On this page I would like to give you some background information on my composition with the classic name 'Dies Irae'. It is not a classical in many senses though.
In the first place: it is not a religious work, although you probably assumed it was. The text used is for some seventy percent the original - but hardly used anymore - famous liturgical text of the catholic Funeral Mass.
But!
Since I am neither a catholic – nor a protestant, moslim, Hindu et cetera - for that matter, I stripped the text to eighteen stanzas and kicked out all references to whichever God, people believe in.
We humans have to do it ourselves, however wild it gets. In my opinion there is no superpower. By the way: even if there is, he/she/it has been sleeping lately.
In addition, I reorganized the stanzas in a - for me - logical order. The result is, among other things, that it begins with the Tuba mirum (... we are called...) and that the classic opening Dies Irae appears later.
Motivation
It started really with 9/11, all the attacks on innocent people all over the world, Syria, I remembered the Red Kmer, I saw Bokam Haram on television, experienced gay bashing, I witnessed stupidity, greed and fraud of (world) leaders through the looking glass - not to mention our global joker Trump, experienced and saw death threatening sicknesses and so on, and so forth. Then I became overwelmed and could not do anything else then write this music. Because music consoles and in my opinion one should listen to music which is in harmony with the mood one is in. Music which confirms our state of mind, not denying it.
The style is for you to decide. Personally I couln't care less. In any case, it is inspired by former and living composers, as every artist is inspired by his demised and living confrères. It is eclectic, since I don't want to limit myself to one strict paradigm. My goal is to give you an emotianal experience by listening to my music, without hiding in noise and meaningless sound. There is logos of course, there is ethos, but the most important of all is pathos (free after my namesake Aristotle, although in another declination).
Attention
I you are in hurry in your life, if you're out for excitement and fussy music only: don't listen! It will be nothing for you.
If on the other hand you are willing to immerse yourself in the soundscape, try it. You might even like it.
Reactions
I got many reactions on my music. Yes, even Facebook. Furthermore, real person-to-person response.
Mind you: these were only responses on the electronic representation of the music! So, I have good hopes for the real life performances.
"C'est très forte. C'est aussi très belle. Et... ça me donne une chaire de poule!" Claude, Quebec
"It's very strong. "It's beautiful as well. And... it gives me goose pimples."
"Sehr emotionelle Musik. Umwerfend, würde ich sogar sagen." Gustav, München
"Very emotional music. Overwhelming, I would even say."
"Merde... c'est très belle. Mais tu m'as fait pleurer." Jean-Louis, Messery
"Shit... very beautiful. But you made me cry."
"Je le trouve angélique. Très belle." Christian, Montcombroux les Mines
"It's seraphic. Very beautiful."
"Mooi. Doet me aan iemand denken..." Leonard, Rotterdam
"Nice. Makes me think of someone..."
"Super... Une touche de mélancolie, mais quand même gay." Michelle, Grenoble
"Super... A hint of melancholy, but overall an optimistic atmosphere."
But, let's be honest. There were also people who walked away from it. People who couldn't appreciate it or found it too heavy (whatever that may be). I suppose.
The work
This Dies Irae is written for full orchestra, including one harp with four solists (soprano, alto, tenore and bass) and SATB choir.
The work is ready, although I will change/improve things without doubt in the near future. I'll keep you informed.
Acknowledgement
I am extremely grateful to dr HJ van Dam, professor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, for his corrections and changes in Latin text, to adapt it to my secular wishes. I wouldn't have dared to start composing, without his critical eye for correct word choice and declination as well as conjugation.
Below you can get an impression of this composition in it's second version (rev. 05-2019).
The entire work is ±60 minutes.
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© The complete copyright of the music (also this electronic version) has been deposited. This means that you can only listen but not use it nor partially, nor completely for your own purposes. Let alone that you use it for your own performances or productions.
For citation rights please contact the publisher and the Buma/Stemra organization in the Netherlands.
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Start-pagina
Start
Compositie-pagina's
Leiden an der Liebe
Dies Irae
Never alone anymore
The Little Clown
The Prisoner
The End
Skeleton
Once
Ditty before and after
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Biography of the composer
On copyright
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