Pie Jesu

Kyle Baack

Kansas State University

 

Greg Gilpin

 

4805 Melbourne Road

Indianapolis, IN 46228

317-297-0603 Phone and Fax

 

Originally from the “Show-Me”   state of Missouri, Greg now resides in Indianapolis, IN.

 

He is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Music Education, K-12.

Greg is a well-known choral composer and arranger with hundreds of publications to his credit.  He does numerous commissions throughout the year and special arranging projects for recorded works.  He is also in demand as a conductor, working with choral festivals and events, all-district and all-state choirs.  Greg attends many music educator conventions throughout the year presenting clinics on subjects ranging from movement and choreography to classical literature and sacred music. 

 

Greg is currently Creative Director of School Music Publications for Shawnee Press, Inc.

   

At home in Indianapolis, Greg is busy as a studio musician and producer in the recording industry. These projects include commercial jingles, album projects, Broadway and Disney.  He has performed or toured with several gospel and inspirational greats which include Ray Boltz, Bill and Gloria Gaither and Sandy Patty.  Most recently, Greg can be heard on the new Johnny Mathis holiday C.D. release "The Christmas Album".

 

***Rather than include an incomplete list of Gilpin’s compositions I have included the link below to his website.  .  On Gilpin’s website there is a current list of compositions The website includes the name of each piece, the vocal arrangement (2-part, SSA, SATB, etc.) and the publisher.  Gilpin has been published by the following publishers: 

 

Composition:

Pie Jesu or “Merciful Jesus” is part of the “Sequence” of the Requiem Mass, celebrated upon the death or burial of a Christian, or the anniversary of that day.  

 

Lyrics

Pie Jesu,

qui tolis peccata mundi,

dona eis requiem.

Agnus Dei,

dona eis requiem.

Merciful Jesus,

who takes away the sins of the world,

grant them rest.

Lamb of God,

Grant them rest.

 

 

 

 

Historical Perspective:

The Requiem, or Requiem Mass, is a liturgical service of the Roman Catholic Church. The liturgy is a repertoire of ideas or phrases prescribed for public worship.  The theme of The Requiem Mass is a prayer for the salvation of the souls of the departed, and it is used both at services immediately preceding a burial, and on occasions of more general remembrance.

The regular texts found in Roman Catholic Liturgy:

Originally the Requiem was meant to be performed in a liturgical service, with monophonic chant. Monophonic means having a single unaccompanied melody, like a Gregorian chant.  Eventually the dramatic character began to appeal to composers to an extent that made the requiem a genre of its own.

This use of the word requiem comes from the opening words of the Introit: Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. (Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may everlasting light shine upon them.) The Requiem Mass differs from the ordinary mass in omitting certain joyful passages such as the Gloria, Credo, and Alleluia, and by the addition of the sequence Dies Iræ.

Dies Iræ, or "Day of Wrath" is a famous 13th-century Latin hymn thought to be written by Thomas of Celano. The poem describes the Day of Judgment, the last trumpet summoning souls before the throne of God, where the good will be delivered and the evil cast into eternal flames.  The hymn was used as a sequence in the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass until the 1970 revision of the Roman Missal.  The motet Pie Jesu derives part of its lyrics from the last stanza:

Lacrimosa dies illa,

qua resurget ex favilla

judicandus homo reus.

Huic ergo parce, Deus:

pie Jesu Domine,

dona eis requiem. Amen.

Tearful that day,

on which will rise from ashes

guilty man for judgement.

So have mercy, O God, on this person.

Compassionate Lord Jesus,

grant them rest. Amen.

Some settings of the Mass contain additional texts, such as the devotional motet Pie Iesu (in the settings of Dvořák, Fauré, Duruflé, and Lloyd Webber – Fauré set it as a soprano solo in the center).  The Pie Jesu combines paraphrases of the final verse of the Dies Iræ and the Agnus Dei.

Pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem. Dona eis requiem sempiternam.

O sweet Lord Jesus, grant them rest; grant them everlasting rest.

Agnus Dei, or “Lamb of God,” is part of the mass, whose text is not allowed to change.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem,

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem,

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem sempiternam.

 

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

grant them rest,

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

grant them rest,

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

grant them rest, eternal.

 

Melodic Content:

            The melodic content of this piece is rather simple allowing the ensemble to focus on other aspects of the piece rather than notes.  The piece begins with one melodic thought with the three parts, SSA, in unison.  It is not until measure 9 that the three parts divide harmonically (example 1).  Measures 13-15 contain two part writing with the melody in the soprano 1.  The following two measures, 15-17, the piece switches back to three part writing with the melody in the soprano 1 part.  The soprano 2s and the altos have a new rhythm which is melodically different than the Soprano 1 part (example 2).  Then they return to unison until the beginning theme is introduced again but this time in three part writing.  This time the theme is in a different key and the altos have different rhythms (example 3).  The composition finishes up with a coda featuring a delayed entrance by the altos on the same pitch and then resolving in the opposite direction, resulting in a two part harmony.  The last vocal phrase is three part writing in which the only unordinary movement comes from a leading tone in the alto section, but it is supported by the piano part as well (example 4).  Throughout the composition the melody remains in the soprano section.  The piece has a few leaps but they remain the same leaps throughout the composition.  Otherwise the piece is primarily conjunct with rather simple melodic texture.

 

 

Rhythmic Content:

            The rhythmic content is level three primarily because there is some variety between each part.  The piece is in 4/4 time and is asked to be ‘Moderato, with feeling.’  The piece primarily has three different rhythmic patterns which should be addressed.  Beginning in unison, the rhythm in measures 5-6 (example 1) is repeated throughout the piece.  The combination of a dotted-quarter-note and an eighth-note combine to form a large part of the rhythmic content.  Another rhythmic texture to pay attention to is found in measures 15-16 (example 2) because there is a separate rhythm going on between the three sections.  The Soprano 1s have the rhythm we discussed above and the Soprano 2s and the Altos have a quarter note followed by a dotted-half-note.  The rhythm isn’t too complicated but it is doing two different rhythms which can be tricky.  This occurs one other time in the composition which should be noted as well, in measure 19 (example 3).  The third beat of the Alto section should be emphasized because it is the only movement taking place at that time.  The same rhythm reoccurs in measures 28, 30 & 34.  Other than these three rhythms the rhythmic content of this piece is composed primarily of the combination of multiple quarter-notes, half-notes and dotted-half-notes. 

 

Harmonic Content, Form and Structure:

The form of Pie Jesu is not completely independent of the rhythmic content or the melodic differences found in the composition.  Below are the measures that correspond with and what key the piece is in at that time.

 

Form Section:                      Measures:                  Key:

Intro (piano)                            1-4                               c

A                                             5-12                             c, Eb

B                                             10-18                           Eb

A’                                            19-27                           C

Coda                                        28-35(end)                  C

 

On first glance at the piece there are clearly three different sections of music, however the third set of melodic content is more of a restatement of the initial theme.  This form is called rounded binary, represented as ABA’.  A piece in binary form is characterized by two complementary, related sections of roughly equal duration. The first section will start in a certain key, and will usually modulate to a related key.  Compositions in minor keys will typically modulate to the relative major, the major key centered on the third scale degree above the tonic.  This is exactly what happens in this piece moving gradually from c – Eb (example 1) in measures 7-8, finally landing in Eb.  The piece then remains in Eb throughout the second section until measure 19 (example 2).  Occasionally, the B section will end with a "return" of the opening material from the A section. This is referred to as rounded binary, and is labeled as ABA'.   This does take place in this piece and is found in measures 19 through the end of the piece. 

 

Gilpin has used secondary dominant chords well in this piece and has used modulations carefully, yet has surprised us through the use of neighboring tones and the leading tone.  The use of secondary dominant chords has allowed smooth transitions into each different key; 7-8 (viio/V - V/III – III (I in new key) (example 1).  The leading tone was significant in two specific sections in which the alto section stands alone rhythmically.  This dissonance between the leading tone and tonic allows for a clash to be heard easily as well as a desired resolution to be found in the following note; measures 28 & 33 (example 2)

 

Content Map:

Below is a content Map of the entire piece.

 

Score Markings

 

 

 

 

 

Measure

1

5

13

19

28

Phrases

Intro

ab

a'b'

ab

a'

Form

Intro (piano)

ab

B

A'

coda

Melodic Material

(piano)

Primarily          conjunct

Dissonance between Sop 1 and Alto

Repeated melodic material in major key

Repeated material

Rhythmic Content

 

Dotted-half-note, Dotted-quarter-note

Contrary motion in measure 15-16:      Sop 2 and Altos

Contrary motion in measures              19-22: Altos

Alto's delayed entrance: measures 28, 30

Harmonic Content

c minor

c-minor to Eb Major

Eb Major

C Major

C Major

Texture

 

5-7 monophonic       8-12 homophonic

13-14 homophonic   15-16 polyphonic     17-18 monophonic

homphonic

28-32 polyphonic     33-end homophonic

Timbre

Piano

SSA and rhythmically supportive piano

SSA and contrary motion in Piano

SSA and contrary motion in Piano

SSA and rhythmically supportive piano

Dynamic Shape

ff

 

 

 

 

ff

 

 

          X

 

mf

      X

 

 

 

mp

                        X

                        X

                       X

 

p   X ----------------X

 

        X

 

   X

pp

 

 

 

            X

 

 

Textural and Timbral Content:

The voicing in this ensemble has been asked by the composer to remain a blend of the three parts at equal dynamic levels.  However, when sections stand alone rhythmically they should aurally stand out as well.  The melody is always in the Soprano 1 section but the harmonies of the other sections compliment and should create a unified sound.  Here is a guide of the texture of the piece.

 

Measures                    Voicing                       Texture

   5-7                               unison                         monophonic

   8-14                             3pt                               homophonic

   15-16                           2pt                               polyphonic

   17-18                           3pt                               monophonic

   19-27                           3pt                               homophonic

   28-32                           2pt                               polyphonic

   33-end                         3pt                               homophonic

 

The timbre this piece is written for is piano.  The piano rhythmically supports the ensemble and musical content in the A section.  It does not follow the rhythms directly but its base movement supports the structure of the opening theme.  The second section of the piece, the B section, contains a piano part which plays contrary to the movement of the ensemble playing while the ensemble has little or no movement (example 1, measures 13-16).  The piece rounds out with another statement of the A theme redone with the piano continuing to play contrary to the structure of the rhythmic content of the ensemble.  Leading up to the coda, in measure 27, the piano gets back to rhythmically supporting the ensemble.

 

Stylistic and Expressive Content:

            The style of this piece offers many opportunities to teach students phrasing and the importance of dynamics.  Stylistically the Pie Jesu began as a chant and its basic sound remains and should resemble a chant.  The phrase movement throughout the piece should represent a series of chants resulting in a thorough representation of each melodic statement.  The words should speak for themselves yet the piece is often used for a more somber time, namely death.  Following the proper phrases indicated, as well as the dynamics asked for, will result in the expressive element intended by Gilpin.  The dynamic markings teamed with the melodic content and chordal structure will cause the style intended.