Dies irae LWV.64, no.1 contains:
01. Simphonie, tuba mirum
02. Liber scriptus
03. Quid sum miser
04. Rex tremendae
05. Recordare
06. Ingemisco
07. Confutatis
08. Lacrymosa
09. Pie Jesu

01. Simphonie, tuba mirum
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♫ 02. Liber scriptus
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♫ 03. Quid sum miser
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♫ 04. Rex tremendae
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♫ 05. Recordare
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♫ 06. Ingemisco
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♫ 07. Confutatis
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♫ 08. Lacrymosa
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♫ 09. Pie Jesu
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Lully composed this Dies irae in G minor for the funeral of Queen Marie-Thérèse (10/09/1638 - 30/07/1683), the wife of Louis XIV, at 30 July 1683. His compositions for the church include a number of motets, some six Grands motets and 14 Petits motets. An example of the first is the fine setting of the Dies irae from the requiem mass, for double choir, of the Te Deum, and the Miserere, the last a favourite of the king. Examples of the second are his settings of the Vespers Psalm Dixit Dominus, the Anima Christi and the Regina coeli.

From the late 17th century onwards, mainly through the contributions of leading opera composers such as Feo, Galuppi, Hasse, Pergolesi, Jommelli, Gassmann, Cimarosa and Gossec, individual movements of the requiem became gradually larger, the orchestration richer and the solo vocal writing more elaborate. In some cases, single texts, usually the sequence and the responsory, were set separately, either as independent motets or as a means of providing vivid contrast within chanted forms of the funeral service. Examples include an impressive Dies irae for soloists, double chorus and orchestra by Lully (1684); and one with similar scoring by J.C. Bach (1757).

♫ Requiem aeternam in: De profundis
© FNAC 592303

De profundis (psalm 129) LWV 62, the sixth of the seven penitential psalms, has an important place in the liturgy for the dead. The psalmist, aware of his sin, expects forgiveness only through the grace of God. The piece is in the same key as the Dies irae (G minor) and has the same form. The final verse of the pslam is followed by a symphonie or orchestral passage leading to the "Introit - Requiem aeternam", whose mainly contrapuntal writing marvellously suggests the peace and light of eternal rest. This apotheosis confirms the confidence that ought to be placed in divine forgiveness and is the central message of the De profundis.