Thursday 26 February. Song 70 ‘Kyrie Eleison’
Words: ancient liturgy / Music: James MacMillan © Boosey & Hawkes

Featured image: © PrayRay.com

Yes, another setting of the Kyries, but different from the last one. For a start, it’s in English (the composer being British, actually from Scotland). But also, rather than the four-part choral setting from Ukraine, this is a call-and-response chant, where the soloist (cantor) is echoed by the congregation. Almost echoed, because the last ‘Lord, have mercy’ is a different melody for the two parts.

The difference between the two versions is largely cultural. In Ukraine, the Orthodox church is very traditional, and unaccompanied singing in parts is much more a living culture than it is in the UK. Macmillan’s version is in the Western Catholic tradition, where singing the liturgy is also part of the tradition, but in a simpler way, and usually in the common language of the people rather than the historic languages of Greek or Latin.

As I explained in my previous post, I chose these two chants of ‘Lord, have mercy’ for the first full week of Lent to set the theme for the season. When we get in the habit of asking the Lord for mercy in our lives, we will find it easier to follow him in other ways. We may also find it easier to ‘forgive those who sin against us’, in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.