REFUGE / REQUIEM

I. Prelude
(No text — choir on vowels only)

nn

oo

oh…

ah

na’n’n…

ah

oh

oo

nn

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II. in medio / in the midst

Text from Buxtehude’s Ad manus — Zechariah 13:6 — adapted by Caroline Shaw, with the addition of in medio manuum nostrarum (“in the midst of our hands”)

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quid sunt plagae istae

quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum

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in medio

quid sunt plagae istae quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum nostrarum

Translation:

What are those wounds

What are those wounds in the midst of your hands

in the midst

What are those wounds

What are those wounds in the midst of our hands

III. Her beacon-hand beckons

Text adapted from “The New Colossus” poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty

Music by Caroline Shaw

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Her beacon-hand beckons: 

Give,

give to me

those yearning to breathe free

tempest-tossed they cannot see

what lies beyond the olive tree

whose branch was lost amid the pleas

for mercy, mercy 

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Give,

give to me

your tired fighters fleeing flying

from the

from the

from

let them 

I will be your refuge

I will be your refuge

I will be

I will be

We will be

We will

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IV. ever ever ever

Text by CS — the final line, in caverna, is from Buxtehude’s Ad latus — the line from the Song of Songs, in foraminibus petrae, in caverna maceriae, or “in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow of the cliff.”

Ever ever ever

in the window sills or

the beveled edges

of the aging wooden frames that hold

old photographs

hands folded

Folded

gently in her lap.

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Ever ever

in the crevices

the never-ending efforts of

the grandmother's tendons tending

to her bread and empty chairs

left for Elijahs

where are they now.

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in caverna

in caverna 

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V. Litany of the Displaced

The choir speaks global figures of internal displacement, sourced from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (http://www.internal-displacement.org/global-figures —  accessed 01/03/2016).

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The numbers spoken are the numbers of internally displaced persons by country, in ascending order. These are people, some of whom may have legal refugee status, who have been displaced within their own country due to armed conflict, situations of generalized violence ir violations of human rights.

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VI. i will hold you

Text by CS — The final line is a reprise from the Zechariah text.

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I would hold you

I would hold you

ever ever will I hold you

ever ever will I enfold you

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in medio

in medio

in medio

in medio

in medio manuum tuarum

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Requiem: Missa pro defunctis
Rest: Funeral Mass

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I. Taedet animam meam

I. My Soul is Weary

Taedet animam meam vitae meae;
I am weary at heart of my life;

dimittam adversum me eloquium meum,

I will speak out at my own risk,

loquar in amaritudine animae meae.

and express the bitterness in my soul.

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Dicam Deo: Noli me condemnare:

I shall say to God: Do not condemn me,

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indica mihi cur me ita iudices.

but show me why you judge me this way.

Numquid bonum tibi videtur,

Shall it seem a good thing to you

si calumnieris me et opprimas me,

to cheapen me and oppress me,

opus manuum tuarum,

a man of your own making,

et consilium impiorum adiuves?

and to support the schemes of the wicked?

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Numquid oculi carnei tibi sunt:

Are your eyes like human eyes?

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aut sicut videt homo, et tu vides?

Do even you see only as men do?

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Numquid sicut dies hominis dies tui,

Is your life like the life of men,

aut anni tui sicut humana sunt tempora,

and do your years pass like the days of men,

ut quaeras iniquitatem meam,

that you should search for faults in me,

et peccatum meum scruteris?

and investigate my sins?

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Et scias quia nihil impium fecerim, 

Surely you know that I have done no wrong

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cum sit nemo qui de manu tua possit eruere.

and no one could rescue me from your hand.

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II. Introitus: Requiem Aeternam
II. Introit: Eternal Rest

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,...

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,...

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et lux perpetua luceat eis.

and let light perpetual shine upon them.

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Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion,

A hymn, O God, becometh Thee in Sion,

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et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem:

and a vow shall be paid to Thee in Jerusalem:

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exaudi orationem meam, 

give ear to my supplication,

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ad te omnis caro veniet.

unto Thee shall all flesh come.

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Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,

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et lux perpetua luceat eis.

and let light perpetual shine upon them.

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III. Kyrie
III. Lord

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Kyrie eleison…

Lord, have mercy…

Christe eleison…
Christ, have mercy…

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Kyrie eleison…

Lord, have mercy…

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IV. Graduale
IV. Gradual

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,

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et lux perpetua luceat eis. 

and let light perpetual shine upon them.

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In memoria aeterna, erit iustus: 

The just man shall remain in memory

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ab auditione mala non timebit.
everlasting: of ill report he shall not be afraid.

V. Offertorium
V. Offertory

Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae,

Lord, Jesus Christ, King of glory,

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libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum

deliver the souls of all who died in the faith

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de poenis inferni, 

from the pains of hell, 

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et de profundo lacu.

and from the deep pit.

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Libera eas de ore leonis,

Deliver them from the lion’s mouth,

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ne absorbeat eas tartarus,

lest the jaws of hell swallow them,

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ne cadant in obscurum:

lest they fall into everlasting darkness:

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sed signifer sanctus Michael 

but let Saint Michael, the leader of hosts,

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repraesentet eas,...

bring them forth…

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in lucem sanctam:... 

into Thy holy light;...

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Quam olim Abrahae promisisti 

as Thou didst promise of old to Abraham

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et semini eius. 

and to his seed.

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VI. Sanctus & Benedictus
VI. Holy & Blessed

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus,

Holy, holy, holy,

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Dominus Deus Sabaoth. 

Lord God of Sabaoth.

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Pleni sunt caeli et terra

The heavens and the earth

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gloria tua.

are full of Thy glory.

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Hosanna in excelsis.

Hosanna in the highest.

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Benedictus qui venit

Blessed is he who comes

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in nomine Domini.

in the name of the Lord.

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Hosanna in excelsis.

Hosanna in the highest.

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VII. Agnus Dei I, II & III
VII. Lamb of God I, II & III

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi:

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world:

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dona eis requiem,...

grant them rest,...

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi:

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world:

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dona eis requiem,...

grant them rest,...

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Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi:

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world:

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dona eis requiem sempiternam…

grant them eternal rest…

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VIII. Communio
VIII. Communion

Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine,

Let light perpetual shine upon them, O Lord,

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cum sanctis tuis, in aeternum:

in the company of Thy saints for evermore:

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quia pius es.

because Thou art merciful.

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Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,

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et lux perpetua luceat eis

and let light perpetual shine upon them

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cum sanctis tuis, in aeternum:

in the company of Thy saints for evermore:

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quia pius es.

because Thou art merciful.

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Requiescant in pace. Amen.

Let them rest in peace. Amen.

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IX. Versa est in luctum

IX. Is Turned Into Mourning

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Versa est in luctum cithara mea…

My harp is turned to mourning…

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et organum meum in vocem flentium.

and my organ into the voice of those that weep.

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Parce mihi, Domine,...

Spare me, O Lord,...

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Nihil emim sunt dies mei…

For my days are nothing…

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X. Libera me, DomineX. Deliver me, Lord

Libera me, Domine…

Deliver me, Lord,...

de morte aeterna

from everlasting death,

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in die illa tremenda:

on that fearful day:

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quando caeli movendi sunt et terra:

when the heavens and earth shall be moved

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dum veneris iudicare saeculum per ignem.

and Thou shalt come to judge the world by fire.

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Tremens factus sum ego, et timeo,

I am seized with trembling, I am sore afraid

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dum discussio venerit, atque ventura ira.

for the day of judgment and the coming wrath.

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Quando caeli movendi sunt et terra.

When the heavens and earth shall be moved.

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Dies illa, dies irae,

That day, a day of wrath,

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calamitatis et miseriae,

calamity and woe,

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dies magna et amara valde. 

and great day and bitter indeed.

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Dum veneris iudicare saeculum per ignem.

And Thou shalt come to judge the world by fire.

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Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,

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et lux perpetua luceat eis.

and let light perpetual shine upon them.

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Libera me, Domine…

Deliver me, Lord,...

de morte aeterna

from everlasting death,

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in die illa tremenda:

on that fearful day:

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quando caeli movendi sunt et terra:

when the heavens and earth shall be moved

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dum veneris iudicare saeculum per ignem.

and Thou shalt come to judge the world by fire.

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Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. 

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

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Kyrie eleison. 

Lord, have mercy.

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