Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

DMA

College

College of Creative Arts

Department

School of Music

Committee Chair

Mitchell Arnold

Committee Member

Kym Scott

Committee Member

Laura Knoop Very

Committee Member

Eve Faulkes

Abstract

Orchestrated masses from the 18th century and early years of the 19th century provide a valuable source of repertoire for contemporary choral conductors. This project will explore composers and works from circa 1750 to 1820 to provide choral conductors with a list of works suitable for programming based on the practical size of vocal and instrumental forces.

Western choral music was born in a church setting. Among all choral genres, the mass is the only genre composed throughout all eras, from medieval until the 20th century. The mass remained a prominent genre during the 18th century despite the secularizing influence of the Enlightenment. Unlike earlier choral masses, these masses reflected the growing interest in and influence of orchestral music. According to Chester L. Alwes (2015) “The dominant genre of Classic-Romantic period is undoubtedly that of the Mass ordinary for chorus, soloists, and orchestra.”

This paper will compile a catalog of masses featuring choir and orchestra as well as supplemental scholarly materials useful for interpretation and performance. The inventory will focus on the Roman Catholic Ordinary Masses from circa 1750 to circa 1820, using exclusively the Latin and Greek texts. In this document, the reader will also find a guide to research resources such as articles, theses, dissertations, books, and other written materials related to the collected works.

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