Musings on setting a Mass

That's a shame. I share your lack of religious conviction, but to dismiss a large chunk of repertoire because of an ideology seems rather narrow minded. You can't ignore the dominating force in western culture for the last 2000 years or so, and it's resulting art, because you don't agree with it.

Umm, of course I can. It doesn't concern me, and I can't stand sacred music at all.

Umm, of course I can. It doesn't concern me, and I can't stand sacred music at all.

As another example, television has been the dominant entertainment medium in this country for more than 50 years and yet I don't watch it... and it really doesn't impact my appreciation for other forms of entertainment. I couldn't really care less about it. And I am completely within my rights to disregard it.

I would agree with the sentiment...

As another example, television has been the dominant entertainment medium in this country for more than 50 years and yet I don't watch it... and it really doesn't impact my appreciation for other forms of entertainment. I couldn't really care less about it. And I am completely within my rights to disregard it.

But but but..........

The Office is so good :(

Law and Order too, you mad man

Speaking of popular, unnoticed masses by secular composers . . . . . I found a rather ridiculous 'Mass' setting the other day, or rather, I realised that a piece of music I already knew contained words from a mass. It's 'Mona Lisa Overdrive' from the Matrix Reloaded:

YouTube - How to paint the MONA LISA with MS PAINT

(there's an opportunity to see this ludicrous video of someone drawing the Mona Lisa in Paint at the same time)

The vocals yell 'Kyrie Eleison' at inappropriate moments. Having said that, I think the music for the film was mainly rather tasteful. I certainly enjoyed all the neo-classical moments (largely strings, string-pads and kit).

Also, out of curiousity, cygnusdei and punk, are you guys writing mass for religous and spiritual reasons?

hey darkwonderer18,

well i am not really doing it for religious or spiritual reason, i'm just writing masses or in general sacred work, just to experiment a genre, as you would do with anything else... i was thinking also to perform (well hope to perform) them at some church, but who knows... italy really sucks for sacred music performed in churches during regular masses. i mean, like it was used to have a professiona choir and maybe a little orchestra, and do them as it was done in the past centuries. so would be fun to put back this old tradition.

the new pope, Benedetto XVI said that he wants back the latin mass, not that the one in italian must be deleted, but give some more space to the old way, to keep up the tradition and all... so i was thinking that would be cool to fit this concept with something more "advanced" as for maybe doing a "old style" mass on sundays and/or on perticular days, as for some saints commemoration or during holidays such as easter, christmas etc...

hmm hope i made sense :P

ciaoo :)

Writing an 'Atheist's Mass' or 'Agnostic's Oratorio' would be quite interesting, although the libretto would be incredibly complicated to write effectively.

Actually, upon recent discovery, there *do* exist atheist masses (not to be confused with a religous mass that was written by an atheist). Apparently, Delius wrote one. I've never heard it but I'd love to someday. :) "Glory be to.... whoever!"

*groans*....