No Day of Wrath in a Low-Calorie Judgement

Pondering that whole "no Dies Irae in the Faure Requiem" thing.

I mean, Faure nuff. Sorry. I mean, fair enough. He was obviously a nice bloke. And the Day of Wrath When the Earth Dissolves in Ashes is a scary thing. Judgement,  Hellfire - it's not nice, is about the long and short of it.

But I will be honest - and I do love the piece, don't get me wrong - it's like a gaping hole in the middle of the Requiem, isn't it? A bit saccharine, I reckon.

I mean, I know it doesn't technically affect the main purposes of a Requiem - praise, a lead up to Mass in its original setting at least, asking God to get the souls of the faithful departed out of Purgatory a bit quicker.

And goodness knows I wouldn't like anyone actually to go to Hell. I reckon it's a horrid place. At least that's what the guide books say.

It's just something about, I don't know, the whole concept of free will.  You can call me an old Thatcherite, obsessed with choice, if you like. I just think that people should have the option.

You see, if there's no other road to go, then I don't see why Jesus had to join us on the narrow road. If the only way is up, then why did he come down to get us? If there is no Dies Irae - no day when God's wrath is flung at our - for want of a better word - sins, then why does it matter how attached to them we still are?

There, I have given myself a headache now, worrying about it all. I'll go and listen to Faure's Requiem, I reckon. It's very soothing.