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Music Text

Liturgical (L)

Scoring

2(II=picc).2(II=corA).2(II=bcl).2(II=dbn)-4.3.3.1-timp.perc(2):vib/BD/crot/glsp/t.bells/2tom-t/tam-t/thundersheet-harp-strings

Abbreviations (PDF)

Publisher

Boosey & Hawkes

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

Availability

World Premiere
28/03/2015
Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic Training + Youth Choirs,Melody Makers / James MacMillan
Composer's Notes

My Little Mass is a setting of three of the smaller sections of the Ordinary of the Mass, (Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei) for young voices and orchestra. Nevertheless each movement is reasonably substantial, with much space for the orchestral music to grow and develop. In fact a lot of the vocal writing was imagined as an extension and enhancement of the orchestral palette where the young voices are ‘smudged’ into the orchestral sound in an impressionistic manner.

In spite of this, the general outline and structure of the liturgical texts are respected, although the music is imagined for concert performance only.

The Kyrie begins in the depths of the orchestra before some principal themes emerge on oboe, cor anglais and muted trumpet, before the trebles enunciate the text, Kyrie eleison (Lord have mercy). The simple phrases are repeated in various different harmonic and textural contexts.

The central section, Christe eleison (Christ have mercy) sees a culminatory development of the musical material as the mood become more enervated and ecstatic, leading to a climax. The return of the opening text sees the mood wind down, reversing towards repose.

The Sanctus opens with brass exclamations and fanfares, interspersed with the threefold declaration of the word Sanctus (Holy). The young voices pick up on one of the trumpet tunes leading to a playful, dance-like episode for the brass. This leads to a joyous outburst in the woodwind and free “chattering” in the voices (Heaven and earth are full of your glory.) The ‘Hosanna in the Highest’ is heard on high voices, pitted against a deep rumbling in the low instruments of the orchestra.

The middle section of the movement (Benedictus) is serene and slow, before the Hosannas return.

The Agnus Dei begins with a substantial string threnody. The main theme is then heard simply and distantly on the voices, before an eruption of the theme, chorale-like on brass accompanied by buzzing woodwind, percussion and harp. The ‘miserere nobis’ takes the music into static and serene territory again, before the brass pick up on the main theme in contrapuntal fashion.

The final section introduces a highly ornamented melody which floats above slow-moving chords, where the voices have become very much part of the orchestral texture. We hear a final high-placed ‘Agnus Dei’ from the singers, accompanied by harp and tuned percussion as the music comes to its close.

James MacMillan, January 2015

James MacMillan's Little Mass was commissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society for its 175th Anniversary, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Supported by Sally, Mary and Jonathan Groves to mark the centenary of Sir Charles Groves, in the month he would have celebrated his 100th birthday.

Repertoire Note

Choral level of difficulty: 3 (5 greatest)

This setting of sections of the Mass (Kyrie, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei) was commissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society for its 175th anniversary, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. It was also personally supported by the Groves family marking the centenary of Sir Charles Groves in the month he would have celebrated his 100th birthday. It is scored for four-part treble voices and normal symphony orchestra. It lasts for about 30 minutes.

MacMillan felt that the vocal parts were ‘imagined as an extension and enhancement of the orchestral palette where the young voices are ‘smudged’ into the orchestral sound in an impressionistic manner’. He also noted that the work is intended for concert rather than liturgical performance. But it is also a major addition to the relatively few large-scale works for upper voices. The vocal parts are mostly straightforward and where more complex music is demanded it is often in a very familiar MacMillan manner – the use of the triplet or demi-semiquaver (32nd) ornamental figures together with some free, fast recitation (‘Pleni sunt caeli’ in the Sanctus). But there is much which is beautifully lyrical here especially in the serene Benedictus and the Agnus Dei which is a moving movement starting with an extended string ‘threnody’. The final climax before the ‘grant us peace’ (Dona nobis pacem) is impassioned before the work subsides into an ethereal ending.

There is much for young voices to enjoy here, and the opportunity of singing such a work with these orchestral forces is something which will stay with them for a long time.

Repertoire Note by Paul Spicer

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