Tag: Music Monday

Spiritual Warfare has been a theme in a number of my posts recently, and for good reason: while the struggle “against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12) is always with us, it has been causing more than a few ruffles on the surface of the visible world of late.  We can see this eternal struggle reflected not only in the increasing intensity of the Culture War in the secular sphere but, sadly, within the Church as well.

     What better Music Monday piece, then, than Haydn’s Mass in Time of War (Missa in Tempore Belli)? And what better selection than the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God, whom we see in the Book of Revelation as the Victor in the final battle of the Cosmic War.

    It was indeed a time of war when Haydn composed the Missa in Tempore Belli in 1796.  His homeland Austria (at the time part of the Holy Roman Empire) had been at war with revolutionary France, and had been losing.  A French invasion seemed imminent.  We can hear the turbulence and uncertainty of the times reflected in Haydn’s music. This mass is also called the Paukenmesse (the “Kettle Drum Mass”) because it features a much more extensive use of percussion than was customary at the time.  In addition to military-sounding drumming, the horns in the Agnus Dei call to mind battle trumpets.

     Franz Joseph Haydn himself was a supremely talented and prolific composer, a gifted teacher (he numbered both Mozart and Beethoven among his pupils, the former also becoming a close friend), a great guy to hang out with, and a joyfully devout Catholic.  This 2014 article in Catholic World Report about the undeserved neglect of this magnificent Man of Music is a great brief introduction to Haydn’s work and life.

In the video below I pair a recording by the Bavarian Broadcasting Choir and Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Leonard Bernstein) with a representation of the Book of Revelation’s Lamb of God painted on the ceiling of the Union Church in Idstein, Germany.

Haydn: Missa in tempore belli “Paukenmesse” – Agnus Dei · Judith Blegen · Brigitte Fassbaender · Claes-Håkon Ahnsjö · Hans Sotin · Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks · Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks · Leonard Bernstein

Haydn: Mass in C “Missa in Tempore Belli”

℗ 1985 Universal International Music B.V.

Released on: 1986-06-03

Composer: Franz Joseph Haydn

Ceiling painting from the Unionskirche, Idstein, Book of Revelation,”Worthy is the Lamb”, showing the Lamb, God the Father, an angel, the four Evangelists as symbolic animals, a row of angels with harps, ca. 1670.

Photo by Gerda Arendt

  In the teaching world we have a saying: “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”.  In other words, when we meet the parents, we often understand why our students are the way they are (my lovely bride often quotes this back to me when one of our children does something particularly egregious – I’m not quite sure what she’s getting at).
     Today I mean it in a good way: last week we heard Alessandro Scarlatti’s magnificent Exsultante Deo, today an equally inspiring Te Deum from his son, Domenico Scarlatti (1685 – 1757).  This apple didn’t far fall at all.

To learn more about the Te Deum, see below.

To learn more about the featured image above, Raphael’s The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament, look here.

The Te Deum is an ancient Christian prayer.  Its title comes from its first line in Latin: Te Deum Laudamus, “We praise you, God.”  For many centuries Christians would sing the Te Deum as a song of celebration and thanks to God.  This was true not only after events of clearly religious significance, such as the Christian victory over the Muslim Turks in the Battle of Lepanto in 1572, but on the occasion of more worldly triumphs as well, in recognition that all good things are a gift from God.  For instance, the English King Henry V is reputed to have ordered his army to sing the hymn after their victory over the French at Agincourt in 1415, an event William Shakespeare includes in his play Henry V. 

    While nowhere near as old as the psalms, the Te Deum is still a very ancient prayer, having been composed in the 3rd or 4th century.  Its authorship is unknown, but has been attributed to St. Ambrose and/or St. Augustine, St. Nicetas of Remesiana, or St. Hillary of Poitiers. It has been set to music many times over the centuries.

Te Deum

 It’s only natural that the children of a loving Father should try to please and honor him. And so for the past two thousand years, Christians have put untold effort, ingenuity and love into creating a magnificent store of inspiring art of all sorts to glorify God, including a treasury of sacred music unmatched for its depth, breadth, and sheer beauty.

     Sometimes it seems we’re throwing it all away.  All too often, it seems, we keep the best china and good silver locked away and receive the Lord of Creation with the equivalent of paper plates and plastic forks at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.

     It doesn’t need to be that way.  We all can and should advocate for liturgical music worthy of Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  And if it’s any comfort, long after nobody remembers that there was any such thing as “Anthem” or “Lord of the Dance”, Alessandro Scarlatti’s “Exultate Domine” will still be there, and still sound like music fit for The King.

      Scarlatti lived from 1660 to 1725 and was a prolific composer of both sacred and secular music. His joyful “Exultate Deo” is a musical setting for Psalm 81, which begins Exultate Deo adjutori nostro, “Sing joyfully to God our help.” The Ensemble of the Bellevue Presbyterian Church performs Scarlatti’s composition in the clip below.   

    Scarlatti was composing 300 years ago, but not all inspiring Christian art is a product of an earlier era.  The beautiful featured image at the top of the page, “Jesus Christ the Returning King”, was created just a few years ago, in 2005, by artist Janusz Antosz.  Below the music clip you can find the artist’s explanation of the meaning of this wonderful work of art (excerpted from a longer article accompanied by a video interview of the artist at https://directionforourtimes.com/image-of-jesus-christ-the-returning-king-2/)

The artist of this painting, Janusz Antosz explains that before he began this painting he experienced a long period of pain and suffering. From beginning to end it took him over a year to complete the painting. Janusz stated clearly that this painting is the pearl of his entire body of work. He explained that it is a painting from a technical standpoint, but has many aspects of an icon. The painting blends the Western European painting style with the style of icons from the East. He wanted the painting to have the look of both, so as to include all of the Catholic Church (Eastern and Latin) as well as other Christian Orthodox. It is a merging of styles that represents a hope for Christian unity. According to Janusz, it shows our Lord’s longing “that they may be one, as We are one” (John 17:22). As a whole, the painting is meant to reflect the glory of heaven.

He explains how at the bottom of the painting the two individuals represent the Eastern and Western saints. The Eastern saint is the hooded individual and the other, a Western saint. In the painting they both adore the Lord which represents that all believers, from East to West, will adore the Lord. The flowers along the arch at the top of the painting, which are bell shaped, symbolize the good news of a beginning, or in other words, an announcement of a coming. For example, at the beginning of Mass, the bells are rung and the priest enters the sanctuary.  In this case, it is the High priest entering. Further, the gold area directly below the arch represents the glory and reality of heaven.

In regards to Our Lord’s vestments and the color of the vestments, this is important. Our Lord is dressed as a bishop/priest and the colors are those traditionally used to portray sacrifice as well as glory and praise. The pattern on the vestments is consistent with patterns found in icons, while the color of the alb is blue. The Lord’s face is modeled after the Shroud of Turin, while his hand is the gesture of a blessing and also means “I love you” in sign language. Additionally the scepter with the cross at the top represents that through the power of the cross, all power rests with the Lord “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matt 28:18) This also confirms His kingship – “The King of kings and the Lord of lords.” (1 Tim 6:15) Which is reflected by the crown on His head.

Around his halo are symbols: the letter N is Greek for “I am.” These words are taken from the book of Exodus 3:14, when Moses asks God for His name. According to an expert on icons, O and N are symbols of the presence of God and the mystery of the incarnation – the divine presence becomes visible in the New Covenant when, after having received a body by being born of the Virgin Mary, He appears to us so that we may adore Him as God, who is love. Janusz describes his inspiration for Jesus’s throne is in a style from the 17th century Baroque period. The light, bright colors represent Christ the King’s purity, beauty and holiness.

On the top of the throne, Janusz goes on to explain that these are lily flowers closest to Our Lord and represent His purity. As well, the angels are Seraphim angels- the angels present at God’s throne who constantly praise Him (Isaiah 6:1-7). Around the neck of Jesus is a medal with a cross on it, this cross is directly over Our Lord’s Sacred Heart. It is meant to show that by dying on the cross, He shows the love He has for each one of us. You will also see on the painting the flowers directly to the left and right of Jesus; they are wide open and facing the Lord, meaning they are praising and giving great glory to the Lord. Near there are the grapes and the wheat which represent the Holy Eucharist. You will also notice an open area between the two groups of flowers. Janusz said that he wanted to convey that by prayer and meditation we will have no obstruction on the journey to Christ. We will all have a direct path or an open road to the Lord and we will gain a more intimate relationship and closer union with Him.

The last thing to mention is that on the top of the painting there are gold leaves. These leaves are leaves of a vine, indicating that Jesus is the vine (John 15:1). The leaves are open and giving glory to Our Lord. They are also positioned to showcase Our Lord.

     It’s hard to overstate how much beautiful, excellent music has been created over the centuries, and how much of it is rarely heard by the vast majority of people.  Last week I published a clip of a “Kyrie” composed by Johann Baptist Wanhal.  Wanhal was an important and influential composer of the late 18th and early 19th centuries who was admired by contemporary composers such as Haydn and Mozart.  For a variety of reasons, even people who know little about classical music know the names of these last two, but have never heard of Wanhal . . .

     . . . which is unfortunate, because his music is very much worth hearing.  One of my goals in setting up this blog was to share more widely some of the treasures from our storehouse of sacred music. Last week’s election was from Wanhal’s Missa Pastoralis; today I’m sharing the magnificent “Gloria” from his Missa Solemnis:

Video:

Missa Solemnis: Gloria · Colin Ainsworth

Vanhal: Missa Pastoralis – Missa Solemnis

℗ 2001 Naxos

Released on: 2001-06-13

Ensemble: Aradia Ensemble
Artist: Colin Ainsworth
Artist: Mary Enid Haines
Artist: Nina Scott Stoddart
Artist: Steven Pitkanen
Choir: TOWER Voices New Zealand
Conductor: Uwe Grodd
Composer: Johann Baptist Vanhal
Artwork: Joseph Kastner “Angels in Heaven” from the Carmelite Monastery Church, Döbling,  Austria (1906-19100

  Giaochino Rossini was, in his time, considered the most successful composer of operas in history, creating such enduring favorites as The Barber of Seville, La Cenerentola, and William Tell. Then, having composed an astounding 39 operas before his 37th birthday in 1829, he simply stopped.  For the rest of his life, until his death almost four decades later in 1868, his few compositions were mostly religious music. 

    The clip below is the moving “Agnus Dei” from Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, which is one of his last works, completed in 1863. 

Featured image above: Agnus Dei by Francisco Zurburan, 1640