Marten Jansson : Missa Popularis, McDowall : Ave Maris Stella
Vaughan Williams : I Heard the Voice of Jesus

Saturday, 16 November 2024,
Holy Trinity, Sloane Square, 146 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9BZ

Contemporary Swedish composer, Mårten Jansson, lives in Uppsala, graduated from the Kungliga Musikhögskolan (Royal College of Music) in Stockholm, and has been elected as a member of the Föreningen svenska tonsättare (the Society of Swedish Composers).

Of his compositions, he states "My music is my own and I have never tried to be original. That has always been my motto and I have only tried to use music to express all the feelings life has to offer." 

The five movements in this mass have been inspired by different types of Swedish folk music, much of which Jansson heard during his early years as played on the violin by his father.   The opening Kyrie is based on a 'Polska' with a 3/4 rhythm that originates from Poland.  The following Gloria is a frolicsome dance in 12/8 and is probably the most popular type of the Swedish folk genre.   The Credo is a "Gånglåt" (lit. walking tune), a song to sing to make walking easier.   It is a stately piece and forms the core of the whole work.  The Sanctus is a little tricky for the choir to master in places as it is based on the rhythm of a "Bakmes" - a dance that involves a backward reverse turn.  The 9/8 time signature is misleading as the music uses every combination of nine quavers in a bar possible.   The final Agnus Dei movement takes elements from the previous four parts of the Mass and threads them together to bring the work to a close.

The other accompanying items in this concert are:

• McDowall : Ave Maris Stella
• Vaughan Williams : I Heard the Voice of Jesus
• Vaughan Williams :  Five Variants of Dives & Lazurus (instrumental)
• Elgar : Serenade for Strings  (instrumental)

We are delighted to be working again with members of the City of London Sinfonia.

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