“Agnus Dei” from St. Francis in the Americas: A Caribbean Mass

This piece is available for purchase at Earthsongs.

“The ‘Agnus Dei’ (Lamb of God) is arranged in a traditional Central African style for choir and percussion. It features a call-and-response form foundational to both African and African-American vocal traditions. The rhythmic vitality of this movement is inspired by the Missa Luba, a landmark 1958 work from the Democratic Republic of the Congo that first successfully integrated Latin liturgy with Luba melodies and rhythms.

This original arrangement of the St. Francis in the Americas: A Caribbean Mass St. Francis in the Americas: A Caribbean Mass(SATB, Steel band-includes 4 steel pan parts & percussion)– premiered 1992. This 45-minute world music Mass explores the mixing of African, Spanish, and Indigenous cultures in the Caribbean.  Writings by St. Francis of Assisi are woven into the fabric of the traditional Latin Mass and framed by vibrant rhythms (samba, salsa, calypso, and more).

The Kyrie from this Mass has enjoyed an extensive performance history in the US (including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the World Symposium of Choral Musicians in Minneapolis) and around the world.  Anton Armstrong of St. Olaf University, André Thomas of Florida State University, and Francisco Núñez of the Young People’s Chorus of NYC (and MacArthur Award Winner) are among some of the finest conductors to champion this work.  This work is highly adaptable to both concert and liturgical settings. A reduced arrangement is available with one steel drum, piano, percussion. Some movements available in SSA and TTB – contact McClure Productions for more information.