The Missa in angustiis (Mass for troubled times), commonly known as the Nelson Mass (Hob. XXII/11), is a Mass setting by the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn. It is one of the six masses written near the end of his life that are seen as a culmination of Haydn's composition of liturgical music.
Haydn's chief biographer, H. C. Robbins Landon, has written that this mass "is arguably Haydn's greatest single composition".[1] Written in 1798, it is one of the six late masses by Haydn for the Esterhazy family composed after taking a short hiatus, during which elaborate church music was inhibited by the Josephinian reforms of the 1780s. The late sacred works of Haydn are regarded as masterworks, influenced by the experience of his London symphonies. They highlight the soloists and chorus while allowing the orchestra to play a prominent role.[2] Owing to the political and financial instability of this period in European history, Haydn's patron Nikolaus II dismissed the Feldharmonie, or wind band octet, shortly before Haydn wrote the Missa in angustiis for the Princess's name day.[2] Haydn, therefore, was left with a "dark" orchestra composed of strings, trumpets, timpani, and organ.[3] Later editors and arrangers added what they perceived to be missing woodwind parts, but the original scoring has again become the accepted choice for modern performances.
Though Haydn's reputation was at its peak in 1798, when he wrote this mass, his world was in turmoil. Napoleon had won four major battles with Austria in less than a year. The previous year, in early 1797, his armies had crossed the Alps and threatened Vienna itself. In May 1798, Napoleon invaded Egypt to destroy Britain's trade routes to the East.
The summer of 1798 was therefore a terrifying time for Austria, and when Haydn finished this mass, his own title, in the catalogue of his works, was Missa in angustiis (Mass for troubled times). What Haydn did not know when he wrote the mass, but what he and his audience heard (perhaps on September 15, the day of the very first performance), was that on 1 August, Napoleon had been dealt a stunning defeat in the Battle of the Nile by British forces led by Admiral Horatio Nelson. Because of this coincidence, the mass gradually acquired the nickname Lord Nelson Mass. The title became indelible when, in 1800, Lord Nelson himself visited the Palais Esterházy, accompanied by his British mistress, Lady Hamilton, and may have heard the mass performed by Haydn himself and would meet shortly afterwards.[4]
Haydn's original title may also have come from illness and exhaustion at this time, which followed his supervision of the first performances of The Creation, completed a few months earlier. More simply, it may have sprung from the challenge of composing without the desired instrumentation.[5] The solo parts for two of the vocal quartet are virtuosic: the bass line was perhaps written for the accomplished Christian Specht, and the soprano line, even more demanding, could have been written for Barbara Pilhofer or Therese Gassmann. The piece was premiered 23 September 1798 at the town parish church (now cathedral), a last minute venue change from the Bergkirche in Eisenstadt.
Movementsedit
The text, slightly altered, is taken from the Latin Mass of the Catholic church. It consists of the following six movements. Performances require between 45 and 60 minutes. The choir sings in all movements.
Kyrie, Allegro moderato, D minor, 3/4 (soprano solo)
Gloria, Allegro, D major, common time (soli soprano, alto, tenor, bass [SATB])
Qui tollis, Andante con moto, B-flat major, 3/4 (soli soprano, baritone)
Quoniam tu solus sanctus, Allegro, D major, common time (soli SATB)
Credo, Allegro con spirito, D major, alla breve
Et incarnatus est, Largo, G major, 3/4 (soli SATB)
Et resurrexit, Vivace, D major, common time (soprano solo)
Sanctus, Adagio, D major, common time
Pleni sunt coeli, Allegro, D major, 3/4
Benedictus, Allegretto, D minor, 2/4 (soli SATB)
Pleni sunt coeli, Allegro, Allegro, D major, 3/4 (soli SATB)
Agnus Dei, Adagio, G major, 3/4 (soli SATB)
Dona nobis pacem, Vivace, D major, common time (soli SATB)
Landon, H. C. Robbins (2000) [1962]. "Missa in angustiis (Nelson Mass)". Haydn: Missa in angustiis (Nelson Mass); Vivaldi, Gloria in D; Handel: Zadok the Priest (CD notes). conducted by David Willcocks. London: Decca.
McCaldin, Denis (1995). "Haydn's 'Nelson' Mass: Its decline and rise." South African Journal of Musicology/Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir musiekwetenskap (SAMUS), 15: 25–32.
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The Missa in angustiis Mass for troubled times commonly known as the Nelson Mass Hob XXII 11 is a Mass setting by the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn It is one of the six masses written near the end of his life that are seen as a culmination of Haydn s composition of liturgical music Missa in angustiisNelson MassMissa solemnis by Joseph HaydnLord Nelson for whom the mass is nicknamedCatalogueHob XXII 11LanguageLatinPerformed23 September 1798 1798 09 23 EisenstadtMovements6VocalSATB choir and soloistsInstrumentalorchestra Kyrie source source Gloria Gloria in excelsis Deo source source Gloria Qui tollis peccata mundi source source Gloria Quoniam tu solus sanctus source source Credo Credo in unum Deum source source Credo Et incarnatus est source source Credo Et resurrexit source source Sanctus source source Benedictus Benedictus qui venit source source Benedictus Hosanna in excelsis source source Agnus Dei Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi source source Problems playing these files See media help Contents 1 Background 2 Movements 3 Selected discography 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksBackground editHaydn s chief biographer H C Robbins Landon has written that this mass is arguably Haydn s greatest single composition 1 Written in 1798 it is one of the six late masses by Haydn for the Esterhazy family composed after taking a short hiatus during which elaborate church music was inhibited by the Josephinian reforms of the 1780s The late sacred works of Haydn are regarded as masterworks influenced by the experience of his London symphonies They highlight the soloists and chorus while allowing the orchestra to play a prominent role 2 Owing to the political and financial instability of this period in European history Haydn s patron Nikolaus II dismissed the Feldharmonie or wind band octet shortly before Haydn wrote the Missa in angustiis for the Princess s name day 2 Haydn therefore was left with a dark orchestra composed of strings trumpets timpani and organ 3 Later editors and arrangers added what they perceived to be missing woodwind parts but the original scoring has again become the accepted choice for modern performances Though Haydn s reputation was at its peak in 1798 when he wrote this mass his world was in turmoil Napoleon had won four major battles with Austria in less than a year The previous year in early 1797 his armies had crossed the Alps and threatened Vienna itself In May 1798 Napoleon invaded Egypt to destroy Britain s trade routes to the East The summer of 1798 was therefore a terrifying time for Austria and when Haydn finished this mass his own title in the catalogue of his works was Missa in angustiis Mass for troubled times What Haydn did not know when he wrote the mass but what he and his audience heard perhaps on September 15 the day of the very first performance was that on 1 August Napoleon had been dealt a stunning defeat in the Battle of the Nile by British forces led by Admiral Horatio Nelson Because of this coincidence the mass gradually acquired the nickname Lord Nelson Mass The title became indelible when in 1800 Lord Nelson himself visited the Palais Esterhazy accompanied by his British mistress Lady Hamilton and may have heard the mass performed by Haydn himself and would meet shortly afterwards 4 Haydn s original title may also have come from illness and exhaustion at this time which followed his supervision of the first performances of The Creation completed a few months earlier More simply it may have sprung from the challenge of composing without the desired instrumentation 5 The solo parts for two of the vocal quartet are virtuosic the bass line was perhaps written for the accomplished Christian Specht and the soprano line even more demanding could have been written for Barbara Pilhofer or Therese Gassmann The piece was premiered 23 September 1798 at the town parish church now cathedral a last minute venue change from the Bergkirche in Eisenstadt Movements editThe text slightly altered is taken from the Latin Mass of the Catholic church It consists of the following six movements Performances require between 45 and 60 minutes The choir sings in all movements Kyrie Allegro moderato D minor 3 4 soprano solo Gloria Allegro D major common time soli soprano alto tenor bass SATB Qui tollis Andante con moto B flat major 3 4 soli soprano baritone Quoniam tu solus sanctus Allegro D major common time soli SATB Credo Allegro con spirito D major alla breve Et incarnatus est Largo G major 3 4 soli SATB Et resurrexit Vivace D major common time soprano solo Sanctus Adagio D major common time Pleni sunt coeli Allegro D major 3 4 Benedictus Allegretto D minor 2 4 soli SATB Pleni sunt coeli Allegro Allegro D major 3 4 soli SATB Agnus Dei Adagio G major 3 4 soli SATB Dona nobis pacem Vivace D major common time soli SATB Selected discography edit1962 King s College Choir and a reduced London Symphony Orchestra with Sylvia Stahlman soprano Helen Watts contralto Wilfred Brown tenor Tom Krause baritone Simon Preston organ conducted by Sir David Willcocks recording re released in 2000 by London Decca Legends CD 458623 1986 The English Concert Choir and the English Concert conducted by Trevor Pinnock recording released in 1990 by Archiv Produktion Deutsche Grammophon CD 423097References editNotes Landon 2000 p 7 a b Webster and Feder McCaldin 1995 p 26 Hibbert 1994 p 216 McCaldin 1995 26 Sources Hibbert Christopher 1994 Nelson A Personal History Basic Books ISBN 0 201 40800 7 Landon H C Robbins 2000 1962 Missa in angustiis Nelson Mass Haydn Missa in angustiis Nelson Mass Vivaldi Gloria in D Handel Zadok the Priest CD notes conducted by David Willcocks London Decca McCaldin Denis 1995 Haydn s Nelson Mass Its decline and rise South African Journal of Musicology Suid Afrikaanse tydskrif vir musiekwetenskap SAMUS 15 25 32 Webster James and Feder Georg Sacred vocal music in Haydn Joseph Grove Music Online Oxford Music Online Further reading editSchenbeck Lawrence 1985 Missa in angustiis by Joseph Haydn Choral Journal 25 no 9 19 25 30 External links editMass in D minor Hob XXII 11 Haydn Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Free scores of Nelson Mass in the Choral Public Domain Library ChoralWiki UC Davis Symphony amp Chorus Haydn Missa in angustiis Lord Nelson Mass Portal nbsp Classical music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nelson Mass amp oldid 1216469201, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
