The idea for the “Mass for the Nyondo Mission”,(a place in the Belgian Congo) came to the composer during a trip to equatorial Africa where he heard a mass which was accompanied by the songs of the natives. The beat of the drum gave the lead for the rhythm. However, he did not intend to make descriptive music, and even less to transpose it to an impressionistic force of attraction. The only direct reflections of that exotic lithurgy lie in the frequent use of percussion instruments in the orchestra, which has a normal symphonic instrumentation and in a renouncement of the usual Gregorian subdivision of the usual parts of a mass. The composition adds an introductory part here, in which a speaker explains the motivation of the work, as well as a finale with the words “Ite Missa est”.

Introducing - Speaker

This mass which you are about to hear is the Sunday mass for the Nyondo Mission; Nyondo is a small village in the territory of Ruanda Urundi (Belgian Congo) inhabitated by the Watussi Tribe, peaceful and primitive people. One day I heard them accornpanied by the rhythm of seven drums like a wild heart expressing the oldest wish, to speak with God.

1.Kyrie, 2. Gloria, 3, Sanctus, 4. Elevazione, 5. Agnus Dei, 6. Finale.