Philippe Mazé (b.1954) began his musical education studying with Daniel Roth and Gabriel Looren, and later moved to the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris where he studied harmony, counterpoint, fugue, history of music, analysis and aesthetics, winning prizes and diplomas in each of these subjects.
He studied choral conducting with Stéphane Caillat, Eric Ericson and Andrea Georgi, and orchestral conducting with Henri-Claude Fantapié. After obtaining diplomas in these two disciplines, he then studied singing with Annie-Béatrice Lepré and the teaching of vocal technique with Richard Miller, winning yet another prize and diploma.
Philippe Mazé became Chapelmaster at the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Montmartre and Director of Music at the choir school at the age of 23, a post that he held for 18 years. In 1996, he was honoured with the title ‘Maître de Chapelle émérite de la Basilique du Vœu National’. At the same time, he became Chapelmaster at the Eglise de la Madeleine, Paris.
Well-known as a choral conductor, he is often asked to conduct a vast repertoire of music, both sacred and secular, and in 2004 he was commissioned by the Choir of Monaco Cathedral to write the Te Deum pour S.A.S. le Prince Rainier III de Monaco for choir and orchestra, which was premiered in November 2004 at Monaco Cathedral in the presence of members of Prince Rainier’s family.
As well as a career teaching choral conducting, he is a busy composer. His works – more than 100 motets, 20 masses, several liturgical works, works for organ, guitar, 3 orchestral pieces – are published in England, Germany, Switzerland and France. They are performed regularly as part of Catholic, Anglican and Protestant church services, as well as in concerts. Their style, simple, direct and profound ‘by a craftsman of sonority’, is recognisable by the desire for expressiveness without losing the sense of the words or the deeper meaning within the chosen texts, austere or lyrical, passionate or ecstatic, and without giving way to fashions.
Works published by United Music Publishers
Choral
2 Motets à la Vierge pour le Temps de Noël
SATB a cappella, SATB soli ad lib.
1.Sancta et immaculata virginitas; 2.Beata viscera Mariae Virginis
2 Motets pour les Défunts
SATB and organ
1.In pace in idipsum dormiam; 2.Sic Deus dilexit mundum (SATB a cappella)
2 Prières du Soir
SATB and organ
1.Media Vita; 2.Preghiera da Sera
3 Mélodies naïves sur des Poèmes de Francis Jammes
children's chorus and piano
1.Prière pour être simple; 2.Prière pour aller a Paradis avec les Anes; 3.Prière pour louer Dieu
3 Motets d’Adoration pour le Temps de Noël
SATB a cappella, SATB soli ad lib.
1.Hodie nobis de caelo; 2.O magnum mysterium; 3.Verbum caro factum est
3 Motets naïfs pour le Temps de Noël
SATB a cappella, SATB soli ad lib.
1.Hodie nobis caelorum Rex de Virgine; 2.Quem vidistis, pastores?; 3.Beata Dei Genitrix Maria
3 Motets pour un Temps de Pénitence
1.Psalm 50 'Miserere'
SATB chorus
2.Psalm 129 'De Profundis'
SATB chorus and organ
3.Lamentations de Jérémie
SATB chorus and organ
3 Motets sur des Thèmes grégoriens
SATB a cappella
1.Veni creator (Hymn for Whit Sunday); 2.Jesu dulcis Memoria; 3.Adoro te
Adoramus te Christe
SSATB and organ
Agnus Dei de Verlaine
SATB and organ
Anima Christi
SATB a cappella
Ave Maria
SATB a cappella
Ave Verum
tenor, baritone, bass a cappella
Cantique des Créatures (d'après Saint François d'Assise)
soprano solo, SATB chorus, solo quartet and organ
Christus factus est
SATB a cappella
Credo
soprano solo, SMz chorus and organ
Dulcis et rectus Dominus
tenor, baritone, bass a cappella
Hymne aux Philippiens
soprano solo, SATB chorus a cappella
Jubilate Deo
SSATB a cappella
La Princesse au Petit Pois
soprano solo, children's chorus and piano
Laudate Dominum
2 part children's chorus and organ
Les Béatitudes
solo soprano, SATB choir, organ
Litanie della Santa Vergine
SATB choir, organ
Magnificat
soprano solo, SATB chorus and organ
Marian Triptych
SATB chorus
Messe brève sur les Modes anciens pour les Temps violets
unison childrens chorus (or MZ solo) and organ
Messe Notre Dâme du vieux Cours
soprano solo, 2-part childrens chorus and organ
also available for S solo, 2-part children's chorus and orchestra
Miserere (shortened version)
SATB chorus a cappella
Missa dolce
1.Kyrie 2.Sanctus 3.Agnus Dei 4.Ave Verum
SATB chorus a cappella
O Bone Jesu
SATB a cappella
O Crux, ave
SATB and organ
O Sacrum Convivium
SATB and organ
O Vos Omnes
SABar a cappella (or 3 equal voices)
Panis Angelicus & Dirigatur Domine
male chorus and accompaniment
Pater Noster
SATB a cappella
Petite Messe
SATB and organ
Pie Jesu
SATB and organ
Procession pour un Jour de Fete
organ
Psaume 150
SATB and organ
Requiem dei Santi Innocenti
soprano solo, SATB and organ
Rorate Coeli
SAATTBB a cappella
Salve Regina
SSAATTBB a cappella
Stabat Mater
soprano solo, SATB chorus, congregation (or semi-chorus) and organ
Te Deum pour S.A.S. le Prince Rainier III de Monaco
SATB chorus and orchestra
Vocal
3 Mélodies sur des Textes de Laure Cambau
mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano
1.Nuit noire; 2.La Chambre est un Puits sans Fond; 3.Nuits spirales
3 Songs on Poems by John Keats
baritone and piano
1.What the Thrush said; 2.Bright Star; 3.Why did I laugh tonight?
(English and French text)
5 Mélodies sur des Textes de Paul Verlaine
soprano or tenor and piano
1.La Bonne Chanson; 2.En Sourdine; 3.Romance sans Paroles; 4.La Chanson bien douce; 5.Chanson d'Autumne
Ave Verum
soprano and organ
Triptyque
soprano and guitar
Choral works published by
Edition de la Schola Cantorum and available from UMP