Missa Brevis
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A missa brevis (Latin) is, literally, a "short Mass". It is a popular form of choral composition, particularly in the twentieth century. The form is sometimes called a messe basse (French).
The form often includes four or five movements, rather than the usual six, omitting the longer "Credo" text of the larger liturgical Masses. These are the movements that may be included:
Note that although the Sanctus and Benedictus form a single part of the liturgical Mass, composers often choose to set this as two (or more) musical parts.
J. S. Bach wrote four missa brevises which consist of only a Kyrie and a Gloria. The Classical Viennese composers Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart also wrote relatively short masses that do include the Credo. Sometimes, to save time, texts were telescoped, i.e. successive phrases of text were sung simultaneously (e.g. the Gloria in the Missa Johannes de Deo of Joseph Haydn).
Mozart also composed a missa longa (the opposite of a missa brevis) which simply takes more time to perform, and is more elaborate.
A messe basse is simply a "low Mass", which can be entirely spoken, although it may include music, usually simple. Fauré wrote one of these which might be considered a missa brevis, although he does not use this term.
Notable examples of the missa brevis form are by composers such as:
