Dona nobis pacem (Vaughan Williams)

Dona nobis pacem (English: Grant us peace) is a cantata written by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1936 and first performed on 2 October of that year.

Vaughan Williams produced his plea for peace by referring to recent wars during the growing fears of a new one.

His texts were taken from the Mass, three poems by Walt Whitman, a political speech, and sections of the Bible.

[1] The work is scored for chorus and large orchestra, with soprano and baritone soloists.

The phrase Dona nobis pacem ("Give us peace"), in different settings, punctuates the entire piece.