Requiem masses have been an important part of classical music literature since the late 15th century and have been used as masses for the dead during funerals. Over the centuries the use of the requiem text has become more common because composers are setting the text more often. However, composers such as Britten, Penderecki, and Forrest use extra-liturgical poems within their requiem masses, as well as the original Latin which is derived from the Liber Usualis. More recently, composers have been writing requiem masses that are untraditional in the sense that they are not just about loss of life, yet still retain solemnity and reverence. Requiem for a Mother is written from the perspective of a grieving mother who is coping with the loss of her child. Requiem for a Mother makes use of a chamber choir, strings (4, 4, 3, 2, 1), harp, and piano, as well as a soprano soloist to tell a story of grief, love, and acceptance. The choir, singing the Latin text, is that of the people who support the family during their time of loss and grief, while the role of the soprano soloist, singing in English, is that of the mother who is trying to understand why her child is dead. The duration of the requiem is about 25 minutes, with a total of nine movements The requiem begins with a prelude, in B minor, that sets up the themes to be used throughout the other movements. Movement II, the first of the soprano solos, depicts the mother reaction to losing her child. As the requiem closes with In Paradisum, the mother comes to terms with her loss and is able to accept what happened and move on. Requiem for a Mother is dedicated to Danny Quinn.
