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K. 259

Missa brevis in C, "Organ Solo"

This Mass represents an extreme example of what might be called the "Colloredo tradition," which demanded economy in liturgical music. The Credo, at 84 measures, perhaps holds the record for brevity. (By comparison, the Credo of Mozart's Missa longa in C (K. 262) ends with a display fugue that continues for 120 measures.)

The organ solo from which it derives its nickname occurs in the Benedictus, and follows a tradition in Austrian Masses. In fact, writes H.C. Robbins Landon, "The whole of Mozart's Mass is very Austrian, even to the delightful Agnus Dei, with its songful first violin (later vocal) part and its mischievous pizzicato bass part -- as innocently Baroque and worldly as many an altar in southern Germany and Austria."

Though most references assign this work a date of December 1776, the date on the autograph apparently has been tampered with. Watermark research indicates that it, along with the Missa brevis in C, "Spaur" (K. 258), was more likely to have been composed a year earlier.

Recommended recordings:

• Mozart: Masses K. 257-259/Church Sonatas K. 244, 263, EMI CDC 7 54037 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.