Kyrie from Missa Brevis “Quattro Ragazzi” -Journey of faith, hope and love.

Composer：Hideki Chihara

Words from composer

I composed this Mass to depict the story of the “Quattro Ragazzi”, the boys of the Tenshō embassy to Europe(1582-90), in their glory and catastrophe. The opening piece of the story, Kyrie, was inspired by the theme music of “Taiga drama,” a very famous TV drama in Japan. Of course, I will continue to write Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.
In the middle part of this piece, “Mille regrets” (A thousand regrets, originally composed by Josquin des Prez) is inserted. It is assumed that the boys played this song right in front of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, “Great Unifier” at that time, after their return to Japan.

I. Kyrie —Remembrance of Mansho Ito in Nagasaki, 1612
“I had my youth, burning with my dreams, hopes, and faith. But this memory is not with me in peace.
It brings me heart pain for my brethren who were banished from the country, and for the Catholics who apostatized because of the Persecution of Christians in Japan.
On that sunny sailing day, my heart was throbbing with the thought of the bustle of foreign ports, stone-built cities, and magnificent churches as we sailed over the
numerous open seas.
Oh, how the four of us pledged eternal love, faith, and friendship that day!”