Rhiannon Randle

Da pacem Domine

Da pacem Domine ('Give peace, Lord') is a message rooted in the heart of faith, making this piece suitable for any and all liturgical occasions. The setting was written at a time of great sorrow, when the composer was searching for consolation. The simplicity of the Latin syntax of this antiphon, especially the way the alliterations 'pacem' (peace) and 'pugnet' ([he/she/it] fight) draw attention to the synonymy of these opposing forces, became the basis for the tender, ethereal mood of this piece. Option tones sway back and forth like a lullaby. They are underpinned by a series of sustained organ dots in the bass that recur, providing reassurance and affirmation. The upward, agonizing phrase 'qui pugnet' in the central section holds no real aggression, but gives way to yearning, plaintive figures that are sequenced contrapuntally in the lower registers before receding in favor of a quiet, homophonic stasis in the final section. An exciting and passionate addition to the repertoire of Latin motets.