Messe brève

I composed this mass in the first years of my presence at Notre-Dame, before the creation of the association Musique sacrée à Notre-Dame de Paris and the restructuring of the cathedral’s choir in its current form. The cathedral’s choir already existed, of course; singing has been taught in this place since the Middle Ages, when the cathedral was still under construction, more than 850 years ago.

At the end of the 1980s, the cathedral’s choir was very different from what it has become now. It was then headed by Canon Jehan Revert, chapel master, who was for me a real guide and whose memory will always remain in the hearts of the musicians of Notre-Dame.

It was therefore at that time that I composed this mass which was both my first composition and my first liturgical work. It is deliberately very short, hence its title, to respond as best as possible to liturgical constraints. It is also a reflection of my deep attachment to this unique place and so inspiring for the young musician that I was then.

Yves Castagnet