Mis nr. 1A (opus 104A)

Programme notes

This mass was originally commissioned on the occasion of the 200ste Octaaf Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Lubbeek, a pilgrimage and procession that take place yearly in June in the village of Lubbeek, Brabant in Belgium. Octaaf, or octave, refers to the period of eight days during which take place the opening mass, the procession of the statue of the Virgin Mary from the church through the woods and castle grounds to the chapel and the reverse procession back to the church. The pilgrimage goes back to events that took place in the village of Lubbeek during the plague in 1341. Missa brevis refers to a mass composition of relatively short duration. A harmonium is a small type of organ without pipes used in churches of modest means. In the Credo, the composer makes the congregation reciting the text of the Credo alternate with the choir singing the word Credo. As shown in the annex of the score, number eight refers to the octave and underpins the entire composition. The interval of the perfect open fifth symbolizes God. A Missa super is a mass that is based on a pre-existent tune, in this case the Gregorian chant Liberamus Domine. Liever Lis as Dobbeni refer to words believed to have been heard instead of the correct words Liberamus Domine. The story remained in the family. Lis is the Flemish abbreviation of Elisabeth. Dobbeni is the maiden family name of the composer's maternal great-grandmother. The composer kept the original tune of the Liberamus Domine.

Harmonium part

see page 65 of the score

Symbolism of number eight

see page 63 of the full score

Handwritten sketches and drafts

to be found in chapters VI and XIII of the white cover, A3 size, 600 pages sketchbook

Completion of the composition 

31-XII-2014