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K. 243

Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento in E flat

	Kyrie
	Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento
	© 1991 Philips Classics Productions
	422 520-2

In the waning days of summer, 1776, Mozart wrote a rambling letter (or perhaps he dictated it, since it is written in Italian in his father's hand) to his former music teacher, Padre Martini of Bologna. In this letter he described his latest opera, La finta giardiniera (K. 196), written for Munich, and described as well as the restrictions imposed upon Salzburg church music by the enlightened and practical Prince Archbishop, Count Hieronymus Colloredo (see Missa in C, "Trinitatis," K. 167). "Meanwhile I am amusing myself by writing chamber music and music for the church," Wolfgang wrote.

The fact was, Mozart was bored nearly to tears by the marginal existence he was forced to lead in provincial Salzburg. "I live in a country where music leads a struggling existence," he complained to Padre Martini. Worst of all, in Salzburg there was no theater to speak of, no opportunity to indulge his true passion for composing opera. Even his talent for creating church music was hampered by the Archbishop's rules, which stipulated that no Mass could last longer than three quarters of an hour.

Small wonder, then, that Mozart seized every opportunity to display his skill. One opportunity was the composition of this litany: "Now since Mozart did not have to pay any attention to the Archbishop this time, he was free of music restrictions. He stretched his wings, he wrote once more extensive arias for the soloists, he allowed himself polyphonic exploits," writes Alfred Einstein.

Indeed, the nine movements of the litany are a study in contrast, a celebration of Mozart's ability to blend the old, "strict" style with free-form operatic composition. "For whom did Mozart write such things?" Einstein asks, rhetorically. "We have no choice but to imagine that in the audience for such a litany, devoutness was mixed with connoisseurship; it was a concert, given on a liturgical pretext."

Leopold's later correspondence suggests that these discriminating (if less than devout) worshipers were not confined to Salzburg: Over the next few years the litany also was performed in other cities, including his home town of Augsburg.

Recommended recordings:

• Mozart: Missa in C Major ("Credo")/Litaniae K. 243, Teldec 9031-72304-2
• Mozart: Litanies, Vespers Etc., Philips 422 520-2

References:

• Einstein, Alfred. Mozart, His Character, His Work. New York, 1962.
• Giegling, Weinmann and Sievers, eds. Chronologisch-thematisches Verzeichnis samtlicher Tonwerke Wolfgang Amadé Mozarts. 6th edition. Wiesbaden, 1964.
• Sadie, Stanley. The New Grove Mozart. New York, 1983.
• Zaslaw, Neal, and Cowdery, William, eds. The Compleat Mozart. New York, 1990.