Imogen Holst, Mass in A Minor (1927)
Slow Listening #8
Our first choral piece! This was one of Imogen Holst’s earliest major works, composed while she was still studying at the Royal College of Music, but it’s already quintessentially “her”. Written for unaccompanied choir, it’s refined, elegant, full of movement, and nothing is overdone or flashy. One of Holst’s colleagues said of her that ‘everything she does has a quality all her own, where perception and imagination grace knowledge and mastery of her subject.’ The Mass exemplifies that for me.
If you like Vaughan Williams’s music, especially his Mass in G Minor, then this is probably a piece for you. Holst’s early works are rooted in the sound world of early twentieth century English composers like Vaughan Williams who were influenced by folk music and early music — and more of those composers to come in this slow listening series.
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus — Benedictus
Agnus Dei
Listening Prompt
What kind of relationship with God does this Mass suggest to you?
What role does spirituality play in your life?
Recommended Recording
Graham Ross dir. Choir of Clare College, Cambridge: Imogen Holst Choral Works
This is the premiere recording of the Mass (and, indeed, all the other choral works on the disc). It remains the only complete recording. Thank goodness it’s an excellent rendition, but it would be wonderful to have some more…!
If you’d like to find out more about Holst, I’ve written about her life for BBC Music Magazine here. You can also read my interview with conductor Alice Farnham about her world premiere recording of Holst’s orchestral & choral works here.