Gretchaninov’s “Missa Oecumenica“ (Boston, 1944)

Serge Koussevitzky leads the musical forces in this premiere performance from 26 February 1944 of Aleksandr Gretchaninov’s “Ecumenical Mass“. The soloists were Maria Kurenko, Dorothy Cornish, Roland Hayes, and Robert Hall Collins; with the choruses of the Cecilia Society and Apollo Club of Boston; organist E. Power Biggs; and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Notes from the original program may be found below. I. Kyrie 0:00 II. Gloria 6:23 III. Credo 12:54 IV. Sanctus 22:37 V. Benedictus 28:20 VI. Agnus Dei 35:28 Aleksandr Gretchaninov writes that in this Mass he was “inspired by the idea of the universal meaning of the churches.“ His intention has been “to write a Mass in which there would be combined the musical character of the Eastern and Western churches. The style of the work has not, it seems, suffered from this treatment, though of course a final judgment will be possible only after a certain time has elapsed, provided that the