Mass

(Lat. mis’sa; It. mes’sa; Fr. and Ger. Afes’se.) ‘* Ma ” is derived from mi a, in the phrase ‘Ite, mi a est [ecclesia] ” (Depart, the congregation is dismi ed), addre ed, in the R.C. Church, to persons in the congregation not permitted to take part in the communion service, the Ma itself taking place during the consecration of the elements.—The divisions of the musical ma are (1) the Kyrie; (2) the Gloria (incl. the Gratias agimus, Qui toll is, Quoniam, Cum Sancto Spiritu); (3) the Credo (incl. the Et in carn at us, Crucifix us, Et resurrexit); (4) the Sanctus and Benedictus (with the Hosanna); (5) the Agnus Dei (incl. the Dona nob is). It has pa ed through very various phases, from the simple unison chant of Plain Song to the most elaborate productions of late medieval counterpoint, with a transition thereafter to the severity of the Pal estrin a epoch, to the vocal ma es in 8, 16, or even 32 parts, and finally to the grand ma with full chorus and orchestra (mi a solem’nis)...High ma , one celebrated on church festivals, accompanied with music and incense...Zow ma , one without music....Wi a brev’ is, short ma of Protestant churches, incl. only the Kyrie and Gloria.