This work serves as a definitive musical score for John Rutter's Requiem, providing the structural and harmonic framework for performance. John Rutter, a prominent British composer and conductor, composed this piece in 1985. The score integrates traditional Latin liturgical texts with English scriptural passages to create a cohesive musical meditation on mortality and consolation.

Musicologists and conductors recognize this score as the standard reference for one of the most frequently performed choral works of the late twentieth century. Professionals often note the clarity of the notation and the accessibility of the vocal lines for amateur and professional ensembles alike.