Long: The Samhain Mass Libretto

I know this is a bit long, but it fits the season. I still need to fill out the instructions at the very beginning, and of course, I need to sequence the music and work on the score, but with the exception of some proofreading, it's pretty much done.

TheSamhain  Mass

A Celebration of the End of the Year in Song

SETUP:

TOOLS:

SUPPLIES:

Kyrie

The basic chant:      Emain Macha Morrigan Hail!

Percussion starts. Bass starts chant. Tenor, alto, and soprano enter in turn, then start the round. The last pass of the round, the lower voices send the chant on “morrigan”, repeating it until the entire choir sings “Hail!” threetimes. Then start the chant together while the priesst sings.

PRIEST:                 I call! To the towers of the North. Great Earth! Harken to us now!

BASS - North:                       Join us oh great earth, celebrating Samhain Welcome you are in our sacred space tonight.

                                                Bring forth stability shelter and ability to weather the changes that come to us in life.

PRIEST:                 I call! To the towers of the East! Grand Winds! Blow our words to you!

SOPRANO -East:                 Join us oh great winds, celebrating Samhain Welcome you are in our sacred space tonight.

                                                Bring forth the clarity of mind and ability to change with the flows that come to us in life.

PRIEST:                 I call! To the Towers of the South! Mighty Flames! Rise now in the forge!

TENOR - South:                   Join us oh great fire, celebrating Samhain Welcome you are in our sacred space tonight.

                Bring forth the passion, spirit, and ability to temper the challenges that come to us in life.

PRIEST: I call! To the Towers of the West! Vast Seas! Flow to our call!

ALTO - West:                       Join us oh great seas, celebrating Samhain Welcome you are in our sacred space tonight.

                                                Bring forth emotion, depth and ability to wear down the obstacles that come to us in life.

Segue to the Gloria

Gloria

PRIEST: Come all, come all, the crone now calls,

        Come all, come all, the darkness falls,

        Come all, come all, the veil grows thin,

        Come all, come all, for samhain begins.

Priestess:               the mother becomes the crone, while living in her wintery home.

                                The veil grows thin so now begin to see with different eyes.

 

Sopranos:              the lanterns with Jack’s face flicker,

                                As north winds grow much quicker.

                                The crone stands here to show the way,

                                To us on Samhain day.

 

Priest:                     the hunter stalks the wood, and brings home needed food.

                                The air grows chill so turn your will tosee what you can see.

 

Tenors:                  the spirits power grows stronger,

                                As dark time grows longer.

                                The huntershows the path that’s right,

                                To cross the Samhain night.                             

 

Priestess:               the ancestors return, to see how much we’ve learned.

                                So hear their words and try to learn the wisdom they can share.

 

Altos:                     ancestors return home, to see how we have grown.

                                So find the way to hear them say how Samhain brings us change.

 

Priest:                     the year comes to an end, and next year soon begins.

                                So cross the veil beyond the pale and see what will become.

 

Basses:                  this night sits between worlds, and visions come so easily.

                                Look deep inside and try to find the things normal sight hides.

Priest/ess:              now we step across the veil!

 

All:                          emain Macha Morrigan Hail!

 

Priest/ess:              now we move beyond the pale!

 

All:                          emain Macha Morrigan Hail! Emain Macha Morrigan Hail! Emain Macha Morrigan Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail!

 

Priest:                     tonight we hand the reins of lide over to the crone.

                                Help us to summon her, by calling out her names.

Choir:                     Kali, Hecate,Oya,  Hel.

                                Baba Yaga, Morrigan Sehkmet, Sedna.

 

Priestess:               Tonight we hand the reins of powerinto the hunter’s hand.

                                Help us to summon him by calling out his names.

 

Choir:                     Curnunnos, Apollo, Aningan, Hearne.

                                Freyr, Rama, Ochosi, Pan.

Priest/ess:              Hail to the hunter, hail to the crone!

 

Soprano/Alto:       Kali, Hecate,Oya,  Hel.

 

Priest/ess:              Hail to the hunter, hail to the crone!

 

Tenor/Bass:          Curnunnos, Apollo, Aningan, Hearne.

 

Priest/ess:              Hail to the hunter, hail to the crone!

 

Soprano/Alto:       Baba Yaga, Morrigan Sehkmet, Sedna.

 

Priest/ess:              Hail to the hunter, hail to the crone!

 

Tenor/Bass:          Freyr, Rama, Ochosi, Pan.

Blend the chantswith the women singing crone names and the men singing hunter names. Instruments fade out to leave the choir a capella. Segue to the credo.

 

Credo: The Mad Hunt

 

1)             An Autumn night, I sit, at home, I watch, the fire. I am alone.

                Out in, the night, I hear, the dogs. The power flows. The hunter calls.

The lightning flies, The thunder rolls. I feel the call. The hunger grows.

The hunt grows close, calling me on. To fight the urge, my will is gone.

Curnunnos calls, the hunt must ride. I cannot stop. I go outside!

 

Curnunnos! Curnunnos! Curnunnos! Curnunnos!

 

2)             Riding the wave inside the hunt. Horned god behind, the hounds out front.

                Crossing the land, we chase our prey. Close on the scent. It’s final day.

Feeling the urge, hot on the trail. Closing the gap. Crossing the veil.

The pack gains ground, the prey is near. I see its flight, I smell its fear.

Surging ahead, it goes to ground. Taking our stance, bringing it down.

 

Curnunnos! Curnunnos! Curnunnos! Curnunnos!

 

 

Sancto

 

Priestess:               Breathe. Breathe deep. Breathe in the experience.

 

Priest:                     Breathe. Breathe deep. Breathe out all your fear.

 

Priest/ess:              Breathe. Breathe deep. Breathe in all the wonderous sights.

                                Breathe. Breathe deep. Breathe out all your pain.

 

Soprano/Alto:       EMAIN, Macha, Morrigan, Hail!

 

Tenor/Bass:          Freyr, Curnnunos, Aningan, Hail!

 

Priest:                     in ancient times, the spirits walked, the earth on this night.

                                Until the master of the dead led them with his light,

                                Back to the pathbetween the worlds and to their restful home,

                                Where they will stay all tucked away till Samhain lets them roam.

 

Priestess:               so here’s a token of this night to show where we have gone,

                                A symbol to help keep us safe until the morning dawn.

                                A pumpkim bearing old Jacks face to light us on our way,

                                And help us to never forget the things we learned today.

 

Soprano/Alto:       EMAIN, Macha, Morrigan, Hail!

 

Tenor/Bass:          Freyr, Curnnunos, Aningan, Hail!

 

Repeat chamt while tokens are passed.

 

Priestess:               and now it’s time to raise a toast to hail the coming year,

                                And also time to break a loaf and welcome in good cheer.

                                We’ve crossed the beil beyond the pale to walk between the worlds,

                                So join with me and drink and eatthe bounty of this earth.

 

 

Pour equal amounts of the chalice liquid into the four pitchers and have the quarters distribute it, along with the bread.After 6 passes of the chant, the Agnus Dei starts.

 

Agnus Dei

Restart the chant from the kyrie.Pause for 1 pass

of the chant.

PRIEST:As we return to our home, from the realm between the worlds

, take back with you what you’ve gained from Samhain’smystic plane.

                                PRIESTESS:          Now only one task remains, send each power home again. Come now towers, turn once more, to send the powers home.

PRIEST: Farewell, to the towers of the West! Flow back, to your wat-ry home.

West:     Farewell oh great seas, in celebrating Samhain Thank you for joining in our sacred space tonight.

                Brazos Red and Trinity, Rio Grande and Sabine, and all the rest that nurture us in life.

PRIEST: Farewell, to the Towers of the South. Be calmed, now in your forge.

South:    Farewell oh great fire in celebrating Samhain Thank you for joining in our sacred space tonight.

                Hearth Fire and Sunbeam, Big Bend and great Mojave and all the rest that nurture us in life.

PRIEST: Farewell, to the Towers of the East.  blow back, to your windy home.

East:       Farewell oh great winds in celebrating Samhain Thank you for joining in our sacred space tonight.

                Zephyr or trade wind, sirocco and Gulf Stream, and all the rest that nurture us in life.

PRIEST: Farewell, to the Towers of the North. return, to your slumbers now.

North:     Farewell oh great earth in celebrating Samhain Thank you for joining in our sacred space tonight.

                Plain Prairie Forest, hill steppe and plateau, and all the rest that nurture us in life.

PRIEST/ESS:         (Spoken) we thank the ancestors, crone, hunter, and all the spirits for joining us this night. though your  homesnot be here with us, you will always be in our hearts. Go now with our reverence and thanks for the gifts you have given us.

Sing the round... Finish with it is done.