Catholic Mass Settings

[Cato]

While sitting in church today with my not particularly pious Eighth Graders, I wondered which settings of the Catholic Mass (not a Requiem) are best-liked by the GMG gang.

From Machaut and company through Palestrina to Mozart, Schubert, Bruckner and on to e.g. Stephen Paulus (?) of today, which ones have struck you as the best ones?

I also offer the idea of including easier works for amateur parish choirs by (minor?) composers e.g. Alexandre Guilmant, Theodore DuBois, and Pietro Yon, whose works I know from my childhood.

[Luke]

My own favourites are the ones by Stravinsky and Frank Martin, FWIW

[Gurn Blanston]

My favorite is Haydn's Harmoniemesse. Not his most dramatic, true, but beautiful settings throughout for Wind Octet.

[springrite]

I know you are not looking for the Ligeti (hehee) so I will say Martin.

[Cato]

Many thanks for the responses!  I do not know the Frank Martin Mass, so I must look into it!

Haydn's Harmoniemesse I had almost completely forgotten: yes, the wind setting is - of course - excellent!

As one might guess, Bruckner's Masses are some of my favorites.  The F minor Mass is of course a masterpiece, but the earlier two in E minor and D minor are not to be dismissed.

One of the masses I recall from my childhood, Alexandre Guilmant's Messe Solennelle #3,
I found at the Petrucci Music Library online: we did not have an orchestra, so an organ reduction was used.

http://imslp.org/wiki/Messe_Solennelle_No.3,_Op.11_%28Guilmant,_Alexandre%29

Amazon lists a CD, which however is temporarily out of stock.

[Coco]

Josquin - Missa "Pange Lingua"

[Drasko]

Josquin des Prez - Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae

[Coco]

Ockeghem - Missa Prolationum

[Cato]

So many recommendations from the early days of polyphony: many thanks!

The Ockeghem has several recordings: one Amazon reviewer raves about the subtlty" of the Hilliard Ensemble's CD, another loves the choir version on NAXOS.

Any preference here?

[spooky]

Top of my list is "John Sheppard: Missa Cantate, Etc / Mccreesh, Gabrieli Consort"
-- the music draws you slowly in to an almost "mystical realm"
#2 spot goes to Palestrina - Missa Papae Marcelli
I also enjoy some of Heinrich Ignaz Biber many Mass settings
either  Missa Salisburgensis or Missa Alleluja

[Coco]

So many recommendations from the early days of polyphony: many thanks!

The Ockeghem has several recordings: one Amazon reviewer raves about the subtlty" of the Hilliard Ensemble's CD, another loves the choir version on NAXOS.

Any preference here?

I only have the Clerks' Group/Wickham, but it's at least good enough to make me love the music.

It's included in this set, which might still be available:

[petrarch]

Speaking of Ockeghem, there is always this recording of Missa Cuiusvis Toni, finally set to each of the four tones. Great performance, great recording.

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[bhodges]

Nice to see all the Ockeghem mentioned here. That Ensemble Musica Nova recording looks great.

One of my favorite mass settings is Sven-David Sandström's The High Mass, which is (perhaps incredibly) available in two recordings. The newer one on DG has a nice extra, Lidholm's Kontakion, but the older one (on Caprice, with Sandström on the cover) is perhaps a more urgent, intense performance. But they're both excellent.

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--Bruce

[Cato]

Nice to see all the Ockeghem mentioned here. That Ensemble Musica Nova recording looks great.

One of my favorite mass settings is Sven-David Sandström's The High Mass, which is (perhaps incredibly) available in two recordings. The newer one on DG has a nice extra, Lidholm's Kontakion, but the older one (on Caprice, with Sandström on the cover) is perhaps a more urgent, intense performance. But they're both excellent.


--Bruce

Many thanks again to all for the recommendations!

Sven-David Sandström's work has reviews on Amazon all over the place, but if Bruce likes it, there must be something of value!  Is the composer a Catholic?  A Scandinavian Catholic is a rarity these days!

[bhodges]

Many thanks again to all for the recommendations!

Sven-David Sandström's work has reviews on Amazon all over the place, but if Bruce likes it, there must be something of value!  Is the composer a Catholic?  A Scandinavian Catholic is a rarity these days!

To go a little further, I have said in print that I think it's one of the great choral works of the 1990s. It's for a huge ensemble: orchestra, chorus and (IIRC) eight soloists. The style is eclectic: essentially tonal but filled with grinding dissonance and very complex chords. I first heard it live in Minneapolis around 2003, when Philip Brunelle did the American premiere with VocalEssence; after the first hearing, I went again - it was that striking. The sopranos have a particularly taxing role; they have a very high tessitura, just short of shrieking.

Good question about Sandström's religious views - honestly, I have no idea.

--Bruce

[val]

J S BACH, above all.

Then Beethoven (the Solemnis), Dufay (ecce Ancilla Domini), Ockeghem (Missa Prolationum), Palestrina (Missa Viri Galilei & Assumpta est Maria), Byrd (Missas 3, 4 & 5 voices), Charpentier (Assumpta est Maria) and ... Janacek and Stravinsky.

[Luke]

I didn't know whether to include the Janacek as it's not a Latin Mass (I assume val is talking about the Glagolitic and not one of the early, relatively unimportant Masses). But if it's admissible then it's certainly one of my choices too. The Sandstrom that Bruce mentions is also extremely fine, a work that holds a very conscious dialogue with the Bach B minor (but in a fruitful way).

[val]

Luke
I didn't know whether to include the Janacek as it's not a Latin Mass (I assume val is talking about the Glagolitic and not one of the early, relatively unimportant Masses).

Yes, I was talking about the Glagolitic Mass. It is not Latin, obviously, but I think it can be considered catholic (and not orthodox), since it uses the exact translation of the latin text. Today, this liturgy is authorized by the Vatican (according to the specialist in Janacek's music Harry Halbreicht).
And yes, it is a magnificent masterpiece.