A Mass of Life (Eine Messe des Lebens) is a choral piece of music by English composer Frederick Delius, based on the German text of Also Sprach Zarathustra by Nietzsche.[1] In 1898, Delius had written a male choir and orchestral setting of 'Midnight Song' from the same work, and this was revised to form part of the Mass.[1]
A Mass of Life is the largest of Delius's concert works, written for four SATB soloists, a double choir and an orchestra.[1] Completed in 1905, Part 2 was first performed in Munich in 1908, with a complete performance in London a year later.[1] The conductor for this performance was Thomas Beecham.[1]