Although it can be sung separately, “Thou Alone Art Immortal” is typically sung immediately after the Kontakion “With the Saints Give Rest,” since this is the way these two hymns are positioned in the Orthodox Memorial Service; “Thou Alone” is, in fact, a continuation of “With the Saints Give Rest.” Kastalsky’s intent was to create a Requiem that included melodies of all the Allies in World War I—primarily among them, Russia, France, and England. Thus he included in this movement the famous motif Dies irae from the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass, which has no direct counterpart in the Orthodox service.
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