22nd Movement: Et vos igitur nunc quidem tristitiam
The twenty-second movement of the Requiem, Et vos igitur, is accompanied by a video tour of the Cathedral and Metropolitical
Church of Christ at Canterbury, in England
Et vos igitur, like each of the composition's movements, was inspired by the beauty and grandeur of some of the world's great cathedrals and churches.
The Text Et vos igitur nunc quidem tristitiam (And you now therefore have sorrow, John 16:22) This verse is not included in the Latin liturgy of the Eucharist (Mass), but would have been appropriate as a New Testament reading at the Liturgy of the Word in the Requiem Mass.
For language consistency in the Requiem, I’ve included the verse in the Latin that would have been heard at the Roman Requiem Mass prior to the introduction of vernacular translations of the Bible.
The Composition I originally composed this section of the Requiem as a plainchant (monophonic, sung in free rhythm) for small men’s choir. But the melody suggested interesting harmonic possibilities, and it was revised for orchestration, and the rhythm standardized. But no effort was made to impose a time signature on the movement. The notes are not contained in measures, so the movement retains the free-flowing momentum of the Latin, a familiar characteristic of plainchant.
This section of the Requiem is scored for altos, basses, boys’ choir, boy soloist, and strings (24 violins, 8 violas, 8 cellos, 6 double basses).
Latin Verse and English Translation
Et vos igitur nunc quidem tristitiam habetis
iterum autem videbo vos et gaudebit cor vestrum
et gaudium vestrum nemo tollit a vobis
And you now therefore have sorrow;
but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice,
and your joy no man can take from you.
