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K. 139/47a

Missa solemnis in C minor, "Waisenhaus"

This Mass was composed by the 12-year-old Mozart at the end of a yearlong visit with his father to Vienna. The year had been productive, but also long and frustrating, as Leopold encountered one obstacle after another while trying to promote his son's career at the imperial court.

In fact, Leopold may have done his son more harm than good by rashly blaming courtly intrigues for the failure (or, at least, the nonperformance) of Mozart's first opera buffa, La finta semplice (K. 51). However, the Mozarts were not entirely out of favor, as evidenced by the imperial commission Wolfgang received for this work. The occasion was the dedication of the new Orphanage Church (Waisenhauskirche) on Dec. 7, 1768.

It is, as described by Alfred Einstein, "a Missa solemnis of considerable dimensions, for a large group of executants: chorus, soloists, strings, two oboes, three trombones, four trumpets, and timpani." Leopold Mozart was extremely proud of his son's achievement, as evidenced by his letter of Dec. 14, 1768:

"The Mass, which was produced by little Wolfgang on December 7th at Father Parhammer's orphanage in the presence of the Imperial Court and which he himself conducted, has restored that reputation which our enemies, by preventing the performance of the opera, intended to destroy, and, as the throng was amazing, has convinced the court and the public of the wickedness of our adversaries. I shall give you more details when we meet. And, what is more, Her Majesty the Empress has sent us a beautiful present."

Recommended recordings:

• W.A. Mozart: Missa Solemnis/Exsultate, Jubilate, Teldec 2292-44180-2
• Mozart: Mass K. 139/Offertory K. 117, EMI CDC 7 49883 2

References:

• Anderson, Emily, ed. The Letters of Mozart and His Family. New York, 1985.
• 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.
• Solomon, Maynard. Mozart: A Life. New York, 1995.
• Zaslaw, Neal, and Cowdery, William, eds. The Compleat Mozart. New York, 1990.