Kyrie.  The first movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

1-01 I.  Kyrie

Gloria  The second movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

1-02 II.  Gloria

Qui Tollis.  The third movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

1-03 III. Qui Tollis

Quoniam.  The fourth movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

1-04 IV.  Quoniam

Cum Sanctus.  The fifth movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

1-05 V.  Cum Santus

Et in Spiritus Sanctus.  The tenth movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

2-01 X.  Et in Spiritus Sanctus

Et Vitam Venturum.  The third movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

2-03 XII.  Et Vitam Venturum

"Sanctus" is the 13th movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d", the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

Sanctus is a reflective, prayerful movement that reflects its simple lyrics, which translate to:  "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts".  When I imagine the writing of this movement I can't help but think of the most difficult periods of the Civil War, when reports came back of tens of thousands of dead in a single battle.  It is hard to imagine that this movement was not written at such a time.  It is a prayer.

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

2-04 XIII.  Sanctus

Osanna.  The sixth movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

2-06 XV.  Osanna

Benedictus.  The seventh movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

2-07 XVI.  Benedictus

Credo and Et Incarnatus are the sixth and seventh movements of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d".

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

1-06 07 VI-VII.  Credo and Et Incarnatus

Crusifixus.  The eighth movement of John Knowle's Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

1-08 VIII.  Crusifixus

"Et Resurexit" is the 9th movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d", the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

Et Ressurexit is the triumphant climax of the first act of "Mass in D", and why shouldn't it be.  The resurrection has happened.  Life has triumphed over death.  In terms of the civil war, one might imagine this movement as a reaction to emancipation proclamation.  There has been death, but goodness has come from it.  The war may not be over, but its time to celebrate.  It's a great place for an intermission.

It is performed here on this May 4, 2012 by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

1-09 IX.  Et Resurrexit

"Sanctus" and "Pleni Sunt" are the thirteenth and fourteenth  movements of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d".

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

2-04 05 XIII-XiV  Sanctus and Pleni Sunt

Agnus Dei.  The Seventeenth movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d"

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

2-08 XVII.  Agnus Dei

"Dona Nobis" is the 18th and final movement of John Knowles Paine's "Mass in D", 

John Knowles Paine's "Mass in d" is the first great work of music written by an American Composer.  Written during the civil war and performed for the first time just after, it is sometimes called the "Civil War Mass".

It is performed here by the Hudson Chorale under the baton of Michael Conley.  This may have been its tenth complete performance since its publication in 1866 and its second complete recording.

Many who have encountered Paaine's Dona Nobis" feel that it is one of the most beautiful Dona's ever written, and Michael Conley, writing about his first encounter with "Mass in D", writes that "the arrestingly beautiful Dona Nobis Pacem literally reduced me to tears".  That has proved true for many of us in the Hudson Chorale, and the reaction only grows with repeated listening.

Michael Conley goes on, later in his program notes, to say that "Paine saves his most daringly beautiful idea for the very end, where he sets the final words of the Mass, “Dona nobis pacem” (grant us peace), in a lilting, elegiac 12/8 meter, and completely resists any urge towards triumphalism or a splashy, heroic ending. Instead, after a modest forté climax, the music relaxes into one final a cappella passage, a sublimely simple and heartfelt plea for peace, with only a brief orchestral coda of strings, bassoons and horns to bring this huge work to a uniquely quiet, restrained close."

Gunther Schiller is, if anything, more effusive in his praise:  "Here Paine's melodic gift is at its most supreme: radiant, soaring violin passages that seem to be floating above the music, stretching ecstatically toward heaven, are like a beautiful ornament to the undulating, restful D-major harmonies. For each measure, Paine—who seems unable to relinquish the flow of inspiration—finds new ideas, new harmonies, new melodies to glorify the final, peace-giving moments. One last agonized, longing phrase in the violas and bassoons brings ultimate resolution and peace, the quiet D-major answer to the D-minor question posed in the opening Kyrie."

War is terrible, and the Civil War was most terrible.  In the end there was victory for the Union and defeat for the Confederacy, but the most general emotion in the wake of war is that it not happen again.  "Dona Nobis" captures this better than any work I can think of.


Davis Foulger

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