The Return of the Dies Irae

 Some people who read this blog know what the Dies Irae is.  It is the Sequence sung at the funeral Mass for the Dead ("Requiem Mass") and at All Souls' Day Masses in the Tridentine Rite.

The liturgical revolution all but eliminated that Sequence, but the haunting tune remains out there.  It is quoted in 70+ other pieces of music, including in the movie "Lion King" (!!) when the daddy lion dies.  Rachmaninoff loved the tune, too, quoting it in Rhaposdy on a Theme of Paganini and in his Isle of the Dead.

Anyhow.

We've watched a few college football games recently, and lo and behold! the University of Georgia and the University of Tennessee bands both use the first few lines of the music when their teams have a good defensive series.

Further, Auburn uses a chunk of the Verdi Dies Irae for the same purposes.

So much for the Liturgical Reformers.  They failed to suppress the Tridentine Rite Mass, and have managed to move one of that Rite's most famous tunes into the mainstream.

Think maybe St Cecelia is telling them something?