Missa Brevis:

An Ancient Genre Revitalized

Anthony Bernarducci

During the course of the musical periods

preceding the twentieth century, there was an
evolution of the Missa Brevis genre amidst
an overarching composition style of the
Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic
periods. In the twentieth century, however,
music diverged onto many different paths of
musical style and became, in a sense, both a
compendium of the past and an innovating
force for new areas of composition. In the
Contemporary period, many characteristics
of Missae Breves from past centuries such
as homophonic/syllabic text setting, use of
chant, limited use of solos, omission of text,
and entire movements endured as salient
features of the genre. Although some Missae
Breves utilize larger performing forces, the
majority of composers chose to return to the
intimate a cappella style. Composers during
the Contemporary period also expanded the
possibilities of expression by incorporating
additional text and shifting movements within
the Mass Ordinary. This article will outline how
Contemporary composers have revitalized this
ancient genre.

10 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9

 Anthony Bernarducci
Assistant Director of Choral Activities
Clemson University
Bernar5@clemson.edu

CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9 11

Missa Brevis: An Ancient Genre Revitalized
A Case Study of
Contemporary Compositional Trends
The purpose of this case study was to capture the
trends and evolution of the Missa Brevis genre from 1900
to present times. Early into the research, it became clear
that the Contemporary period had an abundance of
Missae Breves. The first task was to devise an approach
to explore this period’s trends. Three overarching crite-
ria guided the process. First, there was to be a sample
of Missae Breves with dates of composition spanning as
much of the twentieth and early twenty-first century as
possible. These pieces were to contain Missa Brevis as
part of the title. Second was to have a variety of rep-
resented countries in terms of the composers’ heritage.
Finally, multiple choral voicings and instrumentations
should be represented as applicable. The works utilized
for this case study represent sixty composers from seven-
teen countries around the world.
A set of specific analytical questions was recorded for
each work, and their conclusions will be discussed in de-
tail:
i) Which movements of the Mass Ordinary were
utilized?
ii) Was text outside of the Mass Ordinary utilized?
iii) Which languages are represented?
iv) Was chant utilized as a compositional technique?
v) Were solos utilized?
vi) Was musical borrowing utilized?
vii) In general, was the harmony tonal, atonal, or
other?
viii) What are the overall textures used in the choral
parts?
ix) Additional observations
12 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9
Analysis of the Text, Language,
and Mass Movements Utilized
The choice composers made to use, eliminate, or add
text when constructing their Missa Brevis was one of the
characteristics studied in determining Contemporary
trends. The practice of eliminating portions of text as
well as entire movements began in 1490 with composer
Franchinus Gaffurius. His Missae Breves were shortened
through omission of text to satisfy the Ambrosian style
of liturgy in Milan.1 In the Baroque period, the Missa
Brevis genre adapted to embrace the Protestant style of
worship, which utilized only the Kyrie and Gloria, com-
monly called the Lutheran Mass.2 Nearly all Contem-
porary composers in this study chose not to include the
Credo in their Missa Brevis. They did, however, use the
other movements of the Mass Ordinary (Kyrie, Gloria,
Sanctus/Benedictus, Agnus Dei) with a high frequency.
The Kyrie was the only movement used in each of the
Missae Breves studied.
Post 1900 many of the composers were non-church
musicians, which created a more universal, ecumenical,
and secular approach to a mass text. The most obvious
evidence of universality is the infrequency of the Credo
movement, the most poignant in terms of the Christian
faith. One possible reason for excluding the Credo in the
twentieth century could be that by omitting the creed of
a particular religion, the mass becomes better suited for
a secular and diverse audience.
For some composers such as Alessandro Kirschner,
omission of the Credo text resulted from sheer length of
text in comparison to the other movements. Kirschner
reported that for him: “The simplest definition of Missa
Brevis is this: a mass without the Creed. This is why there
is no Creed. Moreover, I did not want to write a move-
ment that necessarily would have been much longer than
the others.”3 When the question of Jonathan Dove’s
choice to exclude the Credo arose, he attributed it to
three reasons. First was his strong association with Brit-
ten’s Missa Brevis, which did not contain a Credo. Second
was practical in that the Credo is the longest text, and his
commission was to produce a work of modest duration.
Lastly, he recalled his childhood as an organist in a local
Catholic church. Although the choir would at times sing
a full mass setting, he could not recall them singing the
Credo. He admitted he did not have many examples in own headstone; therefore, it is not a part of the Requiem
his personal musical experience from which to draw. He Mass but similar in purpose.
did, however, point out that he considered Stravinsky’s
setting of the Credo a fine exception.4
Composers of the Contemporary period also expand- Use of Chant, Musical Borrowing, and
ed the possibilities of expression with additional text Other Compositional Techniques
both sacred and secular in English and Latin. This prac- One of the reasons the Missa Brevis genre originally
tice harkens back to the Romantic period when compos- came about was due to the rejection of the complicat-
ers took the liberty to substitute text such as the O Salu- ed polyphony of the Renaissance and the return to a
taris as a replacement for the Benedictus in their Missa more accessible form of music for liturgy, like Gregorian
Brevis settings. In two cases James MacMilan and Zoltan chant. In the Romantic period, the Cecilian movement
Kodaly added Latin text from the Mass Proper: Domi- advocated for a return to Gregorian chant and the a cap-
nus Vobis-cum and Ite Missa Est. These are the final pella ideal of the Renaissance, culminating in a decree
responses of the celebration of the Mass, the priest ad- from Pope Pius X conveying similar sentiments on music
dressing the congregation with, “The Lord be with you,” for liturgy. These developments would go on to affect the
and the congregation responding, “And also with you.”
The Priest would then respond, “The Mass is ended, let
us go in peace to serve the Lord.” Another example is 2018 Division Conferences
adding sacred Latin text not found in the Mass Ordinary
or Proper. Krzysztof Penderecki added the text Benedica- Central and North Central
mus Domino, and Leonard Bernstein concluded his Missa Chicago, Illinois
Brevis with the text Laudate Dominum Alleluia. Feb. 14-17, 2018
Composers Eleanor Daley and Edward Gergson used
yet another form of incorporating non-mass text both Southern
sacred and secular. Their compositional technique en- Louisville, Kentucky
tailed adding text that would provide a commentary to
Feb. 21-24, 2018
the Mass Ordinary text. In her Missa Brevis Eleanor Dal-
ey adds a short movement in English that precedes each
Eastern
Latin movement. The text “Lord hear my prayer, and let
my cry come unto you” precedes the Kyrie; “Lift Your
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Heads so that the King of glory may come in” is sung Mar. 7-11, 2018
before the Sanctus; and Little Lamb, a poem by William
Blake, is sung before the Agnus Dei. Edward Gregson Southwestern
incorporates a poem, Peace in Our time by Susan Gregson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
into a Baritone solo, which mixes with the choir singing Mar. 7-11, 2018
Dona Nobis Pacem from the Mass Ordinary.
One of the most concentrated uses of additional text Northwestern
occurs in Mark D. Templeton’s Missa Brevis. Templeton Portland, Oregon
adds sacred text in both Latin and English. The mass Mar. 8-12, 2018
incorporates additional text such as Psalm 23, A Prayer
of St. Benedict, and Bless O Lord Us Thy Servants, using the Western
English Anthem tradition and the Anglican Chant Style. Pasadena, California
He begins the Missa Brevis with the text Rex Requiem by Mar. 14-17, 2018
Angilberti (780-814). Angilberti wrote this text for his

CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9 13

Missa Brevis: An Ancient Genre Revitalized
Missa Brevis settings of the Contemporary period.
In his preface to his Missa Brevis, Ton de Leeuw de-
scribes the concept of using chant and the Renaissance
style.
References in the Missa Brevis to Gregorian
chant and early polyphony are revealed, for ex-
ample, in melodic movement in seconds or in
recitation, parallel-writing in perfect intervals,
and characteristic rhythmic suppleness.5
This description embodies the manner in which many
composers utilize chant as a compositional tool in their
Missa Brevis. Robert H. Young and William Walton both
incorporate chant in this fashion. They use it as a form
of recitation, texture change, and shift from the supple
rhythm as described earlier to more a defined rhythmic
section. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate this point.
Many composers in the Renaissance and Baroque
eras relied heavily on musical borrowing; however, they
also found the Missa Brevis genre to be a suitable palette
for original musical material.6 Using preexisting musical
material as a compositional technique is also present in
a portion of the Contemporary Missae Breves studied.
Enjott Schneider based his Missa Brevis on the medieval
Easter Chorale Surrexit Christus Hodie. This technique
is reminiscent of Missae Breves by Bach, Telemann, and
Pachelbel, based on Lutheran chorale tunes.7 Addition-
ally, Leonard Bernstein demonstrates musical borrowing
14 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9
in a fashion similar to the Renaissance parody mass and
the technique used by Bach for composing his Missae
Breves. In 1955, Leonard Bernstein composed a series
of choruses in Latin and French to serve as incidental
music for the play The Lark by Lillian Hellman. Con-
ductor Robert Shaw attended the first performance and
suggested that Bernstein use the choruses from this play
and rework them into a Missa Brevis. In 1988 to cel-
ebrate the retirement of Robert Shaw, Bernstein finally
fulfilled his request and premiered the Missa Brevis based
on the choruses of The Lark. As in the Missae Breves of
Bach, Bernstein transferred the music from one piece to
another to fit the needs of the new text.8
Missae Breves of the Baroque and Classical periods
most frequently used soloists. It was not the tradition of
Renaissance style, and it fell out of style in the shorter
more intimate works of the Romantic period. Of the
Missae Breves included in this study, many utilized one
or more soloists, most frequently in the equal voice
works. The use of soloists separates into three categories.
The soloists are incorporated into the choral texture as
a semi-chorus, featured as a solo voice accompanied by
the choir, or given a complete movement or opportunity
to perform outside of the choral idiom. In each of the
categories, the two most common places for composers
to utilize soloists are in the Gloria, specifically on the
text Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, Qui tollis peccata
mundi, miserere nobis, and the Agnus Dei movement. The
works isolating the soloist are the Missa Brevis Pacem of
Edward Gergson, which dedicates a complete move-
ment to a baritone soloist; Imant Raminsh’s setting that
incorporates a soprano soloist throughout the piece; and
Leonard Bernstein’s, which incorporates a counter-tenor
throughout.
Harmony and Choral Textures
Nearly all the masses studied fell into the category
of tonal music. There were a few outliers in terms of a
harmonic analysis. Ton de Leeuw used what he defined
in the preface as Dilated Tonality. Helmut Barbe used
a modified dodecaphony as his palette for composition,
and Eric Sweeney in his Missa Brevis (SSA and Soprano
Solo) used experimental techniques such as whispering,
spoken text, and clusters of chords in both the vocal and
organ parts.
Although the harmonic interest and overall difficulty
of the works varied, one consistent trait of the Missae
Breves in this study was a frequent homophonic ap-
proach to the choral texture. This characteristic aligns
directly with one of the salient features of the Missae
Breves of the past centuries. The choral texture is ho-
mophonic, and rhythm generates much of the musical
interest, although melody is still a driving force. One dif-
ference in the Contemporary Missae Breves is the use of
mixed and asymmetrical meter pervading these works.
Composers of Contemporary Missae Breves do not re-
strict their creativity for the sake of a consistent meter.
Unlike the Missae Breves of the Renaissance, where
the homophony was mostly syllabic, in the twentieth-
century Missae Breves there is a mix of both syllabic
and melismatic homophony. It was also very common to
see the texture of homophonic pairs. Additionally, imi-
CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9 15
Missa Brevis: An Ancient Genre Revitalized
tative or fugal style was infrequent but if implemented
was typically in the pleni sunt coeli portion of the Sanctus
movement. Many of the characteristics just mentioned
can be seen in Figure 3 from the Sanctus of Alessandro
Kirchner’s Missa Brevis.
Additional Observations
In addition to the musical characteristics already dis-
cussed, the works in this study revealed some emergent
16 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9
commonalties related to the overall structure of the
works. Alterations to the form of the Missa Brevis have
already been discussed regarding use of additional text,
omissions of movements, etc. Two additional alterations
to form appeared in the sample of Missae Breves studied.
The first has roots in the Anglican tradition of worship
and appears in both the William Walton and Bryan Kelly
settings. In these two settings, the composers moved the
Gloria movement to the end of the Missa Brevis, where
it serves as a postlude to the liturgy. This is particularly
highlighted in the Walton Missa Brevis since the entire
piece is unaccompanied and fairly subdued except for
the final Gloria movement, which contains organ and
has a much more bombastic effect. In contrast, two of
the Missae Breves studied include a solely instrumental
preludium or introit. The settings of Zoltan Kodaly and
Alan Hovhaness demonstrate this effect. The charac-
teristic of having an introduction or prelude to a Mass
would be associated more with the Solemnis mass of the
Classical and Romantic periods. This is also found on a
smaller scale in Judith Bingham’s Missa Brevis: The Road
to Emmaeus, which contains a Preamble and Voluntary
for solo Organ.
Although extensive instrumental accompaniment is
less common in Contemporary Missae Breves, it does
occur. Settings such as the Missa Brevis by Hovhaness is
one of the most conservative and closely linked to the
centuries before, using a string orchestra and organ.
Other settings such as the Missa Brevis of Allen Koepke,
Imant Raminsh, and Zoltan Kodaly are scored for full
orchestral accompaniment. Lastly, settings by compos-
ers such as Leonard Bernstein, Bertold Hummel, and
Helmut Barbe align with Contemporary trends of or-
chestration utilizing an array of incidental percussion,
wind ensemble, brass ensemble, and non-traditional
combinations of instruments.
Missa Brevis as an Instrumental Genre
Throughout music history, vocal music has dominat-
ed some centuries and instrumental music others. It is,
however, quite rare that a genre serves both music idi-
oms. Comparisons can be made to solo vocal literature
and solo piano literature, string quartets and A Cappella
Motets, but the names of the genres and core charac-
teristics usually differ. Throughout the twentieth century
the Missa Brevis became so versatile that it evolved as a
vehicle for expression for instrumental ensembles. Table
1 shows several examples of Instrumental Missae Breves
scored for a diverse set of instruments.
The overall concept of these instrumental Missae
Breves is to use the Mass Ordinary text such as Kyrie
(Lord have mercy) and find a way to express that human
emotion without text. Composers accomplish this in a
variety of ways. The preface to the Missa Brevis (String
Quartet No. 3) by Hagen describes the work as a musi-
cal fantasia on a chorale by J. S. Bach. The piece incor-
porates Ach wie fluchtig, ach wie nichtig (BWV 26), which
translates to “Ah how fleeting, ah how futile.” In a similar
vein, Sam Batt Owens fuses Gospel tunes with the Missa
Brevis genre. The organ plays an instrumental arrange-
ment based on a different Gospel tune in each move-
ment. Again, each of the tunes encompasses the mean-
ing of the original mass text. For example, the Christe
Eleison movement is based on the tune “I was sinking
deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore”; the Credo is

Table 1: Instrumental Missae Breves of the Contemporary Period

Date of
Composer Title Instrumentation Publisher Composition
or Publication
Publication
Mary Jeanne van Appledorn (b. 1927) Missa Brevis Voice/Organ or Arsis Press 1987
Trumpet/Organ

Mary Inwood (b. 1928) Parody Missa Brevis, Op. 62 Flute Quartet Seesaw Music Corporation 1995

Sam Batt Owens (b.1928) Missa Brevis on Gospel Tunes Organ MorningStar Music Publishers 1999

Kaj-Erik Gustafsson (b. 1938) Missa Brevis for Accordion Accordion Naxos - Item # SACD1009 2005

Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) Missa Brevis Twelve Violoncellos Universal Edition 2009

Daron Aric Hagen (b.1961) String Quartet No. 3 Missa Brevis String Quartet Burning Sled Music 2012

CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9 17

Missa Brevis: An Ancient Genre Revitalized
based on “What a fellowship, what a joy divine, lean-
ing on the everlasting arms.” In 2009 the Berlin Phil-
harmonic commissioned notable composer Arvo Pärt.
The result was his three-movement (Kyrie, Sanctus, and
Agnus Dei) instrumental Missa Brevis for twelve violon-
cellos. Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic premiered it
in 2010.
Overall musical characteristics of these instrumental
Missae Breves consist of incipits, chant, elimination of
specific movements, and use of musical borrowing all
aligning with characteristics of the choral Missa Bre-
vis from the Contemporary period. These instrumental
works could be easily incorporated into a concert pro-
gram or church service along with a choral Missa Brevis.
Conclusions
Centuries after this genre emerged in Milan in
1490, the Missa Brevis continues to be both a sought-
after means of expression with composers and a com-
mon request for commissions. The versatility that has
always surrounded the genre continues to do so, with
the line between sacred and secular less defined, shown
most pointedly with the purely instrumental pieces titled
Missa Brevis. In 1958, the genre even progressed out-
side the musical world when renowned choreographer
Jose Limón created a dance production with Kodaly’s
Missa Brevis as the musical score. The Jose Limón Dance
Foundation says, “Limón depicts indomitable humanity
rising up after near destruction. The piece is a memento
to cities destroyed during World War II and to those un-
conquerable qualities in human beings that compel the
spirit to rise in hope and to survive.”9
Kyrie eleison ... Gloria in excelsis… Sanctus Deus Sa-
baoth ... Agnus Dei ... even after two thousand
years these words of invocation, acclamation,
contemplation, and plead preserve the value of
an icon still unchanged, and are a mirror of the
unspeakable. When writing the present Missa
Brevis, I have been trying to revive these old
prayers in conjunction with the complexity and
the apparent contradictions of our time. Bright
harmonies alternate with dramatic dissonances
from the regular scansion let the unusual rhythm
18 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9
steps forward, but everything springs from the
words inherent musicality.10
—Alessandro Kirschner
In notes to the performer of his Missa Brevis, quot-
ed above, contemporary Italian composer Alessandro
Kirschner expresses themes present throughout the evo-
lution of the Missa Brevis genre: a transcendent text,
connection to basic human emotions, words that are in-
herently musical, and a genre that is malleable to serve
the needs of the people and style of the composer. For
centuries, the Missa Brevis genre has provided meaning-
ful experiences for artists around the world, and remains
a vehicle of expression for composers to continue breath-
ing new life into ancient texts.11
The following catalog of Contemporary Missae
Breves provides the composer’s name (in alphabetical or-
der) and nationality, choral voicing, soloists if applicable,
instrumentation, average length, and publisher where
it can be purchased. It is the hope that this catalog will
aide with future programming of these excellent works
and propel the genre forward in the twenty-first century.
In an effort to present complete and accurate details of
these works, an attempt was made to include a publica-
tion year for each piece included in the catalog. For some
works, the date of publication was available; for others,
the date of composition; and in some cases, neither. Fur-
thermore, the date of composition can vary dramatically
from the date of publication. However, the works in this
catalog all date within the time frame of 1900 to 2015.
NOTES
1
Adelyn Peck Leverett, “An early Missa Brevis in Trent Codex
91,” in Music in the German Renaissance, ed. John Kmetz
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), 161.
2
Robin A Leaver, “The Lutheran Reformation” in The
Renaissance From the 1470’s to the end of the 16th century, ed.
Iain Fenlon (London: The Macmillan Press Limited,
1989), 267-271.
3
Alessandro Kirschner, e-mail message to author, February 17,
2015.
4
Jonathan Dove, email message to author, March 12, 2015.
5 9
Ton de Leeuw, Missa Brevis, Forward by Ariane de Leeuw Jose Limón Dance Foundation. 2016. Accessed July 28, 2016.
(Annie Bank b.v., 1977). http://limon.org/dance-company/repertory/.
6 10
Allen Atlas, “Music for the Mass, In European Music 1520 Alessandro Kirschner, Missa Brevis (trans. Anthony
– 1640” in European Music 1520 - 1640, ed. James Haar Bernarducci) Endnotes by Alessandro Kirschner (Carus-
(Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2006), 112-113. Verlag., 2011).
7 11
Albert Schweitzer, J. S. Bach, Vol. II, trans. Ernest Newman Anthony Bernarducci, “A Historical and Analytical Survey
(New York, NY: Dover Publications, 1966), 326. of the Missa Brevis Genre from 1490 to Modern Times”
8
Leonard Bernstein, Missa Brevis, Forward by J.G. (Jalni (Ph.D. diss., Florida State University, 2015).
Publications, Inc., 1988).

SATB: Unaccompanied
Composer Nationality Title Choir/ Instrumentation Length Publisher
(Last, First) Soloists
Agnew, Elaine Irish Missa Brevis SATB divisi Unaccompanied 10 minutes Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland
Autenrieth, Ronald J German Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 9 minutes Porfiri & Horváth
Badings, Henk Dutch Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 14 minutes Annie Bank b.v.
Bennett, Richard British Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 15 minutes Novello & Co.
Bettinelli, Bruno Italian Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 11 minutes Casa Musicale Ed. Carrara
Burchard, Richard American Salzburg Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 16 minutes Gentry Publishing
Cavallaro, John F. American Missa Brevis Orbis Factor SATB Unaccompanied 8 minutes Oak Knoll Music Press
(J. W. Pepper)
Chihara, Paul American Missa Carminum Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 10 minutes Edition Peters
Chilcott, Bob British Missa Cantate SATB Unaccompanied/ 12 minutes Oxford University Press
Optional Piano
Daley, Eleanor Canadian Missa Brevis No. 4 SATB Unaccompanied 6 minutes Alliance Music Publications
Emery, Matthew Canadian Missa Brevis Boreal SATB Unaccompanied 8 minutes Pavane Publishing
Fraley, Christopher American Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 17 minutes FraleyMusic.com
Ferneyhough, Brian British Missa Brevis 12 Solo Voices Unaccompanied 13 minutes Edition Peters
SATB
Gilbert, Anthony British Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 7 minutes Schott Music Distribution
Henderson, Ruth Watson Canadian Missa Brevis SSATB Unaccompanied 12 minutes Hinshaw Music
Hakim, Naji Lebanese Missa Brevis ‘Grazer SATB Unaccompanied 14 minutes Schott Music Distribution
Messe’
Hatfield, Stephen Canadian Missa Primavera SATB and Unaccompanied 12 minutes Boosey & Hawkes
Soloists

CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9 19

Missa Brevis: An Ancient Genre Revitalized
SATB: Unaccompanied (continued)
Killmayer, Wilhelm German Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 12 minutes Schott Music
Kirschner, Alessandro Italian Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 12 minutes Carus-Verlag
Koerppen, Alfred German Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 12 minutes Möseler Verlag
Leeuw, Ton de Dutch Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 11 minutes Annie Bank b.v.
Luigi, Donorà Italian Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 18 minutes Pizzicato Verlag Helvetia
Lukáš, Zdeněk Czech Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 12 minutes Edition Ferrimontana
MacMilan, James Scottish Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 16 minutes Boosey & Hawkes
Massa, Chris American Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 6 minutes Shawnee Press
Mechem, Kirke American Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 9 minutes G. Schirmer
Medek, Tilo German Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 9 minutes Strube Verlag
Mocnik, Damijan Slovenien Missa Brevis et simplex SATB Unaccompanied 6 minutes Carus-Verlag
Morrison, Theodore American Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 12 minutes Earthsongs
Murray, Paul Canadian Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 5 minutes Renforth Music
Nelson, Robin British Missa Brevis Santa Croce SSATBB Unaccompanied 18 minutes Allaiance Publications
Nystedt, Knut Norwegian Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 15 minutes Carus-Verlag
Patterson, Paul British Missa Brevis Op.54 SATB divisi Unaccompanied 18 minutes Universal Edition
Penderecki, Krzysztof Polish Missa Brevis SA (Children’s) Unaccompanied 20 minutes Schott Music
TB Distribution
Pinkham, Daniel American Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 12 minutes ECS Publishing
Potter, A. J. Irish Missa Brevis Lorica Sancti SSATBB Unaccompanied 25 minutes Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland
Patricii
Purcell, Andrew Irish Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 9 minutes Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland
Pousseur, Henri Belgian Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 14 minutes Suvini Zerboni
Telfer, Nancy Canadian Missa Brevis for Mixed SATB Unaccompanied 12 minutes Neil A Kjos Music Company
Choir
Templeton, Mark D. American Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 25 minutes Mark Templeton Choral Music
Tüür, Erkki-Sven Estonian Missa Brevis SATB divisi Unaccompanied 15 minutes Edition Peters
White, David Ashley American Missa Brevis SATB divisi Unaccompanied 7 minutes ECS Publishing
Wicks, Christopher American Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 7 minutes Imagine Music Publishing
Young, Robert H American Missa Brevis SATB Unaccompanied 12 minutes Colla Voce Music Inc.

20 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9

 SATB: Accompanied
Composer Nationality Title Choir/ Instrumentation Length Publisher
(Last, First) Soloists
Basler, Paul American Missa Brevis SATB Piano or Chamber 10 minutes Walton
orchestra
Berkeley, Lennoz British Missa Brevis SATB Organ 11 minutes Chester Music Ltd

Bertold, Hummel German Missa Brevis Op. 5a SATB Organ 18 minutes Schott Music

Bingham, Judith British Missa Brevis: Awake My Soul SATB Organ 23 minutes Edition Peters
Bingham, Judith British Missa Brevis: The Road to SATB Organ 10 minutes Edition Peters
Emmaeus
Bohumil, Fidler Czech Missa Brevis SATB Organ 16 minutes Alliance Publications

Caesar, Anthony British Missa Brevis Sancti Pauli SATB Organ 7 minutes Edition Peters

Cavallaro, John F. American Missa Brevis Minor Mode SATB and Organ 6 minutes Oak Knoll Music Press
Congregation (J. W. Pepper)
Chatman, Steven Canadian Missa Brevis SSATB, Piano 7 minutes ECS Publishing
Sop Solo
Chilcott, Bob British Missa Brevis (Little Jazz Mass) SATB Piano, Bass, Kit 12 minutes Oxford University Press
Conte, David American Missa Brevis SATB Organ 14 minutes E.C. Schirmer Music Company
Dove, Jonathan British Missa Brevis SATB Organ 15 minutes Edition Peters
Ekbladh, Michael American Missa Brevis No.1 SATB Piano or Chamber 14 minutes Self-published/JW Pepper
orchestra
Hodkinson, Sydney American Missa Brevis SATB Pitched Percussion 21 minutes Theodore Presser Company
Ives, Grayston British Missa Brevis SATB Organ 11 minutes Edition Peters
Kean, Ron American American Mass (Missa Brevis) SATB Piano or Chamber 21 minutes Pavane
orchestra Publishing
Knehans, Douglas Australian/ Missa Brevis SATB Organ 21 minutes Armadillo Edition
American
Liebermann, Lowell American Missa Brevis SATB Organ 15 minutes Theodore Presser Company
T/B soloists
Martin, Matthew British Chester Missa Brevis SATB Organ 14 minutes Faber Music

Mawby, Colin British Missa Brevis in A SAB Organ 10 minutes Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland

Mignemi, Giuseppe Italian Missa Brevis SATB Organ 15 minutes Casa Musicale Ed. Carrara

CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9 21

Missa Brevis: An Ancient Genre Revitalized
SATB: Accompanied (continued)
Perry, Dave and American Missa Brevis SATB Keyboard/opt 10 minutes Carl Fischer
Jean strings and harp
Robinson, McNeil American Missa Brevis SATB Organ 14 minutes C.F. Peters Corporation
Rota, Nino Italian Messa Breve SAB Organ 30 minutes Schott Music
Roth, Daniel French Messa Brève SATB Organ 14 minutes S Schott Music
Schilling, Hans L. German Missa Brevis (Eibacher Messe) SATB Organ 8 minutes Wolfgang G. Haas
Stopford, Philip British Keble Missa Brevis SATB Piano 10 minutes Hal Leonard Publishing
S’wider, Józef Polish Missa Brevis 2+1 SAB Organ or Piano 7 minutes Carus-Verlag
Tarcisio, Todero Italian Missa brevis in onore della SATB Organ 20 minutes Pizzicato Verlag
Beata Vergine delle Grazie Helvetia
Todd, Will British Jazz Missa Brevis SATB Piano (Opt. Jazz 13 minutes Boosey & Hawkes
ensemble)
Walton, William British Missa Brevis SSAATTBB Organ 7 minutes Oxford University Press
(Gloria Only)
Wachner, Julian American Missa Brevis SATB Organ 6 minutes ECS Publishing

Equal Voice: Unaccompanied and accompanied

Composer Nationality Title Choir/Soloists Instrumentation Length Publisher
(Last, First)
Bedard, Denis Canadian Missa Brevis TTBB Unaccompanied 8 minutes Alfred

Bisbee, Wayne American Missa Brevis SS Piano 15 minutes Boosey & Hawkes

Britten, Benjamin British Missa Brevis in D 3 Treble Voices Organ 10 minutes Boosey & Hawkes
Burkhardt, Michael American Missa Brevis 2 part Treble Piano or Organ 3 minutes ECS Publishing
Kyrie and Gloria Opt. Orff Inst.
Percussion and
handbells
Carter, Andrew British Missa Brevis SSA Organ 14 minutes Oxford University Press

Cederberg-Orreteg, Anna Swedish Missa Brevis SSAA Unaccompanied 10 minutes Gehrmans Musikförlag
Champagne, Claude French Missa Brevis 3 Treble Voices Organ 8 minutes BMI Canada Limited
Chatman, Steven Canadian Missa Brevis SSSAA, Sop Solo Piano 7 minutes ECS Publishing

Chilcott, Bob British Missa Brevis SSA Piano, Bass, Kit 12 minutes Oxford University Press
(Little Jazz Mass)

22 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9

 Equal Voice: Unaccompanied and accompanied (continued)
Daley, Eleanor Canadian Missa Brevis SSAA Unaccompanied 7 minutes Alliance Music Publications
Dohl, Jergi German Missa Brevis TTB Organ 9 minutes Porfiri and Horváth
Eyerly, Scott American Missa Brevis Boys Chorus Organ 10 minutes Edition Peters
(SSA)
Hailstork, Adolphus American Missa Brevis SSAA or TTBB Unaccompanied 10 minutes Theodore Presser Company
Hjelmborg, Bjørn Danish Missa Brevis SSA Organ 20 minutes Edition Wilhelm Hansen

Holman, Derek British Missa Brevis in Die Natali SSA Piano or Harp 3 minutes Boosey & Hawkes
Jeffers, Ron American Missa Brevis SSSAAA Unaccompanied 4 minutes earthsongs
(In tempore violantiae)

Machan, James American Missa Brevis TTBB Unaccompanied 4 minutes Alliance Music Publications
Martin, Stephanie Canadian Missa Brevis for Three SSA or TTB Unaccompanied 5 minutes Cypress Choral Music
Voices
Mathews, Peter Canadian Missa Brevis SA Organ 10 minutes Alliance Music Publications
Park, Jung Sun Korean Missa Brevis “Pallentes” SSAA or TTBB Unaccompanied 10 minutes Joong-Ang Art Publishing Co.

Paulmichl, Herbert Italian Missa Brevis SSA Harp ad lib. 10 minutes Porfiri and Horváth
Phibbs, Joseph British Missa Brevis SSA Unaccompanied 12 minutes Bossey & Hawkes

Robb, Peter Canadian Missa Brevis SSA Piano 15 minutes Hal Leonard

Schneider, Enjott German Missa Brevis SSA Organ 18 minutes Schott Music
Smallman, Jeff Canadian Missa Brevis SSA Unaccompanied 10 minutes Lighthouse Music Publications
Sweeney, Eric Irish Missa Brevis SSA and Organ 10 minutes Beaumaris Publications
Soprano Solo
Sweeney, Eric Irish Missa Brevis 2 part treble Organ 20 minutes Beaumaris Publications
Tavener, John British Missa Brevis 3 part treble Organ 14 minutes Chester Music
Templeton, Mark D. American Missa Brevis TTBB Unaccompanied 25 minutes Mark Templeton Choral Music
Rota, Nino Italian Messa Breve TTBB Organ 15 minutes Schott Music
Willan, Healey Canadian Missa Brevis in g minor TTBB Unaccompanied 8 minutes Concordia Publishing
Wilson, James British Missa Brevis Op. 55 SA and Unison Organ 15 minutes Contemporary Music Centre
Choir Ireland

Theimer, Axel Austrian Missa Brevis TTBB Unaccompanied 5 minutes Alliance Publications

Vasiliauskaite, Kristina Lithuanian Missa Brevis SSAA Unaccompanied 9 minutes Santa Barbara Publishing
CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9 23
Missa Brevis: An Ancient Genre Revitalized
All Voicing: Orchestral Accompaniment

Composer Nationality Title Choir/Soloists Instrumentation Length Publisher

(Last, First)

Ancelin, Pierre French Missa Brevis SATB Brass, timbales 22 minutes Edition Max Eschig
and organ

Barbe, Helmut German Missa brevis SAB 2 Flute, Oboe, 11 minutes Carus-Verlag
English Horn,
Bassoon, Cello

Bernstein, Leonard American Missa Brevis SSAATTBB and Incidental 12 minutes Boosey & Hawkes
Countertenor Percussion
solo

Dorati, Antal Hungarian/ Missa Brevis SATB divisi Percussion 23 minutes Mills Music
American

Gregson, Edward British Missa Brevis Pacem Boys Voices and Large Symphonic 25 minutes Novello
baritone solo wind ensemble

Haan, Jacon de Dutch Missa Brevis SATB Symphonic wind 20 minutes De Haske
orchestra; organ
ad lib.

Hovhaness, Alan American Missa Brevis SATB and Bass String Orchestra 12 minutes Edition Peters
Soloist and Organ

Hummel, Bertold German Missa Brevis Op. 5a SATB 2 Oboe, Bassoon, 18 minutes Schott Music
Trumpet,
Trombone

Kelly, Bryan British Missa Brevis SATB Orchestra (Brass, 15 minutes Oxford University Press
Strings,
Percussion)
Kodály, Zoltán Hungarian Missa Brevis SATB divisi Full Orchestra 32 minutes Boosey & Hawkes

Koepke, Allen American Missa Brevis SATB Full Orchestra 12 minutes Hinshaw Music

Raminsh, Imant Canadian Missa Brevis in c minor Soprano Solo & Full Orchestra 22 minutes Colla Voce Music
(Latvian Treble Choir or
descent) SATB Choir

Ussachevsky,Vladimir Russian/ Missa Brevis SATB and Brass Ensemble 18 minutes Mobart Music Publications
American Soprano Solo

24 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 57 Number 9