Mass in E flat (Beach)

The Mass in E Flat, Op. 5, was Amy Beach’s first major success, and it was the first Mass written by an American woman.^[1] The Mass is a 75-minute work for chorus, quartet, organ, and orchestra.^[2]

Composition

Amy Beach (September 5, 1867 - December 27, 1944)^[3] began work on her Mass in E Flat in 1886. She approached the work following the tradition of composing Mass as a demonstration of skill.^[1] Beach was the first major American female composer and was also known as one of the leading composers of the New England School.^[4] The text of the Mass provides a framework for young composer to hone their skills in the creation of a large work. Beach believed basing composition on models to be very important when composing in a new form. The Handel and Haydn Society held performances of Luigi Cherubini’s Deuxième Messe Solenelle in D minor and Bach’s B-Minor Mass around the time that Beach was beginning work on her own Mass, indicating she may have based her composition on those two models.^[1] The Handel and Haydn Society premiered her Mass in Boston in 1892.^[5] At the time, the Handel and Haydn Society was one of the oldest and most conservative choral groups in the country.^[5] The mass was not performed publicly again until the 1980’s.^[1]

The Mass consists of Kyrie, Gloria in 4 movements, Credo in 4 movements, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.^[1] Written in a Romantic style, the Mass is rich in harmony and tonality.^[1] The mass received prase for its contrast in instrumentation and also the solos for harp, cello, English horn and oboe. Evidence of Beach’s models can be seen in the Kyrie and the Gloria.

Influences

The Kyrie

The Kyrie is likely modeled on Bach’s “Dona nobis pacem," although the resemblance deviates in rhythm and intervals employed, leaving that theory highly speculative and superficial. In movements of the Gloria, most prominent in the “Quoniam”, Beach uses characteristic double-dotted rhythms– which also appear in Cherubini’s Kyrie. These rhythms give a march-like quality to the movement; they are paired with trumpets and drums to evoke a sense of the church militant. Beach’s use of modulating to third-related keys can be seen in “Laudamus te.”, in which she uses the keys of E flat major, G flat major, e flat minor, and C major. Beach frequently uses C major to indicate heaven or light, and it is used appropriately here, referring to divinity.

Reception

Most of the mass received praise, but one problem area cited by critics was the opening solo trio in the “Laudamus te”. One critic maintained that the pitch and ensemble problems were due to insufficient instrumental support. There are very few recordings of Beach’s mass, and the most popular one– by the Michael May Festival Chorus in 1989– is not done with a full orchestra. This particular recording is criticized for inaccurate tempos, inappropriate rearrangements, and overall interpretation. No scholarly reviews have been made with regard to the other recording, this one by the Stow Festival Chorus and Orchestra.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} San Tan Performing Arts
2. ^ American Composers.org
3. ^ Essentials of Music.com
4. ^ About.com
5. ^ ^{a b} American Record Guide

• Block, Adrienne Fried. Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian: The Life and Work of an American Composer, 1867-1944. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
• Amy Beach: Grand Mass in E flat Major. Performed by The Michael May Festival Chorus. Compact disc. Newport Classic, 1989.
• Amy Beach: Grand Mass in E flat Major. Performed by Stow Festival Chorus and Orchestra. Albany Records, 1995.
• Block, Adrienne Fried: “St. Peter: an oratorio and Grand Mass in E-flat Major” (in Record Reviews) American Music, Vol. 10, No. 2. (Summer, 1992), pp. 229–232.