Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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;
objection may be urged, with equal propriety,
against the combined ' Sanctus ' and ' Benedictus,'
in Cherubini's Kequiem in minor; a
comparatively unpretending movement, the per-
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220 SANOTUS SANDERSON
adapted to the words, ' Sanotus,' ' Dominus Deus with instrumental accompaniment. The same
Sabaoth, ' and ' Pleni aunt ooeli et terra. ' Sometimes—as
in Palestrina's Masses, Veni, sponsa
'
Christi, ' and Dum complerentur '—the ' ' Pleni
sunt coeli ' forma a separate movement, assigned
to three or four solo voices ; sometimes the nature sistent fortissimo of which can scarcely fail to
of the subject indicates an accelerated tempo, distract the mind far more seriously than even
without an actual solution of continuity, aa in the sensuous beauty of a movement like that in
the same compoaer's 'Aeterna Christi munera.' Rossini's 'Messe Solennelle.'
The Osanna,' with which the whole '
concludes, To particularise the varied readings of the
is either treated as a supplementary movement, 'Sanctus,' to be found in the masses of even
quite distinct from the 'Sanotus' itself; or, the greatest composers of modern times, would
less frequently, ^ids in the development of the be impossible. The examples to which we have
fugue, by the addition of a fourth subject, without
disturbing the homogeneity of the whole. others ; and will, moreover, be valuable, as
called attention will serve as types of many
In the former case, the same Osanna ' ' usually illustrations of the one practical point of divergence
which, more than any other, distinguishes
serves both for the ' Sanotus ' and the ' Benedictus,'
1 as in the Missa Papae ' Marcelli," and the reading prevalent in the 16th century from
Vittoria's ' Simile est regnura ooelorum ; '
in the that most common in the 19th—the devotional
latter, the treatment is usually of a very subdued piano from the pompous /oi-^e. So long as drums
character, as in Palestrina's 'Tu es Petrua,' and trumpets are permitted to take part in the
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Assumpta eat Maria,
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' Aeterna Christi munera, accompaniments of the 'Sanctus,' so long will
and 'Missa brevis.' These inatances are it fail to attain that aesthetic consistency which
particularly fine onea ;
and, indeed, it may be alone can ensure its ultimate perfection as a
doubted whether even Palestrina's genius ever work of art. ^
rose to greater sublimity of conception than in
this part of the ' Missa brevis,' which, when
1 In order to explain the Intimate connection between these move,
ments, it is necessary to remind tlie reader that the first ' OsaTina ' is
immediately followed by the Coneecratlott of the Host, which takes
place in silence. This completed, the 'Benedictus,' and second
* Osanna,' are sung, in continuation of the same train of ideaa, and
not witli the intention of introducing a new subject of contempl&tion.
III. In Anglican ' Services ' the Sanotus is
usually a very unpretending movement, written,
for the most part, in simple harmony, without
any attempt at fugal treatment, or even imitation
; though, in the works of such masters
interpreted by a large body of voices, singing
in the most delicate attainable pianissimo,
presents us with the highest ideal of the song
of the Heavenly Host that has yet been reached. as Tallis, Byrd, Farrant, Gibbons, and their
The treatment of the Sanctus,' by modern
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contemporaries, it is always noted for a qmet
composers, exhibits an infinite variety of styles ;
dignity well worthy of the solemnity of the
yet the movement is, nearly always, the most text. [In former days when there was only
solemn one in the Mass. In Bach's great work ante-communion service, the Sanctus was often
in B minor, an indescribably massive effect is sung at the conclusion of morning prayer as a
produced by the peissages of sustained chords, sort of Introit leading to the ' second service
beginning at the seventeenth and thirty-fifth at the altar.] w. s. E.
bars. [As the Lutheran service, enjoined the SANDERSON, Jambs, born in 1769 at
singing of the ' Sanctus ' on certain occasions Workington, Durham, had from early childhood
apart from the rest of the mass. Bach left four a passion for music, and, without the assistance
compositions besides the glorious chorus already of masters, so qualified himself that in 1783
mentioned. They are contained in the B.-G. he was engaged as violinist at the Sunderland
edition, vol. xi. (i.). The keys are C, D, D Theatre. In 1 784 he went to Shields as ateacher
minor, and G, the second work being of peculiarly
of the violin and pianoforte, and met with
impressive beauty.] Very different is the much success. In 1787 he was engaged as
idea developed in the corresponding division of leader at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Theatre,
Beethoven's Mass in D. The awestruck character
and in 1788 at Astley's Ampliitheatre. In
of the opening ' Adagio. Mit Andaoht,' how-
1789 he made his first attempt at dramatic
ever closely it may border upon the dramatic,
can scarcely impress the hearer with any other
feeling than that of the most profound reverence
composition by writing instrumental interludes
to illustrate the several parts of CoUins's Ode
'
on the Passions,' which the eminent tragedian,
while the ' Allegro pesante ' of the ' Pleni sunt George Frederick Cooke, was to recite on his
coeli ' is conceived in strict accordance with the benefit night at Chester. His next work was
literal meaning of the words, though nothing 'Harlequin in Ireland' at Astley's in 1792.
could possibly be more unsuited to their position In 1793 he was engaged at the Royal Circus,
in the service. This deplorable incongruity is, afterwards the Surrey Theatre, as composer and
however, more or less observable in all masses music director, a post which he retained for
many years. His principal productions during
that period were ' Blackbeard, ' 1798; 'Cora,'
2 [It may interest the render to notice how closely the writer's
views on the inappropriateness of certain music to the service of
the church foreshadow the famous nuOu propria of the present
Pope, issued in 1903.]
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