Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Exit Music

Dies Irae - Days of Wrath

Dies Irae is a term that frequently crops up in crossword puzzles. It refers to a medieval Latin poem about the Day of Judgement that was set to music and has since been part of the Roman Catholic and Anglican liturgy. More info about Dies Irae here .

The tune/chant of the Dies Irae is very recognizable:


\relative c' {
  \cadenzaOn
  f8 e f d e c d4 d \breathe
  f8 f([ g)] f([ e)] d([ c)] e f e d4 \breathe
  a8 c( d) d d( c) e f e d \bar "|."
}
\addlyrics {
  Di -- es i -- rae di -- es il -- la,
  Sol -- vet __ sae -- clum __ in fa -- vil -- la:
  Tes -- te __ Da -- vid __ cum Si -- byl -- la
}

No doubt you have heard it, if not as part of a requiem, then in more modern contexts referring to death or doom. 

Tom Allen, a trombonist/CBC Radio Two host has recently started to make musical videos which are both educational and entertaining. This wonderful, approximately 6 minute video released last week features the Dies Irae. 


On Saturday morning I was lucky to catch an interview on Radio One with Tom Allen in which he mentions that the video was filmed in a single "take" at Bishop Strachan School in Toronto. There is also a shorter video about the making of Exit Music:


Finally, if you are not asleep yet and are still interested, are a Trekkie and/or have time, here is Tom's first video, The Final Frontier:

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