BEETHOVEN Missa Solemnis
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BEETHOVEN MISSA SOLEMNIS CHRIStoPH ESChenbACH conductor Anne SCHWAneWILMS soprano Annette JAhnS mezzo soprano NIKOLAI SCHUKOFF tenor DIETRICH HENSCHEL bass LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA and CHOIR 0061 Beethoven Missa Solemnis booklet.indd 1 1/20/2012 4:20:51 PM beethoven missa solemnis 1 Kyrie Handel’s Messiah and had the Latin text of 2 Gloria the Mass translated into German to ensure 3 Credo that he did not misunderstand any of it. By 4 Sanctus the middle of 1819 the sketching of the Missa 5 Agnus Dei Solemnis was well underway. Anton Schindler reported that he had never seen the composer In the autumn of 1818 it came to Beethoven’s so oblivious to all earthly matters. Visiting his knowledge that the Archduke Rudolf of summer quarters near Vienna with a friend Austria, brother of the Emperor, was to be that August, he found that both servants had made Archbishop of Olmütz in Moravia. Rudolf fled after a quarrel and that Beethoven had had long been the composer’s friend, patron had nothing to eat for 24 hours. ‘In the living and pupil, and Beethoven resolved to compose room, which was locked, we heard the master a Mass for the enthronement ceremony. The singing parts of the fugue in the Credo – Archduke’s election was officially announced singing, howling, stamping.’ in June 1819, and Beethoven wrote to him: ‘The day on which a Mass composed by me Trouble with servants was the least of will be performed during the ceremonies Beethoven’s worries. Poor health limited solemnized for Your Imperial Highness will the time he could devote to composition, be the most glorious of my life, and God and everything was overshadowed by a will enlighten me so that my poor talents lawsuit concerning his nephew and ward, may contribute to the glorification of that Karl. Moreover, the Mass did not take shape solemn day.’ There was true affection and quite as Beethoven had expected. Each respect between the two men; the Archduke movement took on greater dimensions than had provided the composer with an annual originally planned. Consequently, the Mass pension since 1809, and Beethoven had was not finished in time for the Archbishop’s dedicated to him some of his best works. enthronement in March 1820. It took The Mass was intended as the glorious crown until December 1822 to complete. Having of their relationship. despatched a dedicated score to Rudolf, Beethoven offered copies for sale to various Before setting to work Beethoven studied past sovereigns and nobles. One subscriber, the church music, copied out some choruses from Russian Prince Nicholas Galitsin, organised the 0061 Beethoven Missa Solemnis booklet.indd 2 1/20/2012 4:20:51 PM first performance, which took place in In striving to give his ideas musical form St Petersburg on 26 March 1824. The Kyrie, Beethoven could not study the performers’ Credo and Agnus Dei were performed in Vienna convenience. Not only are the choral sopranos on 7 May in the concert that introduced the taken repeatedly up to A and even B, but all Ninth Symphony. Beethoven was present but four sections of the choir are put under strain too deaf to hear a note. The first complete at the bottom of their range. Singers are performance in Vienna did not take place required to phrase with the rhythmic precision until after his death. and attack of an orchestral instrument, to sustain long passages at uncomfortable Beethoven was born into a Catholic family pitches and to get tongues round many and never formally renounced the faith. He syllables at extremes of pitch. taught his nephew to pray, and he received the last rites on his deathbed. But he had little liking for organised religion, and churchmen responded by being suspicious of his Missa Solemnis, which was not really suited to liturgical use. He was, however, a religious man. He believed in God as an all-powerful, loving Father, a universal presence in nature and influence on human aspirations, real yet not to be truly comprehended by mankind. Instinctively he felt the immense majesty of a personal God and humanity’s dependence upon God’s love. These feelings, which may be sensed by the listener throughout the Mass, contribute to the awesome effect that the work makes. It is a sublime work expressing the personal faith of a confessed imperfect Christian. At the head of the first movement Beethoven wrote: ‘From the heart – may it in turn go to the heart!’ 0061 Beethoven Missa Solemnis booklet.indd 3 1/20/2012 4:20:51 PM KYRIE The Missa Solemnis is not divided into separate a synthesis of the first two. Beethoven’s numbers but composed as five essentially strenuous setting is full of sharp contrasts. symphonic movements. Soloists and choir It begins in D major with a great shout of alternate according to the needs of the text, praise to a theme driven irresistibly. The plea the former usually standing as individuals for peace is hushed, but the praise quickly making personal utterances while the resumes and glorificamus te becomes a fugato, chorus represents the mass of humanity. ending with a sustained burst of C major. The The text largely determines the shape of each key modulates to B flat for the lyrical Gratias movement. So the three-part text of the Kyrie agimus, which brings in the soloists. The initial dictates a ternary musical scheme. The first tempo and mood return at Domine Deus, and Kyrie, marked ‘With devotion’, is in D major the words Deus Pater omnipotens (‘God the and 4/4 time. A solitary voice three times Father almighty’) occasion a triple-forte climax echoes the choir as though to emphasise with the first use of trombones in the work. the personal significance of the general Domine Fili is marked by the return of the prayer. The time changes to 3/2 for Christe thirds from the middle section of the Kyrie. eleison in related B minor. Here the soloists precede the choir, pairing off after a while In the second section of the movement in companionable thirds symbolising Christ (beginning at Qui tollis), prayers to Christ walking with man as friend and helper. The are again set with the soloists’ harmony in second Kyrie is addressed to the Holy Spirit, thirds. Word setting in this Larghetto in F so the reprise of the initial music is varied, is especially expressive. A tempo change to the voices entering in a new key, G major. Allegro maestoso marks the start of the final section (Quoniam). This is another great hymn of praise, culminating in a four-part fugue on GLORIA a theme derived from the Kyrie. At the end the opening theme returns at presto tempo, and The first part of the Gloria glorifies God, the choir glorifies God with repeated shouts of the second is concerned with sinful mankind the first word. seeking Christ’s mercy, and the third makes 0061 Beethoven Missa Solemnis booklet.indd 4 1/20/2012 4:20:51 PM CREDO The text of the Creed, setting forth the proclamation – in the old Mixolydian mode fundamental Christian beliefs, divides – of the resurrection. Mention of Christ into three sections and thereby suggests coming to ‘judge both the quick and the a ternary musical form, but Beethoven dead’ brings a reference by the trombones divides his three parts differently to provide to the Last Trump. two massive assertions of faith enclosing a more intimate account of Christ’s birth, The opening Credo theme is recapitulated crucifixion and resurrection. He makes to the movement’s concluding words. the Credo stand out musically between What especially seizes Beethoven here is the D major movements on either side by the expectation of ‘the life of the world to setting it in the key of B flat. A sturdy theme come’, and he makes these words – Et vitam proclaims belief in one God, the choral venturi – the basis of a mighty, technically sopranos rising to a sustained fortissimo ingenious double fugue. B flat at omnipotentem. For Et incarnatus est, which opens the SANCTUS central section, the tempo changes to Adagio and the key to D minor with archaic For Beethoven the thought of God as Lord modal harmony. As all four soloists sing of God of Hosts is a moment for reverent the Virgin birth the strings are reduced and obeisance and awe. Soft trombones a flute flutters high above, representing the emphasise the solemnity, and the words are dove that was a symbol of the Holy Spirit in given to soloists rather than the choir. This religious paintings. The music moves into opening B minor passage is marked ‘Adagio D major at Et homo factus est, the solo tenor with devotion’. Joy breaks out in a D major and choir dwelling on the word homo, filled fugato at Pleni sunt coeli (‘Heaven and earth with wonder at the thought of Christ made are full of Thy glory’), and the following man. Without pause the music continues Osanna. Solemnity returns in an orchestral with a meditation on Christ’s crucifixion and prelude to Benedictus, which Beethoven burial and the choir’s unaccompanied incorporates in the movement instead of 0061 Beethoven Missa Solemnis booklet.indd 5 1/20/2012 4:20:51 PM setting separately. At this point in the peace meant for him freedom from war as church service believers hold that bread and well as achieving spiritual serenity. Dona wine have been transformed into the body nobis is resumed, but again the noise of war and blood of Christ. Beethoven’s musical interrupts in B minor, prompting an anguished illustration introduces a solo violin and two cry of Agnus Dei.