Mozart Requiem Choir Notes

MovementBar(s)Part(s)Comment
FROM 17/10/2025
EverywhereAllMark in pronunciation ‘changes’ (such as
‘-qu-‘ = ‘-kv-‘ and
‘-ce-‘ – ‘-ts-‘) throughout your score, if you need.
AllPlease go through all this pages’ notes
EARLIER NOTES
RequiemOpeningAll Nice rolled R and remember the the QU is pronounced as a KV!
14AllAccent beat 2 small dim to beat 3
15/16AllCresc to middle of bar
17AllStrong ‘Lu-‘ then dim.
18-19AllDim into 19
30-31S/BOne phrase
32All Quaver only
43-start of 46All Cresc. to 3rd beat of each phrase then away
46-48All From ‘et’ one phrase
KyrieEverywhere!All Kyrie: Y is pronounced Ü. The subject and countersubject as below. Note that the beginning of each should be louder than the faster notes that follow.
OpeningAll Main subject (Kyrie): slight detaching of the 3rd and 4th beats (crotchets). Cut the dotted crotched short in the 3rd bar. Legato in 4th bar.
OpeningAll Countersubject (Christe): quavers marcato, semi-quavers crescendo, dim in 3rd bar.
23AllDim so that 24 is mp (but keep the phrasing of the subjects)
35-40All Cresc to forte
43AllDim to mp in 44
45-49AllCresc to forte
SequenzOpeningAllNot quite legato: slight marcato – i.e. a front to the notes, especially the crotchets. NB this results in two ‘L’s in ‘il-la’
10ff/31ffAllLegato!
11TStrong front on ‘quan’ in 11 and 14
31AllOnly mf
37-39AllMarcato minims
40B‘Quantus’ mf and cresc. – but forte in 48
42-43(etc)S/A/Tmf and soupy!
50AllFortissimo
58ffAll‘Stri-cte’ non legato each time
Rex tremendaeOpeningAllRex’ a full crotchet
6-16AllAll semi-quavers become demi-semis
7-10T/Bmf only, back to f 2nd beat of 11 then stay f
7-10S/ADon’t hit the higher long notes but let each one crescendo
11All Small gap before beat 2
12-14S/A Only mf on ‘qui salvandos’ then back to f
12-14T/BDon’t hit the higher long notes but let each one crescendo
18-19AllReal semi-quaver / ‘me’ is a full crotchet
20-22AllOne phrase
ConfutatisOpeningT/BReal semi-quavers. ‘ta-‘ stronger than ‘-tis’
1-3 and 11-12T/BStrong first crotchet (on ‘-ta-‘ or ‘-di-‘) 
7ffS/A Small cresc. 7-8 then dim in 8. Again cresc 9-10
13T2nd note semiquaver
17-24SCresc. 17-18 then away, cresc into 19, dim in 20. Strong ‘vo-‘ end of 20 and start of 22, dim 24
17-24Cresc 17-18 then away, cresc 19-20. Strong ‘vo-‘ in 21 and 22, dim 24.
26ffBLong first notes of these phrases a little louder at their starts.
26-endAllLegato 
27-28Allcresc then dim in 28, also 31-32, 34-35.
37-38AllDim 
Lacrimosa3-4AllCresc to middle of bar then dim
5-6AllOne quaver only (i.e. short notes!)
9-10AllCresc then dim in 10. Sub forte in 11.
15AllWait for the start of this bar
16AllLast note just crotchet with ‘s’ on quaver rest.
17A/T/BLast note crotchet
17SSing through 17-19.
18AllDim to 19
Domine JesuOpeningAllVery articulate / non legato
1AllCresc 
2AllDim 
9/14AllFirst note quaver
11Good sized breath between first 2 notes
15-16AllCresc then dim. Sops ignore comma in 15 (same 18-19)
16/19AllBeat 3 = quaver
21-30T then allNon legato – focus sound on the lower notes.
27-30AllMarcato ‘ne ca-dant’, especially in 29-30
30-32B then allCresc in B on ‘in ob-‘ then dim in 31
44ffAllAlways cresc to 3rd beat of phrase. More cresc. / dim within in each of the 2 main 4 beat phrases
71/75All1st note quaver
HostiasOpeningAllLegato 
7AllBreathe before this bar
16Allmf 
20-21/43-44AllDim 
Sanctus1-3AllFull length crotchets
5AllDotted crotchet on ‘-oth’ with ‘T’ therefore on final quaver
8/9AllBreathe end of 8 and middle of 9
10AllNo rit.
(Osanna)11B then allmf. 2nd and 6th notes short.
11ffAllDance-like feel. Light, not heavy. (and at end of Benedictus)
33S/T/Bcresc. 
Agnus Dei10/41BObserve comma
11All Sing through to 14
25SObserve comma
44-45AllRit. 
50AllDim into last bar
Lux aeternaTransfer markings from Requiem
Cum Sanctis tuisTransfer markings from Kyrie
31ffAllCut the dotted crotchet (3rd bar of theme) to a crotchet. Emphasise ‘cum sanctis’ and then make the semiquavers lighter. Remember the dynamics.
89-90All No rit.