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Work Overview
The work consists of 20 movements, the duration of which range between 1 minute to 5 minutes. The choir consists of at least 5 sopranos, 5 altos, 4 tenors and 4 basses. There are many solo parts which can be sung by a choir member instead of a dedicated soloist, although this is possible should there be a larger choir.
The Mass for Lost Souls is based on prayers from the Roman Catholic liturgy, psalms, biblical proverbs and secular texts. The secular texts refer to: i) a poem by the Spanish poet Juan Ramone Jimenez; ii) a paraphrase and adaptation of texts by Hildegard of Bingen, and iii) texts by the composer. Using the liturgical form, the Mass for Lost Souls shifts the focus from the sacrificial victim to the congregation's journey as they prepare for the communal sacrifice of the banquet. In the traditional liturgical form, the sacrificial victim (scapegoat) is deified in order to atone for the congregation's sins. In Mass for Lost Souls, the congregation assembles because they are in conflict (crisis) and need a scapegoat to avoid facing that conflict. The scapegoat enables the congregation to transfer their anxieties, thereby avoiding the reasons for their crisis. This often can be a repeated process thereby creating an endless cycle of anxiety, blame (transference) and momentary catharsis (resolution). In both the traditional Catholic liturgy and Mass for Lost Souls, the sections outlining the Order of the Mass conform with deeply embedded rites of transgression found in many cultures involving rites of separation, rites of inversion, and rites of reintegration.
The Latin texts from the psalms and liturgy have undergone significant transformations and editing. The English texts are not from the liturgy but allude to various sub-themes found in the liturgy: crisis, desire, alienation, and surrender. Their inclusion helps drive forward the dramatic narrative of the Mass for Lost Souls.
Work Details
Year: 2025
Instrumentation: SATB choir, pipe organ, vibraphone.
Duration: 40 min.
Subjects
- In the form/style of: Masses
- In the form/style of: Spiritual and Sacred Music
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