We beheld the glory, as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
—St. John 1:14
Recall from the first installment of this special series on settings of the Mass for double choir by Frank Martin (1890–1974) and Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) that these two choral masterworks overlap historically and stylistically. Martin began writing his Mass in 1922, finished it in 1926, but curiously concealed it until the early 1960s. Vaughan Williams (hereinafter RVW) wrote his Mass in G minor in 1922, but with no idea that Martin was writing a similar work, much less any notion that the two works would become unofficial ‘choral companions’ a century later. Stylistically, both works draw upon older compositional methods, perhaps most notably the motet, a compositional process in which the musical themes change with each word or phrase of the text. But both composers also employed newer compositional methods, earning both works a permanent place in the choral repertoire. Please join me during this, the latter portion of the Easter season, to explore how these composers treat the Gloria.
The Gloria immediately follows the Kyrie in the western liturgy and gives the faithful, who have just petitioned God for his mercy in the Kyrie, a chance to praise, bless, and worship God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Peter Bender describes the significance of this angelic hymn of praise:
[The Gloria] is based on the song of the angels at the birth of Christ: “Glory be to God on high: And on earth peace, good will toward men.” In the Divine Service, where our Lord Jesus Christ is truly present according to both His divine and human natures, there is no hymn that is more appropriate than the hymn that announces Immanuel–God with us! The song of the angels becomes our song in the Divine Service. In it we confess faith in Christ “who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man” (Nicene Creed). His name is Jesus, “for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). This is God’s greatest glory! (Lutheran Catechesis [second edition], p. 95)
Dale Warland describes Martin’s setting of the Gloria: “[The Gloria] offers a perfect view into Martin’s heritage as a Swiss composer, landlocked culturally between two giants: here are fugues to make a German smile, but harmonies so sensuous that Martin could only be thinking of France” (ACC CD 120 liner notes). In other words, the art of the fugue is present in this movement, where one vocal part makes a musical statement and the other voices subsequently ‘chase’ or imitate the theme. (This art was perfected by Bach and used by Mendelssohn and numerous other German composers, so German composers more or less ‘own’ fugal technique.) In the following performance by the Bach Collegium San Diego, you will also hear rich harmonies—starting with the musical pyramid in the opening statement—which were common among early twentieth-century French composers. If these heady terms are a bit numbing, then follow the text closely (video times for Martin are on the left and for RVW on the right) and see how the composer paints everything from the majesty of the Father to the humiliation of the Son to the vivification of the Holy Spirit, depicted by a short fugue. If you so inclined, please join the conversation (see the chat window below) and indicate if you agree or disagree with Nick Strimple’s statement that Martin’s “remarkable serenity and strength exude a sense that real communication is occurring, not only between composer and audience but also between the composer and God” (Choral Music in the Twentieth Century, p. 67).
| Gloria in excelsis Deo. 0:52 Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. 1:24 Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. 1:48 Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. 2:36 Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. 3:49 Quoniam tu solus Sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe. 4:24 Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. | Glory be to God on high And on earth peace good will toward men. 0:36 We praise Thee. 0:36 We bless Thee. We worship Thee. We glorify Thee. 0:53 We give thanks to Thee 0:53 for Thy great glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. 1:42 Lord God, Lamb of God, 1:42 Son of the Father. that takest away the sin of the world, 1:58 have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us. 2:50 For Thou alone art holy. 2:50 Thou only art the Lord. Thou only art the highest Jesus Christ. 3:24 With the Holy Spirit 3:24 in the glory of God the Father. Amen. |
Leaving continental Europe behind, journey with me now to England and RVW’s Mass in G minor. Recall that RVW’s setting is also for double choir, but he adds four soloists, allowing for greater contrasts in texture and more intimate expressions through the soloists. It begins with an ancient practice of a single voice singing “Gloria in excelsis Deo,” followed by the rest of the choir joining in to sing the rest of the Gloria. Having started with an old custom, RVW then adds his own compositional flavor to the Gloria. As you listen to the following recording by the lorof St. John’s College Cambridge, listen for the main theme on the words, “Glorificamus te” (“We glorify Thee”), a theme “that is constantly reiterated via expansion, compression, and alteration through the course of the work” (Edward Macan, An Analytical Survey and Comparative Study of the Music of Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst, c. 1910–1935, p. 300). Perhaps you might agree with Michael Jameson’s assessment of RVW’s music: “[All] of his compositions, regardless of style, genre or content, have this in common: they are at once both meaningful and accessible to the broadest cross-section of music-lovers” (Ralph Vaughan Williams: An Essential Guide to His Life and Work, p. 85).
To be sure, these two settings of the Gloria require rather extensive preparation and rich resources, which probably make it unlikely than they will be sung in the Divine Service. That said, they are worthy additions to your “Lutheran Listening Library” because they give singers and listeners equally compelling musical portraits of the Gloria. Again from Peter Bender:
[The Gloria] celebrates the Lord’s continual presence with His people through His merciful gifts of Word and sacrament. Jesus Himself is the “house of the Lord,” for “in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus declared, “’Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ . . . He was speaking of the temple of His body” (John 2:19, 21). (Lutheran Catechesis, p. 96)
Were you surprised to see a painting of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin at the top of this article? This was quite intentional. The Lenten hiatus from the Gloria sends a clear message: God is indeed majestic on high, where He is God forever blest; but His greater glory is to become flesh and dwell with you, to become like you in every way (except without sin), and to redeem your humanity with His own humanity. That is to say, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and by faith you share in God’s glory every time you are given voice to sing, “Glory be to God on high and on earth peace good will toward men.”
+ + + + + + +
Extra Choral Credit: Hearing RVW’s Entire Mass in G minor
Featuring the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Extra Choral Credit: Hearing RVW’s Entire Mass in G minor
Featuring the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Organizations throughout the world are prone to overstate their significance on their own websites, but the following description of the SATB Choir of Clare College, founded fifty years ago, is no overstatement, as those who have heard them sing in person will no doubt attest:
Since the founding of a mixed voice choir in 1972, the Choir of Clare College has gained an international reputation as one of the world’s leading university choirs. In addition to its primary function of leading services three times a week in the College chapel, the Choir keeps an active schedule recording, broadcasting, and performing. Former directors have included John Rutter and Timothy Brown. Under the direction of Graham Ross, Director of Music since 2010, it has been praised for its consistently ‘thrilling’ and ‘outstanding’ performances worldwide. (https://www.clarecollegechoir.com/about-us. Accessed 08 May 2022)
Writing without a commission, Martin probably did not have a specific choir in mind when he wrote his Mass. RVW, however, wrote almost exclusively for the concert halls and churches of England, so he knew very well the distinctive sound of English cathedral choirs and their live acoustical settings. These cathedrals usually include choir stalls on the deacon’s and the cantor’s side, facilitating (if not inspiring) his use of two choirs. In the following recording, enjoy the sounds of the Choir of Clare College, whose rich choral tone and vibrant acoustic are perfectly matched to the sacred music of RVW.
RSS Feed
