Dies Irae
Commissioned by Mount Holyoke College Department of Music for the Mount Holyoke Glee Club, directed by Colin Britt.
Premiered April 27, 2025.
Duration: 18m
Music: Shara Nova
For SSAA with chamber ensemble
Premiere of Dies Irae - performance begins at 9:24.
PURCHASE SHEET MUSIC:
If you need financial assistance to purchase sheet music, please send us an email.
TEXT/LYRICS:
I.
Clamor cui nemo respondit nemo respondit The scream to which no one responded
Dies iræ, dies illa, The day of wrath, that day,
Solvet sæclum in favilla: Will dissolve the world in ashes:
Quantus tremor est futurus, How great will be the quaking,
Tuba, mirum spargens sonum The trumpet, scattering a wondrous sound
Per sepulchra regionum, Through the sepulchres of the regions,
Coget omnes Will summon all
Mors stupebit, et natura, Death is struck, and nature quaking,
Cum resurget creatura, responsura All creation is awaking, an answer making.
Ingemisco, tamquam reus: I sigh, like the guilty one:
Culpa rubet vultus meus: My face reddens in guilt:
Supplicanti parce, Spiritus. Spare the imploring one, O Spirit.
Oro supplex et acclinis, Low I kneel, with heart's submission,
Cor contritum quasi cinis: See, like ashes, my contrition,
Gere curam mei finis. Help me in my last condition.
Lacrimosa dies illa, Ah! that day of tears and mourning,
Qua resurget ex favílla From the dust of earth returning
Iudicandus homo reus: Man for judgement must prepare him,
Huic ergo parce, Spiritus: Spare, O Spirit, in mercy spare him.
Pie Dona eis requiem. Amen. All-pitying, Grant them Thine eternal rest. Amen.
II.
Oh evellere bellum Oh to uproot the war
quod in corde meo coepi that began in my own heart.
Timor excaecavit me. Fear blinded me.
Ignosce mihi. Forgive me.
III.
Dies irae, dies illa, Day of mourning, day of wrath,
calamitatis et miseriae, of calamity, of misery,
dies magna et amara valde. the great day, and most bitter.
Clamor!! Clamor!! Scream! Scream!
Et Luctus. Mourn.
Lugent stultitiam nostram Mourn our foolishness.
Clamor cui nemo respondit The scream to which no one responded
nemo respondit no one responded
Miserere posteritati Have pity on the coming generation
Et parce stultitiae nostrae and spare them the consequence of our foolishness
Miserere Have mercy
Dies irae, dies illa, illa, illa Day of mourning, day of wrath
IV.
Omnia fiunt et transeant All things come into being
secundum naturam suam. and pass away according to their nature.
Patior. Resisto. I vis. Opus Facio. I suffer. I resist. I wish. I work.
Adiuva me ut hoc mundo Help me to embrace this world
impermanens amplectar. impermanent.
Adiuva me! Adiuva me! Illumina! Help me! Lights up! Illumination! It is light!
Adiuva nos omnes accipere praesens Help us all to embrace the present
Gloria Gloria
V.
Sanctus Holy,
Pleni sunt coeli The heavens
Et terra gloria. and the earth are full of glory
Hosanna in excelsis Hosanna in the highest.
Benedictus lux vitae Blessed be the light of life.
VI.
Súscipe me Help me
secúndum pacem to make peace
cum próximo meo with my neighbor
ostende mihi ignoscere Show me how to forgive
ignoscere ignoscere Forgive forgive
ostende mihi vulnera terrae sanare me Show me how to heal the wounds of the earth
Ostende mihi quid respondeam Show me how to respond
respondeam respondeam Respond respond
ostende mihi ridere me ad meipsum Show me how to smile at myself