Missa Tu es Petrus (Mass: You Are Peter) is a six-part parody mass that originates from a book of motets published by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina in 1572 in Rome. Tu es Petrus, the title speaks of the meaning behind the work, “for the feast of St. Paul and St. Peter,” and is based on a motet of this name. The work is for six voices, (SSATBB.)
Contents
History
The writing of parody masses occurred naturally for Palestrina, as more often than not he used old material in newer works and reworked it. The text is in Latin and is based on Matthew 16:18-19
Analysis
The work consists of seven sections, following the standard layout of a choral mass: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei 1 and Agnus Dei 2.
In the opening of the majority of the main movements in the mass, Palestrina copies almost exactly the notation of the motet from the original work. The added features give the piece a more, “fugal” feel. The work is antiphonal in its structure and is meant to convey an overwhelming sense of joy. The work requires singers to balance respect for the religious nature of the work, while exhibiting a sense of glee. The major key also adds to its blissful character. The music combines vivacity with quiet and tender touches that suit its intended performance venue, i.e. a church/cathedral. In general, its tempi are reasonably calm, so the sense of excitement and ecstasy ensues in its transformation through performance.
In AllMusic, Donato Mancini wrote, "Palestrina's style has virtually become a stand-in for sacred-sounding music, partly because his was the last generation of composers dedicated to a purely contrapuntal style. His own stylistic aim seems to have been to sum up and bring to a peak of refinement and clarity the accomplishments of those who came before him. Missa Tu es Petrus is one of those works where that aim is most perfectly achieved."