Mass

From Young Composers

The Mass ('Missa' - Latin) is the main celebration of the Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church and one of the most importants parts of the Christian liturgy, variations of which are performed in many mainstream Christian denominations (under various names, including 'communion' in the Anglican Church). During Eucharist the congregation and ministers receive the body and blood of Christ in the form of wine and bread.

History and Conventions

The mass was traditionally sung in Latin to Gregorian plainsong, but at the advent of professional music composition the text was among the first to be formally set in the 14th Century, notably by Machaut. The text has tended to consist of the 'proper' of the mass, which includes all the permanent sections of it used in the liturgy.

In the Roman Catholic church, the mass is set to its original Latin text. In the Anglican and Lutheran churches, masses are set in the local language, for the former English, and for the latter German or Scandinavian languages etc.

Many composers have set shortened versions of the mass, sometimes omitting the Credo, and even the Gloria (though in the Anglican Church either the Gloria or the Kyrie is sung according to the term: at lent and advent, the Kyrie; all other times, the Gloria. As such English settings of the mass tend to include the Gloria). In these instances the omitted movements may be said by the congregation or sung to Gregorian chant. An example of these shortened masses ('Low Masses': Fr. 'Messe Basse' or 'Messe Solemnelle') is Fauré's 'Messe Basse' for SSA.

Text

The movements of the mass, in the most common order of service, are the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. The texts follow:

I. Kyrie

Kyrie eleison; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison

[From the Greek: Κυριε ελεησον; Χριστε ελεησον; Κυριε ελεησον]

Lord have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

Kyrie movements often have a structure that reflects the concision and symmetry of the text. Many have a ternary (ABA) form, where the two appearances of the phrase "Kyrie eleison" are comprised of identical or closely related material and frame a contrasting "Christe eleison" section. Or AAABBBCCC' form is also found later on. Famously, Mozart sets the "Kyrie" and "Christe" texts in his Requiem Mass as the two subjects of a double fugue.

II. Gloria

Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te, gratias agimus tibi

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise You, we bless You, we adore You, we glorify You, we give thanks

propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex caelestis [coelestis], Deus Pater omnipotens.

to You for Your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God the Father.

Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, qui tollis peccata mundi,

Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who taketh away the sins of the world,

miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.

Have mercy on us; You who take away the sins of the world, hear our prayers. Who sits at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us.

Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

For You are the only Holy One, the only Lord, the only Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father, Amen.

In Mass settings (normally in English) composed for the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer liturgy, the Gloria is commonly the last movement, because it occurs in this position in the text of the service. In Order One of the newer Common Worship liturgy, however, it is restored to its earlier place.

III. Credo (the Nicene Creed)

Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem,

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty

factorem caeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.

Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:

Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum,

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.

the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds;

Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero,

God of God, Light of Light, very [true] God of very [true] God;

genitum non factum, consubstantialem Patri;

begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father,

per quem omnia facta sunt.

by Whom all things were made;

Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de caelis.

Who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven, and became man.

Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.

and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man:

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus et sepultus est,

And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried:

et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas,

And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures:

et ascendit in caelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris.

And ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father:

Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, iudicare vivos et mortuos,

And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead:

cuius regni non erit finis;

Whose Kingdom will have no end;

Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem,

And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord, and Giver of Life,

qui ex Patre Filioque procedit.

Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son

Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur:

Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,

qui locutus est per prophetas.

Who has spoken through the Prophets.

Et unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.

And I believe in One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church,

Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.

I acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum,

And I look for the Resurrection of the Dead:

et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.

And the Life of the world to come. Amen.

In a service the Creed is often either said by the congregation or sung to one of the many chant settings due to its length.

IV. Sanctus

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth; pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts; Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.

Hosanna in excelsis

Hosanna in the highest.

V. Benedictus

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord

Hosanna in excelsis is repeated after the Benedictus section, often with musical material identical to that used after the Sanctus, or very closely related. The Sanctus and Benedictus are often set together in one movement by composers.