E’VE BEEN providing free downloads of rare Catholic musical scores. A few weeks ago, for example, we posted the famous Tozer Propers, along with full Propers from Kansas and Texas.
I thought it might be interesting to show an example of how music for the Ordinary of Mass—Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei—sounded during that era:
* * PDF Download: Tozer “Convent Mass”
Published in 1911, this “Convent Mass” is for two sopranos. Augustus Edmonds Tozer was a convert from Anglicanism, and his compositional style does reflect this. Still, his music was popular in Catholic Churches at the time.
HAD THIS MASS been written for Anglican ceremonies, I’m fairly certain Tozer would have used English, instead of Latin & Greek. By the way, did you know that President James A. Garfield often impressed his buddies by using his ambidexterity to write in Latin & Greek simultaneously? It’s true. Other interesting facts about President Garfield: He was the last president born in a log cabin and he was the first president to campaign in two languages (English and German). Also, on election day, November 2, 1880, he was at the same time a member of the House, Senator-elect, and President-elect.
