Missa Brevis No. 9 (Mozart)
Encyclopedia
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 soloists, choir, strings and organ
, the latter supplying figured bass
for most of the duration.
The setting is divided into six movements.
In the Gloria and the Credo, Mozart eschews the traditional concluding fugues. Despite being a missa brevis
, the Agnus Dei is very long and there is "a prolonged setting for soloists and choir of 'Dona nobis pacem', ending piano." The Dona nobis is set as a gavotte
, "like a vaudeville and has been compared with the specimen of this genre at the end of Die Entführung
."
The premiere probably took place on December 21, 1777, with castrato Francesco Ceccarelli
among the soloists singled out for praise for his performance. Elsewhere church musicians were offended, such as those at Wasserburg am Inn
, who found Mozart's setting "an open mockery of the holy text."
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, K. 275/272b, was probably written before September 1777 for Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
. The mass is scored for soloists, choir, strings and organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, the latter supplying figured bass
Figured bass
Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones, in relation to a bass note...
for most of the duration.
The setting is divided into six movements.
- "Kyrie" Allegro, B-flat major, common timeCommon Time"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
- "Gloria" Allegro, B-flat major, 2/4
- "Credo" Allegro, B-flat major, common time
- —"Et incarnatus est..." Adagio
- —"Et resurrexit..." Allegro
- "Sanctus" Andante, B-flat major, 3/4
- "Benedictus" Andante, E-flat major, 3/4
- —"Osanna..." Allegro
- —"excelsis..." B-flat major
- "Agnus Dei" Andante, G minorG minorG minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. For the harmonic minor scale, the F is raised to F. Its relative major is B-flat major, and its parallel major is G major....
, common time- —"Dona nobis pacem..." Allegro, B-flat major, cut time
In the Gloria and the Credo, Mozart eschews the traditional concluding fugues. Despite being a missa brevis
Missa Brevis
Missa brevis literally means "short mass" and can refer to different types of musical setting of the Mass. Modernly, Missa brevis is generally understood as a setting of parts of the ordinary mass...
, the Agnus Dei is very long and there is "a prolonged setting for soloists and choir of 'Dona nobis pacem', ending piano." The Dona nobis is set as a gavotte
Gavotte
The gavotte originated as a French folk dance, taking its name from the Gavot people of the Pays de Gap region of Dauphiné, where the dance originated. It is notated in 4/4 or 2/2 time and is of moderate tempo...
, "like a vaudeville and has been compared with the specimen of this genre at the end of Die Entführung
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Die Entführung aus dem Serail is an opera Singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Christoph Friedrich Bretzner with adaptations by Gottlieb Stephanie...
."
The premiere probably took place on December 21, 1777, with castrato Francesco Ceccarelli
Francesco Ceccarelli
Francesco Ceccarelli was a soprano castrato known for his grace and excellent singing technique.After early opera appearances in his native Umbria, he sang mainly in the German-speaking countries and was thought better suited to church and concert music.He was notably engaged by Count Hieronymus...
among the soloists singled out for praise for his performance. Elsewhere church musicians were offended, such as those at Wasserburg am Inn
Wasserburg am Inn
Wasserburg am Inn is a town in the district Rosenheim in Upper Bavaria, Germany. The historic centre is a peninsula, formed by the meandering Inn River...
, who found Mozart's setting "an open mockery of the holy text."