Mass in G by Franz Schubert

This is a special presentation from the FBC Athens podcast. During Sunday morning worship on August 25, our Sanctuary choir accompanied by chamber orchestra presented the Mass in G by Franz Schubert. The presentation is under the direction of Tom Granum, Interim Director of Music Ministries here at First Baptist. Soprano soloists are Livy Baxley an Avery Smith, tenor soloist is Daniel Chamberlin, and Bass soloist is Mickey Schuber. The service has been edited in order to present the music and singing of the mass uninterrupted. 

Background for a “Sung Mass”

     Christian worship developed out of Jewish worship. Western Christianity (centered in Rome) further developed worship into the from commonly called “the mass,” derived from the Latin word “missa,” as the service ends with “Ite, missa est,” or “Go, the dismissal is made.” The service includes prayers, scripture, and communion, also called eucharist or the Lord’s Supper.

     Prayers and responses are based on scripture. Some parts of worship change weekly, and others are common in every service. For several centuries, composers have set texts that are used regularly, the “ordinary” of the mass, in different ways, including choir, soloists, and orchestra as we hear in today’s service, composed by Franz Schubert in 1815.

     The scriptural backgrounds for the five movements commonly set by composers:

Kyrie eleison “Lord, have mercy.”  Found in several psalms. Rather than Latin, this is Greek that was retained around the 5th century.

Gloria in excelsis “Glory to God in the highest” Based on scripture, including Luke 2:14, it’s a psalm-like text written in Greek by an individual in the 2nd century and then translated into Latin around the 7th century.

Credo in unum Deum “I believe in one God” This text was added to the service in 1014. The Nicene Creed was approved by the Council of Nicea in 325. The Nicene Creed is the creed liturgical churches frequently use for communion services. Note that the tune name for the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! is named Nicaea. The creed has three main parts—Father/Creator; Son/Jesus; and Holy Spirit. As you follow the text today while listening, you’ll hear how Schubert used “text painting,” where the music reflects the meaning of the text. One example is the long note the choir sings when the text is “world without end.” Can you hear the crucifixion/crucifixus or the resurrection/et resurrexit?

Sanctus and Benedictus “Holy, holy, holy Lord” and “Blessed is the one/he who comes in the name of the Lord” The two texts are sung together, as we here ar FBC when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. The Sanctus comes from Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8, and the Benedictus comes from the Palm Sunday entrance, Matthew 21:9, which in turn comes from Psalm 118:26.

Agnus Dei “Lamb of God” We remember John’s saying when he saw Jesus (Luke 1:25-26, 29), “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

Conductor

Tom Granum, Interim Director of Music Ministries, First Baptist Church, Athens, GA

Soloists

Livy Baxley, soprano

Avery Smith, soprano

Daniel Chamberlin, tenor

Mickey Schuber, bass

Chamber Orchestra

Rachael Fischer, violin

Debbie Schab, violin

Karl Schab, viola

Zachary Helms, cello

Austin Carter, bass

Rehearsal Accompanists

Alan McArthur

Mark Hadden

Choir

Becky Adams 

Charles Adams 

Addison Aycock

John Barrow 

Caroline Baxley

Jennifer Baxley

Livy Baxley 

Matthew Baxley

Cathy Blake

Becky Braid 

David Brooks 

Chelsea Byrd 

Chris Byrd

Georgia Calhoun 

Jim Calhoun

Austin Carter 

Daniel Chamberlin 

Cindy Cogdell

William Collins 

Jean Colquett

Chris Conley

DeeAnn Cox

Bob Deck

Ed Dempsey

Trip Drennan

Bobbie Epting

Margie Faglier

Wayne Faglier 

Lee Germany

Ann Giddens 

Emily Glass

Sydney Godfrey

Frank Granger

Teresa Granger

Doris Granum

Carol Grout

Roger Hanson

Cindy Haygood

Nancy Hernandez 

Charlie Hooper

Lamar Houston 

Sharon Hulsey

Sarah Jordan

Sam Jorgensen 

Mark Lancaster

Jasan Laughman 

Ele Louis

Margaret McDonald

Isaac Marston

Matt Marston

Becky Matheny

Deborah  Millians

Jon Millians

Sally Ann Nichols

Gayle Noblet

Chris Quarles

Nadine Quarles

Carol Reddish

Mick Schuber

Regina Schuber

Carlie Shaw

Steve Shirley

Avery Smith

De’Nasia Thomas

Martha Thomas

Jimmy Thomason

Nathan Vazquez

Amy Young