The backstory of Saint Cecilia, a Christian persecuted in Rome in 177, adds a somber note to the mass. In a quirk of fate, she became the patron saint of music due to a misinterpretation of a Latin inscription that seemed to link her to the organ. This association continued: when the Academy of Music was opened in Rome in 1584, Cecilia was made its patron saint, with a painting of her playing the organ. After that, Cecilia continued to be associated with music.
Gounod's Mass consists of eight movements, the five parts of the Mass being supplemented by three additional movements that slightly extend the order of the Mass. The soloists perform mostly as an ensemble, without arias. The composer used a large orchestra, including six harps, and introduced innovative elements such as pistons (cornets) in the Gloria and Sanctus, and the newly developed octobass (a string instrument of the violone family) in the Benedictus and Agnus Dei.
As befits Cecilia's martyrdom, the Kyrie sets a somber tone, evolving from a plaintive 7-note motif that grows out of silence into a sweet plea with a lolling arpeggiated accompaniment, gradually adding more instruments and finally the choir. The next two movements, the Gloria and Credo, are the cornerstones of the Mass and are among the most breathtaking pieces of religious music ever written. The middle section (Et incarnatus and Et resurexit) is a remarkable moment when the choral parts are split into additional layers, with passages suggesting mysterious wonder. The Offertory offers a lush orchestral interlude. The Benedictus continues with a beautiful hymn, simple and direct, and the Agnus Dei then closes the Mass with simplicity, tenderness, and lightness.
Gounod's St. Cecilia Mass is distinguished by its lyrical beauty and is one of the great achievements of Western music. Camille Saint-Saens noted its impact, describing its simplicity, grandeur, and serene light as a musical dawn that both dazzled and enchanted. Even in the distant future, he wrote, the Mass is expected to outlive Gounod's operatic works.
Note: The Sanctus was used in Werner Herzog's film Nosferatu (1979).
Listen to: Concierto estraordinario en conmemoración del XXX Aniversario de la Escola Coral de Quart de Poblet - Valencia. Director: Jordi Blanch.