A Requiem, at its core, is a prayer for rest- traditionally, for the deceased. The five movements of Dan Forrest's Requiem for the Living, (2013), however, form a narrative...for the living, and their own struggle with pain and sorrow... The opening movement sets the traditional [opening prayer and LORD HAVE MERCY] texts- pleas for rest and mercy- using ever-increasing elaborations on a simple three-note descending motive. The second movement, instead of the traditional [DAY OF WRATH], sets Scriptural texts that speak of the turmoil and sorrow which face humanity, while yet invoking musical and textual allusions to the [traditional DAY OF WRATH texts]. This movement juxtaposes aggressive rhythmic gestures with long, floating melodic lines, including quotes of the Kyrie from the first movement. The [LAMB OF GOD section] is performed next...as a plea for deliverance and peace; the [HOLY, HOLY, HOLY section], following it, becomes a response to this redemption. The [HOLY section] offers three different glimpses of the "heavens and earth, full of Thy glory", all of which develop the same musical motive: an ethereal opening section inspired by images of space from the Hubble Space Telescope, a stirring middle section inspired by images of our own planet as viewed from the International Space Station, and a closing section which brings the listener down to Earth, where cities teem with the energy of humanity. The [LIGHT ETERNAL section] which then closes the work portrays light, peace, and rest- for both the deceased and the living. 

                                                                                                                        -Dan Forrest [altered]

Requiem for the Living was commissioned by the Hickory Choral Society (Hickory, NC), as part of their ongoing commitment to funding new major works for the choral repertoire. The work is Dan Forrest's largest piece to date, and was written over a period of 16 months in 2012-2013.