Eu poderia escrever 10 páginas sobre a deslumbrante Missa de Bernstein, mas vou tratar de resumir, até porque tempo é tudo o que não há em minha vida atualmente. A Missa foi uma encomenda da família Kennedy para ser apresentada na inauguração do John F. Kennedy Center de Washington, em 1971. Encomendaram qualquer peça; não estava previsto se seria uma Sonata para Piano ou uma peça gigantesca que envolvesse orquestra, cantores e dançarinos… O tema também era livre. E Bernstein utilizou a liberdade que lhe foi dada… Quando soube-se que o compositor estava escrevendo uma Missa sobre textos da Missa católica, houve grande alegria por parte dos organizadores do evento, pois John Kennedy foi o primeiro presidente católico dos EUA e Bernstein fora sensível ao fato.
Mal sabiam eles que no que estavam se metendo. Bernstein fez ressucitar um certo trope, que seriam inserções ou comentários à missa que entravam a qualquer momento. Isto existe desde a Idade Média e são peças vocais que servem para explicar o latinório da Missa. Só que estávamos em 1971, eram tempos muito controversos e Lenny mostrou-se um perfeito ateu ao tecer comentários demolidores em seus tropes que misturam blues, rock e marchas militares. Alguns versos:
O texto da Missa é do próprio Bernstein e de Stephen Schwarz. O trope Half of the People foi escrito por Paul Simon. Ao final da primeira apresentação, a platéia permaneceu três minutos em silêncio — uma eternidade certamente causada pelo pasmo frente a notável provocação de Lenny –, mas depois prorrompeu em aplausos de quase trinta minutos.
Ah, como não faz sentido ouvir sem saber o que está sendo cantado, coloco abaixo a letra completa da Missa.
1. Part 1. Devotions before Mass. 1. Antiphon. Kyrie eleison
2. Part 1. Devotions before Mass. 2. Hymn and Praise. A simple song
3. Part 1. Devotions before Mass. 3. Responsory. Alleluia
4. Part 2. First Introit (Rondo). 1. Prefatory Prayers
5. Part 2. First Introit (Rondo). 2. Thrice – Triple Canon. Dominus vobiscum
6. Part 3. Second Introit. 1. In nomine Patris
7. Part 3. Second Introit. 2. Prayer for the Congregation (Chorale: “Almighty Father”)
8. Part 3. Second Introit. 3. Epiphany
9. Part 4. Confession. 1. Confiteor
10. Part 4. Confession. 2. Trope. I don’t know
11. Part 4. Confession. 3. Trope. Easy
12. Part 5. Meditation No. 1
13. Part 6. Gloria. 1. Gloria tibi
14. Part 6. Gloria. 2. Gloria in excelsis
15. Part 6. Gloria. 3. Trope. Half of the People
16. Part 6. Gloria. 4. Trope. Thank you
17. Part 7. Meditation No. 2
18. Part 8. Epistle. The Word of Lord
19. Part 9. Gospel-Sermon. God said
1. Part 10. Credo. 1. Credo in unum Deum
2. Part 10. Credo. 2. Trope. Non Credo
3. Part 10. Credo. 3. Trope. Hurry
4. Part 10. Credo. 4. World Without End
5. Part 10. Credo. 5. Trope. I Believe in God
6. Part 11. Meditation No. 3 (De profundis, part 1)
7. Part 12. Offertory (De profundis, part 2)
8. Part 13. The Lord’s Prayer. 1. Our father…
9. Part 13. The Lord’s Prayer. 2. Trope. I Go On
10. Part 15. Agnus Dei
11. Part 16. Fraction. Things Get Broken
12. Part 17. Pax: Communion. Secret Songs
Letra completa:
Text from the Liturgy of the Roman Mass
Additional Texts by
Stephen Schwartz and Leonard Bernstein
I. DEVOTIONS BEFORE THE MASS
1. Antiphon: Kyrie eleison
Soprano
Kyrie eleison!
Lord, have mercy!
Bass
Kyrie eleison!
Lord, have mercy!
Soprano and Alto
Christe eleison!
Christ, have mercy!
Tenor and Baritone
Christe eleison!
Christ, have mercy!
2. Hymn and Psalm: “A Simple Song”
Celebrant
Sing God a simple song
Lauda, Laude…
Make it up as you go along
Laude, Laude…
Sing like you like to sing
God loves all simple things
For God is the simplest of all.
I will sing the Lord a new song
To praise Him, to bless Him, to bless the Lord.
I will sing His praises while I live
All of days.
Blessed is the man who loves the Lord,
Blessed is the man who praises Him.
Lauda, Lauda, Laude…
And walks in His ways.
I will life up my eyes
To the hills from whence comes my help.
I will lift up my voice to the Lord
Singing Lauda, Laude.
For the Lord is my shade,
Is the shade upon my right hand
And the sun shall not smite me by day
Nor the moon by night…
Blessed is the man who loves the Lord –
Lauda, Lauda, Laude –
And walks in His ways.
Lauda, Lauda, Laude
Lauda, Lauda di da di day…
All of my days.
3. Responsory: Alleluia
Six Solo Voices
Du bing, du bang, du bong, etc.
Alleluia!
Alleluia! etc.
II. FIRST INTROIT (Rondo)
1. Prefatory Prayers
Street Chorus
Kyrie eleison!
Christe eleison!
Lord have mercy!
Christ have mercy!
Gloria Patri et Filio,
Et Spiritui Sancto!
Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Spirit!
Sicut erat in principio
Et nunc et semper,
Et in saecula saeculorum. Amen
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.
Basses
Introibo ad altare Dei.
I will go up to the alter of God.
Tutti
Ad Deum qui laetificat
juventutem meam.
To God, who gives joy to my youth.
Women
Asperges me, Domine,
Hyssopo, et mundabor.
Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop,
O Lord, and I shall be cleansed.
Two Sopranos
Emitte lucem tuam,
Et veritatem tuam.
Send forth Thy light,
and Thy truth.
Altos
Ostende nobis, Domine
Show us, Lord
Basses
Domine!
Lord!
Altos
Ostende nobis
Misericordiam tuam.
Show us
Thy mercy.
Soprano
Vidi aquam egredientem
De templo latere dextro
Et omnes ad quos pervenit
Aqua ista salvi facti sunt,
Et dicent:
I saw the water issuing from
the right side of the temple
And all those to whom it comes
Are saved by that very water
And say:
Tutti
Alleluia, alleleluiaia! etc.
Alleluia, alleleluiaia! etc.
Boys’ Choir
Kyrie eleison!
Lord, have mercy!
Chorus
Christe eleison!
Christ, have mercy!
Boy (solo)
Here I go up to the altar of God.
In I go, up I go
To God who made me young
To God who made me happy
To God who makes me happy to be young.
Street Chorus and Boys’ Choir
Alleluia!
2. Thrice-Triple Canon: Dominus vobiscum
Celebrant
Dominus vobiscum.
The Lord be with you.
Boys’ Choir
Et cum spiritu tuo.
And with thy spirit.
All
Dominus vobiscum.
Et cum spiritu tuo.
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
III. SECOND INTROIT
1. In nomine Patris
Celebrant
In the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
Tape
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et
Spiritus Sancti, Amen.
Celebrant
Let us rise and pray.
Celebrant
Let us rise and pray.
Celebrant
Almighty Father, bless this house. And bless and protect all who are assembled in it.
2. Prayer for the Congregation (Chorale: “Almighty Father”)
Choir
Almighty Father, incline Thine ear:
Bless us and all those who have gathered here
Thine angel send us
Who shall defend us all
And fill with grace
All who dwell in this place.
Amen.
3. Epiphany
IV. CONFESSION
Celebrant
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin,
to blessed Michael the archangel, to blessed
John the Baptist, to the holy apostles, Peter and Paul…
1. Confiteor
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti,
Beatae Mariae, semper Virgini,
Beato Michaeli archangelo,
Beato Joanni Baptistae,
Sanctis Apostolis Petro
et Paulo,
Omnibus sanctis,
Et vobis, fratres:
Quia peccavi nimis cogitatione,
verbo et opere:
Mea culpa, mea culpa,
mea maxima culpa.
Ideo precor beatam Mariam
semper Virginem,
Beatum Michaelem Archangelum,
beatum Joannem Baptistam,
Sanctos Apostolos Petrum
et Paulum,
Omnes sanctos, et vos, fratres,
Orare pro me
Ad Dominum Deum nostrum.
I confess Almighty God,
To blessed Mary ever Virgin,
To blessed Michael the archangel,
To blessed John the Baptist,
To the holy apostles Peter
and Paul,
To all the saints,
And to you, brothers:
That I have sinned exceedingly in
Thought, word and deed:
Through my fault, through
my own most grievous fault.
Therefore I beseech the Blessed
Mary ever Virgin,
Blessed Michael the archangel,
Blessed John the Baptist,
The holy apostles Peter
and Paul,
All the saints, and you, brothers,
To pray for me
To the Lord our God.
2. Trope: “I Don’t Know”
Male Street Chorus
Confiteor, Confiteor…
First Rock Singer
Lord, I could go confess
Good and loud, nice and slow
Get this load off my chest
Yes, but why, Lord-I don’t know.
I don’t know why every time
I find a new love I wound up destroying it.
I don’t know why I’m
So crazy-minded, I keep on kind of enjoying it-
Why I drift off to sleep
With pledges of deep resolve again,
Then along comes the day
And suddenly they dissolve again-
I don’t know…
(with Descant)
What I say I don’t feel
What I feel I don’t show
What I show isn’t real
What is real, Lord-I don’t know,
No, no, no-I don’t know.
3. Trope: “Easy”
First Blues Singer
Well, I went to the holy man and I confessed…
Look, I can beat my breast
With the best.
And I’ll say almost anything that gets me blessed
Upon request…
It’s easy to shake the blame for any crime
By trotting out that ‘mea culpa’ pantomime:
‘Yes, yes, I’m sad, I sinned, I’m bad.’
Then go out and do it one more time.
Second Rock Singer
I don’t know where to start
There’s so much I could show
If I opened my heart
But how far, Lord, but how far can I go?
I don’t know.
Second Blues Singer
If you asked me to join you in some real good vice
Now that might be nice
Once or twice
But don’t look for sacraments or sacrifice
They’re not worth the price
It’s easy to have yourself a fine affair
Your body’s always ready, but your soul’s not there
Don’t count on trust
Come love, come lust,
It’s so easy when you just don’t care.
Third Rock Singer
What I need I don’t have
What I have I don’t own
What I own I don’t want
What I want Lord, I don’t know.
Third Blues Singer
If you ask me to sing you verse that’s versatile
I’ll be glad to beguile you
For a while
But don’t look for content beneath the style
Sit back and smile
It’s easy for you to dig my jim-jam jive,
And, baby, please observe how neatly I survive.
And what could give
More positive
Plain proof that living is easy when you’re half alive.
All Three Rock Singers
Lord, I could go confess…
All Three Blues Singers
Easy…
All Three Rock Singers
Good and loud, nice and slow…
All Three Blues Singers
Easy…
Choir
Beatam Mariam semper Virginem (Ideo precor)
Beatum Michaelem Archangleum, beatum Joannem Baptistam,
Sanctos Apostolos Petrum et Paulum,
Omnes sanctos, et vos, fratres,
Orate pro me
Ad Dominum Deum nostrum.
All Six Soloists
What I say I don’t feel
What I feel I don’t show
What I show isn’t real
What is real, Lord-I don’t know,
No, no, no-I don’t know.
First Rock Singer
Come on, Lord, if you’re so great
Show me how, where to go
Show me now-I can’t wait
Maybe it’s too late,
Lord,
I don’t know…
First Blues Singer
Confiteor….
Celebrant (speaking)
God forgive you.
All (speaking)
God forgive us all.
Celebrant
The Lord be with you.
All
And with your spirit.
Celebrant
Let us pray.
V. MEDITATION NO. 1
VI. GLORIA
1. Gloria tibi
Celebrant
Gloria tibi, Gloria tibi,
Gloria!
Glory to You, Glory to You
Glory!
Boys’ Choir
Gloria tibi, Gloria tibi,
Gloria!
Glory to You, Glory to You
Glory!
Celebrant and Boys’ Choir
Gloria Patri,
Gloria Filio,
Et Spiritui Sancto.
Laudamus te,
Adoramus te,
Glorificamus te,
Benedicimus te.
Glory to the Father,
Glory to the Son,
And the Holy Spirit.
We praise You,
We adore You,
We glorify You,
We bless You.
Gloria Patri
Gloria Filio
Et Spiritui Sancto.
Gloria!
Glory to the Father,
Glory to the Son,
And the Holy Spirit.
Glory
Celebrant
Glory to God in the Highest and Peace on Earth to Men of Good Will!
2. Gloria in excelsis
Choir
Gloria in excelsis Deo,
et in terra pax hominibus
bonae voluntatis.
Laudamus te,
Adoramus te,
Benedicimus te.
Glorificamus te.
Gratias agimus tibi propter
magnam gloriam tuam:
Domine Deus, Rex caelestis.
Deus Pater omnipotens.
Domine Fili unigenite,
Jesu Christe;
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,
Filius Patris;
Qui tollis peccata
mundi,
miserere nobis;
suscipe deprecationem nostram;
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,
miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solis Sanctus,
Tu solus Dominus,
Tu solus Altissimus:
Jesu Christe,
Cum Sancto Spiritu: in gloria
Dei Patris, Amen.
Glory to God in the highest
And on earth peace to men of
good will.
We praise Thee,
We adore Thee,
We bless Thee,
We glorify Thee.
We give Thee thanks for Thy
great Glory:
Lord God, heavenly King,
God the Almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, only-begotten
Son;
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of
the Father:
Who takest away the sins of the
world,
have mercy upon us;
Receive our prayer;
Thou who sittest at the right hand
of the Father, have mercy upon us.
For Thou alone art the Holy One,
Thou alone art Lord,
Thou, Jesus Christ, alone art the
Most High,
With the Holy Spirit, in the glory
of God the Father. Amen.
3. Trope: “Half of the People”
Street Chorus and Band
Amen!
*Half of the people are stoned
And the other half are waiting for the next election.
Half the people are drowned
and the other half are swimming in the wrong direction.
* this quatrain was a Christmas present from Paul Simon. Gratias, L.B.
They call it Glorious Living
They call it Glorious Living
And baby where does that leave you,
You and your kind-
Choir
…miserere nobis, suscipe
deprecationem nostram…
Street Chorus and Band
—you and your youth and your mind?
Nowhere, Nowhere, Nowhere.
Half of the people are stoned
And the other half are waiting for the next election-
4. Trope: “Thank You.”
Soprano Solo
There once were days so bright
And nights when every cricket call seemed right
And I sang Gloria
Then I sang Gratias Deo
I knew a glorious feeling
of thank you and…
Thank you…
The bend of a willow
A friend and a pillow
A lover whose eyes
Could mirror my cries of Gloria…
And now, it’s strange
Somehow, though nothing much has really changed
I miss the Gloria
I don’t sing Gratias Deo
I can’t say quite when it happened
But gone is the…
…thank you…
Street Chorus
Half the people are drowned, and the other half
Are swimming in the wrong direction.
Celebrant
Let us pray.
VII. MEDITATION NO. 2 (orchestra)
VIII. EPISTLE: “The Word of the Lord”
Celebrant
Brothers: This is the gospel I preach; and in its service I have suffered hardships like a criminal; yea, even unto imprisonment; but there is no imprisoning the Word of God…
A Young Man
Dearly Beloved: Do not be surprised if the world hates you. We who love our brothers have crossed over to life, but they who do not love, abide in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer.
Another Young Man
Dear Mom and Dad… Do not feel badly or worry about me. Nothing will make me change. Try to understand: I am now a man.
Celebrant
You can lock up the bold men
Go and lock up your bold men
And hold men in tow,
You can stifle all adventure
For a century or so.
Smother hope before it’s risen
Watch it wizen like a gourd,
But you cannot imprison
The Word of the Lord.
Celebrant and Chorus
No, you cannot imprison
The Word of the Lord.
Celebrant
For the Word
For the Word was at the birth of the beginning
It made the heavens and the earth and set them spinning,
And for several million years
It’s withstood all our forums and fine ideas.
It’s been rough
It’s been rough but it appears to be winning!
There are people who doubt it
There are people who doubt it and shout it out loud,
Oh, they bellow and they bluster ‘til they muster up a crowd.
They can fashion a rebuttal that’s as subtle as a sword,
But they’re never gonna scuttle the Word of the Lord.
Celebrant and Chorus
No, they’re never gonna scuttle the Word of the Lord!
An Older Man
Dear Brothers: …I think that God has made us apostles the most abject of mankind. We hunger and thirst, we are naked, we are roughly handled, and we have no fixed abode…They curse us and we bless. They persecute us and we suffer it…They treat us as the scum of the earth, the dregs of humanity, to this very day.
A Young Girl
Dear Folks: Jim looked very well on my first visit. With his head clean-shaven, he looked about 19 years old. He says the prison food is very good. For the first few days he’s not allowed any books except his Bible. When I hugged him he smelled so good, a smell of clean plain soap; like a child when you put him to bed.
Celebrant
All you big men of merit,
all you big men of merit
who ferret out flaws,
you rely on our compliance
with your science and your laws.
Find a freedom to demolish
while you polish some award,
but you cannot abolish the Word of the Lord.
Celebrant and Chorus
No, you cannot abolish
the Word of the Lord.
Celebrant
For the Word,
for the Word created mud and got it going
It filled our empty brains with blood and set it flowing
And for thousands of regimes
It’s endured all our follies and fancy schemes.
It’s been tough,
It’s been tough, and yet it seems to be growing!
O you people of power,
O you people of power, your hour is now.
You may plan to rule forever, but you never do somehow.
So we wait in silent treason until reason is restored
and we wait for the season of the Word of the Lord.
We await the season of the Word of the Lord.
We wait…we wait for the Word of the Lord…
IX. GOSPEL-SERMON: “God Said”
Preacher
God said: Let there be light.
And there was light.
Chorus
God said: Let there be night.
And there was night.
Preacher
God said: Let there be day.
And there was day…
Chorus
…day to follow the night.
Preacher
And it was good, brother
All
And it was good, brother
Preacher
And it was good, brother
All
And it was goddam good.
Preacher
God said: Let there be storms
Storms to bring life…
Chorus
…life in all of its forms,
Forms such as herds…
Preacher
…herds and gaggles and swarms
Swarms that have names…
Chorus
…names and numbers and norms.
Preacher
And it was good, brother
All
And it was good, brother
Preacher
And it was good, brother
All
And it was goddam good!
Preacher
God said: Let there be gnats
Let there be sprats…
Chorus
…sprats to gobble the gnats
So that the sprats…
Preacher
…sprats may nourish the rats,
Making them fat…
Chorus
…fat, fine food for the cats.
Preacher
And they grew fat, brother
All
And the grew fat, brother
Preacher
All but the gnats, brother
All
They all grew fearful fat.
Preacher
And God saw it was good
Chorus
God made it be good
Preacher
Created it good
Chorus
Created the gnats…
Preacher
…gnats to nourish the sprats…
Chorus
…sprats to nurture the rats
Preacher
And all for us big fat cats.
All
Us cats!
Chorus
And it was good, and it was good,
And it was good, and it was good.
First Solo
God said it’s good to be poor,
Good men must not be secure;
So if we steal from you,
It’s just to help you stay pure.
All
And it was good!
Chorus
And it was good! (etc.)
Second Solo (antiphonally with Chorus)
God said take charge of my zoo
I made these creatures for you;
So he won’t mind if we
Wipe out a species or two.
All
And it was good!
Chorus
And it was good! (etc.)
Third Solo
God said to spread His commands
To folks in faraway lands;
They may not want us there,
But man it’s out of our hands.
All
And it was good!
Chorus
And it was good! (etc.)
Fourth Solo
God said that sex should repulse
Unless it leads to results;
And so we crowd the world
Full of consenting adults.
All
And it was good!
Chorus
And it was good! (etc.)
Fifth Solo
God said it’s good to be meek
And so we are once a week;
It may not mean a lot
But oh, it’s terribly chic.
All
And it was good!
Chorus
And it was good! (etc.)
Preacher
God made us the boss
God gave us the cross
We turned it into a sword
To spread the Word of the Lord
We use His holy decrees
To do whatever we please
Chorus
Yeah!
Preacher
And it was good!
Chorus
Yeah!
All
And it was good, Yeah!
And it was goddam good!
Preacher
God said: Let there be light.
And there was light.
Chorus
God said: Let there be night.
And there was night.
Preacher
God said: Let there be day.
And there was day…
Chorus
…day to follow the night.
Preacher
And it was good, brother!
Chorus
And it was good, brother!
Preacher
And it was good brother!
All
And it was…
X. CREDO
Celebrant
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord…(etc.)
1. Credo in unum Deum
Chorus and percussion on Quadraphonic tape
Credo in unum Deum,
Patrem omnipotentem,
Factorem caeli et terrae,
Visibilium omnium et
invisibilum.
Et in unum Dominum Jesum
Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum.
Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine,
Deum verum de Deo vero.
Genitum, non factum,
consubstantialem Patri:
Per quem omnia
facta sunt.
Qui propter nos homines et
propter nostram salutem
descendit de caelis.
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu
Sancto
Ex Maria Virgine: et homo
factus est.
I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And of all things visible
and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the
only-begotten Son of God.
Born of the Father before all
ages.
God of God, light of light,
true God of true God;
Begotten, not made, of one
essence with the Father:
Through whom all things were made.
Who for us men, and for our
salvation, came down from
heaven.
And was incarnate by the Holy
Spirit
Of the Virgin Mary: and was
made man.
2. Trope: Non Credo
First Solo
Et homo factus est
And was made man…
And you became a man
You, God, chose to become a man
To pay the earth a small social call
I tell you, sir, you never were
A man at all
Why?
You had the choice
when to live
When
To die
And then
Become a god again
Group
And was made man…
Solo
And then a plaster god like you
Has the gall to tell me what to do
To become a man
To show my respect on my knees
Go genuflect, but don’t expect guarantees
Oh
Just play it dumb
Play it blind
But when
I go
Then
Will I become a god again?
Group
Possibly yes, probably no…
Solo
Yes, probably no
Give me a choice
I never had a choice
Or I would have been a simple tree
A barnacle in a silent sea
Anything but what I must be
A man
A man
A man!
Group
Possibly yes, probably no…
Solo
You knew what you had to do
You knew why you had to die
You chose to die, and then revive again
You chose, you rose
Alive again
But I
I don’t know why
I should live
If only to die
Well, I’m not gonna buy it!
Group
Possibly yes, probably no…
Solo
I’ll never say credo.
How can anybody say credo?
I want to say cr…
Tape
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis
sub Pontio Pilato,
Passus, et sepultus est.
Et resurrexit tertia die,
secundum Scripturas.
Et ascendit in caelum:
Sedet ad dexteram Patris.
Et iterum venturus est
cum gloria
judicare vivos et mortuos.
He was also crucified for our sake
under Pontius Pilate,
suffered, and was buried.
And the third day He rose again
according to the Scriptures.
And He ascended into heaven:
And is seated at the right hand of
the Father. And He will come again
with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
3. Trope: “Hurry”
Second Solo
You said you’d come again
When?
When things got really rough
So you made us all suffer
While they got a bit rougher
Tougher and tougher
Well, things are tough enough.
So when’s your next appearance on the scene?
I’m ready
Hurry
Went to church for clearance and I’m clean
And steady
Hurry
While I’m waiting I can get my bags packed
Flags flown
Shoes blacked
Wings sewn
On…
Oh don’t you worry –
I could even learn to play the harp
You know it
Show it
Hurry
Hurry and come again.
Tape
Sedet ad dexteram
Patris.
Et iterum venturus est cum gloria
judicare vivos et mortuos:
Cujus regni non erit finis-
He is seated at the right hand of
the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead:
Whose reign will be without end-
4. Trope: “World Without End”
Street Chorus
Non erit finis…
World without end…
Third Solo
Whispers of living, echoes of warning
Phantoms of laughter on the edges of morning
World without end spins endlessly on
Only the men who lived here are gone
Gone on a permanent vacation
Gone to await the next creation
World without end at the end of the world
Lord, don’t you know it’s the end of the world?
Lord, don’t you care if it all ends today?
Sometimes I’d swear that you planned it this way…
Dark are the cities, dead is the ocean
Silent and sickly are the remnants of motion
World without end turns mindlessly round
Never a sentry, never a sound
No one to prophesy disaster
No one to help it happen faster
No one to expedite the fall
On one to soil the breeze
No one to oil the seas
No one to anything
No one to anything
No one to anything at all…
Tape
Et in spiritum Sanctum, Dominum
et vivificantem:
Qui ex Patre Filio que
procedit.
Qui cum Patre, et Filio simul
adoratur, et conglorificatur:
Qui locutus est per Prophetas.
Et unam sanctam catholicam et
apostolicam Ecclesiam.
Confiteor unum baptisma in
remissionem peccatorum.
Et exspecto resurrectionem
mortuorum,
Et vitam venturi saeculi.
Amen.
I believe also in the Holy Spirit,
Lord and life-giver:
Who proceeds from the Father
and the Son.
Who together with the Father,
and the Son is adored, and glorified:
Who spoke through the prophets.
And I believe in one holy, catholic
and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for
the remission of sins.
And I await the resurrection of
the dead,
And the life in the world to come.
Amen.
First Solo
You chose…You rose…
A man!…A man!…You chose!…You rose!
Second Solo
Hurry and come again…
Bags packed, wings sewn, Hurry!…Hurry!…
Third Solo
World without end, end of the world!
End of the world! Lord, don’t you care?
Lord, don’t you care?
5. Trope: “I Believe in God”
Fourth Solo
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Solo
I believe in God,
But does God believe in me?
I’ll believe in any god
If any god there be.
That’s a pact. Shake on that. No taking back.
I believe in one God,
But then I believe in three.
I’ll believe in twenty gods
If they’ll believe in me.
That’s a pact. Shake on that. No taking back.
Who created my life?
Made it come to be?
Who accepts this awful
Responsibility?
Is there someone out there?
If there is, then who?
Are you listening to this song
I’m singing just for you?
I believe my singing.
Do you believe it too?
I believe each note I sing
But is it getting through?
I believe in F sharp.
I believe in G.
But does it mean a thing to you
Or should I change my key?
How do you like A-flat?
Do you believe in C? –
Choir
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis –
Solo
Do you believe in anything
That has to do with me?
Street Chorus
I believe in God,
But does God believe in me?
I’ll believe in thirty gods
If they’ll believe in me.
That’s a pact. Shake on that. No taking back.
Solo
I’ll believe in sugar and spice,
I’ll believe in everything nice;
I’ll believe in you and you and you
And who…
Who’ll believe in me?
Celebrant
Let us pray.
LET US PRAY!
XI. MEDITATION NO. 3 (De Profundis, part 1)
Choir
De profundis clamavi ad te,
Domine;
Domine, audi vocem meam!
Fiant aures tuae intentae
Ad vocem obsecrationis meae.
Si delictorum memoriam
servaveris,
Domine, Domine, quis sustinebit?
Sed penes te est peccatorum
venia,
Ut cum reverentia serviatur
tibi.
Spero in Dominum;
Sperat anima mea in verbum eius.
Spero! Sperat!
From the depths I cried to you,
O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears attend
The voice of my supplication.
If you, O Lord, remember only
our iniquities,
Lord, Lord, who can survive it?
But in your hands is the forgiveness
of sins,
That you may be served in
reverence.
I trust in the Lord;
My soul trusts in His word.
Celebrant
Memento, Domine – Remember, O Lord, Thy servants and handmaids…[ad lib. names of cast members]…and all here present, whose faith is known to Thee, and for whom we offer up this sacrifice. We beseech Thee in the fellowship of communion, graciously to accept it and to grant peace to our days.
XII. OFFERTORY (De Profundis, part 2)
Boys’ Choir
Exspectat anima mea Dominum
Magis quam custodes
auroram
Exspectet Israel Dominum,
Quia penes Dominum
Misericordia et copiosa penes
eum redemptio:
Et ipse redimet Israel ex
omnibus iniquitatibus eius.
Gloria Patri.
My soul waits for the Lord
More than they who wait for the
morning-
Let Israel wait for the Lord,
For with the Lord is compassion
And with Him is plentiful
redemption:
And He will redeem Israel from all
its iniquities.
Glory to the Father.
XIII. THE LORD’S PRAYER
1. Our Father…
Celebrant
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed by Thy name.
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil. Amen.
2. Trope: “I Go On”
When the thunder rumbles
Now the Age of Gold is dead
And the dreams we’ve clung to dying to stay young
Have left us parched and old instead…
When my courage crumbles
When I feel confused and frail
When my spirit falters on decaying altars
And my illusions fail,
I go on right then.
I go on again.
I go on to say
I will celebrate another day…
I go on…
If tomorrow tumbles
And everything I love is gone
I will face regret
All my days, and yet
I will still go on… on…
Lauda, Lauda, Laude
Lauda, Laude di da di day…
XIV. SANCTUS
Celebrant
Holy!
Holy!
Holy is the Lord God of Hosts! Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory!
Boys’ Choir (calling from side to side)
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God of Hosts.
Pleni sunt coeli et terra
Gloria tua.
Heaven and earth are full of
Thy glory.
Osanna, Osanna, Osanna!
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna!
Boys’ Choir
Benedictus qui venit in
nomine Domini.
Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord.
Osanna, Osanna, Osanna in
excelsis!
Osanna in excelsis!
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in
the highest!
Hosanna in the Highest!
Celebrant
Mi… Mi…
Mi alone is only mi.
But mi with sol
Me with soul
Mi sol
Means a song is beginning
Is beginning to grow
Take wing, and rise up singing
From me and my soul.
Kadosh! Kadosh! Kadosh!
Holy! Holy! Holy!
Choir
Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh
Adonai ts’va-ot
M’Lo chol ha-aretz k’vodo
Holy! Holy! Holy!
Lord God of Hosts.
All the heavens and earth are full
of His glory.
(With Street Chorus)
Singing: Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God of Hosts.
All the heavens and earth
Are full of His glory.
Choir
Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh
Adonai ts’va-ot
M’Lo chol ha-aretz k’vodo
Baruch ha’ba
B’shem Adonai
B’shem Adonai!
Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God of Hosts.
All the heavens and earth are full
of His glory.
Blessed is he who comes
In the name of the Lord
In the name of the Lord!
All Voices
Sanctus!
Sanctus!
Holy!
Holy!
XV. AGNUS DEI
Male Soloists
Agnus Dei,
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata
mundi,
Agnus Dei;
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata
mundi
Miserere, miserere nobis!
Miserere, miserere nobis!
Lamb of God,
Lamb of God, who takest
away the sins of the world
Lamb of God;
Lamb of God, who takest
away the sins of the world
Have mercy, have mercy on us!
Have mercy, have mercy on us!
Male and Female Soloists
Agnus Dei,
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
Agnus Dei;
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi
Miserere, Miserere nobis!
Miserere, Miserere nobis!
All Soloists and Street Chorus
Agnus Dei,
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi;
Dona nobis pacem!
Dona nobis pacem!
Pacem! Pacem!
Give us peace!
Give us peace!
Peace! Peace!
Celebrant (speaking)
Hoc est enim corpus meum!
This is my Body!
Chorus (Men)
Dona…nobis…pacem…
Celebrant (grasping the Chalice)
Hic est enim Calix Sanguinis Mei!
This is the Chalice of My Blood!
Chorus
Dona… nobis… pacem…
Celebrant
Hostiam puram
Pure offering!
Chorus (Women)
Dona nobis pacem-
Celebrant
Hostiam sanctam…
Holy offering…
Chorus (Women)
Dona nobis pacem –
Celebrant
Hostiam immaculatam…
Immaculate offering…
Chorus (Men)
Dona nobis pacem –
Chorus (Women)
Pacem –
Full Chorus
Pacem! Pacem!
Street Chorus plus Choir
Agnus Dei,
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona nobis pacem!
Dona nobis pacem!
Pacem! Pacem!
Celebrant
LET US PRAY!
Choir (Women)
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi
Choir (Men)
Miserere nobis.
Celebrant
Non sum dignus, Domine.
I am not worthy, Lord.
Choir (Women)
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi
Choir (Men)
Miserere nobis!
Celebrant
I am not worthy, Lord.
Choir (Women)
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi!
Choir (Men)
Dona nobis pacem!
Celebrant
Corpus!
Body!
Choir
Pacem!
Celebrant
Calix!
Chalice!
Choir
Pacem! Pacem!
Dona nobis pacem!
Celebrant
PANEM!
BREAD!
Choir
Dona pacem! Pacem!
Dona nobis pacem!
Choir (the music turning imperceptibly into Blues-stanzas)
Dona nobis, nobis pacem,
Pacem dona, dona nobis,
Nobis pacem, pacem dona
Dona nobis, nobis pacem,
Pacem dona, dona nobis…
Nobis pacem, pacem dona,
Dona nobis, nobis pacem,
Pacem dona, dona nobis,
Nobis pacem, pacem dona,
Dona nobis, nobis pacem.
Tenor Solo (gradually joined by five other male soloists)
We’re not down on our knees,
We’re not praying,
We’re not asking you please,
We’re just saying:
Give us peace now and peace to hold on to
And God give us some reason to want to
Dona nobis, Dona nobis,
Men (and a few Women)
You worked six days and rested on Sunday.
We can tear the whole mess down in one day.
Give us peace now and we don’t mean later.
Don’t forget you were once our creator!
Dona nobis, Dona nobis.
Men
We’ve got quarrels and qualms and such questions,
Give us answers, not psalms and suggestions.
Give us peace that we don’t keep on breaking,
Give us something or we’ll just start taking!
Dona nobis, Dona nobis.
All
We’re fed up with your heavenly silence,
And we only get action with violence,
So if we can’t have the world we desire,
Lord, we’ll have to set this one on fire!
Dona nobis, Dona nobis.
XVI. FRACTION: “Things Get Broken”
Celebrant
PA…CEM!
PA…CEM!!
PA…CEM!!!
Celebrant
Look…Isn’t that – odd…
Red wine – isn’t red – at all…
It’s sort of – brown…brown and blue…
I never noticed that.
What are you staring at?
Haven’t you ever seen an accident before?
Look…Isn’t that – odd…
Glass shines – brighter –
When it’s – broken…
I never noticed that.
How easily things get broken.
How easily things get broken.
Glass – and brown wine –
Thick – like blood…
Rich – like honey and blood…
Hey – don’t you find that funny?
I mean, it’s supposed to be blood…
I mean, it is blood…His…
It was…
How easily things get broken…
What are you staring at?
Haven’t you ever seen an accident before?
Come on, come on, admit it,
Confess it was fun –
Wasn’t it?
You know it was exciting
To see what I’ve done.
Come on, you know you loved it.
You’re dying for more.
Wasn’t it smashing
To see it all come crashing
Right down to the floor!
Right!
You were right, little brothers,
You were right all along.
Little brothers and sisters,
It was I who was wrong –
So earnest, so solemn,
As stiff as a column,
“Lauda, Lauda, Laude.”
Little brothers and sisters,
You were right all along!
It’s got to be exciting,
It’s got to be strong.
Come on! Come on and join me,
Come join in the fun:
Shatter and splatter
Pitcher and platter
What do we care?
We won’t be there!
What does it matter?
What does it…
…matter…
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Haven’t you ever seen an accident before?
Listen…Isn’t that – odd…
We can – be – so still…
so still and – numb…
How easily things get quiet.
Quiet… God is very ill…
We must… all be very still…
His voice… has grown so small,
Almost… not there at all…
Don’t you cry…
Lullaby…
Sleep…
Sleep…
Shh…
Shh…
Pray, pray… you sons of men
Don’t let… him die again
Stay, oh stay…
Domine…
Stay…
Why are you waiting?
Just go on without me
Stop waiting
What is there about me
That you’ve been respecting
And what have you all been
Expecting to see?
Take a look, there is nothing
But me under this,
There is nothing you’ll miss!
Put it on, and you’ll see
Any one of you can be
Any one of me!
What?
Are you still waiting?
Still waiting for me,
Me alone,
To sing you into heaven?
Well, you’re on your own.
Come on, say it,
What has happened to
All of your vocal powers?
Sing it, pray it.
Where’s that mumbo and jumbo
I’ve heard for hours?
Praying and pouting,
Braying and shouting litanies,
Chanting epistles,
Bouncing your missals
On your knees…
Go on whining,
Pining, moaning, intoning,
Groaning obscenities!
Why have you stopped praying?
Stopped your Kyrieing?
Where is your crying and complaining?
Where is your lying and profaning?
Where is your agony?
Where is your malady?
Where is your parody
Of God – said –
Let there be and there was
God said:
Let there Beatam Mariam semper Virginem,
Beatam miss the Gloria,
I don’t sing Gratias
Agimus tibi propter magnam
Gloriam tu – am – en…
Amen. Amen.
I’m in a hurry –
And come again.
When?
You said you’d come…
Come love, come lust,
It’s so easy if you just
Don’t care-
Lord, don’t you care…
…if it all ends today…
…profundis clamavi
Clamavi ad te,
Domine, ad Dominum,
Ad Dom…
…A-donai – don’t know –
I don’t no – bis…
Miserere nobis…
Mi-se…mi…
Mi alone is only me…
But mi with so…
Me with s…mi…
Oh, I suddenly feel every step I’ve ever taken,
And my legs are lead
And I suddenly see every hand I’ve ever shaken,
And my arms are dead
I feel every psalm that I’ve ever sung
Turn to wormwood on my tongue.
And I wonder,
Oh, I wonder,
Was I ever really young?
It’s odd how all my body trembles,
Like all this mass
Of glass on the floor.
How fine it would be to rest my head,
And lay me down,
Down in the wine,
Which never was really red.
But sort of – brown…
And let not – another word –
Be spoken…
…Oh…
…How easily things get broken.
XVII. PAX: COMMUNION (“Secret Songs”)
Boy Soprano
Sing God a secret song
Lauda, Laude…
Lauda, Lauda, Laude.
Lauda, Lauda, Laudate.
Laude Deum,
Laudate Eum.
Praise, praise …
Praise God,
Praise Him.
Bass Solo
Lauda, Laude,
Lauda, Laude,
Laude Deum,
Laude Eum…
Bass Solo and Boy Soprano
Lauda, Lauda, Laudate…
First Couple
Lauda, Laude…
Lauda, Lauda, Lauda, Laude.
Lauda, Lauda, Laudate Deum.
Lauda, Lauda, Laudate Eum.
Laude Deum, Laudate Eum.
All
Pax tecum!
Peace be with you!
Boy Soprano and Celebrant
Lauda, etc.
All Voices, Including Stage Instrumentalists
Almighty Father, incline thine ear:
Bless us and all those who have gathered here –
thine angel send us –
Who shall defend us all;
And fill with grace
All who dwell in this place. Amen.
Voice On Tape
The Mass is ended; go in Peace.