The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace – Karl Jenkins

The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was written in 1999 by Welsh composer, Karl Jenkins, and received its premiere in London in 2000. It was intended as a hope for universal peace as the world entered a new millennium. Since its premiere, dedicated to the victims of the then recent Kosovo conflict, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace has been performed over 3,000 times and has become the most popular choral/orchestral work of the past quarter century. As our world today continues to struggle with conflict, it is important to hear the powerful declaration for world peace in The Armed Man, blending lyrics based on Christian, Hindu, Japanese, Jewish, and Muslim texts, as well as classic poetry. Composer Jenkins had this to say in 2023, “I’m sad there has been no let-up in war and conflict since I dedicated the piece to victims of Kosovo, but we continue to make music in remembrance of those who have perished and in the hope that humanity can find a way to heal.”

Host or Publisher The Michael O'Neal Singers