The “Messe excentrique” is a first published creation for unaccompanied choirs. It was composed between 2013 and 2014 based on a short mass. It is dedicated to the memory of Lord Eugene Martin, the composer’s maternal grandfather. She was revealed for the first time on November 15, 2014, and conducted by the composer. It was the birth anniversary of the grandfather who passed away in 2008.
It is divided into 7 parts. Classical elements from Latin Catholic liturgy are included. The “Messe excentrique” is also based on psalms and English poems.
Privacy is the main characteristic of this song. That’s why the perfect number of choristers is 16; 4 singers by desks. However, the composer himself said that it can be sung by up to 32 singers.
The composer explained that he randomly used Latin, and the text is only an excuse to play the music. For example the “Credo” is usualy the biggest text of Catholic lithurgic mass, but it is widely cut in this version. The cut parts are replaced by English extracts from psalm 103.
The second original side is mixing languages. What is new is that a modern language is mixed with the Roman Catholic liturgical text. Sacred and secular texts are intertwined with some of Emily Dickinson’s poems.
The seven parts are a part from the stylistic mix, but there is absolutely no vulgarity.
Le deuxième élément d’excentricité résiderait dans le mélange des langues. Bien que ce ne soit pas là une nouveauté, d’autres compositeurs ayant déjà initié ce type de mélange, à la liturgie du texte catholique romain se confond ici une langue vivante. La nouveauté est sans doute dans le mélange de textes sacrés et de textes profanes avec des poèmes d’Emily Dickinson.
Enfin, les 7 parties de l’oeuvre contribuent volontiers au mélange stylistique sans toutefois jamais effleurer la vulgarité.
Dawn (Ritz Rakotomalala/ Emily Dickinson)
Kyrie (Ritz Rakotomalala)
Gloria (Ritz Rakotomalala)
Credo (Ritz Rakotomalala)
Cantique (Ritz Rakotomalala)
Pater Noster (Ritz Rakotomalala)
Agnus Dei (Ritz Rakotomalala)
