An Annotated Listing of Mozart's Smaller , Sacred Choral Works
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
An Annotated Listing of Mozart's Smaller , Sacred Choral Works by David Rayl s we approach the 200th Editions anniversary of the death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Obviously, no two editions of the choral conductors are same work are identical; some are beginning to consider carefully edited according to scholarly Aprograms which will suitably criteria while others are poorly edited commemorate the death of this most and misrepresent the original score. amazing of composers. There will Carus-Verlag, whose publications are undoubtably be many performances of available through Mark Foster, has his Requiem and the C minor Mass, begun to publish editions of much of as well as the better-mown works Mozart's choral music. Their excellent from his tenure in Salzburg, such as editions are generally the best the "Coronation" Mass and the available, being based on the Neue Solemn Vespers of a Confessor. But Mozart Ausgabe. Each contains an there are many smaller choral works excellent forward with information which are unjustly neglected and about the origin of the work, the which deserve more frequent manuscript sources used in its performance. Most of these are not so English.) This list includes a variety of preparation, a translation of the text, difficult as to restrict their genres: six offertories (K. 34, and some ideas about appropriate performance to college! university K. 117/66a, K. 72/74f, K. 222/205b, performance practice. The problem choirs; they are eminently accessible to K. 260/248a, K. 277/272a), three with these editions is that not all the a great many high school and church Regina coeli settings (K. 108174d, performing materials are available for choirs. I myself have performed more K. 127, K. 276/321b), two every work. For example, one work than a dozen of these works with independent Kyrie settings (K. 33, might be available with a piano-vocal choirs of all types in a wide variety of K. 3411368a), one Gradual (K. 273), score and choral parts (without piano liturgical and concert settings, and one incomplete vesper setting (K. 193), reduction) but not with a full score, have found them very satisfying both one psalm setting (K. 85173s), one while another work might be to performers and listeners. Marian litany (K. 109174e), one Te available with a full score and choral What follows is an annotated listing Deum setting (K. 141166b), one parts but no piano-vocal score. of 20 of these smaller sacred works antiphon (K. 86/73v), and three works Because new materials in this series with details regarding vocal and which fall into the general category of are appearing every month, my advice instrumental requirements, their motet (K. 20, K. 47, K. 618). I have is to contact Mark Foster to see location in the Neue Mozart Ausgabe excluded all the more or less complete precisely what is available. Edwin F. (NMA), available performing editions, Mass settings, the two complete vesper Kalmus & Co., whose publications are __.f!anll'd~aI!:groximate duration. I have setting5-(K-321,~39},,--.Jtwhll:ie ____~nUloJjw~aLYY:.i::lllailable--±hmugaBelwin Mills,, ___ chosen to annotate only those pieces of remaining three litany settings (K. 125, also publishes many of these works at Latin church music for unaccom K. 195/186d, K. 243), and various very affordable prices. Their editions, panied chorus or chorus and orchestra settings of Italian and German texts however, are less authoritative and in (sometimes consisting of only basso (canons, nottumi, Masonic music, some instances, quite problematic. continuo) which have performance cantatas, etc.). Only complete works Because their full scores are reprints of times of less than 15 minutes. (The have been annotated; with one the old Breitkopf & Hiirtel edition of ,one exception is K. 20, which is in exception, separately published Mozart works, the vocal parts are Rayl is Associate Professor of Music and movements from these 20 works have written in movable C clefs. Also, the Director of Choral Activities at the been omitted. instrumental articulations in these University of Missouri'in Columbia, , Before beginning this list, however, editions are greatly over-edited and Missouri: He is also founder and Director I feel it is important to briefly discuss sometimes bear little resemblance to of the Quad City Mozart Festival in performing editions and considerations what actually appears in the Davenport, Iowa. of instrumentation. manuscripts. In addition, there are April 1991 I Page 11 often discrepancies between the full ascertain the quality of the scholarship instances, the sound is just too loud score, the piano-vocal score, and the involved or even the sources utilized in and thick, and I do not advise their instrumental parts. (See, for example, preparing the edition. use, except perhaps in a rather large, Te Deum, K. 141, below.) Arista acoustically dry hall with a large Music Company has also published a Instrumentation chorus and orchestra. It should be pointed out that generally, these colla All of Mozart's works include a parte trombone parts do not appear in figured bass line and are intended to the autograph scores, but are to be There are many S1naller be performed with a basso continuo choral works which are group that includes a keyboard instrument and at least one melodic unjustly neglected and bass instrument. In the annotations which deserve more below, I have indicated the basso All of Mozart's works foequent=peiformanee.~M()st===c~on~~fn3.o ~~'::W=Wtrith_:bcts" _with?~=_===:=include a figured bass line spec! ymg we ms umen reqU1reu. and are intended to be of these are not so difficult Organ is the preferred keyboard as to restrict their instrument, although performance peiformed with a basso with harpsichord would not be continuo group that includes p erfiormance onl y to inappropriate. Performance with a college/university chairs; modern piahcnsle.ss deSirable. The a keyboard-instrumentand~ they are eminently basso continuo group should always at least one melodic bass include at least one cello and one bass, instrument. accessible to a great many and possibly a bassoon if the choir is high school and church large. choirs. It was the tradition in Salzburg to reinforce the alto, tenor, and bass vocal lines with trombones, and many found in the sets of performance parts of Mozart's choral works call for which date from the period. They number of these works, but, since trombones ad libitum. While thus "represent no more and no less neither their editions nor those by eighteenth-century trombones fulfilled than one of numerous possibilities Kalmus provide even rudimentary this function admirably, their modern current at that time from the editorial notes, it is impossible to counterparts do not. In most centuries-old tradition of doubling vocal parts by instruments."l Annotations Compositions are listed in MOZART 'chronological order according to the latest revision of the Kochel catalog ANTHEM BOOK using the following format: Title, original Kochel number (revised Kochel number); vocal performing forces; instrumental performing forces; location within the Neue Mozart 12 of the master's smaller church Ausgabe (series, group of works, pieces collected for practical use in volume where applicable, page); worship services. approximate duration; publishers and performing materials available. I have Volume 1 97UCMG5230 $3.00 listed the best available edition first Three Unaccompanied Pieces and with other editions following in Five Pieces with Keyboard alphabetical order. Problems with Cello Part 97UCMG5231 1.75 specific editions are discussed within the annotation. Unless indicated, all materials are available for purchase. Volume 2 97UCMG5275 The following abbreviations are used: 2.50 pf-voc sc (piano-vocal score with all Four Pieces for Mixed Voices, Strings, and Organ vocal parts and piano reduction), full String Parts 97UCMG5277 5.00 sc (full score), pts (instrumental parts), chor sc (the definition of a Available from your local {j choral score varies: some publishers music dealer or from (Dn~llDla® use this term to mean a piano-vocal score, others use it to describe a score Toll Free: ~ PUBLISHING HOUSE with only the choral parts. When 3558 SOUTH JEFFERSONr AVENUE 1-800-325-3040 SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI 63118·3968 more specific information is known, I have indicated it within the annotation) . Page 12 I CHORAL JOURNAL God is our Refuge, K. 20; SATB Veni Sancte Spiritus, K. 47; SATB chorus; NMA III:9,2; 1 min.; soli, SATB chorus, 2 ob, 2 hn, 2 tpt, $... Alexander Broude, Inc., Chantry timp, 2 vln, vIa, be; NMA 1:3,12; 4 ~ Music Press, Moseler (published with min.; Arista (pf-voc sc, full sc, pts), ...c: Kyrie, K. 33). Kalmus (pf-voc sc, full sc, pts). ~ This is the first vocal work in the This is a very exciting, but not ,- Kochel catalog. It was composed in particularly difficult piece. Although it LL..c 1765 while Mozart and his family . was composed in 1768, I find the --0 were in London. Although most of the concluding" Alleluia" section as E handwriting is Leopold's, who, always thrilling as any of the late Salzburg the proud father, presented the church music (i.e., "Coronation" § manuscript to the British Museum as Mass, Solemn Vespers, etc.) U an example of his son's work, the Throughout the work, the active piece is believed to be primarily the orchestral texture adds brilliance to C/) music of the nine-year-old Mozart. It the homophonic, syllabic choral !:::, is composed in the stile antico, and writing. Solo lines are short and not ~ O'l \0 pairs in concert quite nicely with difficult. Its text .makes it most ~ ,5 ~ Quaerite primum regnum Dei. Both appropriate for Pentecost Sunday or ~ 12 i?) ~ works are short, and the pitches and Confirmation.