Janáček: Glagolitic Mass

Introduction

The Glagolitic Mass(Czech: Glagolská mše, Church Slavonic: Mša glagolskaja; also called Missa Glagoliticaor Slavonic Mass) is a composition for soloists (soprano, contralto, tenor, bass), double chorus, organ and orchestra by Leoš Janáček. The work was completed on 15 October 1926 and premiered by the Brno Arts Society, conducted by Jaroslav Kvapil, in Brno on 5 December 1927. Janáček revised the mass the next year.

The Glagolitic alphabetwas an early Slavic alphabet, the predecessor of the modern Cyrillic alphabet.

Background

The text is in Old Church Slavonic, with five vocal movements that correspond to the Catholic Ordinary of the Mass, omitting "Dona nobis pacem" in the Agnus Dei. The musical origins of the work can be traced to Janáček's Latin setting of the Kyrie, Agnus Dei, and Credo for organ and chorus. This was used as a dictation exercise by his composition students in 1908.

Janáček had extensive experience working with choirs, as well as writing a large amount of choral music. It begins and closes with triumphant fanfares dominated by the brass. In between these sections lies particularly vibrant and rhythmic writing for solo voices as well as choir. Before the closing Intrada, Janáček introduces a dramatic organ solo of considerable originality – a perpetuo moto of wild energy. Janáček's Glagolitic Massis considered an important work of the century and is frequently performed and recorded today.

Janáček was a strong supporter of pan-Slavism, and this mass has been viewed as a celebration of Slavic culture.

Structure

Its eight movements are:

1. Úvod– Introduction (orchestra)
2. Gospodi pomiluj– Kyrie
3. Slava– Gloria
4. Vĕruju– Credo
5. Svet– Sanctus
6. Agneče Božij– Agnus Dei
7. Varhany sólo(Postludium) – Organ solo
8. Intrada– Exodus

Although this version is considered the "standard" version performed today, research into Janáček's manuscripts suggests that the Intradawas intended to be played at the beginning of the work as well, creating a symmetric nine-movement form with the Vĕrujuat its center. In addition, several other sections of the work were revealed to have been simplified in meterand orchestration. Some of the movements are reworkings of Janáček's earlier compositions: the Svet,for instance, is derived from the Sanctus of the composer's own Mass in E-flat.

Orchestration

The mass is scored for soprano, alto, tenor, and basssoloists, double SATB choir, and an orchestra of 4 flutes(2–4 doubling piccolos), 2 oboes, cor anglais, 3 clarinets(3rd doubling bass clarinet), 3 bassoons(3rd doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, glockenspiel, triangle, snare drum, cymbals, tam-tam, chimes, 2 harps, celesta, organ, and strings(1st & 2nd violins, violas, cellos, and double basses).

Recordings

• Břetislav Bakala conducting the Brno Radio Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1951, Supraphon)
• Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic(rec. 1963, Sony)
• Karel Ančerl conducting the Czech Philharmonic, (rec. May 1961, Supraphon)
• Rafael Kubelík conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra(rec. 1964, Deutsche Grammophon)
• Rudolf Kempe conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra(rec. May1973 organ solo 6 August 1973, Decca)
• Václav Neumann conducting the Czech Philharmonic, (rec. 1978, Supraphon)
• František Jílek conducting the Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra (rec. 1979, Supraphon)
• Sir Simon Rattleconducting the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra(rec. 1981, EMIClassics)
• Sir Charles Mackerrasconducting the Czech Philharmonic (rec. 1984, Supraphon)
• Michael Gielenconducting the SWR Symphony Orchestra(rec. 1988, Intercord)
• Robert Shawconducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestraand Chorus (rec. 1990, Telarc)
• Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the London Symphony Orchestra(rec. 1990, Sony)
• Kurt Masurconducting the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig(rec. 1991, Philips)
• Charles Dutoitconducting the Montreal Symphony Orchestra(rec. May 16, 1991 Decca)
• Sir Charles Mackerrasconducting the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra; (this version is based on Janáček's original manuscripts) (rec. 1993, Chandos)
• Riccardo Chailly conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with the choir of the Slovak Philharmonic(rec. June 8–9, 1997, Decca)
• Ladislav Slovák conducting the Slovak Philharmonic; date of recording unclear, released by Music deLux
• Sir Andrew Davis conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (rec. live 2000 at BBC Proms)
• Antoni Wit conducting the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra(rec. 2010, Naxos)
• Marek Janowski conducting the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra(rec. 2012, PentaTone)
• Tomáš Netopil conducting the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and Prague Philharmonic Choir (rec. 2013) (Based on original performance version)
• Edward Gardner conducting the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra(rec. 2015, Chandos)
• The "Postludium" has been recorded as a stand-alone organ piece by a number of concert organists.

Arrangements

1. Arrangement suitable for: solo soprano, alto, tenor and bass, mixed chorus, organ and orchestra
   • arrangement for: wind orchestra
   • arrangement by: Karel Bělohoubek
   • performed by: Czech Army Central Band, co Karel Bělohoubek
2. Arrangement suitable for: solo soprano, alto, tenor and bass, mixed chorus, organ and orchestra
   • arrangement for: wind orchestra
   • arrangement by: Josef Šebesta
   • performed by: Prague Castle Guard and Police Wind Orchestra, co Rudolf Rydval
3. Arrangement suitable for: opera
   • arrangement for: fantasy from the opera for saloon orchestra
   • arrangement by: E. Bauer
   • performed by: Dolfi Dauber Saloon Orchestra, co Dolfi Dauber
4. Arrangement suitable for: opera
   • arrangement for: orchestral suite from the opera
   • arrangement by: Peter Breiner
   • performed by: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, co Peter Breiner

In film

The Glagolitic Masswas used for the music in the 1954 film Inauguration of the Pleasure Domeby director Kenneth Anger.

Other composers

There are a few other compositions of this genre in existence. Other composers of a Glagolitic Massinclude J. B. Foerster, František Zdeněk Skuherský, Alexander Gretchaninov, the Prague organist Bedřich Antonín Wiedermann, and more recently, in the 1950s by the Czech polymath Jan Křesadlo. These glagolitic masses were perhaps romantic expressions of so-called pan-Slavismand that of Janáček, an agnostic, may also possibly be so regarded.