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.R. W. Gutman, Mozart: A Cultural Biography p. 479 It was Mozart's last complete mass.P. Melograni et al, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: A Biography p. 116 The mass is scored for soloists, choir, 2 oboes,p. 130 (2002) Green 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones,R. W. Gutman, Mozart: A Cultural Biography p. 480 strings (without violasp. 130 (2002) Green) and organ, the latter supplying figured bass for most of the duration.

Structure The setting is divided into six movements:

Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus Benedictus Agnus Dei

The Sanctus recalls features of the Kyrie, and also has a violin figure Mozart used again in Idomeneo.D. Heartz, Haydn, Mozart, and the Viennese School: 1740 — 1780 W. W. Norton & Co. p. 668 The Benedictus is peculiar for Mozart's mass settings in that it is an austere fugue in an archaic style.D. Heartz, p. 668

Fragmentary first Credo setting and its completion The autograph of the mass features an alternative setting of the Credo. This setting has a length of 136 measures and abruptly ends after the words "cuius regni non erit finis".cf. Introduction to the NMA score of the mass, pp. XV-XVI, http://dme.mozarteum.at/DME/nma/nma_cont.php?vsep=7&gen=edition&l=2&p1=-21 It is not clear why Mozart stopped work on this setting and instead began work on the second – and complete – setting of the Credo on the next page of the autograph, but this may be due to the fact that Mozart had forgotten to set the words "sub Pontio Pilato" to music in the first draft. In the years 1989 and 2003 Dr Murl Sickbert completed the fragment; in 2006 it was performed at Hardin–Simmons University, Texas.

Notes

References Green (2002) Jonathan D. New York A Conductor's Guide to Choral-Orchestral Works, Classical Period: Volume 1: Haydn and Mozart Scarecrow Press Heartz (1995) Daniel. New York. Haydn, Mozart, and the Viennese School: 1740 — 1780 W. W. Norton & Co. Hugues (1974) Rosemary. London. Haydn. J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd Schenbeck (1996) Lawrence. Chapel Hill, North Carolina Joseph Haydn and the Classical Choral Tradition Hinshaw Music

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