In diebus nostris

In 2024, I wrote Da Pacem for 10 mixed voices a cappella for the Tallis Scholars. Based on the same text, In diebus nostris takes up and develops some of the musical elements of this piece with a much larger ensemble, that of my Vêpres de la Vierge composed for Notre-Dame de Paris.
Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris is a Gregorian antiphon dating back to the early Middle Ages. It is a prayer for peace that has inspired many composers over the centuries, from Gilles Binchois to Charles Gounod, from Carlo Gesualdo to Arvo Pärt.

It is also known to have been sung by the Knights Templar as a prayer for victory. I quote this melody in full in the epilogue of my piece, where it is entrusted to the trombones. I have also followed the example of Marcel Pérès, who, in his recording of Da Pacem, intertwines the words of the antiphon with a few verses from Psalm 121.