Rivers Youth Mass by emmanuelworship

I’ve already blogged the grown up Rivers mass and have now made backings to look at the youth version. Not unexpectedly for emmanuelworship, this is somewhat rowdier, in fact it sounds much more usual for their sound.  The Gloria and the Gospel Acclamation are uptempo guitar fests, but all the other pieces are, as in the other Rivers Mass, more reflective pieces. It would be a good idea to go and listen to the samples to get a feel for how they do the pieces.

The Kyrie is a slower song, in the style of the pieces from the Sanctus on, but we don’t sing that so I’ve left it out.

Gloria

My daughter thought this by an emo band when she heard them play it. It sounded more early 90s to me (think the Hummingbirds)  You are in no doubt with this one that this is a rock mass, rather than just a “contemporary” setting.  They cheat a little with the words (only a little), leaving off the “we” before “glorify You,” and repeating “Almighty Father,” to fit the song structure.  They also tack an amen onto the end of the third verse before the last chorus. Otherwise a standard verse/chorus/verse Gloria with the chorus twice at the beginning and end.

Gospel Acclamation

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelu; Hallelujah…

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelu; Hallelujah…

“If today you hear His voice harden not your hearts”

Yours are the words of life; Jesus, come and speak to us.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelu; Hallelujah…

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

This is a nonstandard acclamation so I had to give you the text. In today’s climate that means a room in the lowest levels of hell for such independent thought. This is very noisy and makes the acclamation sound like a threat. I’m not at all sure that is a bad thing!

Holy

This is where things get more restrained.  The major keys of the Gloria and Acclamation are replaced by E minor for the rest of the mass and they all share similar tempos and feel.   …and it’s good too.

Memorial Acclamations

The only liberties taken here are a repetition of “until You come again” in the first two acclamations and doing the whole acclamation twice in the third.

Amen

Lamb of God

There is a delightful countermelody singing “Lamb of God” after each “Have mercy on us” and “Grant us peace” that has a different sound in my backing. This continues the feel of all the pieces since the Holy Holy.

So if you actually want a rock mass, and let’s face it, there won’t be much choice at the moment – it is not exactly the style most encouraged at present, this a good one.  You can rock up a mass like Mason’s “Mass of Glory and Praise” if you like, but this is the real deal. It also manages to be reflective and thoughtful within a rock idiom and I’d love to be in a parish using it.  Don’t forget you can mix and match with the grown up Rivers if want some 6/8 pieces as variety.

It is only going to cost your parish $80 to try the lot and as I noted elsewhere they give you everything you could possibly want in resources.