Choral composition by Leoš Janáček
The Glagolitic Mass (', ; also called Missa Glagolitica or Slavonic Mass""') is a composition for soloists (soprano, contralto, tenor, bass), double chorus, organ and orchestra by Leoš Janáček. Janáček completed the work in 1926. It received its premiere by the Brno Arts Society, conducted by Jaroslav Kvapil, in Brno on 5 December 1927. Janáček revised the mass the next year.
The Glagolitic alphabet was an early Slavic alphabet, the predecessor of the modern Cyrillic alphabet. In Croatia, the Catholic Church gave permission for the Roman Rite liturgical Mass to be celebrated in Old Church Slavonic at a time when such liturgies were typically only permitted to be in Latin, resulting in the Glagolitic Use Mass.
Background.
The text is in Old Church Slavonic, with five vocal movements that correspond to the Catholic Ordinary of the Mass, omitting "Dona nobis pacem" in the "Agnus Dei". The musical origins of the work can be traced to Janáček's Latin setting of the "Kyrie", "Agnus Dei", and "Credo" for organ and chorus. This was used as a dictation exercise by his composition students in 1908.
Janáček had extensive experience working with choirs, as well as writing a large amount of choral music. It begins and closes with triumphant fanfares dominated by the brass. In between these sections lies particularly vibrant and rhythmic writing for solo voices as well as choir. Curiously, the final movement is titled "Intrada", which means "entrance". Before this "Intrada", Janáček introduces a dramatic organ solo of considerable originality – a "moto perpetuo" of wild energy. Janáček's "Glagolitic Mass" is considered an important work of the century and is frequently performed and recorded today.
Janáček was a strong supporter of pan-Slavism, and this mass has been viewed as a celebration of Slavic culture.
Different editions of the score exist, prepared by Paul Wingfield and by Jiři Zahrádka.
Structure.
Its eight movements are:
Although this version is considered the "standard" version performed today, research into Janáček's manuscripts suggests that the "Intrada" was intended to be played at the beginning of the work as well, creating a symmetric, nine-movement form with the "Věruju" at its center. In addition, several other sections of the work were revealed to have been simplified in meter and orchestration. Some of the movements are reworkings of Janáček's earlier compositions: the "Svet," for instance, is derived from the Sanctus of the "Mass in E-flat".
Orchestration.
The mass is scored for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass soloists, double SATB choir, and an orchestra of 4 flutes (2–4 doubling piccolos), 2 oboes, cor anglais, 3 clarinets (3rd doubling bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (3rd doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, glockenspiel, triangle, snare drum, cymbals, tam-tam, chimes, 2 harps, celesta, organ, and strings (1st &amp; 2nd violins, violas, cellos, and double basses).
In film.
The "Glagolitic Mass" was used for the music in the 1954 film "Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome" by director Kenneth Anger.
Other composers.
Other composers of a "Glagolitic Mass" include J. B. Foerster, František Zdeněk Skuherský, the Prague organist Bedřich Antonín Wiedermann, Karel Douša, and more recently Jan Křesadlo and Jan Hanuš. These Glagolitic Masses were mostly intended for liturgical use, prompted by the 1920 limited permission for the Roman Rite Mass to be celebrated in Church Slavonic once again in Bohemia and Moravia.
References.
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