frpope: Quite! THe voices are rather good. However, the very common problem of modern Liturgy is manifestly present here: architechture and music being at loggerheads.
Artists these days live a rather divorced life; architecture, music and the like ought always to be in harmony, a most excellent example is the Baroque era, where architecture, music and 'Ars celebranda' were all in harmony.
Sadly, these days it is decidedly NOT: gothic churches sounding like a rock concert; churches built like 'bomb shelters' sounding like La Scala in Milan; and beautiful Romanesque Cathedrals sounding like an African church in the Congo! Aesthetically and theologically speaking, it just does not work.... One hopes that the future holds more promise than the 70s, 80s and 90s....

Who define what is a "true" mass not me not you but the church, the church that is base on peter. We must never be too proud to think we know what is a true mass, that will lead us to destruction: pride & disobedience.
We must not forget Christianity comes to us through the Church, from the apostles. The Church revelas to us who is Christ, what are orthodox christian teachings,what are hearesies...etc.
If the Church calls for reform in the liturgy, we must obey, because we are Christians. This attitude of "I know better than the Church", is the same arrogance as the protestants, who think they can define what is true and what is false christianity.
How did men fall? Pride and disobedience (Adam and Eve), how did salvation come? Humility and obedience (Jesus and Mary), even when our human minds cannot comprehend? For instance, to ask a virgin to conceive a child, to ask the Son whom you love to die on a cross ?

Gosh...! One is left with teriffic dismay at the very thought of this gorgeous church being demolished!! Thanks be to God that it still stands and that the Christ-the-King Fathers have keeped it in the state for which it was intended - the solemn celebration of the Roman Liturgy.

ACLumsden, thank you for your kind words!
I simply can't believe this Church was scheduled to be torn down in 2005.

I think the tempo is spot on. There should not be a tempo variation between a concert venue and a liturgical venue. Hassler wrote the entire Missa Secunda in a light and almost dancelike style. This is not only characteristic of the musical development during that period but also of Hassler himself. Remember, he was a Lutheran writting in Augsburg for a mostly Catholic populus. He was writting in a newer style of polyphony, a concertato style, the polychoral idea, as in the freely emotional expression of the Venetians. Think madrigals.Stylistically, Hassler’s early works exhibit reflections of the influence of Lassus, while his later works are marked by the impressions left on him by his studies in Italy. After returning from Italy, Hassler incorporated polychoral techniques, textural contrasts and occasional chromaticism in his compositions. His later masses were characterized by light melodies juxtaposed with the grace and fluidity of the madrigalian dance songs; thus creating a charming …More

Dear ACLumsden,
Thanks for your interest and constructive criticism. Perhaps your quarrel is more with the composer than with our interpretation, as the entire Mass is somewhat sprightly, but you make a very good point regarding the tempo. I can't remember whether or not the subsequent performance was more moderate, but what a wonderful a capella Mass!
We are beginning to work on another Hassler Mass, the "Dixit Maria" as well as a Mass by William Byrd, so any further interest is welcome.
I want to stress that we are striving for liturgical beauty and are not merely concertizing, and so your remarks are a welcome reminder (which our choir needs no less than any other) that what we do is for the greater glory of God.
Thanks and best regards,
Jim G.