“Dona nobis pacem” (“Give us peace”) is a round for three parts to a short Latin text from the Agnus Dei. The melody has been passed orally. The round is part of many hymnals and songbooks. Beyond use at church, the round has been popular for secular quests for peace, such as the reunification of Germany. It was sung in Germany in 1989 in many churches and open air by people who possibly didn’t know the meaning of the Latin text but its intention.
In the round for three parts, it is sung twice in every line. The melody has been passed orally. This song is beautiful when each part is sung together. It is often attributed to the composer Palestrina, but some argue that it was written by Mozart. It can be quite tricky to learn, and the melody spans a wide vocal range. English-language hymnals usually mark it “Traditional”.
The melody is relatively easy, with the second and third line supplying mostly harmony to the first line, in many long notes versus the flow of the first. The round is part of many songbooks. While it is a beautiful piece, from an academic standpoint it is not very well written. This likely means that the hymn has its origins in folk music.
Thomas Doss composed a fantasy arrangement for brass orchestra with optional vocal parts in 2003.Alfons Scheirle composed a piano accompaniment in 2013.
