The Kyrie is maybe one of the most interesting parts of the mass before 1962.

Because for over a thousand years the Kyrie was the only part of the mass that was Greek. Instead of Latin.

You can hear the differences in the work of Orlando de Lassus, Zarlino, and Palestrina. They all treat this part of the missa in a different way. They are more willing to break the rules of 16th C. counterpoint for this particular prayer. They do it not because the prayer is particularly problematic. They do it because this is one of the few places where a composer could exercise some artistic freedom.

My friend Jo Verdis wrote this version of a Kyrie that I think is truly gorgeous. The prayer is: Lord have mercy. Christ have Mercy. Lord have mercy. I'm not a particularly religious person, but I find a lot of beauty in this pattern. I espcially find a lot of beauty in the way that Jo expresses this prayer and the way the expression evolves over time. It becomes more and more complex and more desperate. Begging for the intent of the prayer. Begging for God to have mercy.

Artists like Alanis Morisette and Ani DeFranco write songs looking to forgive themselves for whatever they feel they've done wrong in their lives.

Jo Verdis isn't asking herself to forgive herself with Kyrie. She's asking us to forgive ourselves.