Written by an anonymous 13th c. Franciscan, the Dies Irae is/was prayed during Masses for the Dead and on All Souls Day.

Latin version:

Dies irae, dies illa,

solvet saeculum in favilla,

teste David cum Sibylla.

Quantus tremor est futurus,

quando Judex est venturus,

cuncta stricte discussurus!

English version:

Day of wrath, day of mourning,

earth in smoldering ashes lying,

so spake David and the Sibyl.

How great the trembling shall be

when the Judge shall come,

by whose sentence all shall be bound

This melody, based on the old plainsong chant can be found in the music of Mozart, Berlioz, and Verdi among others.

Musicians have used the Dies Irae to represent death, grieving, or other morbid themes in their music. Although Rachmaninov made the most varied and extensive use of it, Berlioz ( Symphonie Fantastique ), Liszt ( Totentaz ) , and Tchaikovsky ( Third Suite ) also composed pieces incorporating the Dies Irae.

Rachmaninov's recurrent use of the theme suggests that it had some deep importance to him. He used it in Isle of the Dead ,Symphonic Dances ,and others.

The music comes to tentative closure intended to suggest the presence of an unanswered question.

A brief transition changes the mood and brings the listener into the first text.