Miserere (Pärt)

Miserere is a choral work by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. The work is set to two traditional liturgical hymns: the Miserere and the Dies Irae. The piece begins with repeated pleas for mercy, interspersed with fateful pauses, until the day of wrath itself is ushered in by a thunderous drum-roll. The drum initiates each new verse, as the choir sings the most terrifying words in the Christian liturgy. Having confronted catastrophe, the choir ascends to radiant heights over the deep-throated resonance of the organ, tam-tam, and bell.^[1] Typically, performances last around 35 minutes.^[2]

References

1. Burrows, John. Classical Music (Visual Reference Guides Series) (1st ed.). Metro Books. p. 488. ISBN 978-1435121270.
2. Clarke, David (1993). "Parting Glances: David Clarke Reappraises the Music and the Aesthetics of Arvo Pärt". The Musical Times 134: 680–684. doi:10.2307/1002929.