Work
Missa Novi Saeculi, Op. 12
a mass for a New Millennium
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About
This Mass was composed as a tribute to the millennium. The form of the Mass has had a profound influence on the development of western music. Subtly buried in its constructions are reflections of the sounds of every century of the past millennium, from the plainsong monody and early organum of one thousand years ago, through the sounds of the 'ars antiqua', the evolution of the music of the renaissance, the baroque, the classical and the romantic periods, to the sounds of the 20th century (including a tone row, blues, percussive rhythms and so forth). The plaintive, yearning harmonies of the opening Kyrie, contrasts with the joyful sounds of the Gloria and Sanctus. The Credo is a coat of many colours and the final Agnus Dei, composed in the Ionian mode, contains no accidentals - it answers Schoenberg's observation that "there is still plenty of good music to be written in the key of C".
Difficulty note
Recommended by the composer for the Big Sing competition
Contents note
five movements: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
Performance history
Performed by Christ Church Choir with musical director Margaret Newman
Christ Church Choir directed by Margaret Newman