Programme notes:

Tereza Jaďuďová (b. 2001)
Requiem, Op. 63
Written in 2024-2025

The creation of my Requiem has been a profound journey, intertwining personal reflection with a deep respect for the rich traditions of this sacred form. The Requiem Mass, historically rooted in the solemn ceremonies of the Catholic Church, serves as both a prayer for the departed and a meditation on the fragility and transcendence of human life.

In crafting this composition, I sought to honor the timeless structure of the Requiem Mass while infusing it with my own musical voice. The traditional section are each rendered with a balance of reverence and innovation, aiming to evoke both the awe and the solace that accompany contemplation of mortality.

Throughout the composition, I have employed a variety of musical textures and dynamics to mirror the emotional breadth of the Requiem text. The interplay between the choir and orchestra is central to this work, creating a dialogue that mirrors the dual themes of despair and hope, darkness and light, death and eternal life.

Writing this Requiem has been an exploration of the profound emotions that accompany loss and the search for meaning in the face of death. It is my hope that this work not only honors those who have passed but also offers comfort and reflection to those who listen, creating a space where sorrow and solace coexist.

But most importantly, for me personally, this Requiem is above all a celebration of life.

I – Introit: Requiem æternam

II – Kyrie: Kyrie eleison

III – Gradual: Requiem ætrernam

IV – Tract: Absolve, Domine

V – Sequence: Dies iræ

VI – Offertory: Domine, Jesu Christe

VII – Sanctus, Benedictus

VIII – Agnus Dei

IX – Communion: Lux æterna

X – Pie Jesu

XI – Responsory: Libera me, Domine

XII – Antiphon: In Paradisum

Instrumentation:

2fl [picc], 2ob [corA], [bcl], 2bn, 4hn, 2tpt, 3trbn, tba, timp, 3perc [SD, BD, cyms, t-t, t.bells], hp, org, soli [S, A, T, B], ch [SATB], str [16vln I, 14vln II, 12vla, 10vc, 8db]

Diploma composition

set to premiere in 2026, more information coming soon