9 movements based on the traditional Latin Gloria Text, for SSAATTBB chorus and piano. This work incorporates many musical idioms -- most notably, common-practice period classical, medieval, renaissance and jaz
classical
opera
contemporary classical
orchestral
choral
medieval
sacred music
symphonic
psalms
renaissance
thomas wilson
cos
requiem
gloria
contemporary composers
karen peace
living composers
moondance winner
ppac award
small ensemble
string quartets
women composers
colorado vocal arts ensem
cvae
chamber orchestra of the
Story behind the song
Right off the bat, let me say that this Gloria will offend some people. It is indeed reverent, but neither does it shy away from expressing human struggles, questions, and emotions regarding faith, and turning over the stones, so to speak, to reveal the darker aspects of the human psyche. I wrote it this way very consciously, well aware of the possible consequences.
I wanted to write a Gloria based on traditional text, that evokes not only the reverence, tenderness and awe of a more traditional Gloria mass, but also the angst, doubt, selfishness, need, sorrow and even anger we often feel about our faith, in the face of modern sensibilities. As such, I hope this Gloria Mass will prove to be a very human one, as well as divine, believing as I do, that the only way to address our inner conflicts is to bring them out into the light.
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More detail... on the use of dissonance in Gloria to reflect the dissonance in the human psyche:
The angst and dissonance in Gloria are very purposely chosen for specific reasons: In mv 1 Gloria -- the choirs' "gloria" at times becomes almost like a yell or a scream (not literally, but musically) -- because in these modern chaotic times, we are besieged on all sides by apparent reasons not to glorify God or anything else. But most of us want and maybe even need to revere something -- and the juxtaposition of these two forces in the psyche might very well tear us apart.
The second movement "Et in Terra Pax" is short, simple and perfectly harmonious, reflecting its title.
The third "Laudamus Te" -- we praise thee, bless thee, adore thee, glorify thee -- this is again a very problematic one. We often have difficulties with these, whether we want to admit it or not. In fact, admitting this is tantamount to heresy in some religious circles. Yet, we have questions, problems, angers, doubts, whether we voice them or not. (Merton "He who has never doubted has no true faith"). That, in contrast and struggle with our desire to believe against the odds, again leads to psychological conflict, and at times, an almost frantic, desperate attempt to affirm the very things with which we have the most trouble.
The fourth is pretty traditional, in fact, I may have unwittingly stolen some of the riffs from some other Gloria -- I have to go check on that!
The sixth - Agnus Dei -- is my comment on a phenomenon I have occasionally witnessed, and it horrified me – a blithe joy that Christ died in their stead, and that therefore they are forgiven. Off the hook, as it were. Think about this! That an upright and just man suffered one of the most horrifying deaths imaginable is, to my mind and heart, no occasion for rejoicing, however cosmic the purpose may be. An occasion for gratitude, relief, devotion – certainly. But not outright joy, which seems to me to be utter selfishness, and a denial of Jesus’s actual suffering. If I love someone, would I want them to suffer in my stead? At the same time, to me this bespeaks the understandably terrible fear of humanity, fear of the consequences of its actions. So in this Agnus, there is a tender, reverent music most of the time. But then that other area of the psyche bursts out, "Slaughter the Lamb, for we are hungry -- we are hungry, hungry, HUNGRY!" and then returns back to the reverence, still sincere, but slightly less convincing because of what we have just seen in ourselves.
In the ninth and final movement, the Holy Spirit ("Sancto Spiritu") as sung by the choir sounds almost ominous, frightening, unfamiliar.... creepy. To those who have truly plumbed the depths of their souls, not flinching as "no stone is left unturned" may not find the feeling I try to evoke here unfamiliar at all. However, the movement goes on to merge the ghostly chant with new words to one of my favorite hymn tunes, finally ending with a classic big long Amen fugue. This movement is written so that it may be
Lyrics
mv 1 GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO.
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Gloria in excelsis Deo.
“Glory to God in the Highest”
mv 2 ET IN TERRA PAX
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Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
“And peace on earth, goodwill toward men”
mv 3 LAUDAMUS
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Laudamus te. Benedicimus te.
Adoramus te. Glorificamus te.
“We praise thee; we bless thee;
we adore thee; we glorify thee”
mv 4 GRATIAS AGIMUS TIBI
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Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
"We give thanks to Thee for Thy great Glory."
mv 5 REX CAELESTIS
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Domine Deus, Rex caelestis,
Deus Pater omnipotens.
Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe.
"O Lord God, heavenly King,
God the Father almighty.
O Lord the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. "
mv 6 AGNUS DEI
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Agnus Dei,
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
suscipe deprecationem nostram.
"Lamb of God,
Thou who takest away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer."
[added words]
Slaughter the Lamb,
For we are hungry, we are hungry, we're hungry!
mv 7 AD DEXTERAM PATRIS
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Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis,
"Thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us."
mv 8 QUONIAM TU SOLUS SANCTUS
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Quoniam tu solus Sanctus.
Tu solus Dominus.
Tu solus Altissimus,
Jesu Christe.
"For Thou only art Holy.
Thou only art the Lord.
Thou only, O Jesus Christ, art Most High. "
mv 9 CUM SANCTO SPIRITU
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Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris.
Amen.
"With the Holy Ghost,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen."