Blog 5

The first mass that I listened to was the Missa De Sanctis by the Dominican Liturgical Center (including Lord Have Mercy [Kyrie], Holy, Holy [Santus], Lamb of God [Agnus Dei]). It was an incredibly beautiful set of songs and it did make me feel slightly guilty for preferring highly performative church music like “Requiem”. However, the performance of the Missa De Sanctis was lovely and I thought wonderfully captured the conversational aspect of liturgical music through its use of time. Begbie states that, “we try to show how the experience of music can serve to open up features of a distinctively theological account of created temporality,” which I think the “Lord Have Mercy” exhibits particularly in its use of pauses (Begbie 6–7). These spaces between verses are what allow for deeper contemplation and create a conversational feel, allowing space for God and Christ to be present and respond to the praises and prayers that are being offered. The repetition in this song also emphasizes the praise and the emotion being embodied by the musical prayer. This music as vocal prayer reminded me of Chretien stating, “…this manifestation of self to other through speech is agnostic and transformative, as it is a dialogue and conversation with the other in an encounter in which our truth is at stake” (Chretien 25). Here man is completely bare before God and enters into His version of time in this encounter.

The second mass I listened to was the Missa Ecce Ancilla Domini (including Gloria, Credo, Sanctus-Benedictus as one, and Agnus Dei). For me, the most impactful elements of these songs were how they utilized time and the “grammar” of music. First, in comparison to the two masses I listened to before choosing this one as my second to analyze, the Missa Ecce Ancilla Domini is notably longer (with the exception of the Caput Masses). “Credo” in particular comes in at 8:08. The music is lovely and I think having the song that long purposefully allows the singer and listener time to dive deeper into contemplation with the music. As far as the “grammar” of the music , I think these longer pieces are able to play with tension and release to a greater extent. All four of the songs in this mass utilize purposeful pauses that make the listener think the song is coming to an end because musically the notes release the tension, but then the voices return. I think there are many ways to interpret this, but I felt that these pauses allowed for a greater emotional connection to the music because of the eb and flow of the pieces. You believe the song is ending, but then it continues and you are once again seeking that release from this new, mounting tension and are pulled back into the vocal prayer as the singers rise in unison together. It is this deeper emotional element that allows us to connect more meaningful to God as He is made present through the beauty of the music.