The Fire Mass/ Benedictus -- PART 1 of 2

The Star-Scape SIngers,
Benedictus movement from The Fire Mass --Part 1 of 2,
www.kgmfoundation.org

The Fire Mass is an extensive a cappella vocal setting of the full Latin text of the Ordinary of the Mass in its six sections. Interwoven with the traditional Latin is the English poetry of of Kenneth Mills which was chosen for its relevance to the universal essence of such a celebration.
Conceived for a ten-to-twelve voice ensemble, it is tonal yet avant-garde sonority, harmony and rhythm. The first edition was drafted in the first half of 1985. Throughout the year and into 1986, in rehearsal with The Star-Scape Singers and at the keyboard, Dr. Mills sculpted, edited and refined the work, polishing its facets and lifting the entire musical concept off the page and into the inspired realm befitting such a text. Thus, it is to him that this work is dedicated -- Chris W. Dedrick

The Star-Scape Singers:
Robert Bullock, Christopher Dedrick, Sandra Dedrick, Stefanie Dedrick, Dianne Forsyth,
Richard Leach, Alberta Ridley, Linda Roedl,
Terry Stevens and Peter Thompson


The Fire Mass was premiered in March 1986 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It received its European premiere in Lausanne Cathedral, Switzerland in August 1986, presented by the city of Lausanne and recorded by Radio Suisse Romande. Performances in Poland and Belgium followed during The Star-Scape Singers' fourth European tour in autumn 1986. On June 7, 1988 they presented this ninety-minute work at Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto. This performance was broadcast nationally by CBC radio.
The Fire Mass was heard to great public and critical acclaim during the ensembles' tour of the Soviet Union in summer 1988, in Riga (Latvia), Vilnuis (Lithuania), Moscow, Lenningrad, and Talinn (Estonia). This recording celebrates the final concert of that tour, the September 2nd performance in Tallinn's Niguliste Church.

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