A Mass for Africa
Music: Peter Klatzow (1945–2021)
Celebrating 10 years of democracy in South Africa and dedicated to the memory of Phyllis Lee, b. 23 April 1904, Teacher at St Cyprians, 1925-1927.
From the service sheet:
Peter Klatzow's major choral work A Mass for Africa was commissioned by SAMRO in 1993 to celebrate the dawning new era. It was first offered in St George's Cathedral on 24 April 1994. On that occasion, very shortly before the first democratic elections took place, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu delivered a very inspiring sermon. "Shortly" he said, "we will be handed our ballot papers and we will make a cross. Two thousand years ago, God also made a Cross."
Two choirs were involved in that performance - the long-standing St George's Singers - who celebrate their 40th anniversary this year - and the UCT Choir for Africa. Rather spectacularly there were four marimba players (two per instrument) plus flute, horn, synthesizer and strings. The types of figuration which the marimba players used and their rhythmic interaction were a response to the sounds Iso often heard coming from the Kirby African instrument collection. It is housed right below my studio at the College of Music in Cape Town. You may say that I learned African music through my feet! There are other aspects of the African choral tradition which make themselves heard in this work, which are easily identifiable. However, the forces have been reduced in the new version of the work. There is now one choir (the amalgamated UCT choir and the St George's Singers) and one highly overworked marimba player. I have also revised the string parts after my experience of composing and orchestrating the accompaniments for songs by Princess Magogo.
In addition to the choirs there are two soloists - originally a counter-tenor and a baritone, but in this version the counter-tenor will be replaced by a mezzo-soprano. A Mass for Africa uses Greek (Kyrie), Latin (parts of the Gloria), Xhosa and English. The intention was to reflect the history of the text, its current usage and its place. The final section of the Agnus Dei has the choir and soloists singing simultaneously "Grant us your peace/Siphe uxolo/Dona nobis pacem".
I have resisted this work being "performed" although there have been many requests. It seemed to me that it was created for a unique time and occasion. But I realised that there were improvements which could be made to the orchestration and for that reason I welcomed Barry Smith's suggestion that the work be offered again on the occasion of the l0th anniversary.
Peter Klatzow