Mass in C minor, K. 139 "Waisenhaus"

Not to be confused with Mass in C major, K. 337 "Solemnis".

Missa solemnis in C minor
"Waisenhaus"
Mass by W. A. Mozart
Waisenhauskirche (Orphanage Church) of Vienna
Key	C minor
Catalogue	K. 139/47a
Occasion	Consecration of the Waisenhauskirche
Performed	7 December 1768 (1768-12-07): Vienna
Movements	6
Vocal	SATB choir and soloists
Instrumental	trumpets trombones timpani strings continuo

The Missa solemnis in C minor, K. 139/47a, is a mass composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the summer of 1768 in Vienna. ^[1] It is scored for SATB soloists, SATB choir, violin I and II, 2 violas, 2 oboes, 2 trumpets, 2 clarini (high trumpets), 3 trombones colla parte , timpani and basso continuo.

Background

The mass was commissioned by the Jesuit priest Father Ignaz Parhammer, who asked Mozart for music for the consecration of the new Orphanage Church – Waisenhauskirche  [ de ] – on the Rennweg. ^[2] The commission gives the mass its nickname Waisenhausmesse (Orphanage Mass). Mozart also composed a trumpet concerto suitable for performance by a boy as well as an offertory, both thought to be lost. ^[2] Indeed, due to cataloging errors, this mass was also considered lost for many years. ^{[3] [4]}

The first performance took place on 7 December 1768 at the church, in the presence of the court. The twelve-year-old Mozart conducted a choir of orphans in a performance that received "universal acclaim and admiration". ^[2] This mass is considered Mozart's most ambitious work to be performed up until that point in time, ^[5] and was his first and longest missa longa . ^[6]

Structure

The mass consists of six movements. Performances require approximately 40 minutes.

"Kyrie" Adagio, C minor, "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison..." Allegro, C major, 3 4 "Christe eleison..." Andante, F major, 2 4 "Kyrie eleison..." Allegro, C major, 3 4 "Gloria" Allegro, C major, "Laudamus te..." Andante, G major, 3 4 "Gratias agimus tibi..." Adagio, C major — Vivace, A minor, "Domine deus..." Andante, F major, 2 4 "Qui tollis..." Adagio, F minor, "Quoniam tu solus sanctus..." Allegro, F major, 3 4 "Cum sancto spiritu..." Allegro, C major,

"Credo" Allegro, C major, "Et incarnatus est..." Andante, F major, 6 8 "Crucifixus..." Adagio, C minor, "Et resurrexit..." Allegro — Adagio — Allegro, C major, "Et in Spiritum Sanctum..." Andante, G major, 3 4 "Et unam sanctam catholicam..." Allegro — Adagio, C major, "Et vitam venturi saeculi..." Allegro, C major, "Sanctus" Adagio, C major, "Pleni sunt coeli et terra..." Allegro, C major, 3 4 "Hosanna in excelsis" [Allegro], C major, "Benedictus" Andante, F major, "Hosanna in excelsis" [Allegro], C major, "Agnus Dei" Andante, C minor, "Dona nobis pacem..." Allegro, C major, 3 4

Despite its designation as a C minor mass, the music is predominantly in C major; ^[3] masses wholly set in a minor key were considered unusual and funereal in the classical period. ^{[4] [7]}

References

1. Robert Dearling (1982). The Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Symphonies. p. 35. ISBN   978-0-8386-2335-0.
2. Hermann Abert, MR Stewart Spencer (2007) [1923–24]. W. A. Mozart. p. 107. ISBN   978-0-300-07223-5.
3. Stanley Sadie (2006). Mozart: The Early Years 1756–1781 . OUP Oxford. p.  160. ISBN   978-0-393-06112-3.
4. Alfred Einstein, Arthur Mendel (1945). Mozart: His Character, His Work. p. 323. ISBN   978-0-19-500732-9.
5. Julian Rushton (2006). Mozart . Oxford University Press. p.  22.
6. Eisen, Cliff; Keefe, Simon P. (4 January 2006). The Cambridge Mozart Encyclopedia. p. 272. ISBN   978-1-139-44878-9.
7. Salieri, Antonio (January 2002). "Introduction". Antonio Salieri, Mass in D minor. p. x. ISBN   978-0-89579-505-2.

External links

• Missa in c K. 139 (114a; 47a): Score and critical report (in German) in the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe
• Free scores of Missa Solemnis in C minor (Waisenhausmesse), KV 139 in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Missa solemnis in C minor, K.139/47a : Scores at the International Music Score Library Project