Orchestra of St. Luke's at Carnegie Hall

Conductor: Iván Fischer
Soprano: Dominique Labelle
Mezzo-Soprano: Kelley O'Connor
Tenor: Joseph Kaiser
Baritone: Richard Paul Fink
Chorus: Musica Sacra
Music Director: Kent Tritle

On Thursday night, the Orchestra of St. Luke's presented at program at Carnegie Hall featuring two works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 34 in C Major, K. 338 (1780), and the Requiem, K. 626 (completed by Franz Xaver Süssmayr) (1791).

Mozart wrote Symphony No. 34 at the age of 25 during his final year in Salzburg. Set in three movements, this symphony marked a new confidence in Mozart's stylistic development and helped establish his reputation in Munich and Vienna. The orchestra seemed to play it with a darker, more burnished color than what I'm accustomed to with Mozart. In the second movement, the interwoven themes between the violins and the bassoons, cellos, double basses were particularly captivating.

Mozart died ten years later at the age of 35. At the time he was working on the Requiem, which was commissioned under mysterious circumstances, but had only completed the first half (up to the first lines of Lacrimosa), leaving behind sketches of the remaining sections. Süssmayr completed the score, adding his own Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, and Communio.

While Musica Sacra seemed to emphasize the sacred rather than the emotional aspects of the score, the singers fully expressed Mozart's anger and desperation over his own impending death in Dies Irae and Confutatis. The excellent soprano/mezzo/tenor/baritone quartet alternated with the choral passages and provided an introspective and deeply spiritual context.

The Requiem was a work of dark and somber beauty and I was glad to hear it for the first time. This was the orchestra's final concert in Carnegie Hall. I'm looking forward to hearing them again next season.

Here's the complete Requiem with Karl Bohm leading the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

Lyrics:

I. Introit: Requiem
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem. Exaudi orationem meam, ad te omnis care veniet. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.	Grant them eternal rest, Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them. You are praised, God, in Zion, and homage will be paid to You in Jerusalem. Hear my prayer, to You all flesh will come. Grant them eternal rest, Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them.
II. Kyrie
Kyrie, eleison. Christe, eleison. Kyrie, eleison.	Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
III. Sequence
1. Dies irae
Dies irae, dies illa Solvet saeclum in favilla, teste David cum Sibylla. Quantus tremor est futurus, quando judex est venturus, cuncta stricte discussurus!	Day of wrath, day of anger will dissolve the world in ashes, as foretold by David and the Sibyl. Great trembling there will be when the Judge descends from heaven to examine all things closely.
2. Tuba mirum
Tuba mirum spargens sonum per sepulcra regionum, coget omnes ante thronum.	The trumpet will send its wondrous sound throughout earth's sepulchres and gather all before the throne.
Mors stupebit et natura, cum resurget creatura, judicanti responsura. Liber scriptus proferetur, in quo totum continetur, unde mundus judicetur.	Death and nature will be astounded, when all creation rises again, to answer the judgement. A book will be brought forth, in which all will be written, by which the world will be judged.
Judex ergo cum sedebit, quidquid latet, apparebit, nil inultum remanebit.	When the judge takes his place, what is hidden will be revealed, nothing will remain unavenged.
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus? quem patronum rogaturus, cum vix justus sit securus?	What shall a wretch like me say? Who shall intercede for me, when the just ones need mercy?
3. Rex tremendae
Rex tremendae majestatis, qui salvandos savas gratis, salve me, fons pietatis.	King of tremendous majesty, who freely saves those worthy ones, save me, source of mercy.
4. Recordare
Recordare, Jesu pie, quod sum causa tuae viae; ne me perdas illa die. Quaerens me, sedisti lassus, redemisti crucem passus; tantus labor non sit cassus. Juste judex ultionis, donum fac remissionis ante diem rationis. Ingemisco, tamquam reus: culpa rubet vultus meus; supplicanti parce, Deus. Qui Mariam absolvisti, et latronem exaudisti, mihi quoque spem dedisti. Preces meae non sunt dignae, sed tu, bonus, fac benigne, ne perenni cremer igne. Inter oves locum praesta, Et ab haedis me sequestra, Statuens in parte dextra.	Remember, kind Jesus, my salvation caused your suffering; do not forsake me on that day. Faint and weary you have sought me, redeemed me, suffering on the cross; may such great effort not be in vain. Righteous judge of vengeance, grant me the gift of absolution before the day of retribution. I moan as one who is guilty: owning my shame with a red face; suppliant before you, Lord. You, who absolved Mary, and listened to the thief, give me hope also. My prayers are unworthy, but, good Lord, have mercy, and rescue me from eternal fire. Provide me a place among the sheep, and separate me from the goats, guiding me to Your right hand.
5. Confutatis
Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis, voca me cum benedictus. Oro supplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasi cinis, gere curam mei finis.	When the accused are confounded, and doomed to flames of woe, call me among the blessed. I kneel with submissive heart, my contrition is like ashes, help me in my final condition.
6. Lacrimosa
Lacrimosa dies illa, qua resurget ex favilla judicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce, Deus, pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem. Amen.	That day of tears and mourning, when from the ashes shall arise, all humanity to be judged. Spare us by your mercy, Lord, gentle Lord Jesus, grant them eternal rest. Amen.
IV. Offertory
I. Domine Jesu
Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae, libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu. Libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum. Sed signifer sanctus Michael repraesentet eas in lucem sanctam. Quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus.	Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, liberate the souls of the faithful, departed from the pains of hell and from the bottomless pit. Deliver them from the lion's mouth, lest hell swallow them up, lest they fall into darkness.  Let the standard-bearer, holy Michael, bring them into holy light. Which was promised to Abraham and his descendants.
2. Hostias
Hostias et preces tibi, Domine, laudis offerimus. Tu sucipe pro animabus illis, quaram hodie memoriam facimus. Fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam, Quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus.	Sacrifices and prayers of praise, Lord, we offer to You. Receive them in behalf of those souls we commemorate today. And let them, Lord, pass from death to life, which was promised to Abraham and his descendants.
V. Agnus Dei:
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem sempiternam.	Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Grant them eternal rest. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest forever.
VI. Communio:
Lux aeterna
Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es. Requiem aeternum dona eis, Domine, et Lux perpetua luceat eis, cum Sanctus tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.	Let eternal light shine on them, Lord, as with Your saints in eternity, because You are merciful. Grant them eternal rest, Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them, as with Your saints in eternity, because You are merciful.