Rubbra's

Abstract

The liturgical music of Edmund Rubbra has been generally neglected by choral conductors. This neglect may be explained by his indifference toward twentieth century trends and a style of composition that may be elusive. The purpose of this document is to present Rubbra's Missa in Honorem Sancti Dominici, Op. 66, as an example of a twentieth century liturgical mass that was influenced by the principle of Motu Proprio of 1903; and to provide conductors with an insight on Rubbra's style, with the hope that it will generate interest among conductors to perform the mass. By focusing on aspects of Rubbra's Missa in Honorem Sancti Dominici and his style, the following questions will be answered: How does Rubbra's Missa in Honorem Sancti Dominici fit within the framework of liturgical music as outlined in the Motu proprio of 1903? What is the link between Renaissance practice and twentieth century thought in Rubbra's Missa in Honorem Sancti Dominici? The document is organized in four parts: part one is a historical perspective which gives an overview of efforts at reform in Roman Catholic church music in the nineteenth century; part two is a brief biography of Rubbra and a discussion of the aspects of his style; part three is a discussion of the mass; part four is a synthesis of the preceding parts that form a background against which the questions presented may be answered.