Messe brève by Léo Delibes, arranged for 3 mixed voices and organ (original for 3 equal voices) by Pierre Calmelet:
Following the enormous success of Pierre Calmelet’s arrangement on Saint-Saëns' Requiem, we are also offering this Messe brève by Léo Delibes, whose beautiful harmonies, originally for equal voices, can now also be enjoyed by three-part mixed choir.
Léo Delibes (1836-1891) composed a music of his time, romantic, with great dramatic intensity, while remaining tender, light and melodious. This short mass remains very much in the spirit of the opera for which the composer worked so much and which includes his major works such as Lakmé and the ballet Coppélia.
Following the original composition very closely, this is an adaptation for three mixed voices, not a reinterpretation. A few rare divisi in the altis and men will be noticed, but the piece remains on the whole very accessible, with comfortable ranges and reasonable ambitus for all the voices. The melodies are pleasantly memorable, and the classical rhythms never present insurmountable difficulties.
This is a perfect piece for the September revival, which will ideally remotivate the choristers with a very pleasant rendering for a rewarding work, which really makes you want to come back!
The icing on the cake is that this version for 3 mixed voices is also compatible with the version for string quintet.
Messe brève by Léo Delibes, arranged for 3 mixed voices (SAB) and organ.
Performing time: about 13 minutes 
