The above audio is from the In Paradisum of Robert Moran's Trinity Requiem (Innova, 2011). 

When Robert Ridgell (organist at Trinity Wall Street Church in New York) asked me for a new work to be commissioned by Trinity Wall Street and for his wonderful Trinity Youth Chorus, I said "Yes." Then Robert told me that this new work would be part of the 9/11 Anniversary and he would appreciate having a requiem.

As I have no affiliation with any organized religion, I told him that composing a requiem to be performed by children/young people would be somewhat "strange," a new and peculiar kindertotenlieder [songs on the death of chilrdren] and felt that we should approach a new requiem with a different focus. I remember so many past stories of children who had lost their parents, their families and in fact lost everything to wars, famine, vicious governments, and natural catastrophes such a Katrina that this would have some meaning for the young singers (99% of the chorus at Trinity was born in the year 2000). Robert agreed and sent me the various parts of the requiem. We decided that with a limited budget, limited rehearsal and recording time (last November at Trinity) we should use just the chorus accompanied by four celli, organ and harp.

Trinity Requiem is a reflection upon those thousands of children throughout the world with no future and little if any hope. This made total sense to the young members of that fine chorus.

I did not reflect upon past requiems other than the fact that most composers had not included what seems to me to be the most important moment: "In Paradisum." We all hope that this work will be of some comfort to those listeners who have lost beloved friends. 

→ The World Premiere of Robert Moran's Trinity Requiem is at Trinity Church on September 7, 2011

→ Robert Moran's Trinity Requiem is Available on Arkiv Music