Solemn Mass in E Major (Cherubini)

The mass consists of six numbers, which, however, are easily divided into separate structural parts, although there is almost never a sharp transition between them.

• Kyrie written in traditional three-part form, performed by the choir.
  • Kyrie eleison - opens with a brief orchestral introduction, immediately in minor.
  • Christe eleison - unlike in the previous masses, it was built not on new material, but on the material already introduced in Kyrie eleison , but in major.
  • Kyrie eleison - repetition of the first part, but without an orchestral introduction, and code.

• Gloria is difficult to write, five large sections can be distinguished, the fourth repeats the first, giving the whole structure a harmonious completeness. Attracting attention is the lack of a regular fugue at the end, instead of which a light code is set .
  • Gloria in excelsis Deo - two-part construction, in the form of ABAC ( Gloria - Et in terra - Laudamus - cadence).
  • Gratias agimus tibi - rondo A1-B1-A2-B2-A3, soloists chorus and tercet alternate ( Gratias - Domine Deus - Deus pater - Domine fili - Domine Deus, Agnus Dei ).
  • Qui tollis - traditionally in three parts. Three soloists and a choir alternate in succession.
  • Quoniam tu solus - repeats Gloria in excelsis Deo with slight changes at the end.
  • Cum sancto spiritu - code for soloists and choir in the form of ABABC, where C - the actual code.

• Credo consists of a long introductory part ( Credo ), two narratives ( Et incarnatus and Et resurrexit ), two parts repeating the music of the first ( Et in spiritum sanctum and Et unam sanctam ), and the final fugue Amen .
  • Credo in unum Deum - choral opening part at a slow pace, in the form of A1-A2-A3-A1 ( Credo in unum Deum - Et in unum Dominum - Genitum - Qui propter ), different parts of the choir alternate (female - male - female - whole choir). After going through a series of modulations, the theme returns to its original tonic.
  • Et incarnatus est is a peculiar descent with continuous musical development: three soloists ( Et incarnatus - Et homo - Crucifixus ) sing consecutively. The orchestra is silent.
  • Et resurrexit - after a pause, an explosion of glee occurs, then again, as expected, pianissimo on “et mortuos”. Next, several transient measures are inserted.
  • Et in spiritum sanctum - quartet of soloists. The melody is different from the one in Credo in unum Deum , but the neighborhood accompaniment is the same.
  • Et unam sanctam - based on Credo in unum Deum .
  • Amen is a fugato .

• Sanctus has the form A1-BCB-A2, where B is Osanna , C is the duet of soloists (female) Benedictus , A2 is the repetition of opening the fanfare number (instead of “Sanctus”, “Osanna” is sung).

• O salutaris hostia is not included in the ordinary rank , but is present in all six last masses of Cherubini.

• Agnus Dei , as always, is divided into two parts.
  • Agnus Dei is a three-part. The first two appearances are opened by horns . In them, the tercet of the soloists ("Agnus Dei") is opposed by the bass ("Miserere nobis"). The third appeal is performed by the choir.
  • Dona nobis pacem - begins with the same phrase from horns, which is repeated twice, as in Agnus Dei (choir sings). Then comes the code.

The nature of the music of the mass is surprisingly diverse. Opening it with Kyrie and his plaintive intonations, reminiscent of almost crying, could well have served as an introit for some requiem (Cherubini finished his famous minor minor requiem just two years before writing this Mass). Next, Gloria stands out for its bravura. The orchestra in it is full-voiced, the abundance of percussion is no longer striking (composed just twenty years earlier, Mass in tempore belli J. Haydn was dubbed “Paukenmesse” for this - the timpani mass). The music shimmers, glitters, as if playing with the listener - the choir loudly sings “Gloria” (fame) , then hides, “pax” (peace) , then again, with a swoop, it almost cries out “Gratias” (thanksgiving) many times. Finally, soloists appear (Domine Deus - Lord God ), turning to God. The choir supports them, and when universal unity in prayer, it would seem, reaches the limit, there comes a moment of Qui tollis (taking on sins) . Music reaches its highest tension on the last “miserere”, resolving itself in repeating the old theme (“Quoniam tu solus”), which sounds even louder after this tension. The code in Gloria serves to complete the unification of the soloists with the choir, which did not take place a little earlier.

Credo is always an essential part of the mass. At the same time, this is its most difficult part for a musical solution - because of the length of the text and its complete rhythmic disorder. Often they try to reduce it due to the fast pace. Cherubini does otherwise. Following the tradition, he gives all the words to Et incarnatus right away. In the measured movement of the choir, in its four-step gait, one feels so necessary for the Creed of the people’s confidence in what they say. The female half of the choir sings about God the Father, the male half about God the Son. The whole choir declares that God has come down to earth. The soloists tell the story of Jesus Christ : starting with a light, light soprano, it goes into bass and, as expected, calms down there with the words “passus et sepultus est” (suffering and buried) . The strings eagerly give the same note, finally everything explodes in Et resurrexit (and resurrected) . The first section of Credo returns, now in the form of a quartet of soloists (Et in spiritum sanctum - And the Holy Spirit ), which then goes into the convincing words of the choir about the Church (Et unam sanctam). At the end is the traditional solemn fugato Amen .

Sanctus surprises with the brevity of Benedictus : although it is still performed by soloists, in order to achieve complete unity of the whole number, Cherubini gives him only six measures . The result is a powerful light prayer, a mixture of fanfare, timpani and choral singing, which clearly depicts a picture of Osanns in excelsis. On the contrary, not included in the ordinary rank of O salutaris hostia , but so beloved by Cherubini, with its purity, transparency and almost complete absence of an orchestra (they play only strings, and very quietly), the effect produced resembles antiphons . The final Agnus Dei is all riddled with the idea of ​​peace (pax). The prayer for him begins already with the very first soft phrase of the French horns , then the soloists carefully enter, then finally the chorus, everything fades out and is resolved in a quiet major chord, promising only good. Cherubini shows how much he wants peace for himself and for the exhausted Revolution , wars and coups of France.

• Cherubini. Missa solemnis in E (EMI Classics, 2007) . Soloists: R. Tsizak (soprano), M. Pizzolato (mezzo-soprano), G. Lipper (tenor), I.A. Abdrazakov (bass). Bavarian Radio Choir (choirmaster P. Dijkstra ). Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra . Conductor R. Muti . Concert recording June 22-23, 2006 (Munich).

There are no mass scores in the public domain.