Armed Man: A Mass For Peace

For some reason Amazon seems to be lumping the reviews for the Anniversary Edition together with those of the original edition, but they're pretty separate recordings. I first encountered The Armed Man in 2007, when I performed it with a choir in New Hampshire. It was a really moving experience, and the music stuck with me. The original release is decent. However, this new release is really beautifully done. The recording is much more crisp than that of the original, and so it's much easier to distinguish what the words actually are. In my uneducated opinion the engineering is spot-on, with great depth and balance. The orchestration is, put simply, gorgeous. As for the piece itself, it carries a tremendous amount of passion. So do many other pieces of classical music, but this is more "accessible" as others have noted: the passion can be felt and appreciated by everyone regardless of how knowledgeable they are about music. Jenkins does an amazing job of using different harmonies and melodies to embody atmospheres that are exciting, macabre, sad, hopeful, despairing — to downright uncomfortable, like the screaming in "Charge!". Even without the lyrics it would be easy to feel what's "happening" in the music. I wouldn't call this piece cerebral, but it certainly makes you think. My only criticisms are that some of the lyrics are a little cliché and I'm a lyrics snob. Also, the vocalists are clearly classically-trained and that's maybe a little too evident in some places for my liking: the baritone's perfectly-rolled 'r's detract a little from the emotionality and genuineness of "Angry Flames", for instance. Those are both tiny things to nit-pick. I would highly recommend this piece as a way of presenting classical music in a way that's relatable to those who may not have had much exposure to it. I'd also recommend it to anyone who's a sucker for emotion. I just bought this recording yesterday and have already listened to it 5 times all the way through. It's also really tempting to sing along since the lyrics and melodies are clear and easy to understand. How often can you say that about classical?

What a wonderful way to remember the last century! What a way to meditate on the prospect of peace or war in this one. This selects from the styles and melodies most primal and meaningful. At least it seems so while listening to them. I first became familiar with Karl Jenkins Mass when it was selected for Sacred Concert on Sunday morning and was so taken with it I almost stayed in the car to hear the end rather than go into church from the parking lot! I searched for it at our local libraries that afternoon and not finding it there took the plunge to order it from Amazon to add to my already overstuff Amazon furnished house. With the way this century is going so far this mass has good reason to be played over and over again.

For some reason, the beautiful Blue Ray, done in Germany with a huge chorus and a huge crowd and films projected behind the chorus did not use the marching machine in the intro or the ending. It definitely adds something sinister at the beginning. That is why I bought this, as it was the version I first heard on SiriusXM Symphony Hall. I definitely recommend this as the definitive recording, even though Sir Jenkins conducted the Blue Ray version. The full libretto, which I also wanted, is also included, which the Blue Ray does not include. If you can play vinyl, get this one 1

Karl Jenkins is a contemporary British composer perhaps most famous for his music for the de Beers diamond commercial--the score that sounds like Vivaldi but isn't. In this commissioned Mass Jenkins sets out to sum up War and Peace in the 20th Century (it was a millennial project) and he mimics if not just the music of the 20th C. at least the music that we listened to in the century, at times you'll think Faure, at other times Monteverdi (although the liner notes say "Palestrina.") The overall effect is like a score for a movie, but a good score at that. The broad selection of texts is itself derivative from Britten's War Requiem and in a tip to multiculturalism also includes a Muslim call to prayer (somewhat pretentious in a Christian Mass, I think). The performances are strong with the National Youth Choir remarkably polished for their age and experience. Jenkins conducts and one could say "over conducts"--as others have noted, the emphases seem a bit forced and many numbers end with a sudden staccato, an odd effect. The recording is the result of multiple takes in many different studios and the resultant mastering reflects this: The CD in no way sounds like an actual performance of the work. As John Lennon said of one Beatles album, "Play loud" and it's impressive. One man's pastiche is another man's familiar favorite and despite the lack of orginality this Mass is likely to have enduring popularity.

The music must be listened to several times, to appreciate each track. An enormous amount of material to be understood. At times some over modulation is present

Jenkins is an enormously big time conducror and composer in the UK and Europe and I do not quite understand why his music has not spread to the US. Maybe it is due to the style of his music. It is not full Classical and not Pop style. It is simply stunning in every way. Haunting as well. The mix of chorus and full orchestra in a style you have never heard before. This CD is about 75 minutes long and every minute will thrill you. You can listen to some songs via Google or Amazon. Do yourself a favor an listen. He has many recordings but begin with The Armed Man , A Mass for Peace.

I became aware of this work because the Benedictus and Agnus Dei were included on a set of CDs with 100 "best" Sacred Songs. For me, the Benedictus stands out as the piece de resistance. I took a leap of faith to purchase the whole work and was anything but disappointed. I am amazed at how moving and how hopeful the entire work is. It is best listened to in a quite/undistracted environment. Repeat this numerous times.

I see this work as a Mass being divided into 2 parts. The first part is sinister, with its military beats tells me how religion has been used through the ages as an excuse for belligerence with its accompanying horror and grief, so that the words of the Mass which usually have been set to less military sounding scores, are seen to easily lend themselves to this style. The Muslim call to prayer fits perfectly with this, along with the references to the warlike Lord of hosts of the Bible, the God of glory, of Sabaoth, Jehova of the Thunders, and with pleas for his mercy. The second part introduces hope. A new God, who sends a saviour, and who grants a millenium of peace - eventually.

I had never heard of Karl Jenkins until two months ago, when I turned on my car radio and heard the Sanctus from "The Armed Man" just starting on Classic FM. I arrived home, turned the engine off, but remained in my car for a full five minutes to hear the piece to its conclusion. I was transfixed by it. This performance deserves its place in my CD rack, adjacent to the Requiems of Verdi and Berlioz. The work excites every possible musical sense. Music on a grand scale, which in places reminds me of the Spartacus film music, in other places of Elgar, sometimes of Verdi, and then of Holst's Planets. Unusual and haunting changes of key, quite unlike the changes of key one hears elsewhere. At one point, rather like the beguiling change of key in "The Coventry Carol". And a very strong beat maintained by an inexorable side-drum, especially in the Sanctus. The Cellos and Basses often came into prominence, and their beautiful and exciting performance was particularly noteworthy. The composition is both traditional and modern. It depends upon the best elements of the Classical tradition, but develops these elements in a novel and modern way. I did not know that any composer, anywhere in the world, could still write music like that in the 21st century. Really enjoyable, and thoroughly recommended.

Ein großartiges Werk, das den Zuhörer im Innersten aufwühlt - mal durch zur Schlacht rufende Fanfaren, mal durch engelsgleiche Chöre, die den Frieden scheinbar vom Himmel verkünden - die Messe führt durch abwechselnde Musikstile (mittelalterliche Chancons,arabisch, gregorianisch, folk) und Sprachen (französisch, englisch,latein)vom irdischen Kampf zum himmlischen Frieden - hoffnungsvoll endend mit der bitter bezahlten Erkenntnis "better is peace". Keine seichte Hintergrundmusik; das Zuhören erfordert Konzentration und weckt, wie es Musik nur kann, starke Emotionen.

眠られないままＮＨＫのラジオ深夜便を聴いていました。 「ロマンチック・コンサート」でした。 そこで紹介されたのがこのアルバムからの抜粋。 たしかKyrieとSanctusだったと思います。 始まったとたんぶっ飛びました。 ド迫力に圧倒されました。感動しました。 眠られないどころではありません。 もう必死で作曲者名とアルバム名を暗記しました。 翌日早速ネット検索し、即発注しました。 何度聴いても飽きません。 ジャズが好きな方、クラッシックが好きな方にぜひオススメです。

I like this one best of the Adiemus/Carl Jenkins CD's.

L'avevo nel cofanetto delle opere di Jenkins poi ho avuto l'occasione di ascoltarla dal vivo nel Duomo della mia città per il centenario della fine della prima guerra mondiale, in una esecuzione pressoché perfetta e l'ho riacquistata per fare un regalo. Una messa molto originale e significativa. Da avere assolutamente.