The ''Harmoniemesse'' in
B-flat major
B-flat major is a major scale based on B, with pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two flats. Its relative minor is G minor and its parallel minor is B-flat minor.
The B-flat major scale is:
:
Many transposing ins ...
by
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have le ...
,
Hob. XXII:14, Novello 6, was written in 1802. It was Haydn's last major work. It is because of the prominence of the winds in this mass and "the German terminology for a kind of wind ensemble, ''
Harmonie''," that this
mass setting is called "Harmoniemesse" or "Wind Band Mass". Besides
flute
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedles ...
, 2
oboe
The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range.
...
s, 2
clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound.
Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...
s, 2
bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuos ...
s, 2 horns in B-flat, 2
trumpet
The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
s in B-flat, the mass also calls for choir,
timpani
Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionall ...
, strings, and organ, the latter supplying
figured bass
Figured bass is musical notation in which numerals and symbols appear above or below (or next to) a bass note. The numerals and symbols (often accidentals) indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones that a musician playing piano, harpsi ...
for most of the duration.
The setting is divided into six movements.
# Kyrie Poco Adagio, B-flat major, 3/4
# Gloria Vivace assai, B-flat major,
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note val ...
#: "Gratias agimus" Allegretto,
E-flat major
E-flat major (or the key of E-flat) is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has three flats. Its relative minor is C minor, and its parallel minor is E minor, (or enharmonically ...
, 3/8
#: "Quoniam tu solus sanctus" Allegro spiritoso, common time, B-flat major
# Credo Vivace, B-flat major, common time
#: "Et incarnatus est" Adagio,
E-flat major
E-flat major (or the key of E-flat) is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has three flats. Its relative minor is C minor, and its parallel minor is E minor, (or enharmonically ...
, 3/4
#: "Et resurrexit" Vivace, B-flat major, common time
#: "Et vitam venturi" Vivace, 6/8
# Sanctus Adagio, B-flat major, 3/4
# Benedictus Molto Allegro,
F major
F major (or the key of F) is a major scale based on F, with the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative minor is D minor and its parallel minor is F minor.
The F major scale is:
:
F major is ...
, common time
#: "Osanna" 3/4, B-flat major
# Agnus Dei Adagio,
G major
G major (or the key of G) is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative minor is E minor and its parallel minor is G minor.
The G major scale is:
Notable com ...
, 3/4
#: "Dona nobis pacem" Allegro con spirito, B-flat major,
cut time
''Alla breve'' also known as cut time or cut common timeis a musical meter notated by the time signature symbol (a C with a vertical line through it), which is the equivalent of . The term is Italian for "on the breve", originally meaning t ...
The Kyrie has "the most striking 'introductory' shock in Haydn's late vocal music ... a rather long orchestral introduction ...
ithunceasing contrasts between soft and loud, and the unexpected entry of G-flat, the flat submediant, in the fifth bar." The Agnus Dei makes reference both to the Adagio of
Symphony No. 98 and to
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...
's
Coronation Mass
A Coronation Mass is a Eucharistic celebration, in which a special liturgical act, the coronation of an image of Mary, is performed.
The coronation of an image of Mary is an act of devotion to her. It expresses the belief that Mary as mother ...
.
[Heartz (2008) p. 662]
The ''Harmoniemesse'' was performed at
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...
in the
Vatican City
Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—'
* german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ')
* pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—'
* pt, Cidade do Vati ...
for the Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost on 31 May 2009, which coincided with the 200th anniversary of Haydn's death.
Recordings
See also
Die Schöpfung & Harmoniemesse (Leonard Bernstein recording)
Notes
References
* Heartz, Daniel (2009). ''Mozart, Haydn and Early Beethoven: 1781 — 1802'' W. W. Norton & Co. New York.
* Hughes, Rosemary (1974). ''Haydn''. J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. London.
* Larsen, Jans Peter; Feder, Georg (1997). ''The New Grove Haydn'' W. W. Norton & Co. New York.
* Schenbeck, Lawrence (1996). ''Joseph Haydn and the Classical Choral Tradition''. Hinshaw Music. Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
* Sisman, Elaine Rochelle (1997). ''Haydn and His World''. Princeton University Press. Princeton.
* Strimple, Nick (2008). ''Choral music in the nineteenth century''. Hal Leonard. New York.
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Masses by Joseph Haydn
1802 compositions
Compositions in B-flat major