Regina coeli (Mozart)

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Regina coeli
Sacred choral music by W. A. Mozart
Key C major
Catalogue K. 276
Text Regina caeli
Language Latin
Composed1779 (1779)
Scoring SATB soloists and choir, orchestra

Regina coeli (Queen of Heaven), a Marian antiphon, was set by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart three times during his time at the Salzburg Cathedral. The best-known composition of the Latin Regina caeli for Eastertide is K. 276, a setting for four soloists, choir and orchestra, probably written in 1779. He wrote two earlier settings, K. 108 and K 127, both for soprano, choir and orchestra.

Contents

History and music

When Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was working at Salzburg Cathedral, he set the Latin Marian antiphon Regina caeli for Eastertide [1] three times. The earliest is K. 108, a setting for soprano, choir and orchestra, [2] written in May 1771 [3] [4] after Mozart's return from Italy. [1] A year later, he wrote K. 127 for the same vocal forces, [1] [4] as a work in three movements. The solo part was composed for Maria Magdalena Haydn, the wife of Michael Haydn and court singer, [1] probably in 1779, after his return from Paris. [5] Mozart composed a setting for four soloists, four-part choir and orchestra, K. 276. [2]

K. 108

The Regina coeli in C major, KV 108, was written in 1771. It is in four movements for solo soprano and orchestra. Mozart adapted the style of the Italian concerto, with the choir mostly in motet style. [1] The orchestra features trumpets and timpani. [4]

K. 127

The Regina coeli in B-flat major, K. 127, is styled like an concerto, with an opening fast movement in sonata form, a slow middle movement, and another fast movement, again in sonata form. In the first movement, the instruments present the themes. In the second movement, the setting of the text is dominant, with precedence over musical form, such as choral interjections "Resurrexit" within an arioso "Quia quem meruisti". In the final movement, "Alleluja", the virtuoso soprano interacts with the choir. [1]

K. 276

Mozart's third setting of the Marian calls for an orchestra of two trumpets and timpani, two oboes, strings and basso continuo. It is in C major, and in one movement, in which the soloists often alternate with the choir. The complete text is rendered again at the end, giving it the idea of a recapitulation. [2]

Related Research Articles

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"Regina caeli" is a musical antiphon addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary that is used in the liturgy of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church during the Easter season, from Easter Sunday until Pentecost. During this season, it is the Marian antiphon that ends Compline and it takes the place of the traditional thrice-daily Angelus prayer.

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Ave Regina caelorum Marian antiphon

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<i>Vesperae solennes de Dominica</i>

Vesperae solennes de Dominica, K. 321, is a sacred choral composition, written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1779. It is scored for SATB choir and soloists, violin I and II, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones colla parte, 2 timpani, and basso continuo.

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Mass in B-flat major, K. 275

The Missa brevis No. 9 in B-flat major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, K. 275/272b, was probably written before September 1777 for Salzburg. The mass is scored for SATB soloists, SATB choir, violin I, violin II, 3 trombones, string bass, and organ.

Mass in G major, K. 140 "Pastoral"

The Missa brevis in G major, K. 140, K3 Anh. 235d, K6 Anh. C 1.12, was probably composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart shortly after returning to Salzburg, in March 1773, from his third trip to Italy.

Mass in C major, K. 220 "Sparrow"

The Sparrow Mass is a mass in C major K. 220/196b, Mass No. 9, Missa brevis No. 5, composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1775 or 1776 in Salzburg. The mass is sometimes termed a missa brevis et solemnis, because it is short in a simple structure as a missa brevis, but festively scored like a missa solemnis with brass and timpani in addition to four soloists, strings and organ. It was possibly first performed on 7 April 1776 in a mass for Easter at the Salzburg Cathedral. The nickname is derived from violin figures in the Hosanna which resemble bird chirping.

Mass in C major, K. 337 "Solemnis"

The Missa solemnis in C major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, K. 337, was written in 1780 for Salzburg. It was Mozart's last complete mass. The mass is scored for soloists, choir, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, strings and organ, the latter supplying figured bass for most of the duration.

The Kyrie in F major, K. 33, is a sacred composition for choir and strings by a ten-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, dated June 12, 1766. It was written while the composer was in Paris with his family, with the intent to promote his image as a child prodigy.

<i>Vesperae solennes de confessore</i>

Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339, is a sacred choral composition, written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1780. It is scored for SATB choir and soloists, violin I, violin II, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones colla parte, 2 timpani, and basso continuo.

Mass in C major, K. 259 "Organ solo"

The Missa brevis No. 8 in C major, K. 259, is a mass composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1776. It is scored for SATB soloists, SATB choir, violin I and II, 2 oboes, 2 clarini, 3 trombones colla parte, timpani and basso continuo.

Mass in C major, K. 66 "Dominicus"

The Missa solemnis in C major, K. 66, is a mass composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1769. It is scored for SATB soloists and choir, violins I and II, viola, 2 oboes, 2 horns, 2 clarini, 2 trumpets and basso continuo.

Mass in D major, K. 194

The Missa brevis in D major, K. 194/186h, is a mass composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and completed on 8 August 1774. It is scored for SATB soloists, SATB choir, violin I and II, 3 trombones colla parte, and basso continuo.

Mass in C major, K. 258 "Piccolomini"

The Missa brevis No. 7 in C major, K. 258, is a mass composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1776. It is scored for SATB soloists, SATB choir, violin I and II, 2 oboes, 2 clarini, 3 trombones colla parte, timpani and basso continuo.

Mass in C major, K. 262 "Missa longa"

The Missa longa in C major, K. 262/246a, is a mass composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in May 1776. Other sources claim it was composed in May 1775. It is scored for SATB soloists, SATB choir, violin I and II, 2 oboes, 2 horns, 2 clarini, 3 trombones colla parte, timpani and basso continuo.

Mass in D minor, K. 65

The Missa brevis in D minor, K. 65/61a, is a mass composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and completed on 14 January 1769. It is scored for SATB soloists and choir, violin I and II, 3 trombones colla parte, and basso continuo.

Mass in G major, K. 49

Mozart's Mass in G major, K. 49/47d), is his first full mass. It is a missa brevis scored for SATB soloists and choir, violin I and II, viola, and basso continuo.

Veni Sancte Spiritus, K. 47, is a sacred composition for choir and orchestra by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He wrote it in Vienna in 1768 at age 12. He scored the work in C major for mixed choir SATB with a few solo lines, orchestra and organ. The text is a Pentecostal antiphon, Ad invocandum Spiritum Sanctum, which begins with the same words as the sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus, but continues differently. Mozart added the subtitle Offertorium, mentioning the intended use during the offertory of a church service. The beginning of the words suggests Pentecost, but the general call for the Holy Spirit seems more likely to have been composed in the fall.

Litanies (Mozart) Four works of church music by Mozart, 1769 to 1776

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed four litanies in his service as a church musician for the Salzburg Cathedral, two of which are settings of the Litaniae Lauretanae, the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The other two are settings of the Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento, venerating the Eucharist. Mozart composed the works for four soloists, choir, instruments, and continuo. The litanies appeared in Bärenreiter's Neue Mozart-Ausgabe (NMA) in 1969.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Martin, Christine (2001). "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Regina coeli in B / KV 127" (PDF). Carus-Verlag . Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Regina coeli KV 276" (in German). Diocese of Cologne . Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. ↑ Federhofer, Hellmut (1963). "Series I: Sacred works / Work Group 3: Minor Sacred Works" (PDF). New Mozart Edition (in German). Mozarteum . Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 King, Robert. "Regina caeli, K. 127" (in German). Hyperion Records . Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  5. ↑ "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Regina coeli in C major K. 276 (321b)". Bärenreiter . Retrieved 5 August 2022.
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