Mass to the Trinity

Instrumentation

Soprano, Soprano, Alto soli, SATB Choir + divisi

Other Information

The Kyrie, Sanctus, Benedictus & Agnus Dei written in 1983 for Philip Manser (countertenor), Dr. Philip Marshall & the Choir Lincoln Minster. The Gloria and Credo were added later, the Gloria receiving its first performance by Leicestershire Chorale under Paul McCreesh in Southwell Minster 1986. The Mass has been composed using nine themes in three groups of three and is dedicated to several of David Fisher’s friends. The dedicatees, four singers, a composer and a music critic, are indicated by their initials. The whole Mass in its revised form received its first complete performance at the Leicestershire Museum & Art Gallery by Kingfisher Chorale under Giles Turner on 17th February 1996.

Dr. Philip Marshall: "It is therefore a pleasure when I have to acknowledge work of genuine merit...such as your Mass: you have certainly thrown out a challenge to us in one or two places, but all the boys and men will enjoy facing that challenge, and, ultimately surmounting it."

John Rutter: "...your ´Gloria´ - a really imaginative setting, I feel, and eminently practical too. It’s [the Mass] a well-crafted and effective piece with some nice touches, managing to avoid predictability but appropriately simple at the same time"

Enid Luff [Composer News - Summer 1996]: "...the first thing that strikes the listener is the sense of space in the writing which takes advantage of exceptional voices to produce a texture at once rich and clear. The main expressive weight is carried by the harmonic colouring...and the rhythms are fluid and text-related. This is not easy music to perform; but the harmonic language is thoroughly contemporary, and the whole conveys a sense of dignity and power."

Neil Crutchley [Leicester Mercury - November 11th 2009]: "In his Mass to the Trinity, the ear is constantly beguiled by David Fisher’s trenchant use of rhythm and fertile melodic and harmonic imagination, as it is in his sensual wedding anthem, My choice is made."

The late Peter Crump [composer & teacher] writing in 2002: “[his music]...has a sense of theatre. Some of the effects may appear to be over-theatrical and obvious like repeated staccato chords and sudden key changes (as in the Mass to the Trinity) but David is a brave man and unashamed to express his feelings.”

Will Todd [composer] writing in 2002: “He achieves moments of magic in his compositions; the ‘Agnus Dei’ from the Mass to the Trinity is a notable example where the generous harmonic language folds outwards taking the ear on a transcendent journey into the true mystery of the text…”

Neil Crutchley [Leicester Mercury - June 2011]: "...recent compositions were also featured including the ´Gloria´ from David Fisher´s appealing Mass to the Trinity..."

Susan Digby [Sainsbury´s Choir of the Year adjudicator - 2000] writing about the ´Credo´: ... rich and robust ... a very powerful effect from bar 23 [the ´Crucifixus´] which was sustained well through the section ... an excellent piece..."