Written between autumn and December 2012, Missa Brevis pro Pace is a work for SATB chorus divisi a capella.
Kyrie eleison;
Christe eleison;
Kyrie eleison.
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus,
Dominus Deus Sabaoth;
pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
dona nobis pacem.
In our world, peace seems to be an elusive state. Each day we seem to make increasing strides toward it, yet each day it seems to escape further from our reach. There is a sense of greater awareness and action, as more and more people realize that violence, anger, and hate only beget more violence, anger, and hate, yet there is also a sense of increasing urgency, as each day we hear of another mugging, another rape, another murder, another bomb, another terrorist attack, another genocide, another war.
The text for this Short Mass for Peace is taken from the Latin liturgy. The work is meant to invoke that sense of urgency, and to beg for help, to find forgiveness for the hell which we inflict upon our neighbors, and to learn to make peace with them.
Kyrie eleison. Miserere nobis. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy on us. Dona nobis pacem! Grant us peace! Amen.