Maxwell Davies, Peter

Missa super l'homme armé (1968,rev.1971)

Duration: 20 minutes
for speaker or singer (male or female) and ensemble

St Luke, chapter 22 (Vulgate) (L)

Scoring
fl(=picc).cl-perc(1):2timp/SD/susp.cym/h.bells/2tab/2tin cans/BD & foot cym/tpl.bl/slide whistle/3gongs/nightingale/tam-t/cowbells/TD/ wdbl-keyboards(1 or 2 players):harmonium(=hpd,cel,out-of-tune pft, ant.cyms)-vln.vlc (cl,vln,vlc=jingles).
Abbreviations (PDF).

Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.

World Premiere
2/26/1968
Conway Hall, London
Mary Thomas, mezzo-soprano
Conductor: Peter Maxwell Davies
Company: Pierrot Players



World premiere of version
9/28/1971
Sagra Musicale Umbra, Perugia
Murray Melvin, director
Conductor: Peter Maxwell Davies
Company: Mary Thomas, mezzo-soprano / Fires of London

Roles

VOICE

Male or Female singer

Synopsis
by Paul Griffiths

This is one of Davies's most far-reaching extrapolations from music of the past. After a jolting call to attention it begins as an arrangement of an anonymous fifteenth-century mass, but this soon starts to break down. The expressive gestures become absurdly exaggerated and the music eventually deteriorates to the level of a foxtrot. In the Latin of St. Luke, the vocalist reminds us of the betrayls of Judas and of the apostle Peter - betrayals which are mirrored in the musical 'splintering' of the original mass.

Moods
Poetic

Subjects
Contemporary, Religion, Music/Arts

Items on Sale

Missa Super L'Homme Arme

Study Score - Hawkes Pocket Score 1296

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