Honegger — Symphony No. 3 “Symphonie Liturgique“ (1945–46)

Symphony No. 3 “Symphonie Liturgique“ 0:00 — I. Dies irae 7:31 — II. De profundis clamavi 19:21 — III. Dona nobis pacem Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Conductor: Mariss Jansons This is the third symphony of Swiss composer Arthur Honegger (1892–1955), a member of the Paris-based group Les Six. The work was composed in the aftermath of the destruction of the Second World War, and it takes as its theme the liturgy of the Requiem Mass, or the Mass for the Dead. Each movement is titled for a portion of the text: “Dies irae“ (“Day of Wrath“); “De profundis clamavi“ (“I called out from the depths“), from Psalm 130; and “Dona nobis pacem“ (“Grant us peace“). A recurring melody in this symphony is the robin song from Honegger’s earlier oratorio “Joan of Arc at the Stake.“ The work was commissioned by the Pro Helvetia public foundation and premiered by Charles Munch in Zürich in 1946.