Today, September 11, 2014, is the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and the downing of United Airlines Flight 93near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people lost their lives in these atrocities. As long as--and everywhere that--human beings have been making music, consolation of sadness has been among its chief purposes. One example is the music associated with a Requiem or Requiem Mass, a service in the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul of a deceased person. Often included in musical settings of the Requiem Mass, Pie Jesu is the name of a motet derived from the final couplet of the medieval poem Dies Irae (Latin for Day of Wrath). Perhaps the most famous contemporary requiem including this passage was written by English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, in memory of his late father. Premiered in 1985, the works most acclaimed segment is the Pie Jesu, which itself became a hit single and has been recorded by numerous artists around the world. In his Requiem, Webber combined the traditional Pie Jesu text with that of the Agnus Dei--an invocation to the Lamb of God sung or recited during the fraction of the Host--from later in the standard Requiem Mass. The result is one of the most poignant musical expressions ever of love and faith in the reality of eternal life with our Lord. What better way to observe todays sad anniversary than to dedicate a performance of Pie Jesu to the 9/11 victims, the first responders who gave their lives, the men and women in our armed forces whove done likewise fighting terrorism, and the recent innocent victims of terrorism in the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere. The video below presents a live performance by Sarah Brightman and Paul Miles-Kingston at the world premier of Andrew Lloyd Webbers Requiem at St. Thomas Church in New York City on February 24, 1985 (you may want to turn up the volume a little). Ill provide one or two additional examples in the comments. PIE JESU Latin lyrics: Pie Jesu, Pie Jesu, Pie Jesu, Pie Jesu, Qui tollis peccata mundi; Dona eis requiem, Dona eis requiem. Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei, Qui tollis peccata mundi; Dona eis requiem, Dona eis requiem. Sempiternam, sempiternam requiem. English translation: Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy, You who take away the sins of the world; Grant them rest, Grant them rest. Lamb of God, Lamb of God, Lamb of God, Lamb of God, You who take away the sins of the world; Grant them rest, Grant them rest. Everlasting, everlasting, rest.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 12:08:56 +0000
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