Blog 5

Throughout my life, I have always been a big fan of music. While I thoroughly enjoy the feeling and sensations I get when I listen to rap, country, or Camila Cabello, I rarely find myself seeking the deeper meaning behind the lyrics and beats. With this course however, I have found that sacred music, especially ones found in mass, is integral too theology and plays a pivotal role in praising God. While there are a handful of types of sacred music like hymns, chants, operas, and pop songs to name a few, all work towards the same goal of causing listeners to contemplate the teachings of Mass while also becoming more involved in the worship of the Lord. To better recognize and understand how sacred music is essential to mass, I decided to take a closer look at Missa Caput by Johannes Ockeghem and Missa Wellensis by John Tavener.

Taking a closer look at the Missa Caput, one quickly notices the raw voices that come together to form a polyphony, or a simultaneous combination of various voices and roles. To get a better understanding of Ockeghem’s work, one must understand the musical style of 15th century Rome. During the Missa Caput masses, the head of a dragon would be slain by Jesus, and be commonly used to symbolize Satan and evil. While Jesus was usually depicted defeating the dragon, there are plenty of other cases which even depict Mary and other Saints conquering such dragons. This type of mass is used in the week leading up to Easter and is considered fairly pronounced. Within the mass, there is a constant battle between good and evil, or Jesus and Satan. To help show this battle, things like dragons and tenors are used to show the defeat of evil and triumph of holiness. The tenor is one of the higher male voice types, and takes on the role of portraying evil. While it might seem odd for the church to use a mythological creature like a dragon in masses of arguably the most important week of the liturgical year, one can look back and find serpents in the Bible. As writer Anne Walters Robertson points out, “the serpent/dragon became a recurrent trope for the presence of evil in the world,” and such symbolism is utilized in the Caput masses. With the dragon being represented by tenor, the male voices are used to symbolize the triumph over evil. It is a recurring pattern in Ockerghem’s mass that the tenor starts off in a prolific manner, but is not sustained over the entirety of the song. In most cases, the tenor will come to a halt when the polyphony of sopranos and other harmonies meet it. Use of the polyphony is backed up by Bloxam who states that “Much polyphony of the period…originated as sonic ornament intended to intensify the experience of ritual, akin to opening an altarpiece, displaying a choir tapestry, and donning special vestments.” This tenor, or dragon, being slayed is best heard in “Missa Caput: Agnus Dei” at around the 2:16 mark. Before this moment, the tenor could be heard roaring throughout the Church but after, the softer melodies of the sopranos win the battle and signify the goodness of faith. The composer decided to include battles between good and evil multiple times to showcase the hard work and resilience necessary to deny satan and his work. With goodness coming out on top various times throughout the mass, one can reflect on how Jesus faced many tests in his journey, but prevailed every time. The entire purpose of the music used in this type of mass is to guide listeners to a deeper contemplation of the Lord’s work. By being surrounded by various parts that harmonize together, one is summarized in an environment that is not of current time, but rather one of communication with God. Through tangible things like music, God is able to communicate and reveal himself to those who listen.

Shifting over to Missa Wellensis by John Tavener, one can quickly notice how it is different from the previous Mass. In this Mass, one is immediately overcome with the feeling of joy and happiness. With the use of opera type singing, some occasional chants, and polyphony of various pitches and harmonies, I along with many others get a feeling of warm contentment. As seen particularly well in the “Kyrie” Tavener uses the multiple layers of high pitched singing to draw attention to the beauty of both the Church and the Lord. Along with almost angelic voices, there are ebbs and flows when it comes to loudness. Seen clearly in the “Gloria” at 3:52 and 4:12, there is a significant drop in the loudness of the song. By transforming the booming music from the heavens to a quiet whisper in just 20 seconds, and then transforming that into blaring music once again, Tavener shows how beauty in the church is multifaceted and can change depending on the situation. Another tool that Tavener uses is pointed out by Begbie when he states “Frequently the music emerges out of silence and drifts seamlessly back into silence, giving the oppression of being in the midst of previously and subsequently unheard music.” Applying this to the Kyrie, it is very noticeable that the song starts off with a few seconds of silence, and ends the same way.

Overall, Missa Caput by Johannes Ockeghem and Missa Wellensis by John Tavener both play a pivotal role in promoting a deeper theological understanding of worship by guiding listeners to a state where profound contemplation can be made. Without the help of music, it would be very difficult for members of the Catholic Church to achieve a desirable level of communication with God, and fully understand his glory. Through one’s senses, a church-goer can improve their relationship with God by soaking in all that is offered through the senses like touch, taste, and especially sound in sacred music.