Lacrimosa from Requiem in D minor (K. 626) - W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)

Mozart’s Requiem in D minor is a work that can only be partially credited to Mozart. The piece began by Mozart and was completed by his student, Franz Xaver Süssmayr. Süssmayr was responsible for completing the majority of the piece, with Mozart’s hand only fully penning the Introit and Kyrie. Mozart’s sacred works had taken a back-seat to his secular works by this point in his life, with his last sacred work (apart of Ave verum corpus, which was composed concurrently with the Requiem in D minor) being composed almost ten years prior. There is debate around whether the Lacrimosa is accurately proportioned, with some researchers arguing that it was too short, while others argue that Mozart originally intended it to be a shorter prelude for the more extensive Amen section. The argument is that Mozart set half of the intended text within the first eight bars of the piece, indicating it to be shorter in nature. However, some argue that the closing of the piece was too good to be Süssmayr’s composition, and infer that Mozart may have composed it himself before his passing.

The piece, regardless of how it was completed, is a stunning and poignant representation of sorrow, and should be sung/conducted as such. Careful consideration should be made when conducting to convey the message, and conducting should be done in such a way that expresses the sorrow that the piece is meant to encapsulate, whether this be through thick/dense gestures or through facial expressions to and through the performers. The conductor should take special care to notice the weight of each note in the 6/8 bars, recognizing when beats one and four have more weight, especially in the instrumental sections, and when this weight is contrasted by the choir’s more legato, flowing lines. The piece is available in the public domain through IMSLP, CPDL, or DME.

Lacrimosa dies illa Full of tears will be that day

Qua resurget ex favilla When from the ashes shall arise

Judicandus homo reus. The guilty man to be judged;

Huic ergo parce, Deus: Therefore spare him, O God,

Pie Jesu Domine, Merciful Lord Jesus,

Dona eis requiem. Amen. Grant them Eternal Rest. Amen.

Moseley, P. (1989). Mozart's Requiem: A Revaluation of the Evidence. Journal of the Royal Musical Association, 114(2), 203-237.