Christian Music – Choral – Focus on the Latin Mass
The Latin Mass had several centuries of development, and comparing one age with another, or even of Latin Mass’s in the same era, is not the point of this webpage. What is of concern is whether or not, that form of choral music is of benefit for Evangelical and Charismatic Christians.
Clearly, the first question is the language: Latin. This certainly points to Roman Catholic tradition as the “real home” for this form of choral music. Here’s the big question: if we can “accept” the Latin lyrics, does the “meaning” of those lyrics, when translated to English, demonstrate some meanings that are “anti-Protestant”?
Well, maybe it’s worth taking a look. Here are the sections, with the Latin and English lyrics:
Kyrie
| Kyrie eleison! | Lord, have mercy upon us! |
| Christe eleison! | Christ have mercy upon us! |
| (Kyrie eleison! | Lord, have mercy upon us! |
Gloria
| Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. | Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth to men of good will. |
| (Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te. | We praise Thee, we bless Thee, We adore Thee, we glorify Thee |
| Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. | We give Thee thanks for Thy great glory. |
| Domine Deus, Rex caelestis! Deus Pater omnipotens! Domine, Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe! | O Lord God! O heavenly King! O God, the Father Almighty! O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotton Son! |
| Domine Deus! Agnus Dei! Filius Patris! | O Lord God! Lamb of God! Son of the Father! |
| Qui tollis peccata mundi! miserere nobis; suscipe depracationem nostram. | O Thou, who takest away the sins of the world! have mercy upon us; receive our prayer. |
| Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. | O Thou, who sittest at the right hand of the Father! have mercy on us. |
| Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe! cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris, Amen. | For Thou alone art holy, Thou alone art Lord, Thou alone art most high, O jesus Christ! together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father, Amen. |
Credo
| (Credo in unum Deum, patrem omnipotentem, factorem caeli et terrae visibilium omnium et invisibilium. | I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. |
| Credo in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, | I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, |
| Filium Dei unigenitum; et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula. | the only-begotten Son of God; and born of the Father before all ages. |
| Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine: | God of Gods, Light of Light, |
| Deum verum de Deo vero; | true God of true God; |
| Genitum, non factum; consubstantialem Patri, per quem omnia facta sunt; | begotten, not made; consubstantial to the Father, by Whom all things were made; |
| Qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem, descendit de caelis, | Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, |
| et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex maria Virgine, et homo factus est. | and became incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. |
| Crucifixus etiam pro nobis; sub Pontio Pilato passus et sepultus est, | He was crucified also forus; suffered under Pontius Pilate and was buried, |
| Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas. | And the third day He arose again according to the Scriptures. |
| Et ascendit in caelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris. | And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. |
| Et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos; cujus regni non erit finis. | And He is to come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end. |
| Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem, | I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, |
| qui ex Patre Filioque procedit; qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur; qui locutus est per prophetas. | Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; Who, together with the Father and the Son, is adored and glorified; Who spoke by the prophets. |
| Credo in unam sanctam Catholicam et Apostolicam Ecclesiam. | I believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. |
| Confiteor unum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. | I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. |
| Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen. | And I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. |
Sanctus
| Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. | Holy is the Lord God Sabaoth. |
| (Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. | Heaven and earth are fully of Thy Glory. |
| Osanna in excelsis! | Hosanna in the highest! |
| Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini! | Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord! |
| Osanna in excelsis! | Hosanna in the highest! |
Agnus Dei
| (gnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis, dona nobis pacem. | O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us, grant us peace. |
Sample Latin Mass Examples
Mozart Mass in C minor K.427 John Eliot Gardiner (53:49)
HAYDN | Mass in B-flat major (41:12)
Schubert | Mass No. 5 in A flat major D 678 (45:30)
Dvořák | Mass in D major op. 86 Lužanská (40:43)
Mass No. 2 in G major, D 167, Franz Schubert. Robert Shaw Chorale (26:48)
J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor | Klaas Stok | Concerto Köln | NDR Vokalensemble
Beethoven | Mass in C major Op. 86 (43:07)
A web page with Analysis of Beethoven Missa Solemnis
Other Latin Choral Music – Requiem, Te Deum, and Magnificat
In addition to the above, other forms of Latin choral music evolved over similar .time frame. In the future, examples might be added to this webpage.