This recording of James MacMillan's Mass is an intense, emotionally charged 70 minutes reflecting the composer's deeply held religious beliefs. These are beliefs that, as he has said in commenting on the mood of his Mass, ... more »are not immune to doubts and fears and an awareness of the "tragedies and uncertainties of our age." So don't expect an easy listen. The music featured on this album unfolds slowly, patiently, seeming to exist outside time, and yet is colored by extremes of pitch and dynamic requiring great virtuosity and control. The Mass, which is written in Latin and incorporates priest and congregation in liturgical use, could have been written for the singers of the Westminster Cathedral Choir featured here, who know its contours intimately. The traditional hard-edged sound of the Westminster Cathedral trebles cut through the vast acoustic like a knife, right up until the wonderfully imaginative hold-your-breath ending of the "Agnus Dei." A range of other British cathedrals and churches that boast connections with MacMillan's works are included, among them St. Paul's Cathedral and King's College Chapel, Cambridge. The Scottish accents of "A New Song" beguile and bewitch, while the moving "A Child's Prayer" commemorates the 1996 Dunblane tragedy. Among the soloists, treble David de Winter provides some breathtaking moments in "Christus Vincit." --Andrew Green« less
This recording of James MacMillan's Mass is an intense, emotionally charged 70 minutes reflecting the composer's deeply held religious beliefs. These are beliefs that, as he has said in commenting on the mood of his Mass, are not immune to doubts and fears and an awareness of the "tragedies and uncertainties of our age." So don't expect an easy listen. The music featured on this album unfolds slowly, patiently, seeming to exist outside time, and yet is colored by extremes of pitch and dynamic requiring great virtuosity and control. The Mass, which is written in Latin and incorporates priest and congregation in liturgical use, could have been written for the singers of the Westminster Cathedral Choir featured here, who know its contours intimately. The traditional hard-edged sound of the Westminster Cathedral trebles cut through the vast acoustic like a knife, right up until the wonderfully imaginative hold-your-breath ending of the "Agnus Dei." A range of other British cathedrals and churches that boast connections with MacMillan's works are included, among them St. Paul's Cathedral and King's College Chapel, Cambridge. The Scottish accents of "A New Song" beguile and bewitch, while the moving "A Child's Prayer" commemorates the 1996 Dunblane tragedy. Among the soloists, treble David de Winter provides some breathtaking moments in "Christus Vincit." --Andrew Green
CD Reviews
Utterly recommended
Mark Swinton | 12/17/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"James MacMillan has become acknowledged as one of the powerful voices amongst composers of today. His music combines a strong sense of spirituality with genuine earthly passions, and feels true to its time whilst being accessible. This disc brings together some of MacMillan's finest sacred music, by which he is most favourably represented.Since the departure of James O'Donnell in January 2000, Westminster Cathedral Choir have been under the direction of Martin Baker, formerly Sub-Organist of Westminster Abbey. He is clearly every bit as capable as O'Donnell in bringing out the best from his forces: from the first to the last, the singing of the boys is enchanting and that of the men is very robust indeed!The centrepiece of the programme is of course MacMillan's "Mass," a setting of the modern vernacular text commissioned by Westminster Cathedral. The liner notes describe it as "extraordinarily complete" - it is indeed difficult to think of any composer who has gone as far as to provide music for the Gospel Acclamation and Eucharistic Prayers in addition to the usual sections of the Ordinary. In this work, MacMillan demonstrates beyond any doubt his vision of God: seething with power over our world, yet adorable and approachable by us. Certain moments are extremely gritty, especially the "Sanctus" which conveys this image more strongly than any other section. The work also owes something to the inspiration of Westminster Cathedral itself; one can almost see the edifice against the ever-bristling background of London in the dark and subtle musical colours of the "Agnus Dei." MacMillan also acknowledges the archaic splendours of plainchant, particularly in his settings of the tropes accompanying the familiar "Kyrie" text and in the Eucharistic Prayer. This is a Mass like no other - deeply felt and gripping, a challenge for any good choir (with some virtuosic organ writing to boot!) that is astonishingly well-met by the Westminster Choir.The disc opens with the spell-binding anthem "A New Song," with a hauntingly memorable Gaelic-flavoured tune, ethereal drones from the basses and the organ, and some powerful moments involving everyone in a fugue-like outburst that is at once joyful and wistful. The coda for organ is very exciting. Other works in the programme have similarly been adopted as anthems in the repertoires of the 'elite' church and cathedral choirs around the world: "Christus vincit," with its breathtaking and demanding treble solo; "A Child's Prayer," a stark and moving piece written in memory of those who were killed at Dunblane Primary School in 1996; the wonderful carol "Sainte Mari, Moder Milde," commissioned for the 1995 Nine Lessons and Carols Service at King's College Cambridge and giving everyone in the choir (and, again, the organist) something to sink their teeth into. The programme is capped by two works that fall outside of the regular repertoire: "Changed," a setting of secular text with sacred overtones that presents some astonishing choral sonorities, and "Gaudeamus in loci pace," MacMillan's first major solo organ work which is essentially a plainchant antiphon harmonised in slowly unfolding chords and embellished with Messiaen-like bird motifs.Everything about this disc is utterly commendable: the artwork, the performance, the sound quality, and by all means the music. An incomparably stunning experience!"
Wonderful 21st Century setting of the Mass
Robert Badger | Philadelphia, PA | 10/18/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"James MacMillan has done a great thing in composing this Mass for Westminster Cathedral. Since the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, Roman Catholic church music has suffered greatly. Much of post-Vatican II sacred music is trite and banal. Thankfully, the choir of Westminster Cathedral has shown us that this need not be so. They have commissioned 20th (and now 21st century) works for use in the liturgy. James MacMillan's setting of the Mass is marvelous and example of what Roman Catholic church music could be. The setting is in English. Most Roman Catholics are far more likely to encounter the English Mass rather than the Latin. The music is faithful to the texts and enunciates them well."
The Next Face of Church Music
Christopher G. Forbes | New York, NY | 12/03/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"James MacMillan is without a doubt the most profound composer of church music writing today. His music is deeply joyous, but without shouting at you. There is tenderness, pathos and in the Mass, an almost otherwordly sense of the Eucharist. Imagine a mixture of Herbert Howells, Messiaen, and Scottish Music and you may get an idea of the effect of this profoundly beautiful music. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in the revival of modern liturgical music, and anyone interested in recovering the sense of mystery in worship."
Stunning masterpieces of faith
M. J. Smith | Seattle, WA USA | 07/08/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is liturgical and religious music at its best. Macmillan is grounded in modern atonal music and in the long tradition of music in the church - plainsong, antiphonal singing, up to and including the great performance masses. This grounding in the music of the Church is in the context of faith not musical history. The result is music for the great cathedrals - music that soars to the heights, that is not muddled by the stone acoustics. The cd contains a Wallace Stevens poem set for choir "Changed"; that Macmillan recognizes this poem as essentially religious attests to the depth of his faith. The Seinte Mari moder milde which was commissioned for a Lessons and Carols service should become standard Advent/Christmas repetoire.Great music; great performance ... what more can one ask?"
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1