BaL 3.11.18 - Stravinsky: Mass

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

09.30
Building a Library: Jeremy Summerly surveys recordings of Stravinsky's Mass
Stravinsky's Mass was written between 1944 and 1948 and is one of the most austere and archaic works of his neoclassical period. Stravinsky incorporated elements of his Russian Orthodox faith but chose to set the text of the Catholic Mass out of a desire to create a liturgical work - an impossibility in the Russian Orthodox tradition, which forbids the use of instruments in church. The Mass is one of only a few of Stravinsky's works not have been commissioned, which suggests that the work came about as a result of the composer's own renewed religious consciousness.


Available recordings (ed. Pulcinella)

Prague Philharmonic Choir, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Ancerl
English Bach Festival Chorus and Orchestra, Bernstein
La Tempete, Bestion
Europa Chor Akademie, Bremen Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Wind Soloists, Cambreling
Gregg Smith Singers, Columbia Symphony Winds and Brass, Craft
Gregg Smith Singers, Orchestra of St Luke's, Craft
The St Anthony Singers, English Chamber Orchestra, Colin Davis
Netherlands Chamber Choir, Schonberg Ensemble, de Leeuw
West Chester University Concert Choir and Wind Ensemble, DeVenney
Choir of St Mary's Cathedral Edinburgh, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Ferguson
Collegium Vocale Gent, Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Herreweghe
Choir of New College Oxford, Higginbottom
Westminster Cathedral Choir, City of London Sinfonia, James O’Donnell
La Maitrise de Toulouse, Opstad
Choir of Christ Church Oxford, London Sinfonietta, Preston
RIAS-Kammerchor, MusikFabrik & Ensemble fur Neue Musik, Reuss
Church of the Blessed Sacrament Choir, RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, Stravinsky
Gregg Smith Singers, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Stravinsky

[Barbirollians]

I struggle with Stravinsky's choral music so I think I shall be giving this one a miss.

[Serial_Apologist]

I struggle with Stravinsky's choral music so I think I shall be giving this one a miss.

The Symphony of Psalms? Really?? "Oedipus Rex" is maybe a bit heavy going, but the Mass is not a particularly long work.

[Barbirollians]

I don't like his choral works I am afraid . Les Noces is another one that leaves me cold.

[Pianoman]

Wonderful work, of which I have a number of fine recordings. The current favourite is Bernstein, though I must admit to enjoying the finer choral contribution and recording quality of the Daniel Reuss on Harmonia Mundi.

[Beef Oven!]

I can count the Stravinsky works that I like on one hand.

This fabulous work is one of them.

Very much looking forward to the programme. I may even add a recording following this Bal, which is unusual for me.

I have 2 recordings - the composer's one from the Sony box set and the Gregg Smith Singers/Orchestra of St. Luke's on Naxos.

The Naxos CD is my fave.

[rauschwerk]

There is also Craft (Naxos)

[Beef Oven!]

There is also Craft (Naxos)

Same one?

[Bryn]

I can count the Stravinsky works that I like on one hand.

This fabulous work is one of them.

Very much looking forward to the programme. I may even add a recording following this Bal, which is unusual for me.

I have 2 recordings - the composer's one from the Sony box set and the Gregg Smith Singers/Orchestra of St. Luke's on Naxos.

The Naxos CD is my fave. I don't see it in listed in Muesli's OP.

I can't even count the number of Stravinsky works I do not like on one finger. As to the Mass, I have a couple or so with the composer conducting, the Gregg Smith/St. Luke's/Craft, the O'Donnell, the Preston, the Reuss, the Bernstein, the de Leeuw and the Ancerl, but no Herreweghe, so that will probably be first choice.

[pastoralguy]

I remember singing in the Symphony of Psalms as a student, (since there are no fiddles in this work), and absolutely loving it despite the fact that I am NO singer! It's a piece that reminds me of a very happy period of my life.

I will listen to the BaL of MASS with interest.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Mass is one of only a few of Stravinsky's works not have been commissioned, which suggests that the work came about as a result of the composer's own renewed religious consciousness.

Many thanks once again for the work you've done providing the list this week, Alpie

That Beeb-originating comment is peculiar in many ways - in what sense do they mean "renewed religious consciousness", given that for Stravinsky such a "renewal" started in 1926? And do they mean that the commissioned Symphony of Psalms and the a capella sacred text settings were not the result of his own "religious consciousness"?

It's a great work - easily amongst my thirty-or-so favourite works by one of my favourite composers.

[Beef Oven!]

I can't even count the number of Stravinsky works I do not like on one finger.

It's not like I haven't tried. One day I expect it to all click into focus for me and I'll be a Stravinsky fanatic. But right now he eludes me. One hand is not to be taken literally, I like a good 10-12 of his works. The songs are fab, an excellent selection on my DG Boulez Stravinsky box.

[Pulcinella]

A great favourite here too, so I will listen with interest.
Surprised that the Westminster Cathedral/O'Donnell is nla.

Given that Stravinsky asks for boys voices, surprisingly few have them!
The recording in the 22CD set is apparently an amalgam of Stravinsky and Craft conducted versions, both now released independently (so the one identified now as conducted by Stravinsky really is!) in the later jumbo box.
Alongside that version (on LP), I 'grew up' with the Preston; I have heard it done liturgically (with organ accompaniment) a few times at Christ Church. I wonder if the New College version is just organ.
But I very much like the Bernstein too.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I wonder if the New College version is just organ.

No - the usual double wind quintet is used. (Part of an "album" called Copland and his American Contemporaries!!!!)

[Master Jacques]

That Beeb-originating comment is peculiar in many ways - in what sense do they mean "renewed religious consciousness", given that for Stravinsky such a "renewal" started in 1926? And do they mean that the commissioned Symphony of Psalms and the a capella sacred text settings were not the result of his own "religious consciousness"? It's a great work - easily amongst my thirty-or-so favourite works by one of my favourite composers.

I think Auntie must be mixing Igor up with Francis (Poulenc), whose own not-dissimilar Mass followed soon after the renewal of his faith. It's certainly a very odd comment to make about a life-long Russian Orthodox Christian, for whom this Mass was only a departure, in so far as it was his first setting of the Catholic-Anglican liturgy.

I am with you in having it inside my rotating top 30 Stravinsky favourites (No.1 - this week - is the Cantata, with Requiem Canticles and Agon not far behind.) Talk about a composer for all seasons...