Analyzing Wilfred Owen's Poem

1. Requiem aeternam: The chorus and boys’ choir sings phrases of faith and requests for the soldiers to be saved in Latin; the tenor then sings about the futility of prayers, from Wilfred Owen’s poem, in English. These two groups contrast each other because the first is concerned with religious practices while the second rebukes such religious practices. The music of the chorus and boys’ choir sounds more suspenseful while the music of the tenor sounds more dramatic.

Dies irae: The chorus sings about descriptions of Judgment Day and begs God for mercy in Latin; they later sing about the confusion of how to save themselves, accompanied by the soloists. The baritone sings about humans’ reactions to Judgment Day in English. The soprano sings about how Judgment Day will resolve all conflicts and reveal all secrets in Latin. The tenor and baritone

The chorus, in Latin, sings lines praising God and asks him to give these soldiers peace. The requiem switches back and forth from the tenor to the chorus. The groups contrast each other because the chorus sings words of praise, while the tenor points out how their actions are not directly helping the soldiers that the religious ask God to save. Overall, the two groups maintain a calm tone.

Libera me: The soprano and chorus, in Latin, implore that God has mercy on them on Judgment Day. The tenor, in English, recounts the experience of a soldier who survived in battle. The baritone, in English, mourns about the horrors of war, then talks of the rest of death. The boys’ choir, chorus, and soprano, in Latin, ask God to welcome the fallen soldiers into heaven. The groups work together to finish the requiem with a final plead to save the fallen soldiers. Overall, the music sounds angelic and