br>FaithMouse
Posted on 04/11/2004 6:11:18 AM PDT by NewHampshireDuo
A wolf on one hill sings out in the wilderness and a wolf on another hill answers back.
A cantor in a church sings a verse and the congregation answers back.
In "Missa Gaia," a wolf calls out and a tenor answers back. Then a saxophone answers the tenor.
Commonly known as "Paul Winter's Earth Mass," the Missa Gaia is a musical tribute to the interconnectedness of the Earth and all beings on it.
Composed in 1980, Missa Gaia was first performed on Mother's Day in 1981 to celebrate Mother Earth and all mothers. Since 1985, it has annually been performed at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis.
This Thursday and Saturday, the Earth Mass will be performed in Lewiston and Rockport to celebrate Earth Day and benefit the Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center in Lincolnville.
The Missa Gaia, running slightly over an hour long, follows the format of a Mass, having parts such as the Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei. Incorporating recorded animals sounds, such as the songs of wolves, loons, seals and whales, makes the Earth Mass like no traditional Mass.
"It became this big interdenominational thing," says Jim Scott, a co-composer of the Mass and former guitarist of the Paul Winter Consort. Scott, who lives in Massachusetts, will be singing and playing the guitar at both concerts.
Scott also will perform a solo concert at the First Universalist Church in Yarmouth on Friday.
Scott was asked by a colleague, Mimi Bornstein-Doble, the music director at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Rockland, to take part in a community production of the Earth Mass.
"The Missa Gaia is a piece of music I've wanted to do for a long time," says Doble. "I love it. Everybody I talked to about it thought it was a great idea."
Hoping to get at least 75 people involved in a community chorus, Doble put out the word about the project; 150 people showed up for the first rehearsal.
About 140 people are in the chorus now, plus 10 band members.
Every Monday night since January chorus members from places including Damariscotta, Belfast, Brunswick and Bangor have gathered in Rockland to practice. They range in age from 9 to 90. Some are professional choristers, others are environmentalists, and still others just love to sing and relish the idea of being involved in such a large community chorus.
"People are excited and moved about being able to give voice to their concerns about the environment," Doble says. Plus they enjoy performing such an unusual piece of music.
"Sometimes people who haven't heard it may think that (the animal sounds) are cute," Scott says, "but when you hear the mysterious sounds - they've shaped our consciousness - the sounds are healing and good for us."
Doble couldn't agree more. "I don't want to sound flaky here, but the music . . . sung every week (in rehearsal} . . . send(s) out a healing energy that resonates out into the world."
By the way, the mass of the earth is 5.98 x 10^24 kilograms.
Maybe our troops in Iraq need to sing this to the Iraqis....
Don't worry, Doble, you do sound flaky.
Somehow, this concept doesn't sound like Church doctrine at all.
I wonder how they got Nader, Bob Kerry and Teddy to perform.
Me neither. It'll never occupy a space on my shelf of CDs, much less next to Beethoven, Bach, Monteverdi, Palestrina and the rest of the guys who could do a real Mass.
Makes you wonder why Maine went to the bother of splitting away from Massachusetts. Actually, I really think Portland is a San Francisco wanna be.
Isn't this how Jar Jar Binks refers to himself...?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.