3. Sacred Music in the Classical Era
• The Classical era choral music was an
offshoot of the Baroque tradition.
• Principle genres were the Mass, the
Requiem Mass and the oratorio.
• All of these genres were intended to be
performed in church but were eventually
moved to the concert hall.
4. Requiem Mass in D Minor(1791)
• Commissioned by anonymous nobleman through
letter brought by a stranger
• Intended to pass off work as his own
• Composed 9 movements, part of 10th
• Tried to finish on deathbed
• four vocal soloists, 4-part chorus, and orchestra
• expanded use of low brass; organ
• Baroque touches(double fugue in Kyrie)
• Completed by student-Franz Suessmeyer, who filled
out orchestration, completed fragment, added four
movements
5. Mozart’s Requiem: Mass for the Dead
• Dies irae (Day of Wrath)
• thirteenth-century Latin poem
• last portion completed by Mozart
• vision of Judgment Day
6. Mozart, Dies irae, from Requiem (1791)
(Listening Guide)
• Rhymed Latin poem, six verses
• Verse 1: full chorus and orchestra,
homophonic
• Verse 2: chorus and orchestra, polyphonic
• Verse 3: trombone solo, bass solo
– a. Tuba mirum (“A trumpet with an
astonishing sound”)
7. • Verse 4: tenor solo, homophonic orchestra
• Verse 5: tenor solo continues
• Verse 6: alto solo with orchestra
• Verse 7: soprano solo with orchestra, last line
repeated, all soloists
• Verse 8: full chorus setting, dramatic
– Rex tremendale majestatis! (“King of tremendous
majesty”): dotted rhythms, syncopated chords
– Salva me, fons pietatis! (“Save me, fount of piety”):
last line sung softly
Mozart, Dies irae, from Requiem (1791)
(Listening Guide, Count)
8. Requiem Mass, Dies Irae
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T7eMctuJLQ
• https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDWO9YHD0Gw
■ Classical composers continued the tradition of writing worship music for their communities.
■ Sacred music of the later 1700s was characterized by expanded orchestral and choral forces, in genres such as the oratorio and the Mass.
■ Mozart’s Requiem Mass, left unfinished at the composer’s death, exemplifies the grand style of Catholic music in Vienna.
The Classical era choral music was an offshoot of the Baroque tradition. Among the principle genres were the Mass, the Requiem Mass, and the oratorio.
A Mass is a musical setting of the most solemn service of the Roman Catholic Church. A Requiem is a musical setting of the Mass for the Dead. And an oratorio, as studied previously, is usually focused on a biblical story.
All of these genres were originally intended to be performed in church, but by the nineteenth century they were able to find a larger audience in the concert hall.
Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven all made significant contributions to the sacred repertory. Mozart’s last composition was a Requiem Mass. The oratorio was made popular by Handel in works such as Messiah. Haydn’s two oratorios: The Creation and The Season were wildly popular at the time and are often performed today.
Mozart’s Requiem, a Mass for the dead, is Mozart’s last composition and was left incomplete.
The work features four vocal soloists, a 4-part chorus, and orchestra.
Further, Mozart introduced expanded use of low brass, also, organ.
The Dies irae (Day of Wrath), a well known thirteenth-century Latin poem is quoted in the last portion completed by Mozart.
The Dies irae melody portrays a vision of Judgment Day.
Rhymed Latin poem, six verses
Verse 1: full chorus and orchestra, homophonic
Verse 2: chorus and orchestra, polyphonic
Verse 3: trombone solo, bass solo
Tuba mirum (“A trumpet with an astonishing sound”)
Verse 4: tenor solo, homophonic orchestra
Verse 5: tenor solo continues
Verse 6: alto solo with orchestra
Verse 7: soprano solo with orchestra, last line repeated, all soloists
Verse 8: full chorus setting, dramatic
Rex tremendale majestatis! (“King of tremendous majesty”): dotted rhythms, syncopated chords
Salva me, fons pietatis! (“Save me, fount of piety”): last line sung softly