Mozart Requiem 

Singer scores

 

The version of the Requiem that we will perform is the completion by Süssmayr, the most common completion, of which many editions are available.

​

In the massed choir, as many singers already will have their own score, there will be  different editions. The Schirmer edition is ubiquitous and very clear. I also like Barenreiter, Henle, and Peters editions because they are Urtext (original, minimally edited) and beautiful to read, but, if the aesthetic is not an issue for you, choose whichever you like.  I use the Bärenreiter full score and the Schirmer singer score; the orchestra uses Kalmus parts.

 

Scores are available for purchase on Amazon:​

Schirmer ($5.95)

Bärenreiter paperback ($20.31)

Peters Edition paperback ($11.95)

Kalmus ($11.72)

Sandstone Music Classical Collection paperback ($10.16) & Kindle ($6.77)

And there are "scores" more!

Printed or electronic copy are fine for Viva rehearsals and Bay Area performance.

The Kindle edition or any digitized score is fine.

MAP does not permit the use of iPads onstage at Carnegie.

It goes without saying that we each need to have a legal copy. 

 

***​​

We need to all be on the same page!
​

Keep tabs on your movements :)

It is handy to tab movements in your score so that, when we jump around between movements, you can easily find each movement; handy in rehearsals when we change the order of movements. 

Railroad tracks!

As systems (lines of music) vary in width from page to page, railroad tracks (two short diagonal lines) at the end of each system guide your eye to the next system.

​​

Rehearsal Measures and Measure Numbers

​

Rehearsal letters

If your score is Kalmus/Schirmer, it has rehearsal LETTERS. If your score does not have rehearsal letters please write these into you score, so we are on the same page, literally and so to speak, as the orchestra. Click on the adjacent pdf  to find the rehearsal letters that singers need to copy  into scores that do not already have rehearsal letters.

For all movements in which the choir sings, we need both rehearsal letters and measure numbers. For solo movements, choristers do not need numbered measures. Also, hopefully, you are not following the printed music when the soloists are singing.

Most scores have one or the other. We all need to mark in whichever one is not printed in our score, so we all have both ways of referencing a place in a movement.

 

Please see the Schirmer Edition pdf ––>

 with measure numbers and translation written with the Latin text

​

Measure numbers​

If your score does not have measure numbers, count the measures within each movement and mark the number of the measure either at the start of each system or every 5th measure. Each new movement starts over at m 1.

​

Some movements that are conjoined in Schirmer are separate movements in Barenreiter. Specifically: Kyrie in Schirmer is a continuation of  Introitus but, in Barenreiter, Kyrie is a separate movement; when numbering measures for Kyrie, regardless of whether  it is a continuation of Introitus in your score, restart numbering at m 1.

Similarly, in Schirmer Agnus Dei and Lux aeterna are shown as one movement, but, in Barenreiter, the Lux aeterna is a separate movement, so please re-start numbering the Lux aeterna as m 1.

In Schirmer and in Barenreiter, Cum sanctis is conjoined with Lux aeterna (unlike  Kyrie), so Cum sanctis continues Lux aeterna numbering ( m 31 at start of Cum sanctis).

​

You can follow the measure numbering in the pdf in the next column, or you can check that your numbering has the following numbers of measures (mm):

1. Introitus 48 mm

2. Kyrie 52 mm

3. Dies Irae 68 mm

4. Tuba Mirum—a solo movement; choir does not need mm numbers.

5. Rex Tremendae 22 mm

6. Recordare—a solo movement; choir does not need mm numbers.

7. Confutatis 40 mm

8. Lacrimosa 30 mm

9. Domine Jesu (including Quam Olim Abrahae) 78 mm

10. Hostias (incl Quam Olim Abrahae) 89 mm

11. Sanctus (incl Osanna m 11) 38 mm

12. Benedictus Mostly solo. Choir enters at m 54, Allegro, Schirmer p 67, (incl a second Osanna, different from Osanna in Sanctus) 76 mm

13. Agnus Dei 51 mm

14. Lux aeterna and Cum sanctis 82 mm​​​​​

 

***
Text translation

To personalize the text, write the translation of the Latin into English above/below every word we sing (see pdf  -->). I've written in a translation in the Schirmer pdf in the next column. I like to see the literal meaning of every word, even if this jumbles the order of words. And often, because the repetition of a word or phrase has dramatic impact, i write in the repetitions also. This is a personal process, so do whatever way works for you, to bring the text vividly and meaningfully to life for YOU! It is one path to an emotionally contagious performance!

There are several sources for translation—choose the one that is most meaningful to you.

• Translation vetted by Dr Amy Jervis  

• Schirmer Edition Index​​​

• Latin Text with English Translation in pdf below—unknown origin; easy to read

​​​​​

​​​​​​​

 

 

 

 

 

***

Text & Music

There is either: 

• A word/syllable for a note of music (Requiem mvt, Dies Irae, Rex Tremendae, Confutatis, Lacrymosa, Domine Jesu, Hostias, Agnus Dei to Adagio)

• Few text words repeated for several or many notes/lines of music—usually in contrapuntal or fugal textures (Kyrie, Quam olim Abrahae, Osanna, Agnus Dei from Letter P, "Requiem eternam" and "Dona eis Domine" and "Cum sanctis" at Allegro)

• There is no instance for choir of many words/syllables for few notes.

 

***

Road Map of the Movements​

​

Of all the movements (fourteen in some editions, twelve in others where some movements are conjoined), the choir sings: Requiem, Kyrie, Dies irae, Rex tremendae, Confutatis, Lacrimosa, Domine Jesu, Hostias, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, Lux aeterna (and Cum sanctis).​  

 

Tuba mirum and Recordare are entirely for soloists. Benedictus is also for soloists, with a second choral Osanna (m 54), textually similar but not musically identical to the Osanna (m 11) of the previous Sanctus. Singers be on the alert for the starts of both Osannas.

​

There are a few solo interpolations in choral movements. In the first movement, Requiem, the soprano soloist sings "Te dect hymnus...," mm 21-26, in between the two choral sections ("Requiem aeterna" and "exaudi"). In the  Domine Jesu, all four soloists enter fugally at mm 32-43) between the  choral "Domine Jesu" and "Quam olim Abrahae (letter O)" In the Lux Aeterna, the soprano (mm 3-8) introduces the eponymous text that the choir takes up one beat after (m 8 pick up to m 9).

​

"Quam Olim Abrahae" text sung by the choir occurs twice: in Domine Jesu after the soloists, m 44, Letter O), and in Hostias (m 55, one after Letter Z) continuing the choral singing of the first section of the music. Both "Quam Olim Abrahae"s  have the same music and text.

​

Osanna also for choir also occurs twice in Sanctus (m 11) and in Benedictus (m 54); the music is slightly different.

​

The music of the first two movements, aside from the orchestral introduction, is identical to the music of the last two movements; but the texts are different:

Requiem and Kyrie in the first two movements becomes Lux Aeterna and Cum sanctis in the last two movements.​

​

Of course, the mood changes from movement to movement are carried by texture, major-minor modality, tempo, meter, dynamics, articulation, voicing, as well as orchestration. It is this characterization of each movement, and parts of movements, that we will explore in rehearsal. ​

​

Also we will create drama by our segues from movement to movement!

​

***

Dynamics

δύναμις (Greek) = power, strength = musical-emotional dynamite
 

As you are learning (or re-learning) your music, of course pitch and rhythm are foremost, at first. As soon as you can, include dynamics in your own practice, to gain both technical proficiency (what's required of the singing physique for p is not the same as what is required for  f) and musical expressivity.

​

In my score, I emphasize the printed dynamics by using colors. ​I suggest singers do the same:

p, pp, diminuendo= blue

f,  ff, sf, crescendo = red

​​

Often Mozart wants the contrast between p and f to be clear, bold, and dramatic. But he also wants gradual transitions, of crescendi and diminuendi , even though he usually did not write these into his scores, as was the custom in the Classic Era and because he was busy composing 626 works by the age of 35! The music asks for these swells and eddies. These increases and decreases in volume are sometimes for phrasing and nuance, and sometimes they last longer and are structural.  We will add these "hairpins"for crescendo and diminuendo to our scores and to our singing.

​

An interpretive word: dynamics are not just changes in volume. They carry so much emotive content. For every dynamic, create a descriptor of the mood  you hear. Write these into your score. As music captures mood, pinning a mood  helps  develop emotional  contagion.

 

***

Homophonic, Polyphonic/Contrapuntal, and Fugal Textures​​

​

Mozart uses both homophony and polyphony for musical and theatrical effect (see Requiem notes). It's useful to know into which weeds we are wading in each movement, so we are chorally prepared, as each texture has its own requirements for the choir. Fugal writing requires each new entry to be incisive and ongoing entries to give way to the newcomer. Homophonic writing requires blend and balance, and an occasional highlighting of a an individual part for a dissonance or a moving line.

 

I. Requiem Introitus

A m8 polyphonic

B m15 homophonic

D m 34 Double fugue: "requiem" for first musical subject;  "dona eis" for second subject

Pu (pickup) to m 44 "et lux"  homophonic

​

II. Kyrie

A double fugue with"kyrie" one subject and "Christe" another subject.

​

III. Dies irae

Homophonic with saucy offbeat interjections

​

V. Rex tremendae

Homphonic until contrapuntal at Pu to 7, actually a canon, actually several! A+S; T+B; and again A+S. Then chordal sections e.g. V m11 followed immediately by contrapuntal at Pu to m 13​

m 16 "statis" to end homophonic.

​

VII. Confutatis

Contrapuntal until C m 17 homophonic and contrapuntal

D m 26 homophonic

​

VIII.  Lacrimosa

Homophonic

​

IX. Domine Jesu

homophonic and polyphonic

Letter O m 44 "Quam olim Abrahae" polyphonic

​

X. Hostias

Homophonic

One after Z m 55 "Quam olim Abrahae" polyphonic

​

XI. Sanctus

Homophonic until m 11 "Osanna" polyphonic

​

XII. Benedictus

m 54 "Osanna" polyphonic

​

XIII. Agnus Dei

Homophonic

 

XIV. Lux Aeterna 

O m 8 polyphonic

P m 16 Double fugue, like the Introitus; "requiem" for first musical subject;  "dona eis" for second subject

 

Cum Sanctis (starts at m 31)

Another double fugue, like movement 2, now with"Cum sanctis" the text for both subjects.

Pu to m 81 Adagio: Homophonic

​​​

***

Notes to Choir​

See the docx below

​

​​

​

​​

​​

​​

​​

In rehearsal, we will mark: breath marks, articulations, dynamics, tempi — "tune in."

***​​​

The score is in your head or your head's in the score

​​

Have either printed or digital music with you at all rehearsals; perform from memory  if that is your preference (no need to hold a binder). Watch the video of the Viva performance in Dresden and see all the Vivans off-book. Watch performances in which the choirs are off-book:  Von Karajan,  John Eliot Gardiner.

​