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Gounod is famous chiefly for his operatic work, the most well-known of which are Faust and Romeo and Juliet but his other musical output was also prodigious – masses, oratorios, symphonies and chamber music. Some critics have, rudely, called his work “sweet” or “facile” but Gounod was not a composer to annoy - his answer to the critics was to challenge one of them to a duel when they accused him of not being good enough to have written Faust himself. In any case, we remember so much of Gounod’s music today but how many of the critics are remembered 150 years on?
Gounod’s Messe solennelle de Sainte Cécile was first performed on St Cecilia’s Day, 22nd November 1855 but had to be re-published in 1874 because it was not properly protected in copyright. Things got so bad that in the front of all of our copies of the re-published Mass is a personal message from Gounod which states:-
“… the great English publishing firms had not scrupled to publish it, solely for their own benefit, not only in almost the original form but cut up, made into pieces for the organ, and adapted to the Protestant form of worship. This I strongly object to – uselessly, I am aware, as it is a time-honoured practice in England”
It would appear that musical copyright violation is, by no means, a modern issue!
The Mass has the traditional structure but there are many deviations from “the norm” within it – things start off simply enough in the Kyrie with the different singers re-affirming each others’ pleas for mercy but Gounod forgoes the usual (and obvious) belting start to the Gloria. Instead, the Gloria starts with a horn and harp motif followed by a soprano solo which is then taken up by the chorus like “the blossoming of a flower”. It is only now, with the affirmation of faith (Laudamus te – We praise you), that Gounod allows the piece it’s full force but he then quickly reigns things in again with the soloists singing Gratias in a very conversational way – like old friends meeting up. Gounod then shows his operatic credentials for the bass solo leading to a rather spooky miserere and then on to the final, up-beat, Cum sacto spiritus fugue on which he ends.
It safe to assume that, when the Credo starts, that it can be nothing less than a (very) bold affirmation of faith! The lower parts of the orchestra drive the piece forward with dotted rhythm which disappears several times only to re-emerge when the most important parts of the Creed are sung – “I believe in One God“, “God of God, Light of Light“ and “He ascended into heaven“. Things are much quieter when Gounod is talking about Jesus’ earthly life and death – some of this music is marked pppp (p being “quiet” and pp being “very quiet”) but two pages later we are up to fff again when Jesus ascends into heaven. The grandest part of the Credo is saved for the core Christian belief “We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.”
A peaceful and lyrical Invocation follows
to lead us into the beautiful Sanctus which starts simply with
the tenor solo followed by the chorus. A more mysterious tone enters
the piece when the chorus sing about heaven and earth (coeli et terra)
with all sorts of peculiar (but luscious) key changes until everybody
ends in glorious repeat of all the text and an hosanna in excelsis.
If anybody was unsure about which country Gounod came from then one run
through the Benedictus should leave no one in any doubt – it
is just so French! Simple yet beautiful harmonies flow through
the whole section.
Gounod’s operatic tendencies surface once again
in the Agnus
Dei where he gives the violins and violas in the orchestra their
chance to shine.
This would normally be the end of the Mass but many counties
have a tradition of reciting prayers for the monarch at the end – as
Gounod lived in the time of Napoleon III the prayers are for him. Each
short prayer, although the same tune, has the “spirit” of
its origin. Thus, the prayer from the Church is rich and unaccompanied,
the prayer from the Army definitely martial in origin and the Prayer
from the People – grand!
Andy Miller, March 2007
1. Kyrie Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison |
1. Kyrie Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy |
2. Gloria in excelsis Gloria in excelsis deo Miserere nobis Tu solus dominus Cum sancto spiritu in gloria dei patris Amen |
2. Gloria in excelsis Glory in the heights to God We praise You. We bless You. Lord God, heavenly King, For You alone are the Holy One. |
3. Credo Credo in unum Deum Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit
de coelis Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato Et resurexit tertia die, secundum scripturas Et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos cujus regni non erit finis Et in Spiritum Sanctum Qui cum patre et filio simul adoratur Et conglorificatur qui locutus est per prophetas Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam |
3. Credo We believe in one God, We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
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4. Sanctus Sanctus Dominus
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4. Sanctus Holy Lord |
5. Benedictus Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini Hosanna in exclesis
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5. Benedictus Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest |
6. Agnus Dei Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis miserere nobis. dona nobis pacem.
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6. Agnus Dei Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, |
7. Prayers Prière de l’Église Domine, salvum fac Imperatorum nostrum Napoleonem et exaudi nos in die, qua invocaverimus te. Prière de l’Armeé Domine, salvum fac Imperatorum nostrum Napoleonem et exaudi nos in die, qua invocaverimus te. Prière de la Nation Domine, salvum fac Imperatorum nostrum Napoleonem et exaudi nos in die, qua invocaverimus te. |
7. Prayers Prayer from the Church Lord, save our Emperor Napoleon and hear us when we call upon
Thee Prayer from the Army Lord, save our Emperor Napoleon and hear us when we call upon Thee
Prayer from the People Lord, save our Emperor Napoleon and hear us when we call upon Thee |
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