Dies irae
Sequence from the Requiem, “Day of Wrath.”
What it means
Dies irae is a Latin sequence that depicts the Last Judgment; the opening words mean “Day of Wrath.” It long belonged to the Mass for the Dead and is sung there after the Gradual. The associated chant melody is one of the best known of the entire repertoire: it begins with a terse, stepwise descending turn that is easily memorized and recognized.
Musical use
In Requiem settings the Dies irae is often the longest and most dramatic part; its text offers a sequence of images that invites strong contrasts, from massive choruses to soft, pleading sections. Beyond this, the chant melody has developed a life of its own: since the nineteenth century, composers have quoted it in instrumental works to hint at death, menace, or the uncanny, relying on listeners to recognize it. The quotation can appear literal, alienated, or rhythmically altered. The melody is thus one of the few musical signs with a widely shared meaning.
The text is attributed to Thomas of Celano and was a fixed part of the Mass for the Dead until the liturgical reform of the 1960s. The Gregorian melody has been quoted many times in instrumental music, for instance by Berlioz in the Symphonie fantastique, by Liszt in the Totentanz, and by Rachmaninoff. It counts, even in film music, as an emblem of death.
Performance practice
Shape the text in clearly distinguished sections instead of singing loudly throughout; the effect arises from the alternation. Watch for distinct consonants, because in fast passages the text otherwise becomes unintelligible. Know the underlying chant melody, even if a setting does not quote it — it explains many melodic turns. With instrumental works containing the quotation, it is worthwhile to shape the passage so that the melody stands out audibly without disturbing the texture. In long Requiem settings, plan the distribution of strength over the whole movement.
Bear in mind that in many settings the text is distributed over several movements and the performance thereby acquires a course of its own: get an overview of the structure and plan character and strength for each section. In liturgical use, the length is to be agreed with the director.