Mozart's Requiem in D minor: All Movements Ranked

For the past 4 months, the UIC choirs, orchestra, and soloist quartet have been hard at work preparing Mozart's Requiem in D minor for our April 24th concert. Ahead of the concert and after learning each movement inside and out, I went ahead and prepared my personal ranking of all choir movements within the work. Needless to say, the entire requiem is a brilliant work of art, and my list is simply based on how enjoyable each movement is for me to sing as a member of the chamber soprano section.

10 - "Agnus Dei"

It may be a hot take within classical music spheres, but I'm not the biggest fan of pieces written at or around a larghetto tempo marking. Of course, I appreciate the musicianship that is required to compose or perform a piece of this nature, but when considering this movement purely from a perspective of how enjoyable it is for me personally to sing, it sits lowest on my list. Admittedly, I do love the deceptive cadence in Bb major featuring an E diminished seventh chord in the ending section, which I've written before that I have a soft spot for (see my MAYHEM review :) )

8 - "Lux Aeterna" / "Cum Sanctis"

I feel pretty neutral about this movement since it mirrors the "Introit/Kyrie" in many ways. Nevertheless, I enjoy singing it and respect the role it plays in the broader picture of the mass as the closing movement.

9 - "Hostias"

This movement sits largely in the upper passagio of my voice - the transition between a fuller and lighter sound - and has a fun transition from larghetto lyrical phrasing into a bouncier adagio. No complaints, but at times the passages in the upper passagio are uncomfortable if it's a weird day for my voice.

7 - "Sanctus"

Similar to "Hostias", this movement sits in the upper passagio. Yet, I've enjoyed the challenge of improving this area of my voice and attribute my recent progress to this movement. It's contrast between the 4/4 adagio opening and the 3/4 allegro latter half is always fun. However, I still feel pretty neutral about it. "Hostias" and "Sanctus" could go in either's spot, really. The reason I put "Sanctus" higher is because I prefer the "Osanna in excelsis" transition in "Sanctus" to the "Quam olim Abrahae" in "Hostias", as the former is more pleasing to my ear and feels like a warm hug.

6 - "Domine Jesu Christe"

I will admit I slept on "Domine Jesu Christe" at first. It has all the exciting elements from more prominent movements, and I discovered my appreciation for it once I could put it into perspective within the mass as a whole.

5 - "Lacrimosa"

If you think you've never heard Mozart's Requiem, you actually probably have. "Lacrimosa" is arguably the most famous movement of the entire mass, spotlighting a fluid 12/8 meter perfect for dance. Its text translates to "O how tearful that day, on which the guilty shall rise from the embers to be judged. Spare them then, O God." I love how lyrical and tragic this movement is and the contrast it contains between bubbling staccato and blooming legato lines.

4 - "Rex tremende majestatis"

Grandiose and regal with a soft touch, "Rex tremende majestatis" keeps me on my toes no matter how prepared I am to sing it.

3 - "Dies Irae"

For me, not much compares to singing an intense, jolting, and highly dynamic choral piece, and "Dies Irae" checks all of those boxes. A highlight for me is the contrast between 4-part homophonic harmony, and the call and response between treble and lower voices featuring metric displacement off of the downbeat.

2 - " Introit" / "Kyrie"

This movement was the first one the choirs started learning, which, from a pedagogical standpoint, I think was the perfect place to start. The "Kyrie eleison" fugue appears subsequently throughout the work, and may be among the most recognizable themes from the mass apart from "Dies Irae" or "Lacrimosa". The transition from "Introit" into "Kyrie" into "Dies Irae" is probably the highlight of the entire mass for me.

1 - "Confutatis"

Finally, the movement that never fails to snap me into a flow-state: "Confutatis". With text translating to "When the accursed are confounded, consigned to the fierce flames: call me to be with the blessed", "Confutatis" features a push and pull of marching sixteenths underneath a galloping bass and tenor section with an angelic legato soprano and alto duet. The transition from "Confutatis" into "Lacrimosa" is second only to the transitions between "Introit", "Kyrie", and "Dies Irae". The A7 chord, which functions as V7/vi to blend f minor into d minor, is almost like a sense of sweet relief before the anguished plea that is "Lacrimosa".

In my opinion, nothing compares to hearing this work live, which is why I invite you all to join us at 7:30 on this Thursday, April 24th, at St. Francis of Assisi!