Mass of St Ann by Ed Bolduc

Our parish has so far used the new Mass of Creation for 2 months; Paul Mason’s Mass of Glory and Praise for two months and now we have just started using Mason’s revision of the Mass Shalom. The consensus at a liturgy teams meeting recently was NO MORE. So I think we will be cycling through them for a while.  I’m not convinced about the revised masses (I know Mass of Glory and Praise is a revised mass, but as we had never done it, we don’t need to unlearn it.) so I am still looking at other masses.  With the USA starting this journey soon, the flood gates have well and truly opened – this site will give a taste of it.

I’ve seen lots of good comments about Ed Bolduc’s Mass of St Ann, and enough grumbling from the usual suspects to think it worth a look.  You can hear it played properly here, although it has that odd American choir sound that sounds strange to me.  You can download the sheet music cheaply from WLP, or look at the sample pages to see what you think.

I think it’s really very good.  It keeps to two basic patterns and the same tunes get tossed around to help with remembering the pieces. It is joyful and apart from a few high Ds to annoy groaners like me appears singable. (The is an alto line for those in trouble.)

I’ve made some backings to help learn the pieces. The real music has a fair bit of contrast, excitement and nuance that I don’t quite capture with BIAB and I’ve kept the Lamb of God somewhat rougher than the official version, but feel free to sing along

As always, I’m omitting the very pretty Kyrie, because we never sing it at our church.

I’ve done the Gloria with refrains, although there is a sing through version. It isn’t actually that long and the chorus is probably the best bit. The text is according to Hoyle except the refrain adds an extra Glory:

Glory! Glory to God in the highest.

Glory! Glory to God in the highest.

And on earth peace to people of good will.

It is in the 6/8 motif that Bolduc uses throughout the mass, except for the Kyrie, the Memorial Acclamations and the Lamb of God.

The gospel acclamation continues the upbeat mood set by the Gloria. There are four alternative verses given and I’ve chosen the first.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

My sheep hear my voice says the Lord.

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Bolduc keeps the 6/8 uplift into the Holy, Holy and the statacco “Glory” from the Gloria is now three rapid fire shots of Holy’s. He diverges from the text by repeating Hosanna at the beginning of the last line, then repeats the whole line:

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

He reverts to a more sedate 4/4 beat for the Memorial Acclamations.  I’ve picked “When We Eat This Bread.” He repeats the last line here as well.

The Great Amen – there are 6 amens –  is back in the joyful 6/8 rhythm.

The Lamb of God completes the mass and has only one token minor chord at the start of the last verse, which is a bit unusual for the Agnes Dei, which is often written in a minor key.

I suspect this one will be popular in Australia as well as the US and is probably coming to a parish near you.