composers of the time created their own versions of the work. Michael Haydn, Johannes Brahms, Giuseppe Verdi and many others wrote variations of the funeral mass. Over time, requiems lost their ceremonial component and turned into a concert work dedicated to tragic events: the death of a person, victims of war or natural disaster. The traditional structure was hardly respected.

Brief biography of the author

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in the Austrian city of Salzburg in the family of court violinist Leopold Mozart. Already at the age of three, he began to take his first steps in music: he listened to his father play the harpsichord, and then selected harmonies by ear. His father began learning plays and minuets with him, and at the age of 5, the future composer showed a desire for independent creativity and wrote his first small works. Mozart never went to school, but Leopold managed to give his son an excellent education at home. He dreamed that the boy would become a great composer and devoted almost all his time to teaching the child. Wolfgang masterfully mastered the harpsichord, so that at the age of 12 he played better than adult musicians of that period.

He also had an amazing ability to work; throughout his life he created many marches, minuets, plays and other small works commissioned by aristocrats. Unfortunately, most of these works are now lost. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart received huge fees for creating musical works and lived in luxurious apartments. However, then the number of orders dropped sharply, and his financial situation seriously deteriorated. The money he earned was barely enough to live on, and in 1791 the composer died at the age of 35 from an unknown illness.

Who commissioned Mozart's "Requiem"

In the summer of 1791, a mysterious stranger came to Mozart, wrapped from head to toe in a black cloak. He did not introduce himself, but paid a significant sum for the creation of a funeral mass - a requiem. The customer did not limit the time, but demanded that the author's name be kept secret. Worn out by poverty, Wolfgang Amadeus accepted this offer, which was humiliating for the great composer. A few years after Mozart’s death, it became known that the mysterious customer was Count Franz von Walseg, who had the habit of anonymously buying the works of talented authors and passing them off as his own. He commissioned the music to honor the memory of his wife, and when the work was performed for the first time in 1793, the score was written “Requiem composed by Count von Walseg.”

The history of the creation of "Requiem" by Mozart

The author took up writing the essay. Shortly before this, the composer felt unwell; he began to suffer from pain of unknown origin and strange weakness. He realized that he was dying. Work on the order began immediately, but the author could not get rid of the thought that he was writing a funeral mass for himself.

Meanwhile, new orders for musical works were received from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In between working on “Requiem,” he managed to write “The Magic Flute,” a cheerful and cheerful play that was more familiar to his talent. The composer died on December 5, 1791, without having time to finish the work. However, the story of the creation of Mozart's "Requiem" did not end there.

Unfinished Melody

Constanza, Mozart's wife, was worried that after her husband's death the mysterious customer would demand the advance for the Requiem be returned and would not pay the rest of the fee. She turned to another composer, Josef Eibler, for help to complete the piece. It is believed that it was he who wrote the instrumental part in several sections, up to the Lacrimosa of Mozart's Requiem, and then left the work for unknown reasons. Subsequently, Constanza approached other authors, but was refused. As a result, the manuscript ended up in the possession of Franz Xaver Süssmayer, a student of Wolfgang Amadeus. Researchers who are studying the question of who completed Mozart’s “Requiem” are inclined to believe that it was this author who completed the work.

Josef Eibler

This famous Austrian composer, who took part in writing the great work, was born in 1765. Wolfgang Amadeus highly appreciated his talent and, according to some reports, the musicians had friendly relations. It is noteworthy that in 1833 Eibler suffered from apoplexy. This happened during the performance of Mozart's Requiem.

Franz Xaver Süssmayer

Franz Xaver Süssmayer was born in 1766. At the age of 21 he became a student of Antonio Salieri, Mozart's main rival, but then moved on to Wolfgang Amadeus. Whole year he lived in his house as a member of the family, helped the composer in his work and assisted in the writing of many works.

Creative researchers have discovered similarities between the music of Mozart's Requiem and similar works by Bach, Haydn, Cimarosa and Gossec. However, the presence of common features is explained by the requirements of the traditional composition structure and the general principles of religious music of the 18th century.

The image of a mysterious customer dressed in black shocked the imagination of the composer, who was susceptible to mysticism. Pushkin played on this story with the demonic messenger of death in “Little Tragedies”, and later the same character appears in Yesenin’s work in the poem “The Black Man”.

It is believed that the basis of the Requiem was written by Mozart long before the order, but the work was not published. After the composer received the order, all he had to do was make some changes and adapt the finished composition to the buyer’s requirements. However, this version does not have strong evidence.

Thanks to Franz von Walseg, the music was published 2 years after Mozart’s death and was first performed on December 14, 1793 at the funeral service for the count’s wife. Von Walseg tried to attribute the authorship to himself, but none of the listeners had any doubt that this was a genuine work by Mozart.

Researchers discovered a letter from Constanza, dated 1827 and addressed to an unknown recipient, in which the woman wrote: “Even if we assume that Süssmayer wrote everything completely according to Mozart’s instructions, the Requiem still remains a work by Mozart.” These words give rise to a lot of speculation and fair doubts, but now that not a single participant in those events is alive, it is almost impossible to find out the truth.

On September 11, 2002, on the first anniversary of the tragedy that occurred in the United States, Mozart's "Requiem" was heard throughout the planet. At 8:46 a.m., exactly at the same time that the attack on the Twin Towers began, an orchestra from the first time zone located in Japan began performing. An hour later, the music was picked up by the next group in the next time zone, and then the next. The funeral requiem on this day sounded continuously throughout the planet. The choice of this particular sad music was not accidental: the life of the young composer ended as tragically and prematurely as hundreds of lives of victims of the terrorist attack. The history of the creation of Mozart's "Requiem" is full of suffering, the work remained unfinished, just like the dreams of the future of those killed in this disaster.

The meaning of "Requiem" for listeners

"Requiem", written by Mozart on the threshold of his death, is one of the greatest creations of a musical genius who has inspired many composers. Deep, sublime and touching music does not leave listeners indifferent, penetrating into the most remote corners of the soul and touching the heartstrings. “Requiem” is a true hymn of grief and sadness, clearly and purely reflecting the feelings of a person yearning for the departed.

Mozart's Requiem today

The date of creation of Mozart's "Requiem" is considered to be 1791. Although more than 200 years have passed since the work was published, this music is still heard at memorial ceremonies and classical concerts. The version written by Süssmayer received the highest recognition, but many composers have repeatedly tried to rewrite the work in order to improve it and adapt it to modern traditions.

The death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart prevented him from completing the famous work. Despite controversy and controversy, no one can dispute the greatest talent of the young author. Even after centuries, his brilliant music continues to sound.

Mozart was free to navigate the genres of church music: out of duty or to order, he wrote many masses, motets, hymns, antiphons, etc. Most of them were created during the Salzburg period. Only 2 large works date back to the Vienna decade, both of which were unfinished. This is the Mass in minor and the Requiem, although there was also Masonic music (also religious in meaning).

History of creation

The Requiem completes Mozart's career, being the composer's last work. This alone makes one perceive his music in a completely special way, as an epilogue to his entire life, an artistic testament. Mozart wrote it to order, which he received in July 1791, but he was not immediately able to get to work - it had to be postponed for the sake of “The Clemency of Titus” and “The Magic Flute”. Only after the premiere of his last opera did the composer focus entirely on the Requiem.

For the seriously ill Mozart, working on the funeral mass was not just a composition. He himself was dying and knew that his days were numbered. He worked with a speed unprecedented even for him, and yet the ingenious creation remained unfinished: out of 12 planned issues, only 9 were completed. At the same time, much was written out with cuts or remained in rough sketches. The Requiem was completed by Mozart's student F.X. Süssmayr, who was aware of Mozart's plan. He did a painstaking job, collecting bit by bit everything that related to the Requiem.

The Requiem gave rise to numerous legends and discussions. One of the main questions is what was written by Mozart himself, and what was introduced by Süssmayr? Authoritative musicologists are inclined to believe that the original Mozart text runs from the very beginning to the first 8 bars of Lacrimosa. Then Süssmayr got down to business, relying on rough sketches, preliminary sketches, and individual oral instructions from Mozart.

Characteristics of the genre

Requiem - This is a funeral, requiem mass. The requiem differs from the usual mass in the absence of such parts as “Gloria” and “Credo”, instead of which special ones related to the funeral rite were included. The text of the requiem was canonical. After the opening prayer “Give them eternal peace” (Requiem aeternam dona eis), there was the usual part of the mass “Kyrie”, and then the medieval sequence “Dies irae” (Day of Wrath). The following prayers - “Domine Jesu” (Lord Jesus) and “Hostia” (Sacrifices to you, Lord) - led to the ritual for the deceased. From this point on, the motives of grief were removed, so the Catholic funeral mass ended with the usual parts of “Sanctus” and “Agnus Dei”.

This sequence of prayers forms 4 traditional sections:

• introductory (so-called “introitus”) - “Requiem aeternam” and “Kyrie”;
• the main one is “Dies irae”;
• “offertorium” (ritual of offering gifts) - “Domine Jesu” and “Hostia”;
• the final one is “Sanctus” and “Agnus Dei”.

In his interpretation of the form of the funeral mass, Mozart respected these established traditions. His Requiem also has 4 sections. In section I there is one number, in II - 6 (nos. 2 - 7), in III - two (nos. 8 and 9), in IV - three (nos. 10-12). The music of the last section is largely due to Süssmayr, although Mozartian themes are also used here. The final number repeats the material of the first choir (middle section and reprise).

In the alternation of numbers, a single dramatic line is clearly visible with an introduction and exposition (No. 1), a climax zone (Nos. 6 and 7), a switch to a contrasting figurative sphere (No. 10 - “Sanctus” and No. 11 - “Benedictus”) and a conclusion ( No. 12 - "Agnus Dei"). Of the 12 numbers of the Requiem, nine are choral, three (Nos. 3, 4, 11) are performed by a quartet of soloists.

The main tonality of the Requiem is d-minor (for Mozart it is tragic, fatal). The most important dramaturgically important numbers - 1, 2, 7 and 12 - are written in this key.

All the music of the Requiem is held together by intonation connections. A cross-cutting role is played by the second rotations and the singing of the tonic with introductory tones (appearing in the very first theme).

Performing staff

4-voice choir, quartet of soloists, organ, large orchestra: the usual composition of strings, in the wind group there are no flutes and oboes, but basset horns have been introduced (a type of clarinet with a somewhat gloomy timbre); in the brass group there are no horns, only trumpets with trombones; timpani.

Thus, the orchestration is somewhat dark, gloomy, but at the same time, it has great power.

The content of the Requiem is predetermined by the genre of the funeral mass itself. It echoes the content of passions. The requiem permeates the idea of ​​death and its tragic inevitability. This image more than once awakened the creative imagination of Mozart (“Don Giovanni”). But if in Don Juan the image other world, mysterious nothingness was constantly contrasted with the rapid boiling of life with its complexities, then here everything ordinary recedes into the background. The main thing remains: the hopeless pain of saying goodbye to life, understandable to every person, and revealed with stunning sincerity. At the same time, the tone of Mozart's Requiem is very far from the traditional restraint and objectivity of church music.

№ 1 consists of two parts, the relationship of which is somewhat reminiscent of Bach's polyphonic cycles. Smooth slow music I, the introductory part, is generally imbued with a tragic and mournful mood. However, there are also moments of enlightenment (related to the content of the text).

Accompanied by a very simple accompaniment of strings (with delayed chords) from the basset horns and bassoons, the “Requiem” theme is heard - one of the most important in the work: a tonic with a lower introductory tone and a gradual ascent to the third - in a traditional church style. The main mood is restrained sorrow, which noticeably increases from the 3rd bar (uneven entry of voices and ascending aspiration of the melodic line). The choral voices enter in ascending order starting from the bass. In this case, the theme “Requiem” is carried out stretto. The whole manner of imitating the theme clearly reveals the influence of Bach.

II - the central part - is a rapid dramatic fugue on two themes. Both themes, sounding simultaneously, are interpreted in the spirit of Bach and Handel, based on intonation typical of the Baroque era (d.7). But on the basis of completely ordinary, typical material, a highly individual creation is created. There are no long interludes in the fugue; instead there are short transitions (mainly on the second theme). The fugue moves forward with such an uncontrollable flow that its structure does not allow for even one stop.

Music № 2 paints a picture of the end of the world . Mozart is close here to the thunderous choruses of Handel. The tremolo of the strings, the signals of the trumpets and the roll of the timpani create the impression of tremendous power. The choir part, with one exception, is treated as a monolithic mass: all voices are combined into fragmentary chord phrases. Against the backdrop of powerful chords, wide leaps of the upper voice stand out, like frantic cries of despair. The orchestra is responsible for displaying external horrors (the tremolo of the strings, the signals of the trumpets and the roll of the timpani make the picture especially ominous, enhancing the impression of mortal fear, feverish anxiety, chilling horror). Connection with the "Requiem" theme - bars 4-6. The development of music is happening in one breath.

Only at the very end is the choir divided into two groups for the first time: a kind of dialogue is heard between the menacing exclamations of the basses (a motif in which the sound “a” is surrounded by introductory tones) and the groaning, full of confusion, response intonations of female voices and tenors.

After this frantic excitement in № 3 there is silence. The choir gives way to the soloists. The solemn signal of the trombone heralds the beginning of God's judgment. The instrumental melody is picked up by the solo bass, then alternately by the tenor, alto and soprano (ascending sequence)

№ 4 - a transparent, bright lyrical quartet of soloists.

№ 6 - its drama echoes No. 2 and No. 4. Depiction of the torment of the doomed. Against the background of a seething accompaniment, basses and tenors canonically enter. They are contrasted with pleading phrases of high voices (“Voca me” - “call me”).

The end of the number is a unique example of harmonic innovation for the 18th century. This is a series of enharmonic modulations a-moll → as-moll → g-moll → ges-moll → F-dur. Musical symbolism - the impression of plunging into the abyss.

№ 7 - the lyrical center of the work, an expression of pure, sublime grief. Terrible threats and anger are replaced by extremely sincere, blessed tears. After a short introduction (without bass), based on the intonations of a sigh, a soulfully simple melody enters in a waltz-like rhythm in 12/8. All choral parts are united into a harmonious quartet of voices expressing the same mood. The top voice stands out - the most song-like voice. Such material is the only time in the entire requiem. Motifs of sighs underlie both vocal parts and orchestral accompaniment. Trombone timbre.

The subsequent parts of the Requiem complete the “drama”. Among them there are peaceful, enlightened ones (“Benedictus”), and solemnly jubilant ones (“Sanctus” and “Hosanna”).

Requiem text

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.	Eternal peace Lord grant them, may eternal light shine upon them. Hymns are due to you, Lord, in Zion, prayers are offered to you in Jerusalem, listen to my prayers, all flesh comes to you, grant them eternal peace, Lord, let eternal light shine upon them. Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.
Dies irae, dies illa solvet saectum in favilla, teste David cum Sybilla. Quantus tremor est futurus, quando judex est venturus, cuncta stricte discussurus.	Day of Wrath, that day will scatter the world into dust, as David and the Sibyl testify. How great will be the trembling, how the judge will come to put everyone on trial.
Tuba mirum spargens sonum per sepulchra regionum, coget omnes ante thronum. Mors stupebit et natura, cum resurget creatura, judicanti resposura. Liber scriptus proferetur, in quo totum continetur, unde mundus judicetur. Judex ergo cum sedebit, quidquid later apparebit, nil inultum remanebit. Quit sum miser tunc dicturus? Quem patronum rogaturus, cum vix Justus sit securus?	The pipe is wonderful, spreading the cry to the tombs of all countries, he will gather everyone to the throne. Death and nature will stand in amazement as creation rises to answer the judge. They will bring a written book in which everything is contained, according to which the verdict will be passed. So, the judge will sit and everything secret will become clear and nothing will remain without vengeance. What am I, pathetic, going to say then? To what intercessor will I turn when only the righteous will be delivered from fear?
Rex tremendae mjestatis, qui salvandos salvas gratis, salva me, fons pietatis.	King of terrible majesty, saving those who are worthy of salvation, save me, source of mercy.
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. Ingemisco tanquam 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 praestra, et ab hoedis me sequestra, statues in parte dextra.	Remember, merciful Jesus, you walked your path so that I would not perish on this day. He redeemed me, who was sitting in despondency, by suffering on the cross; let these torments not be in vain. Righteous judge of retribution, grant me forgiveness in the face of judgment day. I groan like a condemned man, my face is burning with guilt, have mercy, O God, on the one who prays! By forgiving Mary and listening to the robber, you gave me hope too. My prayers are unworthy, but you, fair one, do goodness and do not let me burn forever in fire. Give me a place among the lambs, and separate me from the goats, placing me on the right side.
Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addicis, voca me cum benedictis. Oro supplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasi cinis, gere curam mei finis.	Having crushed the outcasts, condemned to burn in the fire, call me with the blessed. I pray, on bended knees and forehead, my heart in turmoil like dust. Autumn cares my end.
Lacrymosa deis illa, qua resurget ex favilla judicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce Deus, pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem! Amen!	Tearful there will be a day when man will rise from the ashes, judged for his sins. Have mercy on him, O God, merciful Lord Jesus, grant him peace! Amen!
Domine Jesu Christ! Rex gloriae! Libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de poenis inferni et de pofundo lacu! Libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas Tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum: sed signifier sanctus Michael repraesentet eas in lucem sanctam, quam olim Abrahae promisisti, et semini ejus.	Jesus Christ! King of glory! Deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the torments of hell and the depths of the abyss! Deliver them from the mouth of the lion, the pit will not swallow them up, they will not fall into darkness: the standard bearer of the holy army, Michael, will present them in the holy light, for this is what you promised to Abraham and his descendants.
Hostias et precet tibi, Domine, laudis offerimus. Tu suscipe pro animabus illis, quarum hodie memoriam facimus: face eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam, quam olim Abrahae promisisti, et semini ejus.	Victims and we offer prayers to you, Lord, in praise. Accept them for the sake of the souls of those whom we remember today. Grant them, Lord, to pass from death to life, for this is what you promised to Abraham and his descendants.
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth! Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis.	Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts! Heaven and earth are full of your glory! Hosanna in the highest!
Benedictus, qui venit in nominee Domini. Osanna in excelsis.	Blessed coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem sempiternam. Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis in aeternum, quia pius es. Requiem aeternamdona eis, Domini, et lux perpetua luceat eis.	Lamb of God, who took upon yourself the sins of the world, grant them peace! Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world, grant them peace forever! Light will shine upon them forever, O Lord, with the saints in eternity, for you are merciful. Grant them eternal peace, O Lord, and let eternal light shine upon them.

January 27 is a big date for all lovers of classical music. On this day in 1756 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born. Ironically, exactly 110 years later, another great classic, Giuseppe Verdi, left the world as a result of a stroke. The legacy of both creators is very difficult to overestimate. And the "Requiems", belonging to the Austrian and Italian geniuses, are rightfully considered the greatest among a considerable number of other works written based on the Catholic funeral mass. Today we remember the history of writing these two masterpieces.

"Requiem" by Mozart

Mozart received the order to write the Requiem in the year of his death, and never had time to finish it himself. Experiencing an extreme lack of money and simultaneously working on a number of other works (including The Magic Flute), the composer agreed to write the work under the rights of anonymity. The customer was the count, who, as it turned out, was an amateur composer and often appropriated other people’s works for himself.

The history of the creation of "Requiem" is so fascinating that it has become the basis for a number of beautiful artistic speculations. In the wonderful film by Milos Forman "Amadeus", which plays on the legend composed by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin about the murder of Mozart by Antonio Salieri, who allegedly envied him (in 1997, Salieri was even tried in Milan in this case, which found him innocent), the Italian incognito orders "Requiem" Mozart, for his own sake, that the seriously ill genius gradually realizes.

The film brilliantly depicts the last minutes of the great Austrian, in a semi-conscious state, dictating notes to his torturer, stunned by the mystery taking place before his eyes (soon after this, Mozart is buried to the sounds of one of the most powerful parts of the work - the heartbreaking Lacrimosa). In fact, after his death, Mozart’s “Requiem” was completed by his friend and student Franz Xaver Süssmayer. He owns the “canonical” edition of the work, although others were proposed after it. Two autographs of the Requiem have survived, one of which belongs to Mozart, and the second, more complete, to Mozart and Süssmayer. Musicologists are still figuring out the degree of involvement of Wolfgang Amadeus's student in writing the masterpiece - and are even trying to reconstruct the master's original ideas, trying to rid him of Süssmayer's musical decisions. However, it is obvious that humanity owes him much of what we know today as Mozart’s “Requiem”.

"Requiem" by Verdi

The history of the writing of Giuseppe Verdi's "Requiem" is no less interesting, although not so well known. In 1868, another great Italian died, Gioachino Rossini. Verdi, who deeply respected and loved his contemporary, decided to pay tribute to his memory in the form of a requiem. To do this, he turned to twelve of his colleagues. All of them were highly respected and loved by their compatriots, but today their names are almost forgotten. "Mass for Rossini" was written, but an unhappy fate awaited it - and the planned performance on the anniversary of Rossini's death never took place (although it is performed today - in particular, a recording of the wonderful concert under the direction of Helmut Rilling has been distributed). The distribution of parts of the “Mass”, written according to the canonical libretto, took place by lot, and Verdi got the final one, which was considered “insignificant”. The failure of the "Mass" prompted Verdi to write his own "Requiem", which was completed in 1874 and was timed to coincide with the death of the composer's revered writer Alessandro Manzoni.

According to Verdi himself, when writing his masterpiece, he was guided by another great musical mass - Cherubini's "Requiem", to which many authors of famous requiems - Brahms, Berlioz, Schumann - declared their love. Like Cherubini, Verdi's Requiem has an important operatic component. Verdi reworked the passages written for “Mass for Rossini”, bringing them to true perfection. As a result, it was the theme of Dies Irae, written for the “Mass” and noticeably changed, that became central and most impressive in the “Requiem”, through which it runs as a leitmotif. The impression it makes also serves contemporary artists - right up to Quentin Tarantino.

Word "requiem" has at least two concepts.

Firstly, a requiem is called a funeral service in catholic church, which is sent immediately after the death of a person. It is accompanied by the singing of religious texts in Latin a cappella or later accompanied by an organ or orchestra. During the service, the life of the deceased was remembered and hope for resurrection and eternal life was expressed.

Secondly, a requiem is a mournful piece of music that has a set number of parts. The order of the parts of the requiem itself was determined around the 14th century:

1. Introit- “entrance chant (antiphon)”, or “entry song”. It originated under the arches of the Catholic Church around the 9th century and consisted of two choirs singing verses of a psalm with which the liturgical mass began. The introit included "Requiem aeternam" and "Kyrie".
2. Gradual – “step”. In the gradual, “Requiem aeternam” was sung again. For Catholics, this part was performed on the steps of the altar as a symbol of approaching the throne of God.
3. Tractus – “stretching”, “continuous”. It was performed at a time of sorrow and repentance only by a soloist without choral accompaniment. It should be noted that the tractus was often absent from the requiems of the 18th and 19th centuries.
4. Sequence – “sequence”. In this part of the requiem, the technique of repeating a musical phrase at a different pitch was used. The “Dies irae” included in the sequence is considered as the tragic culmination of the musical work.
5. Offertory - “offering”. The offertory was performed during the ritual of offering the holy gifts - bread and wine. This part of the requiem consisted of "Domine Jesu Christe", "Sanctus" and "Agnus Dei".
6. Communio - “communion”. Communio is the chant of the funeral service, performed during the communion of the clergy and parishioners. This part of the requiem is considered the most mysterious part of the Gregorian chant, since the problem of identifying the musical mode remains unresolved. The communio contains the chant "Lux aeterna".
7. Responsory - “answer”, “I answer”. The basis of responsorship is the texts of the Holy Scriptures (mainly the Psalter). This part of the mass consists of alternating song phrases between the choir and the soloist. The responsory includes the chant “Libera me, Domine.”

The communio and responsory form the final part of the requiem.

For hundreds of years, the requiem was a Gregorian chant named after Pope Gregory I, or Gregory Dvoeslov, who was considered the author of the bulk of Catholic religious chants.

Later, the melodies of the church chorale, performed in unison, began to be processed by composers for polyphony and musical accompaniment.

The requiem was first created by composer Guillaume Dufay, but, unfortunately, it has not survived to our times. Therefore, John Ockeghem (circa 1450) is considered the first author of the recorded requiem. However, Ockeghem’s work does not strictly adhere to the traditional structure of the requiem, since it also contains a part that belongs to the ordinary mass - “Credo”.

Many composers began to write dramatic music not for performance in church, but for sound in concert halls. Everyone knows the work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Luigi Cherubini, Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina, Hector Berlioz, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Giuseppe Verdi, Gabriel Urbain Fauré, Antonin Dvorak, Franz Liszt, Michael Haydn, Heinrich Schütz and many other composers of different times who wrote the requiem .

The first Russian requiem was written by Osip Kozlovsky in a religious Latin text. Kozowski's work was performed at the funeral of the Polish king in 1798 in the Catholic Church of St. Petersburg.

The requiem cantata by the Soviet composer Alexander Dmitrievich Kastalsky, entitled “Brotherly Commemoration of the Heroes Who Fell in the Great War,” is dedicated to the victims of the Great Patriotic War and contains chants of the peoples who suffered from Nazi Germany. Kastalsky’s work became known throughout the world and was called the “Russian Requiem”.

Thus, over time, the requiem ceased to mean only mournful religious chants accompanying a Catholic funeral service. It was transformed into a large independent work of a dramatic nature.

Traditional parts of the requiem were used variably: some were omitted or replaced by musical parts from other religious rites. At first, only original religious texts (in Latin) were used, and then they began to use translations into the composer’s native language, or they completely moved away from religious texts and included poems and poems by famous poets in their works.

Origin of the word

The word “requiem” translated from Latin means “peace”, “rest”. The funeral ceremony was accompanied by polyphonic choral singing in Latin. The liturgical mass opened with an introit, the first phrase of which began with the words “Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.” Then requiem began to be called musical and artistic compositions of a mourning nature.

When, in what cases, and by whom is it used?

Currently, in addition to the funeral Catholic mass and a musical work of a mourning nature, a requiem is called a lot of works of various genres: these are feature films (Soviet psychological drama about wartime Estonia, filmed at the Tallinfilm studio; a film by German director Hans-Christian Schmidt about the exorcism of the devil) , poetic works of Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetaeva; novel by Alexandra Marinina; religious St. Petersburg magazine; triptych painting by Valery Balabanov; albums of various musical groups (“The Autumn Offering” (2009), “Bathory” (1994), “Killing Joke” (2009), etc.) and albums and songs of singers (John 5, Carl Jenkins, Alla Pugacheva, etc. .).

This list goes on and on. As long as life itself exists, it contains the tragedy of one person or an entire nation. Requiem is the language of grief, mourning and grief.

Synonyms

Due to the fact that the word “requiem” has two meanings, their synonymous words are also different.

Thus, requiem in the meaning of “funeral service” has synonyms “mass” and “memorial service”. In addition, the following words can be called close in meaning: divine service, all-night vigil, vigil, sacred rite, pilgrimage, liturgy, memorial service, ritual, prayer service.

For requiem, in the meaning of “musical work,” synonyms can be called such a phrase as “church chant.”

Usage examples

Examples of the use of the word “requiem” include the following sentences:

• “Natasha listened to Mozart’s Requiem, spellbound.”
• “The Victory salute sounded over the country like a requiem for all those who died in the Great Patriotic War.”