Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo
Encyclopedia
The Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo in B-flat major by Joseph Haydn
, Hob. XXII:7, Novello 8, was written in 1775 for the Barmherzige Brüder in Kismarton, Hungarian Kingdom, (now Eisenstadt
, Austria
) whose patron saint
was St. John of God
. Sometimes known as the "Kleine Orgelmesse" ("Little Organ
Mass") because of the extensive organ solo in the Benedictus.
Originally scored for choir, strings and organ, there also exist versions with trumpet
s and timpani
, and clarinet
s.
The setting is divided into six movements.
The setting of the Crucifixus is longer than in Haydn's previous Missa Brevis (the one in F).
Being a missa brevis
, "several clauses of the text [are set] simultaneously in different voices." This Mass was also used in Salzburg, where the textual compression was deemed "unacceptable" so Michael Haydn
(Joseph's brother) expanded the Gloria. Very few performances however, use Michael's expansion. In the latter, the Gloria lasts less than a minute. However, the Oxford edition presents Michael's prolongation in the main body of the text and Joseph's short original as an appendix. Johann Georg Albrechtsberger
wrote an alternate Benedictus.
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
, Hob. XXII:7, Novello 8, was written in 1775 for the Barmherzige Brüder in Kismarton, Hungarian Kingdom, (now Eisenstadt
Eisenstadt
- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
) whose patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
was St. John of God
John of God
John of God ) was a Portuguese-born friar and saint, one of Spain's leading religious figures.John of God was born João Cidade in Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal, into a once-prominent family that was impoverished but had great religious faith...
. Sometimes known as the "Kleine Orgelmesse" ("Little Organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
Mass") because of the extensive organ solo in the Benedictus.
Originally scored for choir, strings and organ, there also exist versions with trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s and timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
, and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s.
The setting is divided into six movements.
- "Kyrie" Adagio, common timeCommon Time"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
, B-flat major - "Gloria" Allegro molto, 3/4, B-flat major (originally Joseph's was just 31 measures, Michael's is 118)
- "Credo" Allegro, common time, B-flat major - "Et incarnatus est..." Adagio 3/4 - "Et resurrexit..." Allegro
- "Sanctus" Allegro, 6/8, B-flat major
- "Benedictus" Moderato, common time, E-flat major - "Osanna..." 6/8, B-flat major
- "Agnus Dei" Adagio, 3/4, B-flat major
The setting of the Crucifixus is longer than in Haydn's previous Missa Brevis (the one in F).
Being a missa brevis
Missa Brevis
Missa brevis literally means "short mass" and can refer to different types of musical setting of the Mass. Modernly, Missa brevis is generally understood as a setting of parts of the ordinary mass...
, "several clauses of the text [are set] simultaneously in different voices." This Mass was also used in Salzburg, where the textual compression was deemed "unacceptable" so Michael Haydn
Michael Haydn
Johann Michael Haydn was an Austrian composer of the classical period, the younger brother of Joseph Haydn.-Life:...
(Joseph's brother) expanded the Gloria. Very few performances however, use Michael's expansion. In the latter, the Gloria lasts less than a minute. However, the Oxford edition presents Michael's prolongation in the main body of the text and Joseph's short original as an appendix. Johann Georg Albrechtsberger
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger was an Austrian musician who was born at Klosterneuburg, near Vienna.He originally studied music at Melk Abbey and philosophy at a Benedictine seminary in Vienna and became one of the most learned and skillful contrapuntists of his age...
wrote an alternate Benedictus.