Copyright 2010 by J.

David Taylor
All rights reserved
Kyrie Eleison: One an Anient !agan E"la#ation$ %o& The 'irst !art o( the )ass
*ntrod+tion:
The Kyrie Eleison and The Ordinary o( the )ass
,ea+se o( a severe la- o( previo+s reords$ the st+dy o( #+si history in the
.estern &orld neessarily begins &ith the lit+rgy o( the /o#an Catholi Ch+rh. The
)ass$ or 0ervie o( the E+harist$ is a (+nda#ental #+sial genre bea+se it &as the (irst
to onsistently be &ritten do&n
1
. The )ass has si" #a1or setions that have been set to
#+si by o#posers (or ent+ries:
1. Kyrie: A ry to the 2ord (or #ery
2. 3loria: !raise to 3od and Christ
4. Credo: A reitation o( the %iene Creed
5. 0ant+s: !raise to the Trinity
6. ,enedit+s: A ontin+ation o( the 0ant+s
7. Agn+s Dei: 2iterally$ 82a#b o( 3od9:a (inal ry (or #ery and peae
A #+sial setting o( the )ass #+st inl+de eah o( these si" parts o( the Ordinary o( the
)ass. O( speial interest is the Kyrie$ the only part o( the )ass in 3ree-$ not 2atin. ,y
origin$ the Kyrie does not belong in the )ass li-e the Credo and the 3loria. These t&o
#ove#ents o( the )ass$ (or instane$ have legiti#ate lit+rgial e"planations ;the %iene
2
1
/ihard Tar+s-in$ The O"(ord <istory o( .estern )+si$ =ol+#e 1$ )+si 'ro# the Earliest %otations to
the 0i"teenth Cent+ry$ ;%e& >or-: O"(ord ?niversity !ress$ 2006@ 2.
2
3eorge 2+as$ ACreedA in The Catholic Encyclopedia$ =ol+#e 5 ;%e& >or-: /obert Appleton Co#pany$
1B0C$ aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010@D available (ro# http:EE&&&.ne&advent.orgEathenE055FCa.ht#D
*nternet.
reed and 2+-e 2:15
4
$ respetively@ &hereas the Kyrie Eleison does not. Altho+gh so#e
sholars have onneted the Kyrie &ith sript+ral passages (ro# the !sal#s and the
3ospels
5
$ their relationship is #erely oinidental. The Kyrie Eleison is at+ally derived
(ro# !agan &orship. %onetheless$ the Kyrie begins the )ass &ith an idea that is o##on
to #an-ind o( all ti#es and ir+#stanes:relying on Deity to help in the ti#e o( need.
%ot only Christians$ b+t )+sli#s$ Je&s and even !agans share this onept. The
di((erene is ho& #an-ind has hosen to e"press it$ depending on +lt+ral and historial
in(l+enes. .ith ti#e$ Christians all over the Old .orld onneted &ith this idea and the
/o#an Catholi Ch+rh soon aepted it as the (irst part o( the Ordinary o( the )ass
6
. *n
this &ay$ the Kyrie eleison and the Agn+s dei (or# a nat+ral pair
7
. This addition #ade the
)ass open and lose in the sa#e &ay: (allen #an reogniGes his state be(ore 3od and
begs hi# (or #ery. 0ine this idea is so (+nda#ental to the Christian (aith$ the Kyrie
eleison does belong in the )ass and #a-es it o#plete. ,ea+se o( the onnetion
bet&een #+si and the )ass$ the Kyrie has given o#posers an opport+nity to e"press
this idea #+sially. Over ti#e$ these e"pressions have beo#e #ore and #ore o#ple"$
b+t they are all tied together by one te"t: 82ord have #eryD Christ have #ery9.
*.
<o& the Kyrie Eleison ,ea#e !art o( the 2it+rgy
4
Adrian 'ortes+e. A3loria in E"elsis DeoA in The Catholic Encyclopedia$ vol 7. ;%e& >or-: /obert
Appleton Co#pany$ 1B0B$ aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010@D available (ro#
http:EE&&&.ne&advent.orgEathenE076C4a.ht#D *nternet.
5
Adrian 'ortes+e. AKyrie EleisonA in The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. C. ;%e& >or-: /obert Appleton
Co#pany$ 1B10$ aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010@D available (ro#
http:EE&&&.ne&advent.orgEathenE0CF15a.ht#D *nternet.
6
Adrian 'ortes+e. AKyrie EleisonA in The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. C. ;%e& >or-: /obert Appleton
Co#pany$ 1B10$ aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010@D available (ro#
http:EE&&&.ne&advent.orgEathenE0CF15a.ht#D *nternet.
7
/ihard Tar+s-in$ The O"(ord <istory o( .estern )+si$ vol. 1$ )+si 'ro# the Earliest %otations to the
0i"teenth Cent+ry ;%e& >or-: O"(ord ?niversity !ress$ 2006@ 410.
*n pagan &orship$ partiipants &orshipped e"lai#ing 8HIJKLM NOPQRLS9 or
8K+rios Eleison9$ #eaning 82ord$ have #ery9 ho&ever 82ord9 re(erred to their
E#peror$ not to the Christian 3od
F
. 8K+rios9 is the sa#e &ord +sed in the 3ree- %e&
Testa#ent to re(er to the 2ord Jes+s Christ$ so the h+rh o+ld easily adapt the ter# to
Christian &orship
C
.
The (irst Christian Kyrie Eleison appeared in the East. ,e(ore its adoption into
#ainstrea# Catholiis#$ the Kyrie (or#ed part o( the religio+s rites o( ,yGanti+#$
Antioh and Ale"andria$ altho+gh its per(or#ane di((ered in eah region. *n Antioh it
&as s+ng t&elve ti#es$ and at Ale"andria it &as s+ng three ti#es be(ore the o##+nion.
*n ,yGanti+#$ the e"la#ation o+rred thro+gho+t the rite$ +s+ally in triple (or#. This
,yGantine pratie #ay have reated the tradition that the Kyrie has (ollo&ed (or
ent+ries: a triple repetition o( eah part o( the Kyrie: 8Kyrie Eleison9 s+ng three ti#es$
then 8Christe Eleison9 s+ng three ti#es ;&hih 3regory the 3reat added in the si"th
ent+ry
B
@$ (ollo&ed by 8Kyrie Eleison9 s+ng three #ore ti#es.
Altho+gh the Kyrie reahed a (or#al standard o( three repetitions o( eah setion$
the n+#ber o( repetitions has al&ays been an iss+e o( debate$ beginning &ith the
di((erenes in the Eastern rites. !ope 3regory the 3reat e"pressed his onern as (ollo&s:
80o#eone o#ing (ro# 0iily has told #e that so#e (riend$ &hether
3ree- or 2atin * do not -no&$ b+t having great Geal (or the <oly /o#an
Ch+rh$ has gr+#bled abo+t #y hanges$ saying: T.hy do yo+ &ish to
F
Craig A. Evans$ The ,ible Kno&ledge ,a-gro+nd Co##entary: AtsU!hile#on$ ;Colorado 0prings$
Coo- Co##+niations )inistries$ 2005@ 7B6.
C
!a+l '. ,radsha&$ The 0earh (or the Origins o( Christian .orship: 0o+res and )ethods (or the 0t+dy o(
Early 2it+rgy$ ;%e& >or-: O"(ord ?niversity !ress$ 2002@ 22U24.
B
Adrian 'ortes+e. AKyrie EleisonA in The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. C. ;%e& >or-: /obert Appleton
Co#pany$ 1B10$ aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010@D available (ro#
http:EE&&&.ne&advent.orgEathenE0CF15a.ht#D *nternet.
a#alga#ate &ith the Ch+rh o( Constantinople by (ollo&ing its +sto#s
in all thingsVT ,+t to hi# * say: T.hih o( its +sto#s do &e (ollo&VT <e
responds: T,ea+se the Kyrie eleison is s+ng.T ,+t &e have not nor do &e
sing the Kyrie eleison as the 3ree-s do$ (or a#ong the 3ree-s all sing it at
the sa#e ti#e$ &hereas a#ong +s the lergy sing it and the people
respond. .e all sing Christe eleison as #any ti#es Was Kyrie eleisonX$ and
the 3ree-s do not. 'inally$ in daily #asses &e o#it the other things &hih
are +s+ally s+ng$ and sing only Kyrie and Christe eleison$ so that &e #ight
spend a little #ore ti#e in this prayer o( s+ppliation.9
10

?pon its adoption into the /o#an h+rh in 62B C.E.$ the Kyrie (aed an additional
proble# &ith the antiphon. At that ti#e$ eah part o( the Kyrie &as reited (irst by the
antor$ and then by the ongregation. The antor #erely had to &ath (or a signal (ro#
the !onti(( i( he sho+ld &ant to hange the n+#ber o( the litany
11
. ?nder nor#al
ir+#stanes$ the Kyrie &as reited &ith the triple repetition pop+lariGed by the
,yGantines. Aording to the Ordo o( 0aint A#and$ eah part sho+ld be s+ng three ti#es
in order to honor the trinity: (irst to 3od the 'ather$ seond to 3od the 0on and third to
3od the <oly 3host
12
. .hether or not the ,yGantines 1+sti(ied their triple (or# in the
sa#e &ay or not$ the /o#an Catholi Ch+rh 1+sti(ies this pratie bea+se o( the Trinity.
,e(ore ta-ing its plae as an integral part o( the Ordinary o( the )ass$ the Kyrie
Eleison &as +sed in litanies$ or in other &ords$ a reponse to so#ething said by the deaon
or another lit+rgial leader. Aording to researh ond+ted at >ale$
8*n /o#e$ litanies &ith kyrie eleison &ere s+ng a(ter antiphonal psal#s at
the end o( long proessions on i#portant holidays to the stational
h+rhes. The inorporation o( the kyrie into the opening rites o( the )ass
appears to be in i#itation o( these largeUsale proessions. The sole#n
entrane into the )ass bea#e a short version o( the stational proessions$
10
3regory the 3reat$ Epistles B: 27$ trans. John '. ,aldovin$ The Urban Character of Christian Worship:
The Origins, Delelopment, and Meaning of tational !it"rgy$ ;/o#e$ 1BCF@ 255U256.
11
/ihard 2. Cro-er$ 8Kyrie eleison9 in The #e$ %ro&e Dictionary of M"sic and M"sicians$ vol. 15$
;%e& >or-$ O"(ord ?niversity !ress$ 2001@ F2.
12
Adrian 'ortes+e. AKyrie EleisonA in The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol C. ;%e& >or-: /obert Appleton
Co#pany$ 1B10$ aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010@D available (ro#
http:EE&&&.ne&advent.orgEathenE0CF15a.ht#D *nternet.
one psal# ;the introit@ (ollo&ed by a litany &ith the response kyrie
eleison. ,y the si"th ent+ry$ !ope 3regory the 3reat tells +s that the
litani (or# &as dropped on &ee-days and only the threeU(old or nineU(old
singing o( kyrie eleison &as le(t9
14

Th+s !ope 3regory solidi(ied the standard ternary or nineU(old singing o( the
Kyrie. This (or# set the (o+ndation (or all #+sial elaborations on the Kyrie.
**.
A )+sial Analysis o( the Kyrie Eleison Thro+gh The Ages
A(ter lit+rgial revision$ the Kyrie ontin+ed to evolve #+sially as &ell. 2i-e the
other #ove#ents o( the )ass$ the te"t helps deter#ine the (or#al organiGation o( the
#+sial setting o( the Kyrie as &ell as the nat+re o( the #elody. ,ea+se o( its Trinitarian
(or#$ the Kyrie is neessarily ternary$ altho+gh it does not al&ays ta-e the (or# o( A,A.
Co#posers also have +sed other tehniY+es to re(erene the Trinity. 0ine the Kyrie
Eleison has the si#plest te"t o( any #ove#ent o( the #ass$ o#posers have elaborated
+pon it #ore and #ore &ith the progress o( .estern #+si. %e& o#positional
tehniY+es in eah era #ade it possible to e"press the KyrieZs #essage #+sially. *n
ontrast$ the original 3regorian settings o( the Kyrie le(t the listener to interpret the Kyrie
&itho+t intervention by the o#poser.
*n order to properly +nderstand the Kyrie Eleison$ a #+sial analysis ao#panies
the historial and lit+rgial one. This st+dy inl+des plainhant (ro# the !iber Us"alis$ a
Kyrie by ,inhois$ and the Kyrie (ro# ,ahZs #ass in ,U#inor. Eah o( these piees has
so#ething in o##on &ith the original plainhant Kyrie$ i( only the 3ree- te"t. The
14
De(initions (or )edieval Christian 2it+rgy Kyrie eleison ;aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010@D available (ro#
http:EE&&&.yale.ed+EadhoEresearh[reso+resElit+rgyEd[-yrie.ht#lD *nternet.
#+sial analysis o( eah Kyrie inl+des (or#$ sy#bolis#$ and tonality ;or #odality in the
ase o( the 3regorian plainhant@.
A.
3regorian !lainhant 0ettings o( the Kyrie
The lergy o( the /o#an Catholi Ch+rh tho+ght that plainhant s+ited the Kyrie
very &ell (or its sole#nity
15
$ th+s #athing the spirit o( the o( the #ass. The 3regorian
settings o( the Kyrie are sole#n indeed$ (or they e#ploy the original 8h+rh9 #odes
la-ing virt+osity or any reason at all to praise the per(or#er. The Kyrie #elodies o( the
!iber Us"alis e#ploy #ostly step&ise #otion$ &ith s#all s-ips o( a third and an
oasional (i(th leap. %onetheless$ the si#pliity o( the Kyrie has provided the #ost
elaborate hants o( the entire 3regorian repertory
16
. The (ollo&ing line (ro# the Kyrie
fons bonitatis$ in !hrygian #ode$ ;Kyrie **. \ 'or (easts o( the * lass@ sho&s all o( these
attrib+tes o( the plainhant:
17
.hat sets di((erent 3regorian Kyrie #elodies apart is their (or#al organiGation.
0o#e (eat+re a tr+e A,A (or# &ith one #elody (or 8Kyrie eleison9 and a , #elody (or
15
Adrian 'ortes+e. AKyrie EleisonA in The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol C. ;%e& >or-: /obert Appleton
Co#pany$ 1B10$ aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010@D available (ro#
http:EE&&&.ne&advent.orgEathenE0CF15a.ht#D *nternet.
16
Adrian 'ortes+e. AKyrie EleisonA in The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol C. ;%e& >or-: /obert Appleton
Co#pany$ 1B10$ aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010@D available (ro#
http:EE&&&.ne&advent.orgEathenE0CF15a.ht#D *nternet.
17
The 2iber ?s+alis$ ;To+rnai$ ,elgi+#$ Deslee Co#pany$ 1B71@ 1B.
8Christe eleison9$ (ollo&ed by a repetition o( the A #elody (or the seond 8Kyrie
eleison9. This Kyrie$ the Kyrie magnae De"s potentiae$ in <ypo#i"olydian #ode$ '() *
+or feasts of the ,, class- is a per(et e"a#ple:
1F
The 2iber ?s+alis$ ;To+rnai$ ,elgi+#$ Deslee Co#pany$ 1B71@ 2C.
%ot all Kyrie #elodies$ ho&ever (ollo& this pattern. <ere is an irreg+lar Kyrie in
)i"olydian #ode that has an A,CA (or#:
1C
This Kyrie 8De .ngelis9$ in 2ydian #ode$ (eat+res yet another (or#$ A,AA:
1C
The 2iber ?s+alis$ ;To+rnai$ ,elgi+#$ Deslee Co#pany$ 1B71@ 17.
These Kyrie #elodies invo-e an i#portant Y+estion: i( the standard (or# (or the
reitation o( the Kyrie &as AAA,,,AAA ;8Kyrie eleison9 three ti#es$ then 8Christe
eleison9 three ti#es and 8Kyrie eleison9 three #ore ti#es to (inish@$ then &hy do so#e
Kyrie #elodies have a (o+rUpart (or#atV Altho+gh the !iber Us"alis (ails to inl+de the
dates o( o#position$ it is (air to ass+#e that these #elodies antedated the standard (or#
adopted ent+ries later. *n the ase o( the #elodies &ith the A,A (or#$ the antor o+ld
either (ollo& the sore or repeat eah setion at the ponti((Zs disretion. A selet (e&
Kyrie #elodies$ ho&ever$ are (+lly &ritten o+t in nine setions. <ere is one e"a#ple that
(eat+res a ohesive AA]A,,],CC]C (or#:
1B
The 2iber ?s+alis$ ;To+rnai$ ,elgi+#$ Deslee Co#pany$ 1B71@ 4F.
20
Despite its (or#al variane$ the 3regorian Kyrie is +nparalleled in its si#pliity
and sole#nity. This style laid the (o+ndation (or all the Kyrie settings to (ollo& it (or
ent+ries to o#e.
20
The 2iber ?s+alis$ ;To+rnai$ ,elgi+#$ Deslee Co#pany$ 1B71@ 22.
,.
A 2ate )edieval !olyphoni 0etting o( the )ass by 3illes ,inhois
,y the 16
th
ent+ry$ polyphony had #ade its &ay into the h+rh and this
#elis#ati (a+"bo+rdon is no e"eption. These polyphoni develop#ents along &ith
added the advent o( the ti#e signat+re$ allo&ed ,inhois to sy#boliGe the Trinity in ne&
and i#portant &ays.
,inhoisZ Kyrie Kyrie .ngelor"m //,, in <ypolydian #ode (eat+res three voies
and is an early e"a#ple o( paraphrase tehniY+e$ borro&ing #elodi ontent (ro# a
plainhant
21
$ the be(ore #entioned Kyrie De .ngelis (ro# )ass ^*** in the !iber
Us"alis
00
. Altho+gh not i##ediately pereptible$ the paraphrase o+rs at the beginning
o( eah setion o( ,inhoisZ Kyrie in the #iddle or Contratenor voie. At #eas+re 4C$ he
Y+otes the (inal state#ent o( the Kyrie (ro# the plainhant in the #iddle voie$ as seen in
the diagra# belo&:
24
21
Dennis 0hro-$ Choral repertoire$ ;%e& >or-$ O"(ord ?niversity !ress$ 200B@ 25.
22
The 2iber ?s+alis$ ;To+rnai$ ,elgi+#$ Deslee Co#pany$ 1B71@ 4F.
24
The 2iber ?s+alis$ ;To+rnai$ ,elgi+#$ Deslee Co#pany$ 1B71@ 4F.
A si#ilar i#itation o+rs at the beginning o( the o#position$ lasting only three
#eas+res. The i#itation o( the 8Christe eleison9 (ro# the plainhant lasts eight #eas+res$
i#itating the entire setion (ro# the plainhant. Altho+gh ,inhoisZ i#itations are not
o#pletely literal$ the re(erene is lear and pays ho#age to the #issal Kyrie.
This Kyrie &ritten in the fa"1bo"rdon$ (ores the inner voies to ater to the
borro&ed Contratenor. Altho+gh the Cant+s does not al&ays observe the distane o( a
(o+rth (ro# the Contratenor$ ,inhois en(ored it as o(ten as possible &hile allo&ing the
Cant+s so#e degree o( #elodi (reedo#. .ith its rhyth#i o+nterpoint$ the Kyrie
.ngelor"m 8reY+ires singers to &eave lines &ith sea#less +rgeny9
26
and is deidedly
#ore o#ple" than the paraphrased plainhant. The rhyth#i she#e$ ho&ever adds a
ne& Trinitarian idea to the polyphoni Kyrie: three part divisions o( eah #eas+re$ or one
part in honor o( eah #e#ber o( the trinity. The &riting (or three voies also s+ggests the
Trinity. ,inhoisZ Kyrie (eat+res a si#ple A,C (or# &ith repeat signs to per#it the triple
repetition (or eah setion o( the Kyrie. Altho+gh very di((erent (ro# the original hant
that he paraphrased$ ,inhoisZ Kyrie .ngelor"m sy#boliGes the Trinity #ore than
plainhant ever o+ld.
25
3illes ,inhois$ Kyrie Angelor+#$ Edited by /+dol( von 'i-er$ Denkm2ler der Tonk"nst in 3sterreich)
=ol. 71 ;=ienna$ _sterreihisher ,+ndesverlag$ 1B25@ 5C.
26
Donald /osenberg$ 8!o#eri+#9 ;Cleveland$ Ohio$ The !lain Dealer$ %ove#ber 6$ 2005@.
C.
The Kyrie in The ,aroY+e !eriod: ,ahZs )ass in , #inor
,ahZs Kyrie (ro# the Mass in 4 minor (ar e"eeds the length o#ple"ity and
sy#bolis# o( the previo+s Kyrie settings. ,ahZs Kyrie has three distint setions:
1. Kyrie eleison 1 in , #inor (or 00AT, hoir and orhestra ;strings$ t&o (l+tes$ t&o
oboi dZa#ore$ t&o bassoons and ontin+o@ lasting appro"i#ately 11 #in+tes$ or
#ore than hal( o( the entire o#position
2. Christe eleison in D #a1or$ (or 0oprano d+et and strings &ith ontin+o$ lasting
appro"i#ately 6 #in+tes and thirty seonds
4. Kyrie eleison 2 in 'Usharp #inor (or 0AT, hoir and orhestra$ lasting
appro"i#ately 4 #in+tes and thirty seonds
)+siologist Josephine Thrall desribed ,ahZs Kyrie in this &ay:
8`a (iveUpart hor+s begins the &or- &ith a #a1esti repetition o( the
&ords 8Kyrie eleison.9 This is #erely the prel+de to a long instr+#ental
introd+tion$ a(ter &hih the reiterated 8Kyrie9 ta-es the (or# o( a (+gal
hor+s$ &ell e"pressing$ aording to the biographer$ 8the ondition o(
#an-ind as raving rede#ption. The 8Christe eleison9 is #ade into a d+et
(or t&o sopranos`and this setion o( the #ass onl+des &ith a (+g+e.9
27
Altho+gh not o#pletely Trinitarian$ ,ah o#es very lose to repeating eah
part o( the te"t in sets divisible by three. *n the (irst (+g+e$ ,ah al#ost adheres to the
+sto#ary triple repetition o( the te"t 8Kyrie eleison9. The (ollo&ing table sho&s the
n+#ber o( repetitions +sed in the (irst setion o( the o#position:
=oie %+#ber o( /epetitions in
0etion 1
%+#ber o( /epetitions in
0etion 2
0oprano 1 7 7
27
Josephine Thrall$ The A#erian history and enylopedia o( #+si ;%e& >or-$ *rving 0Y+ire$ 1B0C@ 415.
0oprano 2 8 7
Alto B 11
Tenor 12 B
,ass 7 12
*n the seond (+g+e$ ,ah o#es even loser to the Trinity:
=oie /epetitions (or
0etion 1
/epetitions (or
0etion 2
/epetitions (or
0etion 4
0oprano 4 1 7
Alto 7 7 4
Tenor 7 7 7
,ass 4 4 7
<is partial adherene to Trinitarian +sto# an be rationaliGed by the sheer o#ple"ity o(
the (+g+e.
,ahZs +se o( the (+g+e is (+nda#ental (or it #a-es possible the said depition o(
#an-indZs raving. The (ive voal parts in (+g+e +nited by the ,U#inor tonality
sy#boliGes 3odZs hildren$ individ+al #en and &o#en$ on the sa#e earth$ s+rro+nded by
si#ilar$ b+t personal trials$ all rying o+t to the sa#e 2ord (or #ery. The deliberate
te#po indiates ontrition and deliberation in see-ing the path to&ards 3od. Even &ith
(ive lines o( voal o+nterpoint$ the #essage is lear and poignant.
The D #a1or 8Christe eleison9 setion sy#boliGes +nity and hope in Christ. As
opposed to the previo+s , #inor setion$ the #a1or #ode ill+#inates the path to
overo#ing s+((ering rather than (o+sing on #anZs str+ggle to (ind it. The d+et
sy#boliGes +nity. The t&o voal lines progress in parallel #otion$ oasionally engaging
in light i#itation be(ore ret+rning to parallel ho#ophony. Altho+gh brie($ the d+et +ses a
di((erent style that ontrasts and prepares the (inal (+g+e o( the Kyrie.
The (inal (+g+e o( the Kyrie represents the ,ody o( Christ ;the Ch+rh@ str+ggling
together against sin &hile desiring to ret+rn to 3od. This seond (+g+e is #+h #ore
+ni(ied than the (irst in its &riting. *n the seond (+g+e$ &ritten (or 0AT, and orhestra$
the voal parts serve as the basis (or the instr+#ental parts. *n this ase the instr+#ental
parts #erely serve as rein(ore#ent ;&hereas the (irst (+g+e (eat+red string parts
independent o( the hoir@. The bassoon and ontin+o do+ble the bass and the strings
do+ble the soprano$ alto and tenor. This (+g+e +ses longer note val+es than the (irst and
onseY+ently$ (eat+res a si#pler rhyth#. This si#pler (+g+e allo&s ,ah to let the voal
parts oasionally #ove together in ho#ophony. Despite the intensity o( the (o+rUpart ,
#inor (+g+e$ ,ahZs +se o( the piardi third at its onl+sion o((ers a gli#pse o( hope$
#irroring the #a1or #ode o( the 8Christe eleison9 setion. ,y +sing #odern o+nterpoint
and tonality$ ,ahZs Kyrie epito#iGes every ChristianZs str+ggle against the nat+ral #an
as &ell as the hope (o+nd in Christ.
***.
Conl+sion
This st+dy o( the Kyrie proves that the Kyrie eleison tr+ly does belong in the
)ass. The 0ervie o( the E+harist &itho+t the Kyrie &o+ld be li-e a boo- &itho+t the
(irst hapterD it &o+ld all #a-e sense a(ter reading the last hapter$ b+t not +ntil arriving
at the end. The addition o( the Kyrie eleison to the )ass #a-es lear #anZs need (or 3od
(ro# the beginning and lets the rest +n(old organially. '+rther#ore$ the Kyrie Eleison
represents in(l+enes and ontrib+tions (ro# nations and individ+als thro+gho+t the
&orld: (irst (ro# the East$ then (ro# /o#e and (ro# there o#posers thro+gho+t the
&orld have p+t it to #+si. 'ro# the ti#e o( !ope 3regory the 3reat +ntil the present
day$ eah o#poser o( the Kyrie has b+ilt +pon the other. ,inhois borro&ed (ro# the
3regorian repertory$ ,ah st+died 3iovanni !alestrinaZs Missa ine #omine
05
. ,ea+se o(
the /o#an Catholi Ch+rh and o#posers (ro# every #a1or ti#e period o( #+si
history$ the ry o( the Kyrie lives on$ rystalliGed in #+si.
2F
Christoph .ol(($ Johann 0ebastian ,ah: The 2earned )+siian ;%e& >or-$ .... %orton a Co#pany$
2001@$ 54C.
,ibliography
,inhois$ 3illes. Kyrie Angelor+#$ Edited by /+dol( von 'i-er$ Denkm2ler der
Tonk"nst in 3sterreich) =ol. 71. =ienna: _sterreihisher ,+ndesverlag$ 1B25.
,radsha&$ !a+l '. The 0earh (or the Origins o( Christian .orship: 0o+res and )ethods
(or the 0t+dy o( Early 2it+rgy. %e& >or-: O"(ord ?niversity !ress$ 2002.
De(initions (or )edieval Christian 2it+rgy Kyrie eleison, aessed 27 %ove#ber 2010D
available (ro# http:EE&&&.yale.ed+EadhoEresearh[reso+resElit+rgyEd[-yrie.ht#lD
*nternet.
Evans$ Craig A. The ,ible Kno&ledge ,a-gro+nd Co##entary: AtsU!hile#on.
Colorado 0prings: Coo- Co##+niations )inistries$ 2005.
3regory the 3reat. Epistles B: 27$ trans. John '. ,aldovin$ The Urban Character of
Christian Worship: The Origins, Delelopment, and Meaning of tational !it"rgy. /o#e$
1BCF.
/osenberg$ Donald. 8!o#eri+#9. Cleveland$ Ohio: The !lain Dealer$ %ove#ber 6$ 2005.
0hro-$ Dennis. Choral repertoire. %e& >or-: O"(ord ?niversity !ress$ 200B.
Tar+s-in$ /ihard. The O"(ord <istory o( .estern )+si$ =ol+#e 1$ )+si 'ro# the
Earliest %otations to the 0i"teenth Cent+ry. %e& >or-: O"(ord ?niversity !ress$ 2006.
The 2iber ?s+alis. To+rnai$ ,elgi+#: Deslee Co#pany$ 1B71.
Thrall$ Josephine. The A#erian history and enylopedia o( #+si. %e& >or-: *rving
0Y+ire$ 1B0C.
.ol(($ Christoph Johann 0ebastian ,ah: The 2earned )+siian. %e& >or-: ....
%orton a Co#pany$ 2001.