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Requiem aeternam

Set by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Requiem aeternam", op. 66 no. 1, published 1961 [ soprano, tenor, baritone, satb chorus, boys' chorus, orchestra, chamber orchestra, organ ], from War Requiem, no. 1 [Sung Text]

Note: this setting is made up of several separate texts.

Translations available : CAT 


Chorus
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine:
et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Boys' Chorus
Te decet hymnus, Deus in Sion:
et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem;
exaudi orationem meam, 
ad te omnis caro veniet.

Chorus
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine:
et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Lau Kanen) , "Geef hun eeuwige rust (Requiem aeternam)"
  • ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor] , Salvador Pila [Guest Editor] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor] 


What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
  Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
  Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, --
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?
  Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
  The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

Text Authorship:

  • by Wilfred Owen (1893 - 1918), "Anthem for Doomed Youth", first published 1917

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Walter A. Aue) , "Hymne für verlorene Jugend", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Dr. Anthony Krupp) (Clo Blanco) , "Himno para la juventud condenada", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Note: in Britten's War Requiem, this is sung by the tenor.

Researcher for this page: Jason Rico 


Κύριε ελέησον. 
Χριστε ελέησον. 
Κύριε ελέησον.

Show a transliteration: DIN | ISO 843

Note on Transliterations

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

Transliteration of the text: 

Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison.

Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]

Author(s): Bible or other Sacred Texts , Wilfred Owen (1893 - 1918)