The King to Whom all things live…

1st November, 2019

As we approach All Souls Day each year we have the usual array of performances of Requiems – Faure, Durufle…and rightly so.

But is there something more to be found here?

As we dig deeper into the Church’s treasure trove of music we find many precious jewels…amongst them antiphons which have nourished the faith of our forebears for many ages. These antiphons are not only prayerful and inspiring, but thought provoking and, somehow, instructive.

Consider the many antiphons associated with the commemoration of All Souls’ Day – including one that states: ‘The King to Whom all things live…come let us adore him’. Even just those words ‘come let us adore’ are reminiscent of a certain Christmas carol – and we also encounter those words again on Good Friday when we behold the crucified Christ – the Cross unveiled and held up clearly for us all to see.

The melody of this antiphon is a little reminiscent of the chant response of the Veneration of the Cross: Come, let us adore. Its plaintive yet noble character somehow helps to remind us that He, the One to Whom ‘all things live’ and to Whom ‘every knee shall bow…in heaven, on earth and in the underworld (Philippians 2:10) truly (as scripture says) is the Alpha and the Omega. And we, together with all of creation, are his subjects.

Notice also the antiphon ‘In Paradisum’ – the Graduale Romanum notes this to be sung (in the context of a funeral) while the coffin is leaving the church – interestingly, this is really the only time a piece is specifically mentioned for the end of a Mass – and notice the way this melody hovers – not earthbound – as though it’s searching for something.

One of my favourite settings of the text of this antiphon is that of Gabriel Faure (the closing movement of his Requiem) – the gentle staccato figures over a walking bass often thought of as the Faure’s imagery of the soul walking into Heaven.

So let us on this All Souls’ Day and during the month of November pray for the repose of the souls of those who have passed before us – particularly Church musicians who have gone before us.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord

And may perpetual light shine upon them.

May the rest in peace.