Mass in D major (Nicolai)

The fair no. 1 in D major is a mass setting for soloists, chorus and orchestra by Otto Nicolai .

Origin and history

The mass originated in August 1832 during a stay in Poznan , where Nicolai's father had found a job at the theater. It was performed there for the first time on the commemoration day of the consecration , August 26, in the Poznan Cathedral . A planned performance in Berlin in the same year did not materialize.

In 1844 Nicolai fundamentally revised the fair in Vienna . In the new version it was first performed there on April 27, 1845 in the Hofburg Chapel under the direction of Ignaz Assmayer , and Nicolai received a fee of 100 guilders .

On August 15, 1846 conducted Nicolai his Mass in the cathedral of Raab at the request of the local bishop . However , Nicolai had to refuse the invitation to conduct a performance on September 8, 1846 in the inner-city parish church in Pest .

Franz von Hilleprandt made it possible for the composer to perform a performance on June 13, 1847 in Salzburg Cathedral ; Out of gratitude Nicolai then gave the Mozarteum the complete performance material.

Nicolai performed his mass one last time on Christmas Day 1848 in the Hedwig Church in Berlin .

Since Nicolai failed to interest a publisher in his fair, it remained unprinted until the 20th century. The Poznan score and the Berlin material with the final version were lost in the Second World War , so that today the Salzburg version is mostly performed.

In order to complete the musical parts of the liturgy , Nicolai composed Latin Gradualia and Offertoria to complement the Mass , for example his Salve Regina op.39 in 1846 .

No. 1, originating from the composer, suggests the existence of further settings by Nicolai; However, this remained his only work of this genre .

occupation

• Soprano , alto , tenor and bass solo
• Choir ( SATB )
• 2 clarinets , 2 bassoons , 2 trumpets , 2 horns , timpani , strings ( violins I and II, viola , cello , double bass )

The performance lasts approx. 30 minutes.

literature

Sheet music editions

• Eva Neumayr (Ed.): Otto Nicolai. Trade fair in D. Carus, Stuttgart 2010, ISMN M-007-09494-2.

Secondary literature

• Klaus Rettinghaus: Studies on the spiritual work of Otto Nicolais . 2nd Edition. epubli, Berlin 2014, ISBN 978-3-7375-1116-2 , urn : nbn: de: 101: 1-2015061224795 .

Web links

• Information on the composer and work (Spanish)
• Gloria , recording of a performance by the State and Cathedral Choir for the composer's 200th birthday.