Verdi’s Requiem is one of the most famous and powerful requiems in the classical repertoire. A requiem is a Catholic mass for the dead, and Verdi’s is unusual for its grand operatic scale and dramatic intensity. Though called a Mass, Verdi’s Requiem differs significantly from the standard Mass settings of the late Classical and early Romantic periods such as those by Haydn, Mozart, and Hummel. Specifically, Verdi uses a standard text with interpolations from the “Dies Irae” sequence in the Catholic funeral mass and other sources.
Verdi wrote the Requiem in 1873 as a tribute to the famous Italian poet and novelist Alessandro Manzoni, who Verdi admired greatly and had met in 1868. When Manzoni died in 1873, Verdi was devastated and decided to compose a requiem in Manzoni’s honor. Verdi oversaw every detail of the composition, even travelling to Paris to supervise its publication. The Requiem premiered in May 1874 at the Church of San Marco in Milan on the anniversary of Manzoni’s death. Let’s examine the story behind this magnificent work in more detail.
Why did Verdi write his Requiem?
As mentioned, Verdi composed the Requiem as a tribute to Alessandro Manzoni, an Italian writer whom Verdi deeply admired. Verdi and Manzoni first met in 1868 in Milan, and Verdi was said to be in awe of the famous author. When Manzoni passed away on May 22, 1873 at the age of 88, Verdi was grief-stricken. He decided to honor Manzoni with a musical composition, which would become the Messa da Requiem.
Verdi was further motivated to write the piece after the death of fellow composer Gioachino Rossini in 1868. A committee of Italian composers had suggested a collaborative Requiem for Rossini, which Verdi was invited to help write. However, the project failed to come to fruition. Still inspired, Verdi decided to compose a large-scale Requiem on his own, using elements he had intended for the Rossini project. With Manzoni’s death in 1873, Verdi found the perfect opportunity to complete his vision.
The Libretto
For his Requiem text, Verdi used the standard Latin mass for the dead with some additions. Specifically, he incorporated the “Dies Irae” (or “Day of Wrath”) sequence which depicts Judgment Day. He also added texts from the “Libera Me” and “Ingemisco” prayers.
The “Dies Irae” provides vivid images of the wrath of God and fearsome judgment. This allowed Verdi to communicate the intense drama and terror of facing divine justice. The addition of these texts outside the usual Requiem mass gave Verdi more freedom for operatic evocations.
Musical Style
Verdi composed his Requiem for 4 soloists (soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor and bass), double choir, and full orchestra. The work has seven movements:
- Requiem
- Dies Irae
- Offertorio
- Sanctus
- Agnus Dei
- Lux Aeterna
- Libera Me
Stylistically, the music draws heavily on operatic elements, including soaring, lyrical melodies, dramatic contrasts, and forceful rhythms. The choral writing is very operatic with its grand scale, rich texture, and dramatic expressions.
Some key elements of Verdi’s musical style in the Requiem include:
- The use of fugue in the Kyrie, reflecting Baroque influences.
- Dramatic brass fanfares to open the Dies Irae that evoke trumpets of the Apocalypse.
- Prominent and lyrical soprano solos in the Libera Me.
- A dark, minor key color that maintains a serious mood.
- Forceful rhythms and percussive effects that drive the intensity.
- Moments of unusual vocal effects like choral whispering.
The Dies Irae movement offers some of the most vivid drama through thundering bass drum notes, wailing brass chorales, and furious choral writing.
Premiere Performance in 1874
Verdi meticulously planned every aspect of the Requiem’s premiere performance, which took place on May 22, 1874 (the one year anniversary of Manzoni’s death) at St. Mark’s Church in Milan. Verdi brought together a chorus of 120 and an orchestra of 110 to bring his spectacular vision to life.
The four soloists at the premiere were some of the finest talent in Europe at the time:
- Teresa Stolz, soprano
- Maria Waldmann, mezzo-soprano
- Giuseppe Capponi, tenor
- Ormondo Maini, bass
Verdi led the premiere performance himself. All four soloists were well rehearsed, as Verdi had worked extensively with them beforehand. The combined forces filled St. Mark’s Church will glorious sound that awed the audience. Reviews declared it an astounding success and praised its monumental impact.
Later Performances
Following the Milan premiere, Verdi continued to supervise performances across Italy and Europe. He conducted the piece himself in Paris in 1875. Subsequent performances in Vienna, London, and Berlin through 1875 and 1876 also met great acclaim.
Ever since, the Requiem has been a cornerstone of choral-orchestral repertoire. Major orchestras worldwide perform the work regularly. Well-known recordings have been made by conductors like Arturo Toscanini, Carlo Maria Giulini, Claudio Abbado, and Herbert von Karajan. It also inspired many later large-scale choral-orchestral requiems by composers like Brahms, Dvorak, Faure, and Britten.
Why Is It Considered Groundbreaking?
Verdi’s Requiem was highly innovative and influential when it premiered, and is considered revolutionary in several ways:
- Its sheer scale was unprecedented, calling for massive forces unlike earlier Classical/Romantic era requiems.
- The dramatic style broke with more somber, reverent requiem traditions in its operatic intensity.
- Its vivid musical coloring was strikingly bold and daring.
- It elevated the requiem form to an entirely new dramatic level.
- It established the “secular requiem” as a new addition to the concert repertoire beyond liturgical use.
In its massive scope, vivid urgency, and theatrical style, Verdi essentially invented the “grand” Romantic era requiem. His Requiem inspired many later composers and permanently changed expectations for the requiem genre.
Musical Analysis
Now let’s do a deeper analysis of some key aspects that make Verdi’s Requiem so powerful.
Dies Irae
The Dies Irae is the dramatic centerpiece of the work. Verdi establishes an ominous mood from the start with tremolos in the low strings. The chant-like theme is passed around the bass and tenor sections, with the altos and sopranos providing haunting responses.
When the full chorus enters, Verdi writes contrapuntal lines Volkslied style to evoke archaic musical textures. The restless harmonies, rising scales, and detached rhythms build tension towards the thundering brass fanfares. These dramatic French horn calls signal the day of judgment. The fanfare motif recurs frequently through the movement, alternating with passages of choral lamenting and pleading.
Operatic solos add a humanizing element, as the bass and mezzo-soprano beg for mercy. Two fugues increase the complexity, with strings, winds, and chorus interweaving dense counterpoint. Throughout the movement, Verdi manipulates dynamics skillfully, from hushed choral passages to hammering full orchestra climaxes. The Dies Irae is a rollercoaster that leaves listeners breathless.
Offertorio
After the fury of the Dies Irae, the Offertorio provides some respite and light. The melody unfolds gently in the violins in a lilting triple meter. When the solo quartet enters, Verdi writes in a chordal bel canto style familiar from his operas. As the chorus joins, the texture remains homophonic and chorale-like.
A brief soprano solo leads into a delicately orchestrated section recalling French Impressionism. Woodwinds solos and muted strings create an ethereal soundscape. The movement provides a touching glimpse of hope amidst the darkness.
Sanctus
The Sanctus is brief but powerful. It opens with a rise of strings leading to a forceful statement of “Sanctus” in D major by the chorus – a bright, joyous sound. Fugal writing returns briefly before a soprano solo extolling the glory of God.
Trumpet fanfares help transition to a new melody introduced by the tenor solo. This lilting chorale-like line isrepeated and extended by the chorus. After climactic cadences on “Hosanna”, the movement ends peacefully with the opening string motif transformed into a gentle coda.
Libera Me
The final Libera Me movement begins with somber strings and a sorrowful soprano soloist. When the chorus enters, the texture is homophonic and the dynamics hushed, creating an atmosphere of gloom.
A bustling string passage leads to a new animated section in F minor. The chorus declaims text about the day of calamity and wrath in choppy phrases over driving syncopated rhythms.
When the soprano enters again, Verdi writes a beautiful legato vocal line that provides hope and longing. This builds to the mighty final cadences, where chorus and orchestra unite in
emphatic cries of “Libera me.” The Requiem drives to an end that is both terrifying and triumphant.
Summary of Musical and Dramatic Elements
To summarize the key musical and dramatic components that make the Verdi Requiem such a powerful work:
- Grand operatic scale featuring massive forces (4 soloists, choir, full orchestra).
- Vivid melodies and expressive shaping of vocal lines.
- Forceful, energetic rhythms and percussion that drive the momentum.
- Thundering brass to portray moments of judgment and wrath.
- Solemn chant-like lines derived from liturgical traditions.
- Fugal writing and complex counterpoint for cerebral intensity.
- Extreme dynamic contrasts, from delicate pianissimos to hammering fortissimos.
- Virtuosic and passionate solo writing.
- Moments of ethereal beauty and hope amidst darkness.
- Operatic gestures like fanfares, tremolos, and bel canto arias.
- Restless, chromatic harmonies heighten the tension.
These elements combine into a work of great psychological depth that reflects on mortality, judgment, fear, hope, and redemption. The Requiem achieves an impact that is simultaneously theatrical, spiritual, philosophical, and profoundly emotional.
Conclusion
Verdi’s Requiem is nothing short of a musical tour-de-force. Its operatic grandeur, dramatic intensity, and emotional power have made it an undisputed masterwork that continues to move listeners nearly 150 years after its premiere. Verdi brought the requiem genre to an entirely new level that expanded conceptions of what was possible with choral-orchestral music.
Both through its incredible music and its story – created as an act of tribute to a beloved writer – the Requiem has a spirit that seems to soar heavenward. It honors Manzoni with music fit for angels, while also speaking to the grief and fears that rend the heart. As art that memorializes the dead while offering hope of eternal light, Verdi’s Requiem reveals itself anew with each hearing.