Mass in C major (Rheinberger)

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Title page of the first German edition

The Mass in C major (op. 169) is a mass setting for solos, four-part mixed choir ( SATB ) and orchestra (alternatively: string instruments and organ ) by Josef Rheinberger . It is the only mass by this composer with orchestra accompaniment .

History of origin

The origin of the fair goes back to Rheinberger's contacts in Switzerland. In 1885, the monthly for church music published by Meinrad Ochsner in Einsiedeln , Der Chorwächter, wrote :

“A master like Rheinberger would like to have mercy on the instrumental poverty of our catalog and write half a dozen effective, beautifully instrumental orchestral masses. - There is a tremendous lack in this. "

- The choir guard

In the following year, Father Josef Staub from Einsiedeln Abbey asked Rheinberger in a letter to "compose orchestral masses". In the spring of 1891 Rheinberger began composing a large mass for soli, choir and orchestra, drawing on sketches from 1882. The fair was completed in May and was published by FEC Leuckart Verlag in Leipzig that same year . The premiere took place on Easter Sunday 1893 under the direction of Eduard Stehle in the collegiate church of St. Gallen . One day later, Rheinberger personally conducted the mass in the All Saints Court Church in Munich. Rheinberger received a telegram from St. Gallen with the following text:

“Fair wonderful - bring a note of thanks - and in jubilation - congratulations!”

Structure and occupation

The sentence sequence is:

  • Kyrie (Molto moderato)
  • Gloria (Maestoso)
  • Credo (Andante - Adagio - Tempo I - Maestoso)
  • Sanctus (Adagio)
  • Benedictus (Andante)
  • Agnus Dei (Andante)

The text largely follows the ordinarium , although the words Gloria in excelsis Deo and Credo in unum Deum are not fully composed.

The mass is written for four soloists and a mixed choir ( SATB ). The soloists always appear as an ensemble ; there are no longer aria-like passages.

There are several versions of the orchestration. The instrumentation for the full orchestra includes flute , 2 oboes , 2 clarinets , 2 bassoons , 2 horns , 2 trumpets , 3 trombones , timpani ad lib. , 2 violins , viola , violoncello and double bass . There is also another version for violins, viola, cello and organ.

literature

  • Harald Wanger: Josef Gabriel Rheinberger. A biography , van Eck Verlag, Triesen 2007, ISBN 978-3-905501-89-6
  • Josef Gabriel Rheinberger: Mass in C op.169, Carus-Verlag, Stuttgart 1994, CV 50.169

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ quoted from Harald Wanger: Josef Gabriel Rheinberger - Eine Biographie , van Eck Verlag, Triesen 2007, ISBN 978-3-905501-89-6 , p. 71
  2. ↑ quoted from Harald Wanger: Josef Gabriel Rheinberger - Eine Biographie , van Eck Verlag, Triesen 2007, ISBN 978-3-905501-89-6 , p. 72