Abstract
Sarah Kirkland Snider’s 2018 choral-orchestra work Mass for the Endangered is a reinterpretation of the traditional Latin Mass commissioned by the Choir of Trinity Wall Street in 2018 as a part of its MASS REIMAGININGS commissioning project. Though the six-movement work is based on the structure of the traditional Latin Mass, Snider interpolated novel text by the poet Nathaniel Bellows throughout, shifting the thematic focus from the divine to the physical plane, begging the earth itself for mercy. It is scored for SATB choir, soloists, and 12-part orchestra, accompanied by a sequence of abstract video projections designed by Deborah Johnson/CandyStations that add depth and context to the work.
The purpose of this document is to provide a conductor’s guide for Mass for the Endangered that will provide historical context for adapting the text of the traditional Latin Mass, analysis of the poetry by Nathaniel Bellows, and a musical analysis of the score. Additionally, it will include suggestions for rehearsal, a discussion of performance practice considerations, and a summary of logistical and technological considerations.