Bruckner - The Masses (3 CDs)

Anton Bruckner

Masses n° 1, n° 2 & n° 3 - Te Deum 

Corydon Singers - Corydon Orchestra - Dir. Matthew Best

Track Listings

Disc: 1

  1. Te Deum: Te Deum laudamus

  2. Te Deum: Te ergo, quaesumus

  3. Te Deum: Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis

  4. Te Deum: Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine

  5. Te Deum: In te, Domine, speravi

  6. Mass No 1 In D Minor: Kyrie

  7. Mass No 1 In D Minor: Gloria

  8. Mass No 1 In D Minor: Credo

  9. Mass No 1 In D Minor: Sanctus

  10. Mass No 1 In D Minor: Benedictus

  11. Mass No 1 In D Minor: Agnus Dei

Disc: 2

  1. Aequalis No. 1 - Bruckner

  2. Libera me - Bruckner

  3. Aequalis No. 2 - Bruckner

  4. Mass No. 2 In E Minor: Kyrie - Bruckner

  5. Mass No. 2 In E Minor: Gloria - Bruckner

  6. Mass No. 2 In E Minor: Credo - Bruckner

  7. Mass No. 2 In E Minor: Sanctus - Bruckner

  8. Mass No. 2 In E Minor: Benedictus - Bruckner

  9. Mass No. 2 In E Minor: Agnus Dei - Bruckner

Disc: 3

  1. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Kyrie

  2. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Gloria

  3. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Qui tollis

  4. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Quoniam tu solus sanctus

  5. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: In gloria Dei Patris

  6. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Credo

  7. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Et incarnatus est

  8. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Crucifixus est

  9. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Et resurrexit

  10. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Et in spiritum sanctum

  11. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Et expecto resurrectionem

  12. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Sanctus

  13. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Benedictus

  14. Mass No. 3 In F Minor: Agnus Dei

  15. Psalm 150

Bruckner's music is imbued with religious mysticism. Bruckner believed that even his symphonies were celebrating his Roman Catholic God and so one might expect him to compose masses.

This set begins with the Te Deum a song praising God which Bruckner believed was his finest composition and in my opinion it is strong enough to stand with the sacred vocal works of all time. Scored for four soloist , choir, organ and orchestra using mostly homophonic choral writing but later develops into a vast double final fugue. The Te Deum is compelling from beginning to end.

Mass Number one is the only thing on these discs that I most likely would never listen to again because it pales in comparison with the other works especially the other masses. This mass is for the same forces as the Te Deum and seems to parallel his symphonies in its construction.

According to the notes Bruckner composed his second mass using wind instruments when a sect of Christians complained about the use of orchestra to accompany masses in church. What a loss it might have been if Bruckner has not composed the mass the way he did. It is one of the best masses I have ever heard although the combination sounds so forbidding it is the most sublime of the masses which is brought to bear immediately in the opening Kyrie which is mostly unaccompanied except for the intermittent sounding of trumpet and horns. The Gloria and credo are much faster but are filled with much complexity . It is in the sanctus where Bruckner quotes Palestrina's Missa brevis and in the masses shortest section is full of hopeful expectation. The gentle benedictus is notable for it's burst on the Hosanna in excelcis. The notes describe this mass as the deepest and subtlest of Bruckner's masses. CD 2 contains two instrumental piece and a Libera me for choir, trombones and double bass which is quite beautiful.

Mass number 3 is composed with soloists, chorus and large orchestra is the longest of Buckner's masses and the sect must have hated it but the is much to love . My favorite parts include the bass soloist quoting the adagio from the second symphony the soprano accompanied by solo violin in the Kyrie and the Gloria and credo which occupy the bulk of the mass both ending up in massive fugue. The third disc also contains a setting of psalm 150.

I believe that mass 2 and 3 and the Te Deum belong in the collection of all classical music lovers because they are needed to appreciate the genius of Anton Bruckner.

Thanks to the original releaser of this set!