Palestrina's Requiem is scored for 5 voices ATBBB. It contains:
01. Introitus (1'53)
02. Kyrie (3'31)
03. Graduale (4'01)
04. Offertorium, Domine Jesu Christe (3'33)
05. Hostias (2'40)
06. Sanctus (2'01)
07. Benedictus (1'25)
08. Agnus Dei I,II, III (5'49)
09. Communio (1'13)
♫ 01. Introitus
© Wijnand van Hooff 42
♫ 02. Kyrie
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♫ 03. Graduale
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♫ 04. Offertorium, Domine Jesu Christe
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♫ 05. Hostias
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♫ 06. Sanctus
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♫ 07. Benedictus
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♫ 08. Agnus Dei
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♫ 09. Communio
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Source: | booklet of cd Wijnand van Hooff 42 |
Contributor: | Wim Goossens |
Palestrina's Missa pro defunctis (requiem mass), for five voices, and set for ATTTB was published in the Missarum liber primus, for 4-6 vv. (Rome, 1591), the same as 1554's first edition, but with one more mass added.
Palestrina’s only requiem belongs to his lesser known works. Very little is known about it, even the year of its composition is uncertain, however, it seems to have dated from the period in which Palestrina was Maetro di capella in the Capella Giulia (1551-1555). Palestrina set this Missa pro defunctis four five – lower- voices ( ATTTB) This work, like all requiems of the time, is based on the gregorian plainchant, and was written in a certain strict and sober style.
Take for instance the strict canon on the plainchant with which the Kyrie begins quoted in the upper voice Cantus. The Offertory O Domine Jesu Christe and three-part Agnus Dei are worked out with more freedom of expression and greater emotion.
Palestrina composed imitative polyphony only for four sections of the Missa pro Defunctis the Kyrie, the Offertorium, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei. We don’t know why but Palestrina set this Missa pro Defunctis for the normal use in Liturgy due to the strict rules of the Council of Trente.
It is up to the performers even in that time to supply the remaining plainchant: the Introit: The Requiem the Gradual: Requiem aeternam or Si Ambulem, the Tractus: Sicut Servus, the Sequentia: Dies Irae, the Communion: Lux Aeterna and the responsorium: Libera me. See for the texture the Liber Usualis.
To the Kyrie. The Kyrie is in the traditional three-part form, consisting out of one polyphonic setting Kyrie eleison, one Christe eleison, and one last second Kyrie eleison. Here gives Palestrina the possibility, to alternate with the well-known plainchant Kyrie mode.
In the two Kyrie eleison and the Christe eleison Palestrina quotes the plainchant in the Cantus even sometimes in the Tenor I and Tenor II. In the first Kyrie the plainchant is exactly quoted by the Cantus in the first eight pitches. The Tenor I starts the Christe followed by the other parts with four notes out of the plainchant, where the Cantus quotes the plainchant in four pitches.
The second Kyrie begins with a point of imitation in each voice on the striking descending fifth extracted right from the Kyrie plainchant. In Cantus (from pitch 38) and in Tenor II (from bar 43) Palestrina quotes again the belonging plainchant. The total Polyphonic settings consist out of 49 bars.
To the Offertoriuem: The Offertorium -starting with five voices (ATTTB)- is based on the well-known text Domine Jesu Christe and set in imitative polyphonic way. To underline the text “Ne absorbeat” (bars 38 – 42) ) is set in a homophonic way. From bar/pitch (71) the “Hostias et preces” is set for four voices (ATTT) and will be followed by the great closure “Quam Olim Abrahae” set again for five voices (ATTTB). See in this last part the imposing pleading quotations “Quam Olim Abrahae” in successive voices Altus (b. 106), Tenor I (b 109), Bassus (b. 111) and Tenor II (b. 112) in which Palestrina puts his great musical weight to underline the wording “to offer new life to the passed away which was promised to Abraham” ending this Offertorium in a hopeful G major. This total Offertorium setting consists out of 120 bars.
To the Sanctus & Beneditcus: Palestrina starts the Sanctus, by a simple but very subtle change of the traditional start of the Sanctus plainchant, in not using the descending major second between the second and third note of the plainchant but instead changed by Palestrina to a much more affected minor second here from A to G sharp. Even in the Bassus and the Altus/Tenor Palestrina uses there the minor second from D tot C sharp.
From bar/pitch 29 we see some quotation of the plainchant in the Cantus more specific followed by the belonging plainchant in Tenor II from bar 28 (pleni sunt coeli ) up to the end.
The Benedictus starts subtle in all voices with the three well known ascending notes (F,G,A) but in the Altus (C,D,E). As we already saw in the Sanctus, again the first part of the plainchant is set by Palesrtina in the Cantus (bar 57-61) followed by Tenor II (bar72 up to the end). Both in Sanctus and Benedictus Palestrina uses imitative polyphonic style.
To the Agnus Dei: In the Agnus Dei Palestrina starts the three separate settings of the Agnus Dei texture with a minor second (for example from G to F-sharp) which Palestrina already has been used in the Sanctus. Here in the Agnus Dei Palestrina uses the minor second in three different ways.
Agnus Dei I compared tot II/III, is though quite distinct from the two others internally. In Agnus Dei I Palestrina uses more flats and sharps to express his feeling. See for instance in Agnus Dei I bar 14 with some fine dissonant chords.
The total Agnus Dei consists out of 92 bars.
Through the texture we hear some minor quotations of the belonging plainchant but here in the Agnus Dei we hear the craftsman, that genius of Giovanni Palestrina at work.
This Missa pro defunctis was published in Missarum cum quator, quinque ac sex vocibus liber primus, Gardane, Roma, 1591.