Mass using a classical musical Mass setting -- valid?

[kern]

Would it be possible to construct a valid Mass around one of the classical Mass settings (i.e. Bach's "Mass in B Minor" or Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis")? Obviously the settings are usually too lengthy to do this on a regular basis, but I think it would be quite an experience to have a real Mass with the Missa Solemnis (which I consider to be one of the greatest works of music in history).

The problems I can see are:
1) Often there are some liberties taken with the text. Usually these are small (e.g. Beethoven adds "Ah" in front of "Miserere Nobis" in the Gloria), but that might be enough to disqualify it.
2) The length and complexity of the movements would prevent the churchgoers from participating in the songs
3) The words are repeated more times than are usually called for (e.g. Bach's Kyrie repeats "Kyrie Eleison" for 13-17 minutes or more depending on the tempo).

But I don't know if any of these things would necessarily make the mass invalid.

Has anyone ever heard of a church trying this?

(BTW, been a while since I posted. Hope everyone is well.)

 

[gitlance]

Well, I can't speak for the Missa Solemnis (which makes me cry every single time at the Et Incarnatus Est), but my parish has done various masses like that before. I know we've done a few Haydn masses, and perhaps a Puccinni. Of course, generally we do either a short mass or a Missa Brevis, so as to not make the parishioners sit for 3 hours. Hahaha. More often than not, though, we just do a standard mass without all the classical renditions.

Every now and then, if you watch EWTN, they will show a Solemn Mass being done in full classical regalia.

Christ's peace be with you!

 

[Archbishop 10-K]

I'm confused. Did the classical composers write Mass settings for actual use in Mass, or did they just do it because they thought it was cool? (I can imagine it now... "Mass: The Soundtrack".)

Have any Masses ever been done with a full orchestra? Seems really big and costly to me, but cool.

 

[gitlance]

I'm confused. Did the classical composers write Mass settings for actual use in Mass, or did they just do it because they thought it was cool? (I can imagine it now... "Mass: The Soundtrack".)

Have any Masses ever been done with a full orchestra? Seems really big and costly to me, but cool.

Yes! In fact, many composers were hired by the Church for the sole purpose of writing church music, especially masses. J. S. Bach was one such composer!

Christ's peace be with you!

 

[Carrye]

Music does not validate or invalidate the Mass to my knowledge. As for classical music, there's Mozart's Requiem Mass. I attended one this year for All Souls.