Jazz Mass (vocal score) by Tore Johansen

TORE JOHANSEN

JAZZ MASS

VOCAL SCORE

TORE JOHANSEN

JAZZ MASS

Vocal score

1st edition 2025 / 1st Print run 2025

ISMN: 979-0-065-17694-9 (printed edition)

ISMN: 979-0-065-17695-6 (digital edition)

Graphic Production: John Grieg, Bergen

Graphic Design: Sora Valentin

Cover Design: Sora Valentin

Cover photo: Anders Valde

Questions about this book can be directed to: Norsk Musikkforlag Konows gate 0196 Oslo, Norway

Phone: (+47) 23 03 95 55

Email: post@norskmusikkforlag.no www.norskmusikkforlag.no

The publication is supported by the Norwegian Society of Composers (Norsk komponistforening)

The material is protected under the Copyright Act. Without explicit consent, reproduction is only permitted when authorized by law or by agreement with Kopinor.

Norsk Musikkforlag is Eco-Lighthouse certified, and the books are produced in environmentally certified printing houses.

Some notes on “Jazz Mass”

“Jazz Mass” was commissioned by the Bodø Cathedral Choir and premiered in December 2008, in a sold-out and packed Bodø Cathedral Church. We shared the stage with Arctic Philharmonic and a jazz band: Beside me on trumpet; vocal soloist Elin Rosseland, pianist Lars Jansson, bassist Bjørn Kjellemyr, drummer Roger Johansen and percussionist Finn Sletten. The magnificent saxophonist Knut Riisnæs (1945-2023) joined us the year after for the recording.

“Jazz Mass” was my second work for choir and looking back, I’m eternally thankful for all the positive forces that made it all happen. It hadn’t been possible without the support from former conductor in the Bodø Cathedral Choir, Ragnhild Strauman and former leader of the Arctic Philharmonic (“Bodø Sinfonietta” at the time), Rolf Lennart Stensø.

“Jass Mass” was composed over a long-time stretch, in my hometown, Bodø. I had just moved to Bodø from Trondheim, where I studied at the jazz department at NTNU. The world renowned “jazzlinja”. The title “Jazz Mass” has a double meaning for me. First, it is a mass, written in a jazz type “language”. But “Jazz Mass” was also the first name for the Trondheim Jazz Festival. Much of the inspiration comes from my days in Trondheim.

The mass consists of the usual liturgical movements, along with some instrumental pieces. A mass needs a song or two, so I included a couple of poems by Rupert Brooke (1887-1915), “The Treasure” and “Song”.

I wanted to make this edition of the parts as flexible as possible, in terms of instrumentation. The smallest instrumentation possible, in my opinion, is choir, vocal soloist, instrumental soloist and piano. The piano and soloist parts should be played by improvisational musicians. My own voicings in the piano part must only be considered as the way I “hear” the chords. An experienced jazz pianist will know what to do. And I love this open approach to the instrumental part; each performance will be totally different, and that’s the idea. That’s a Jazz Mass!

The Bass and drum-parts follow the score and will of course contribute to an even more “lively” performance of the mass. As for the piano part, they should also be treated like a guideline.

I had so much fun writing this music, but I also had periods where I couldn’t make anything happen. In the late autumn of 2008, “Gloria” and “Credo” were still unwritten. I had done a big band seminar in beautiful Steigen, a small community north of Bodø. We had a fantastic weekend, and I was filled with joy when I got into the car, driving back to Bodø. The sun was shining too. Alone in the car, feeling warmth about Steigen and the people there, I suddenly heard myself singing “Gloria”. And I kept singing, on and off, for the 3-hour drive, and I wrote it down when I got home, the same evening.

As for “Credo” I simply forgot the whole movement. I had sent the score to conductor Ragnhild Strauman, and she urgently called me and said: “You forgot Credo”! When I turned to the lyrics, I realized that it was the longest text in the whole mass, and I really didn’t know what to do with it in such a short time frame. I took some deep breaths and moved to the piano. The solution came as a unison recitative where I used some harmonical inspiration from the previous parts, along with some stuff predicting the rest of the music. After the open and free piano meditation after “Gloria” and “Have Mercy On Us” it turned out to be quite effective.

“Jazz Mass” can be performed by this type of ensembles:

1. Choir (SATB), vocal soloist, instrumental soloist, piano

2. Choir (SATB), vocal soloist, instrumental soloist, piano, bass, drums

3. Choir (SATB), vocal soloist, instrumental soloist, piano, bass, drums + orchestra: 1111 1110 perc (vibraphone and chimes) str

4. Choir (SATB), vocal soloist, instrumental soloist + big band (5 sax, 4 trp, 4 trb, guitar, piano, bass, drums)

This said, I’ll happily re-arrange the music for other instruments. Feel free to contact me about that.

I’d also love to participate in future performances of this music. It has its own “room” in my heart. Feel free to contact me about that as well.

Oslo, October 2024

Tore Johansen

Jazz Mass

Tore Johansen

Kyrieeleison

ficamuste;

damuste;

dicimuste;

Have Mercy On Us

Miserere

DeumverumdeDeo

decaelisEtincar

lato,passesetsupultus

DexteramPatris.Etiterrumven

turusestcumgloriaiudi

Filioqueprocedit

orunumbaptismainre

DominusDeus

sanctus,sanctus,

9. Song (lyrics: Rupert Brooke)

hawthornquickenswith

frore,thatthatI I

Springwouldcome,

frore,thatI

Springwouldcome,

frore,thatthatI I

Springwouldcome,

frore,thatI

Springwouldcome,

hawthornhegdeputs

forthitsbuds,

10. Agnus Dei

Miserere

DEMO

Tore Johansen (b. 1977) is a trumpeter and composer, originally from Bodø, living in Oslo. He has released a dozen albums under his own name, and he has collaborated with some of our leading jazz musicians, singer-songwriters and pop artists. He has also written larger works for choir, orchestra, wind ensemble and big band.

www.torejazz.no

www.notebutikken.no

Photo: Bjørn Anders Nymoen

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