16 Jun 2010
New Mass for Abbey’s 450th celebrations
Bell Mass by one of Britain’s pre-eminent composers, Julian Anderson, which was commissioned by the Dean & Chapter of Westminster as part of the celebrations to mark the 450th anniversary of the Abbey's Collegiate Charter receives its first performance at the Abbey on Tuesday 29 June at 5.00pm. The Choir of Westminster Abbey, directed by James O’Donnell, Organist & Master of the Choristers, with organist Robert Quinney, Sub-Organist, will perform the new Mass at a Sung Eucharist marking the Abbey's patronal feast day, St Peter the Apostle. Its first concert performance will take place three days later on Friday 2 July.
The Mass is a missa brevis and is in five movements: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. The moods of each movement are closely prompted by the sounds, meanings and implications of the texts. Throughout the composition of this work, bells – their sonorities, overtones and the tradition of change-ringing – were very much in the composer’s mind, and much of the harmony in the work was derived from listening closely to bells, in particular the bells of Westminster Abbey with which the composer became very familiar as a pupil at Westminster School.
Julian Anderson was born in London in 1967. He was educated at Westminster School and Cambridge University. His music has been performed by many of the world’s leading orchestras and ensembles, and notable commissions have included works for the BBC Proms, the London Sinfonietta, and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, with whom he was Composer in Association from 2000-2005. He has held teaching posts at the Royal College of Music and Harvard University, and is currently Composer in Residence and Professor of Composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
James O’Donnell, Organist & Master of the Choristers, said: ‘It is always exciting to work on the first performance of a new piece of music, particularly having also been involved in discussing it with the composer from the earliest stages. It seemed utterly appropriate to ask Julian Anderson to compose a new Mass for the Abbey's 450th anniversary celebrations; as an Old Westminster, he knows the place well and it was good to invite a former member of the Collegiate Foundation to compose a new work for this occasion. In rehearsals so far, the choir and I have found the Mass challenging and also fascinating, with some quite new sounds and ideas, inspired largely by the sounds and character of bells and demanding a good deal from both singers and organist. We are all immensely looking forward to both the first liturgical performance and the first concert performance.’
All are welcome to attend the Sung Eucharist on Tuesday 29 June at 5.00pm. Entry is at the West Door of Westminster Abbey.
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