This week on Palm/Passion Sunday millions of Christians around the world will gather to celebrate the beginning of Holy Week. The day resounds with triumphant shouts and the enthusiastic waving of palm branches, reminding us of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. But this journey also leads straight toward Calvary and the Cross. Therefore, the day that begins with the joyous celebration of palms ends with our faces turned toward Good Friday and Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, his life given for love of all humanity—and for each of us personally.
For that reason, many Christians worldwide also remember Christ’s Passion by singing a Requiem. This ancient service for the dead is a beautiful and eloquent plea and prayer for God’s mercy for the souls of those who have passed away. The beautiful text of the liturgy dates back to Middle Ages and before.
This Sunday, the Saint Mark Cancel Choir will sing Malcolm Archer’s 1993 setting of the Requiem. This selection and order of the ancient text follows the pattern used in their requiems by Fauré and Duruflé (which we have also sung at Saint Mark). Dr. Archer’s setting is rich in beautiful, soaring sound that movingly evokes the meaning of the text. After a recent practice, one choir member said, "I hope our fellow worshippers will read through the text, then close their eyes (or feast them on one of the windows) and just let the sound wash over them and meditate." We will be singing the text in Latin, not only because that’s the language the composer set but also because this act unites us with Christians throughout the world: Because Latin is no longer anyone’s language (no country’s or culture’s), it is everyone’s language.
Malcolm Archer (b 1952) is a renowned British composer, organist and choir director. He is currently Director of Chapel Music at Winchester College, one of the oldest of England’s independent schools. Previously, he was Organist and Director at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London. In response to Jane Burke’s email, Dr. Archer shared these thoughts about his setting of the Requiem:
What follows is a mostly literal English translation of the Latin Requiem text we are singing. Rather than give a very smooth English rendering, we have tried to match the English closely to the Latin words so that it is easy to follow the power of the words.
In addition to looking at each section, it may be meaningful to note that the text begins by offering prayers for the departed—for “them.” Then with the “Libera me,” the prayers turn to ourselves—to “me”—with “Free me, O Lord, from eternal death.” Finally, the prayer turns directly to the one we mourn, “May the angels lead you into paradise. . .”
INTROIT AND KYRIE
Requiem aeternam, dona eis, Domine:
Rest eternal, give to them, Lord:
et lux perpetua luceat eis. a
nd may light perpetual shine on them.
Te decet hymnus Deus in Sion,
To you is due a hymn [of praise], God in Zion*
et tibi redetur votum in Jerusalem:
and to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem:
exaudi orationem meam
O hear my prayer.
ad te omnis caro veniet.
To you all flesh shall come.
*[This line, the next, and the last are from Psalm 65]
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
OFFERTORY
Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae,
Lord, Jesus Christ, King of glory
libera animas de functorum de poenis inferni
free the souls of the departed from the pains of hell
et de profundo lacu.
and from the deep lake.
Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae,
Lord, Jesus Christ, King of glory
libera animas de functorum de ore leonis
free the souls of the departed from the mouth of the lion
ne absorbeat Tartarus.
let not Tartarus swallow them [Tartarus is a poetic name for Hell]
Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae
Lord, Jesus Christ, King of glory
ne cadant in obscurum.
let them not fall into darkness.
Hostias et preces tibi Domine
Sacrifices and prayers to you Lord
Laudis offerimus. Tu suscipe pro animabus illis
in praise we offer. Do Thou receive them for those souls
quarum hodie memoriam facimus: fac eas Domine
whose memory today we are keeping: make them Lord
de morte transire ad vitam quam olim
from death cross over to life which once
Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus.
to Abraham you promised and to his seed [descendents].
SANCTUS
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus, Deus Sabaoth.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of Hosts
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua.
Full are heaven and earth of your glory
Hosanna in excelsis.
Hosanna in the highest.
PIE JESU
Pie Jesu, Domine, dona eis requiem, sempiternam requiem.
Holy Jesus, Lord, give them rest, eternal rest.
AGNUS DIE
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem, sempiternam requiem
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, give them rest, eternal rest.
Et lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
And light eternal let shine on them, Lord, with your saints in eternity, because faithful you are.
LIBERA ME, DOMINE
Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna in die illa tremenda,
Free[deliver] me, Lord, from death eternal on that fearful day,
quando caeli movendi sunt et terra, dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem.
when the heavens must move and the earth, when you will come to judge the world by fire.
Tremens factus sunt ego, et timeo dum discussio venerit at que ventura ira.
Trembling I have become and fearful while the trial approaches and also the wrath to come.
Dies irae, dies illa, calamitatis et miseriae
Day of wrath, that day, of disaster and misery,
Dies irae, dies magna et amara valde,
Day of wrath, the day great and exceedingly bitter,
Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Rest eternal give them, Lord, and light perpetual shine upon them.
IN PARADISUM
In paradisum deducant angeli:
Into paradise may the angels lead you:
in tuo adventu suscipiant martyres
in your coming may the martyrs receive you
et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem,
and may they guide you into the holy city, Jerusalem,
Chorus Angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere,
May the chorus of angels receive you, and with Lazarus once poor,
aeternam, aeternam habeas requiem, requiem, requiem.
may you have eternal rest.
