Palestrina at the Abbey

South Bend Chamber Singers

Nancy Menk, Director
Daniel Stowe, Guest Conductor

Click to play selection in streaming audio. Click to download and play the selection. Assumpta est Maria II. pars: Quae est ista Missa Papae Marcelli Kyrie Peccantem me quotidie Missa Papae Marcelli Sanctus Missa Papae Marcelli Agnus Dei

Program Notes

This latter Palestrina legend has at its center this month’s featured work, the Pope Marcellus Mass. Much discussion at the Council of Trent, the conclave called to address the challenge of the Reformation, focused on church music; in particular, musicians were admonished to make the words understandable in polyphony, and to make their works appropriate for moving Christians to devotion. Ample documentary evidence demonstrates the concern Church leaders took in the topic. A letter indicates that Cardinal Marcello Cervini, later Pope Marcellus II (he reigned for only twenty days in 1553), took a personal interest in the question, and sent a mass that possessed the desired qualities to a colleague. While this mass was published only in 1567, the possibility that Palestrina’s piece is the one mentioned in the correspondence remains intriguing.

The Missa Papae Marcelli is scored for six voice parts with the final section of the Agnus Dei opening to seven parts. Though this mass has long been assumed to have been freely composed (atypically for Palestrina, who usually based his masses on his own motets), certain musical ideas recur in several places: the beginning of the Kyrie and the Agnus Dei are quite similar, for example, and the motive that opens the second Kyrie recurs in the Sanctus. While the remarkable clarity of texture is one element that might have appealed to the Counter-Reformation Church, perhaps more arresting for the modern listener are the sweetness of the piece and its consistent “major mode” sonority.

The two motets on the program differ greatly in character. A serene, joyful mood pervades the six-voice Assumpta est Maria, with a lilting triple-meter refrain and flowing scale passages. The five-voice Peccantem me quotidie is dark and foreboding, set very low in the vocal compass and containing passages as chromatically involved as Palestrina would ever write. A plunge to the bottom of the vocal range depicting the infernal fire is worthy of note, as is the full chorus plea for mercy near the conclusion.

Translations

Mary is taken up into heaven; the angels rejoice; praising, they bless God. Rejoice and exult, all of righteous heart, for today the Virgin Mary reigns with Christ in eternity.

Who is this, who comes forth like the rising dawn, as beautiful as the moon, brilliant as the sun, mighty as an army arrayed for battle? Rejoice and exult, all of righteous heart, for today the Virgin Mary reigns with Christ in eternity.

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.

I partake daily of sin, but not of penitence. Fear shakes me, for in the fire nothing is redeemed. Have mercy on me, God, and save me.

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.