Requiem aeternam dona [ei]1, [Domine]2, 
et lux perpetua luceat [ei]1 3
Te decet Hymnum, Deus in Sion: 
et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem: 
Exaudi orationem meam, 
ad te omnis caro veniet. 
Requiem aeternam: dona [ei]1, 
Domine, et lux perpetua luceat [ei]1.

G. Rossini sets lines 1-2
H. Howells sets lines 1-2
W. Rihm sets lines 1-2
J. Rutter sets lines 1-6

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Britten, Howells, Rutter, Rihm: "eis"
² omitted by Howells.
³ Rossini adds "Requiescant in pace. Amen."

Text as set by Britten:

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:

• by Bible or other Sacred Texts  [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

• by Herbert Norman Howells (1892 - 1983), "Requiem aeternam", 1936-8, published 1951, first performed 1950, lines 1-2 [ soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, and orchestra ], from Hymnus Paradisi, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Wolfgang Michael Rihm (1952 - 2024), no title, 2015/2016, lines 1-2 [ soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra ], from oratorio Requiem-Strophen, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Gioacchino Antonio Rossini (1792 - 1868), "À ma belle mère", lines 1-2 [ contralto and piano ], from Péchés de vieillesse, Vol XI: Miscellanée de musique vocale, no. 4, confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971), "In memoriam T. S. Eliot", 1965 [sung text not yet checked]

The text above (or a part of it) is used in the following settings:

• 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
  • View the full text. [sung text checked 1 time]
    
• by John Milford Rutter, CBE (b. 1945), "Requiem aeternam", from mass Requiem, no. 1
  • View the full text. [sung text checked 1 time]
    

Set in a modified version by Erik Norby.

• Go to the text. [ view differences ]
  

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]

This text was added to the website: 2008-08-26
Line count: 8
Word count: 50

Geef hun1 de eeuwige rust, [Heer]2;
En het eeuwige licht verlichte hen3.
U, God, komt lofzang toe in Sion,
En U moge de belofte vervuld worden in Jerusalem.
Verhoor mijn gebed;
Tot U zal alle vlees komen.
Geef hun4 de eeuwige rust, Heer;
En het eeuwige licht verlichte hen5.