Dear Langlais, I understand you now. You are a genius. Thank you for teaching me what humanity is; what our small planet is in the immensity of time and space. What true prayer sounds like. It is a true honor to sing.
I’ve had the privilege of both singing tenor in this piece and playing the grande orgue part in Perth, Australia. A magnificent work of art with a mix of stunningly modal, gloriously bittersweet, and obnoxiously dissonant harmony that touches my soul.
I've sung it on tour, and it's still as mindblowing hearing it as when I was a choral scholar aged 18. This time I'm not part of singing it - but I wish I was. It's a happy thing that, judging by comments, this ultra-Catholic, Orthodox-influenced piece seems to be still current in the English cathedral choir scene. It's just a piece of genius, and one that British organists and singers can and have done so well. I got slapped (in the sense of "here's something to blow your mind") with it by George Guest (RIP), with Andrew Nethsingha playing the organ. I don't think George Guest ever recorded it, but I like to think of him as characterised by this piece: distilled, beautiful, almost deniable musical-emotional violence.
Stunning music that is rarely if never sung today in Catholic churches in Canada. The utilitarian attidude towards liturgical music has eliminated this repertoire. Our challenge now as composers is to offer music for the assembly that might be imbued with the same mysticism. Not easy but well worth while doing. In the meantime, we should listen to these great settings left by Jean Langlais and others. Happy that they might still be sung elsewhere. Beauty is essential to living, especially when praising God.
Just wonderful! Sang this with the Rochester Choral Society last night with James Norri on the organ and Scott Farrell conducting - wish it was not finished. If you get a chance to sing this with a half decent organ, DO NOT miss it!
A fabulous work - probably my favourite Mass setting. I sang it with my church choir of the time (St Faith's, Great Crosby) in the late 1990s at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral with Ged Callacher, our Director of Music (I think he was Organ Scholar at the Cathedral at that time), with David Houlder, then Sub-Organist at the Cathedral playing. There was definitely plenty of organ on that occasion. I agree that the Gloria just feels a touch under speed for me and the top Cs were definitely the other way round on the penultimate note when we did it! I just wished that now I am a Director of Music myself that my current church choir could manage it. Such powerful spiritual music....
I remember singing this as a Chorister at Lichfield Catchedral back in the early 2000's. For some reason we would always sing this on the week of Ascension Day, and as a treat, the cathedral school paid for us all to go to Drayton Manor park for the day. I always this mass with bring suspended dozens of feet above Staffordshire on Apocalypse.
the high c in the sanctus was actually added during rehearsals for the first performance. Its when the choristers of that cathedral commented on it and said that it would be better with a high c. The choirmaster agreed and asked langlais if he is allowed to add it in. Langlais said yes but wasn't the happiest about it.
Actually, the top C was added when Langlais visited St John's College Cambridge, not long before he died. It was, however, his suggestion that it should go on the penultimate chord, not the final one...and it was Langlais' own suggestion.
18:28 in diesem Genre eine der ergreifendsten musikalischen Auslegungen des Ringens um Frieden - wir rangen in der Kantorei wochenlang um richtige Töne und saubere Klänge bis zum erlösenden Schlußakkord.
Yes it is. Actually, it appears that it was added (on the second last note of the Sanctus) by a boy (or boys) during rehearsals with the composer, and he liked it so much that he added it. If you buy the score, it's been inked in - and both times, not just after the Sanctus.
I first sang this in Bristol Cathedral on Easter Day in the same week as Langlais died, the conductor was a pupil of his, it was emotional, and these speeds are spot on, although it needs A LOT MORE ORGAN, long story about the top C in the sanctus...but I guess everybody knows it!!!!
+Bigbearbeau This is new material for me, so I do not know the story. Perhaps a reference would save everyone having to suffer lost bandwidth for a curious mind.
Oh, well I think at the first performance at westminster cathedral one of the boys hit the top C by accident at the end of the sanctus, and Langlais rather liked it...it's not in the score but when possible one or 2 hit the high C not always in the right place...it should be the last chord!
The top C is in the new full score I bought recently, on the penultimate chord in both the Sanctus and Benedictus, but not in old vocal scores borrowed for the choir. Really looking forward to our performance on 25th April with Peter King playing the magnificent Father Willis organ in Great Torrington church, Devon.
I agree it's poky in places, but I wager it was a matter of making the music work in an enormous room and that the recording producer urged Corboz to drive with the brakes on for the sake of clarity.
The strangst thing about this otherwise good performance are the speeds, up to 20% slower than those marked in the score. The Gloria is more funereal than glorious, despite the organist's efforts to gee it up a bit whenever she can. Is M. Corboz getting old and tired ? Or does he think he knows better than the composer ? Or do metronomes go more slowly in Switzerland ?
A terrible thing about this Mass is that after the "Dona nobis pacem" there is no peace and you have to go right back to the Kyrie. 1949. Hasn't stopped since then.
Dear Langlais, I understand you now. You are a genius. Thank you for teaching me what humanity is; what our small planet is in the immensity of time and space. What true prayer sounds like. It is a true honor to sing.
I’ve had the privilege of both singing tenor in this piece and playing the grande orgue part in Perth, Australia. A magnificent work of art with a mix of stunningly modal, gloriously bittersweet, and obnoxiously dissonant harmony that touches my soul.
Under Simon Lawford at St George’s? My dad recorded a Sunday morning Langlais Mass onto digital cassette. I was there 98 to 01.
@@samcarlisle9258 oh! I was there… a bit lost in the ether but I think 95-98ish.
Only discovered Langlais in the last half-hour. And what a discovery he is. This is majestic!
I've sung it on tour, and it's still as mindblowing hearing it as when I was a choral scholar aged 18. This time I'm not part of singing it - but I wish I was.
It's a happy thing that, judging by comments, this ultra-Catholic, Orthodox-influenced piece seems to be still current in the English cathedral choir scene. It's just a piece of genius, and one that British organists and singers can and have done so well. I got slapped (in the sense of "here's something to blow your mind") with it by George Guest (RIP), with Andrew Nethsingha playing the organ. I don't think George Guest ever recorded it, but I like to think of him as characterised by this piece: distilled, beautiful, almost deniable musical-emotional violence.
I'm in liverpool anglican cathedral and all 10000 pipes enjoyed playing this
That was always the highlight of the mass for me singing this as a chorister. ''Hosanna In ExCELLLLLLLsis
Yeah me too! Total highlight, and one that never could come around again too soon..
Stunning music that is rarely if never sung today in Catholic churches in Canada. The utilitarian attidude towards liturgical music has eliminated this repertoire. Our challenge now as composers is to offer music for the assembly that might be imbued with the same mysticism. Not easy but well worth while doing. In the meantime, we should listen to these great settings left by Jean Langlais and others. Happy that they might still be sung elsewhere. Beauty is essential to living, especially when praising God.
Beautiful singing, such rich Langlais harmonies, wonderful sounds in a generous acoustic! Thank you for sharing.
Just wonderful! Sang this with the Rochester Choral Society last night with James Norri on the organ and Scott Farrell conducting - wish it was not finished. If you get a chance to sing this with a half decent organ, DO NOT miss it!
0:00 Kyrie
4:21 Gloria
9:58 Sanctus
11:42 Benedictus
14:35 Agnus Dei
Thank you.
Thank you for the memory shared.
A fabulous work - probably my favourite Mass setting. I sang it with my church choir of the time (St Faith's, Great Crosby) in the late 1990s at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral with Ged Callacher, our Director of Music (I think he was Organ Scholar at the Cathedral at that time), with David Houlder, then Sub-Organist at the Cathedral playing. There was definitely plenty of organ on that occasion. I agree that the Gloria just feels a touch under speed for me and the top Cs were definitely the other way round on the penultimate note when we did it! I just wished that now I am a Director of Music myself that my current church choir could manage it. Such powerful spiritual music....
I remember singing this as a Chorister at Lichfield Catchedral back in the early 2000's. For some reason we would always sing this on the week of Ascension Day, and as a treat, the cathedral school paid for us all to go to Drayton Manor park for the day. I always this mass with bring suspended dozens of feet above Staffordshire on Apocalypse.
the high c in the sanctus was actually added during rehearsals for the first performance. Its when the choristers of that cathedral commented on it and said that it would be better with a high c. The choirmaster agreed and asked langlais if he is allowed to add it in. Langlais said yes but wasn't the happiest about it.
Actually, the top C was added when Langlais visited St John's College Cambridge, not long before he died. It was, however, his suggestion that it should go on the penultimate chord, not the final one...and it was Langlais' own suggestion.
@@Lucasorg2010 Indeed. Sounds very odd on the last chord...
Dear Lord this is brilliant
The "in exceeeelllllllllllsiiiiiiissssss" bit should be a never hit those notes meme!😂😂
Sin duda una magnífica, nítida y expresiva interpretación; imponente órgano, voces maravillosas, felicidades ! AMDG
❤💮💞🍋🌿🌸🇻🇦✝️🇻🇦💐💮🌿💞🍋❤📃🌺🌸💐🌿💮🎶✒📃📚💒🌿🧸💐🪢🎶💮💞🍋😊❤🇲🇬🫂🇲🇬🌸💐🌿💮🇨🇵🍋🎶📚📃🦁🌸🌺💒🌿💮💞🎶🌺🌸💐🙋♂️
Wonderful music!
very enjoyable. Thanks for uploading. This is a seriously incredibly wonderful piece of music.
18:28 in diesem Genre eine der ergreifendsten musikalischen Auslegungen des Ringens um Frieden - wir rangen in der Kantorei wochenlang um richtige Töne und saubere Klänge bis zum erlösenden Schlußakkord.
Very impressive.
This is what organs were invented for.
Yes it is. Actually, it appears that it was added (on the second last note of the Sanctus) by a boy (or boys) during rehearsals with the composer, and he liked it so much that he added it. If you buy the score, it's been inked in - and both times, not just after the Sanctus.
I first sang this in Bristol Cathedral on Easter Day in the same week as Langlais died, the conductor was a pupil of his, it was emotional, and these speeds are spot on, although it needs A LOT MORE ORGAN, long story about the top C in the sanctus...but I guess everybody knows it!!!!
+Bigbearbeau This is new material for me, so I do not know the story. Perhaps a reference would save everyone having to suffer lost bandwidth for a curious mind.
Oh, well I think at the first performance at westminster cathedral one of the boys hit the top C by accident at the end of the sanctus, and Langlais rather liked it...it's not in the score but when possible one or 2 hit the high C not always in the right place...it should be the last chord!
+Bigbearbeau That's really interesting, actually. When we've done it, we always put the high C on the penultimate chord. Isn't it there in the score?
The top C is in the new full score I bought recently, on the penultimate chord in both the Sanctus and Benedictus, but not in old vocal scores borrowed for the choir. Really looking forward to our performance on 25th April with Peter King playing the magnificent Father Willis organ in Great Torrington church, Devon.
thank you for the upload! very helpful for my choir rehearsal :)
Mi amiga Ángela
I can play this. It's really hard is't it. You made a good job of it! :)
Gloire à Langlais.
I agree it's poky in places, but I wager it was a matter of making the music work in an enormous room and that the recording producer urged Corboz to drive with the brakes on for the sake of clarity.
A fantastic piece of music admirably performed, but much too slowly, in my opinion.
I'm just playing it at speed 1.25. Perfect.
This is something to strike the FEARE OF GODE into ye!
Was pete there he could have been a canon or something because he is dean of liverpool
The strangst thing about this otherwise good performance are the speeds, up to 20% slower than those marked in the score. The Gloria is more funereal than glorious, despite the organist's efforts to gee it up a bit whenever she can. Is M. Corboz getting old and tired ? Or does he think he knows better than the composer ? Or do metronomes go more slowly in Switzerland ?
but the top c was in the wrong place!
we used to sing it on the last note
A terrible thing about this Mass is that after the "Dona nobis pacem" there is no peace and you have to go right back to the Kyrie. 1949. Hasn't stopped since then.
what’s the instrument?