The plainchant "Dies irae" has been used in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite liturgy as the Sequentia/Sequence for the Missa pro defunctis or Mass for the Dead for centuries and is published in the Liber Usualis (edition 1936 pages 1810-1813). The text of this "Dies irae/the Day of Wrath" is in the literature attributed either to Thomas of Celano of the Franciscans (1200–1265) or to Latino Malabranca Orsini (d. 1294).
Due to reforms since 1969-70 this famous hymn and in total the Sequence is eliminated from funerals and Masses for the Dead. Fortunately very imposing settings have been left in all following centuries by distinguished composers since the Renaissance.
The first remaining polyphonic Requiem-settings to include the "Dies irae" are by Engarandus Juvenis (c. 1480-1520) and by Antoine Brumel (c.1460-c.1513) to be followed by many composers of the renaissance and later. We think the “Dies Irae” by Brumel is the first still remaining polyphonic setting. Brumel sets his “Dies Irae” around 1510.
Around 1615 Gregor Aichinger sets an Officium pro defunctis 5vv published Augsburg in 1615. But this setting is lost. This Officium was probably occasioned by the death and funeral of emperor Rudolf II ( 1552-1612).
Earlier in 1597 Aichinger sets a “Dies Irae, dies Illa” for five voices (SQATB). These setting contains not the complete “Dies Irae”, only the first eight strophes are published. This found setting is attributed to Aichinger. Aichinger sets this composition in a predominantly homophonic way, with some polyphonic imitation. The whole piece is set in D-Dorian. The fourth strophe “Mors” and the sixth strophe ”Judex” are set in A-Aeolian. In the first Strophe the plainchant is quoted by the Altus (in Ms 1-3).
Aichinger uses in this motet syncope’s, flats and sharps and some important part of sentences will be repeated. In “Mors/Death” Aichinger uses a refined approach with descending semitones in Tenor, Altus f-e and in the Bassus d-c#. In this fourth strophe (Ms 52-56) ) Aichinger uses changing minor keys and every part starts with intervals after each other beginning by Tenor ending by Bassus, This chosen method amplifies strongly the word “Mors/Death.”
In the fifth strophe Aichinger starts only with the three upper parts in an imitative way (Ms 70-80) culminating with all the parts in a proportio tripla 3/2 “Unde mundus iudicetur” (Ms80-84).Those important words meaning ‘ the whole world shall be judged’ will be repeated (Ms 85-89).
This “Dies Irae” ends with the eight strophe starting with a homophonic “Rex tremendae majestatis” and ends with a polyphonic but begging “Salva me/safe me” which will be sung twice.
This motet consists out of 148 bars and is published in Sacrum cantionum a 5-8 vocum (Gregor Aichinger), Noribergae: apud Paulum Kauffmannum MDXCVII.
Text:
I Dies iræ, dies illa,
Solvet sæclum in favilla:
Teste David cum Sibylla.
II Quantus tremor est futurus,
Quando Iudex est venturus,
Cuncta stricte discussurus!
III Tuba, mirum spargens sonum
Per sepulchra regionum,
Coget omnes ante thronum.
IV Mors stupebit, et natura,
Cum resurget creatura,
Iudicanti responsura.
V Liber scriptus proferetur,
In quo totum continetur,
Unde mundus iudicetur.
VI Iudex ergo cum sedebit,
Quidquid latet, apparebit:
Nil inultum remanebit.
VII Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus,
Cum vix iustus sit securus?
VIII Rex tremendæ maiestatis,
Qui salvandos salvas gratis,
Salva me, fons pietatis.
Amen
Translation
I Day of wrath! O day of mourning!
See fulfilled the prophets' warning,
Heaven and earth in ashes burning!
II What trembling there will be
When the judge shall come
to weigh everything strictly!
III The trumpet, scattering its awful sound
Across the graves of all lands
Summons all before the throne.
IV Death and nature shall be stunned
When mankind arises
To render account before the judge.
V The written book shall be brought
In which all is contained
Whereby the world shall be judged
VI When the judge takes his seat
all that is hidden shall appear
Nothing will remain unavenged.
VII What shall I, a wretch, say then?
To which protector shall I appeal
When even the just man is barely safe?
VIII King of awful majesty
You freely save those worthy of salvation
Save me, found of pity.
Amen