Missa brevis

Missa brevis (Latin for ‘short Mass’) was completed in 2009 for the twelve violoncellists of the Berlin Philharmonics to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The piece was commissioned for a series of six concerts at the Konzerthaus Berlin, which were to include premieres of new works by six composers.

Missa brevis is closely related to Berliner Messe from 1990, composed for the 90th German Catholics Day, the first one held after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The first and last part of Missa brevis were based on the music of Kyrie and Agnus Dei from Berliner Messe, whereas the middle part was composed after Sanctus of Missa syllabica, from 1977. This piece for an ensemble …

Missa brevis (Latin for ‘short Mass’) was completed in 2009 for the twelve violoncellists of the Berlin Philharmonics to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The piece was commissioned for a series of six concerts at the Konzerthaus Berlin, which were to include premieres of new works by six composers.

Missa brevis is closely related to Berliner Messe from 1990, composed for the 90th German Catholics Day, the first one held after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The first and last part of Missa brevis were based on the music of Kyrie and Agnus Dei from Berliner Messe, whereas the middle part was composed after Sanctus of Missa syllabica, from 1977. This piece for an ensemble for violoncellists combined vocal music from 1977 when the German nation was still divided by the Wall, with music from 1990, when it was reunited by the fall of the Berlin Wall. The texts of the mass silently accompany the music of the new instrumental composition, forming the foundation of the entire structure of the music.

Missa brevis premiered on 17 Feburary 2010 in the large hall of the Konzerthaus Berlin, performed by the twelve violoncellists of the Berlin Philharmonic. The version for eight violoncellos was completed in the same year at the request of the Cello Octet Amsterdam. That version premiered on August 2010 in Estonia at the Arvo Pärt Days during the Nargenfestival.