What is a requiem

Requiem. When we hear this word, it involuntarily causes us genuine sorrow, because it is usually associated with tragic events. Composers have written many works that reflect the special moments of human life, associated with sorrow. For tragic events, a special funeral service was created, which was accompanied by specific music.

That is why the question of what a requiem is, there is only one answer - it is a funeral and funeral Mass, which is dedicated to the memory of the deceased. This traditionally includes such musical works as: "Lord, have mercy", "Judgment Day" or "Day of Wrath", as well as "Lamb of God." In the Middle Ages, these were serious choral works, based on the melodies of the Gregorian chant. The chapel was mostly characteristic of Catholic churches. The works were built according to strict rules and were not used in secular life. The canonical requiem acquired its classical form by 1570, it was personally confirmed by Pope Pius V.

The meaning of the word requiem differs in different churches. In Lutheran and Catholic it meant "eternal rest" and, in fact, was the identification of inconsolable grief for those who left forever, only expressed in a certain musical form. In the Orthodox Church, such a service was limited to the strict sounding of human voices without music, only the polyphony of true believers in the temple was used.

This kind of music has become very popular due to the performance in Catholic churches. The use of the unique acoustics of ancient buildings, the sound of extraordinary voices of voices and organ instruments that were extraordinary in strength, contributed to the creation of masterpieces for all ages.

In the beginning, the meaning of the word requiem was expressed in a traditional musical composition consisting of several parts. The text was written in Latin.

What is a requiem today? As before, this is a funeral, choral piece of music. It has solo parts that sound accompanied by an orchestra. His ceremonial character ceased to dominate, and he smoothly passed into a wide concert program of musical collectives. So modernity has made changes to the requiem. His meaning remained the same, and composers, as before, dedicate it to the memory of a loved one or to a large number of people who died in the war, using non-canonical texts.

Have you ever heard a sincere, sounding from the heart, unique in the heat of emotions and mourning Mozart's mourning melody? Unfortunately, he was unable to finish it, as he himself died suddenly. If you know this work, then do not explain what a requiem is. It is such a melody, at the first sounds you will understand everything yourself. No words are needed here, because this music is someone's never-ending grief, which will never disappear, and it is talented in music. Requiem of Mozart will sound as many years as there will be humanity.

The heyday of this trend in music fell on the romantic 18th century, there were no melodies more significant than the requiem. The significance of this musical work in those days can not be overestimated (meaning traditional genres of sacred music). Above them worked Ludwig van Beethoven, Ference Liszt, Saint-Saens, the Russian composer Osip Kozlovsky and many others.

A special place is occupied by the requiems of the composers of Brahms, Verdi, Benjamin Britten's Military Requiem, L. Cherubini's Mass in C minor, dedicated to the memory of Louis XVI, and Penderecki's Polish Requiem.

What is a requiem? This is a musical work that makes a person think about the fact that life is fleeting and full of losses.