Mass
The Mass (or 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.
Contents
History and Conventions
In the sixth century the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church was unified by the Gregory the Great, hence the name Gregorian plainsong. The mass was traditionally celebrated in Latin to Gregorian plainsong. The Kyrie is the only non-Latin part of the whole service as the only Greek remainder after pope Gregory's unification. At the advent of professional music composition the text was among the first to be formally set in the 14th Century, notably by Machaut.
Ordinary and Proper
The whole liturgy can be divided in two groups. On the one hend the permanent sections of the liturgy, parts that recur every Mass, and on the other hand the hymns sung only at special occasions, once a year. The former is called Ordinary, the latter Proper. When people use the word mass as a musical term they often mean the musical setting of the texts of the Ordinary. This has the following parts: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei.
A Requiem is a type of mass. Not an ordinary but a special one, a mass for the death. It consist of the Ordinary, with exception of the Gloria and Credo, and the parts from the Proper that are about the death and prayers for eternal rest, Introitus Requiem, Sequentia Dies Irae, Offertory Hostias, Communio Lux aeterna.
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. An example of a non-Latin mass is Brahms' German Requiem. It is even not a translation of the texts but a selection of bible verses.
Many composers have set shortened versions of the (ordinary) 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.
Movements
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:
Kyrie
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.
Settings
As the first movement in settings of the ordinary mass and the second movement in settings of the Requiem mass, the prayer has been set by composers spanning the full extent of Western music tradition. Common settings of the prayer range from solemn chorales to contrapuntally rich fugues. In popular music, as well, the prayer has received mention by various artists/bands/ensembles (Mr. Mister, Trans-Siberian Orchestra). Among the most notable settings are:
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem in D minor
- Johann Sebastian Bach - Mass in B minor
- Tomas Luis de Victoria - Missa O Magnum Mysterium
- Erik Satie - Messes des Pauvres
- Hector Berlioz - Grande messe de morts
Latin | English | |
---|---|---|
Kyrie eleison; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison |
Lord have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. |
Gloria
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.
Latin | English | |
---|---|---|
Glória in excélsis Deo
|
Glory be to God on high.
|
Credo
In a service the Credo (or Nicene Creed) is often either said by the congregation or sung to one of the many chant settings due to its length.
Latin | English | |
---|---|---|
Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem,
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.
et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas, |
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man:
And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures: |
Sanctus
Latin | English | |
---|---|---|
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth; |
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts; |
Benedictus
Latin | English | |
---|---|---|
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.
Musical Forms | |
---|---|
Polyphonic forms | Canon • Canzona • Invention • Fugue • Organum • Ricercar • Round • Sinfornia |
Sectional forms | Strophic form • Chain form • Binary form • Ternary form • Rondo form • Arch form • Ritornello form |
Cyclical forms | Ballet • Concerto • Mass • Oratorio • Opera • Requiem • Sonata • Song cycle • Suite • Symphony |
Through- composed forms |
Bagatelle • Fantasia • Etude • Impromptu • Prelude • Rhapsody • Symphonic poem |
Dance forms | Allemande • Ballad • Bolero • Contradance • Estampie • Jig • Polka • Waltz
French: Courante • Gigue • Minuet • Sarabande Italian: Barcarolle • Saltarello • Tarantella |