Organ Mass
Robinson McClellan
About this work:
Organ Mass can be heard on three levels. First, it is literally a mass setting for the organ, and the five movements match the five main texts of the mass ordinary: Kyrie = “Mercy”, Gloria = “Glory”, Credo = “Believing”, Sanctus/Benedictus = “Hosanna”, and Agnus Dei = “Peace”. Second, the music of the piece is based on an ancient style of Scottish bagpipe music known as pibroch (or piobaireachd), in which a slow, stately theme is elaborated. The piece borrows a traditional pibroch tune, heard in the first movement, and the other movements are variations on that theme. Finally, the piece follows a loose narrative, in which a soul searches for God. After crying out in pain in “Mercy”, the soul believes it has earned unity with God, and tries to worship in “Glory”. However, its understanding is still clouded, so its attempts only sound hollow and demented. In “Believing”, the soul first wanders in confusion but then achieves a moment of true clarity and the movement ends with great joy. In “Hosanna”, the soul encounters the solemn, sometimes difficult realities of a profound understanding of God. After this final lesson the soul finds a kind of peace, perhaps still tinged with melancholy, in the last movement.
Commissioned and premiered by Carson Cooman, October 9, 2005, Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh, PA.
Year composed: 2005
Duration: 00:15:00
Ensemble type: Keyboard:Organ
Instrumentation: