Beethoven’s Missa solemnis is a special work, which – regardless of the liturgical occasion in church use – sees itself as a composition of the Enlightenment.
Its enormous musical and vocal challenges make the composition an extraordinary project even today. Beethoven’s late Missa goes beyond all previously known boundaries, both in terms of musical content and structure: it not only breaks with the liturgical obligations of a composition originally committed to the church service, but also creates a musical language that is completely autonomous, interprets the text in a free-spirited manner or dispenses with any religious mediation.
Conceptually, the musical thematic pool of the Missa solemnis draws on the dialectical principle of the sonata form. It is realised in the sense of a symphonic work. At the same time, it affirms the humanistic basic conception of that era by striving for an artistic-musical understanding in all parts of the mass, almost without exception.
The Missa solemnis was performed by the Berliner Oratorien-Chor in 1963 on the occasion of its 60th birthday. After another 60 years, i.e. for the 120th anniversary, it seems appropriate to include Beethoven’s late work in the programme once again as a “birthday present” as part of a long tradition.
At the concert, we are aiming for a historically informed performance practice; in the knowledge of the artistic means of composition of its time, we would like to come as close as possible to the original sound of the Missa solemnis. We have therefore invited an orchestra on ‘classical’ (old) instruments. The instruments of Concerto Brandenburg will be played at a pitch of 435 (i.e. a quarter tone lower than usual).
