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K. 117/66a

Offertory in C, "Benedictus sit Deus"

	Benedictus sit Deus
	© 1991 Philips Classics Productions
	422 520-2

This offertory was composed, along with the Missa in C, "Dominicus" (K. 66), for the ordination of Mozart's boyhood friend Cajetan Hagenauer on Oct. 15, 1769.

Its most striking feature is that it is composed in the manner of an Italian sinfonia; that is, in three movements: allegro (chorus), andante (soprano solo), allegro (chorus). The solo middle section is a free-form coloratura aria; for the final movement Mozart set an appropriately exuberant theme (a "joyful noise," indeed) against a more traditional liturgical psalm-tone that repeats through soprano, tenor, bass and alto. The effect, as Alfred Einstein puts it, is "at once original and ecclesiastical."

Recommended recordings:

• Mozart: Litaniae K. 109/Regina Coeli K. 108, Teldec 4509-96147-2
• Mozart: Mass K. 139/Offertory K. 117, EMI CDC 7 49883 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.