Missa Cellensis in honorem Beatissimae Virginis Mariae
The Missa Cellensis in honorem Beatissimae Virginis Mariae in C major by Joseph Haydn, Hob. XXII:5, Novello 3,[1] was originally written in 1766, after Haydn was promoted to Kapellmeister at Eszterháza following the death of Gregor Joseph Werner.[2] The original title as it appears on the only surviving fragment of Haydn's autograph score, that has been discovered around 1970 in Budapest,[3] clearly assigns the mass to the pilgrimage cult of Mariazell, Styria. Until that discovery, the work was known as Missa Sanctae Caeciliae, or in German Cäcilienmesse, a title probably attributed to the mass in the 19th century. Whether the alternative title refers to a performance of the piece by the St. Cecilia's Congregation, a Viennese musician's fraternity, on some St. Cecilia's day (22 November), as has been suggested, remains speculation.
| Missa Cellensis | |
|---|---|
| Mass by Joseph Haydn | |
 | |
| Other name |
|
| Key | C major |
| Catalogue | Hob. XXII:5 |
| Composed | 1766 |
| Dedication | Pilgrimage of Mariazell, Styria |
| Movements | 6 |
| Vocal | SATB choir and solo |
| Instrumental | orchestra |
It is believed that the original manuscript was lost in the Eisenstadt fire of 1768, and that when Haydn rewrote the piece from memory, he may also have expanded it.[4] It may have originally consisted of only Kyrie and Gloria, with the other parts added later.[5] This Mass was known to Anton Bruckner.[6]
The mass is scored for vocal soloists, SATB choir, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets in C, timpani, strings and organ,[7] the latter supplying figured bass for most of the duration.
The setting is divided into six movements.
- Kyrie Adagio (ossia Largo), C major, common time
- "Kyrie eleison" Allegro con spirito, C major, common time
- "Christe eleison" Allegretto, A minor, 3/4
- "Kyrie eleison" Vivace, C major, common time
- Gloria Allegro di molto, C major, 3/4
- "Laudamus te, benedicimus te" Moderato, G major, common time
- "Gratias agimus" Alla breve, E minor, cut time
- "Domine Deus, Rex coelestis" Allegro, C major, 3/8
- "Qui tollis peccata mundi" Adagio, C minor, common time
- "Quoniam tu solus sanctus" Allegro di molto, C major, common time
- "Cum Sancto spiritu" Largo, C major, common time
- "In gloria Dei Patris" Allegro con spirito, C major, common time
- Credo Vivace, C major, common time
- "Et incarnatus est" Largo, C minor, common time
- "Et resurrexit" Allegro, C major, 3/4
- Sanctus Adagio, C major, common time
- Benedictus Andante, C minor, cut time
- "Osanna" Allegro, C major, common time
- Agnus Dei Largo, A minor, common time
- "Dona nobis pacem" Presto, C major, 3/4
While Jonathan Green finds the choral parts to be of medium difficulty, he finds the orchestral parts quite difficult, and recommends seasoned, "technically secure" players.[8]
Notes
- p. 265 (1974) Hugues
- p. 133 (1996) Schenbeck
- "Music and Letters | Oxford Academic". Archived from the original on 2012-07-11.
- p. 41 (2002) Green
- BBC Radio 4 Essential Classics, 10 August 2012.
- p. 138, Maier, Zamazal (1980) Elisabeth, Franz. Graz Anton Bruckner und Leopold Zenetti Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt
- p. 40 (2002) Green
- p. 42 (2002) Green
References
- Dack, James (1982). "The Dating of Haydn's Missa Cellensis in honorem Beatissimae Virginis Mariae: An Interim Discussion", Haydn Yearbook 13
- Green, Jonathan D. (2002). A Conductor's Guide to Choral-Orchestral Works, Classical Period: Volume 1: Haydn and Mozart, Scarecrow Press, New York
- Hugues, Rosemary (1974). Haydn, J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd, London.
- Larsen, Jens Peter and Feder, Georg (1997). The New Grove Haydn, W. W. Norton & Co., New York
- Schenbeck, Lawrence (1996). Joseph Haydn and the Classical Choral Tradition, Hinshaw Music, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Sisman, Elaine Rochelle (1997). Haydn and His World, Princeton University Press, Princeton
- Strimple, Nick (2008). Choral music in the nineteenth century, Hal Leonard, New York