The recordings of the movements of Missa Solemnis have been extracted from a tape cassette made of a performance of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis by the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra under Benjamin Zander, with the Chorus Pro Musica, prepared by Donald Palumbo. The performance took place at Symphony Hall in Boston on March 15, 1987.
The original tape was of spotty quality, with problems found especially in the Kyrie, but also a few other places later on in the recording (e.g., 17:25 in the Credo) The lyrics are also sometimes a bit difficult to understand – tape deterioration, probably. While rehearsing for this performance, we were instructed to use the German pronunciation of the Latin, so “qui” sounds like “‘QVEE”, not “QWEE” and “pacem” sounds like “PAH-SEM” and not “PATCH-EM”. There were probably others, but these are the only two that I can remember.
I have attempted to point out a few features of this performance that stand out to me, most of which are attributable to Beethoven, and a few to Mr. Zander. An overall comment is simply the detailed lyric painting that Beethoven has accomplished in this composition. And the meaningful and unique mood settings that he portrays: in some cases, no one else who composed music for the Catholic Mass has treated the text in the same way. Also, Missa Solemnis is sometimes called the “marathon” of choral music, due to the large amount of percussive singing, along with a multitude of high notes, sung loudly. And coupled with that, there is really not opportunity to have the chorus sit, because the solos are integrated within the overall music, and not separate entities. So you have 80 minutes of standing and yelling, is one way to look at it. You really don’t want an intermission on this piece.
The emerging of the soloist out of the choral statements of “Kyrie” as the chorus diminishes their volume immediately tells you that this is the Romantic and not the Classical period. Mozart and Haydn would never have done that.
The overall sense of this movement to me is singing and orchestral playing that is on the verge of being out of control; of course that is Beethoven’s intent. This is especially noticeable in the closing, where the orchestra and the singers don’t even end together – intentionally of course – giving almost a sense of Pentecostal ecstasy.
The contrasts in dynamics are there to underscore the words: hence, the quietness of the “et in terra pax…” at 0:52, compared with the wild initial “Gloria”, and the resumption of the wildness at “Laudamus Te”, followed again by the quietness of “adoramus te”. One other quirky thing that Beethoven does at this point: he is belting out a #4 chord with GLO Rl FI CA MUS and then to the # 1 chord on TE (2:28), but then he immediately goes back to the #4 chord, as if to say “I’m not done with the #4 chord!!” Sure enough, instead of resolving to #1, he creates a minor #4, and then transposes to another key.
On the “Domine” passages, the music is dominant. But when the words are about sin, and praying for forgiveness, the music is, well, penitent – for example, whenever the words “miserere nobis” are sung. Contrast the “Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris” at 7:29 – on high notes to indicate heaven, I think – with the pleading of the “miserere nobis” at 7:49.
At the conclusion of this section, Zander does the one thing I wish he had not. Leading up to the “Quonium tu solus” section, there is a very quiet tympani roll (10:31), and in most recordings I have heard, this roll provides a mighty crescendo from the quietness of the “miserere nobis” to the almost yelling of the “Quonium”. But Zander chose to not provide the crescendo; granted it’s not in Beethoven’s score, but most conductors feel that he must have meant there to be one. I asked Mr. Zander about that during a break in a rehearsal, but he was adamant in his interpretation.
One other note on the “Quonium” section: note the contrast on the word “quonium” (loud) with “sanctus” (soft), then “Dominus” (very loud). In fact, Beethoven’s treatment of the word “Sanctus” in this composition is always with reverence, even ambiguity, as if to say, “I’m fearful around Your holiness.”
The mighty fugue on “in Gloria Dei Patris” begins at 11:47, and has a mistake by the organist at 14:39 that would never have made it in a commercial recording, which this is not! Also, Zander during this performance a couple of times inserts a slight “gap” in the tempo (such as at 11:20), which kind of has you leaning forward, waiting for that next note. Consider what he does at 16:10 (between the A and the MEN), right before launching into the blazing coda section, where he begins conducting with one beat to a measure. The wonderful and in a way mysterious closing of this movement, with all of its out-of-control sense, is among other things not the easiest to sing: you have to more or less “feel” it, it’s not really possible to count it out. Plus, Mr. Zander is not just conducting you, he’s got his hands full with the orchestra as well. You may not get a queue from him when you think you need it.
The Credo has a multitude of sforzandi, notes to be sung with percussive accent; your abdomen has to be in good shape for this section! Lots of word painting here by Beethoven, for example, the sudden pianissimo on the word “invisibilium” at 1:03. Another one of Mr. Zander’s gaps is found after the word “Genitum” and before the “non factum” at 7:16. More word painting at 2:52, with the high pitched notes on “caelis” and the descending pitch on “descendit” (3:49).
The “Crucifixus” section has a tragic and somber tone with a special emphasis on the word “passus” (suffered), and the final fading out with the descending notes after the words “et sepultus est” (and was buried). Then the mighty contrast with the “Et resurrexit”, note that it is in a different key than the “et sepultus est”, underscoring even with the key change the contrast. The tenors have to figure that note out all on their own – there’s no queue from the orchestra!
More word by word painting: the horns for the word “judicare” at 10:07, the staccato singing for the words “VI VOS” (10:19), suddenly soft for “mortuos” (10:24), and the repetition on the word “non” at the end of the “cujus regni” at 10:30.
What follows in the next minute to me is Beethoven throwing up his hands and saying “too many words”; he gives up, with part of the chorus shouting “Credo” (I believe) while others get through the words as quickly as possible – kind of a missa brevis section. Of course, that’s because he has big plans for the “et vitam venturi saeculi amen” section. Right before that, however, one more word painting on the ascending pitches on the “et expecto resurrectionem” (11:50), followed by suddenly soft on “mortuonem”, and then loud again on “et vitam”.
This final section of the Credo is comprised of two fugues: one slow (12:21), and another one extremely fast (14:52), followed by a dialog between soloists and chorus. At the end of the second fugue, it sounds as if the entire movement is drawing to a close, but no, there’s more, as the music quiets down and the soloists come in. It’s almost as if Beethoven is attempting to dramatize the length of eternity by keeping this section going on and on. Even after the soloists do their thing, you think it’s coming to an end with the long arching amens, for exampleat 17:54. Finally, after several of these, Beethoven has the chorus yell A MEN A MEN at 18:15. But even THAT does not stop the music! Finally, finally it all ends on a peaceful note, with the orchestra playing the F F F F D Bb behind the chorus to restate the opening theme of the fugue.
An inexplicable section of music.
The contrast between Beethoven’s concept of the Sanctus and just about everyone else’s is amazing. Everyone else (e.g., Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Verdi) soars on the words “Holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth”, often with brass accompaniment and general intensity. Beethoven however chooses not even to use the chorus on those words, and the mood is one of great awe. And at the end of these words, just before the chorus comes in with the “Pleni sunt cae1i..” (Heaven and earth are full of Thy Glory), Beethoven is using a diminished chord, symbolic of ambiguity and uncertainty. To me in this section, he is testifying of his own “fear of the Lord.”
This subdued section is following by the bright “Pleni sunt cae1i”, and then followed by a brief fugue on “Osanna in exclesis” (3:18) which is even brighter, climaxed by a repeated punctuation on the syllable “cel” of “excelsis”. At this point, the singer is getting tired!
This brightness is replaced by a return to the reverence of the opening of this movement, with an orchestral interlude (3:45) which is to me incredibly conducive to worship. And then Beethoven introduces at the highest pitch a violin solo which gently descends with relaxed beauty as if he is depicting the descent of the Holy Spirit to enable the chorus to say, “Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini!” – Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The violin then does an extended lyrical solo, after which the vocal soloists join in, with finally the chorus entering. The remainder of this section is an extended dialog among these three entities, within of course the context of the full orchestra, with the violin supplying that which is inexpressible in words.
This section shifts the focus from God back to man, and in Beethoven’s depiction is the fervent prayer of troubled mankind for the peace that only God can give. The opening is in a minor key, and it becomes more and more intensely dark as the various soloists enter. After an extended passage on “miserere nobis” (have mercy upon us), Beethoven finally resolves those words to a major key (6:31), and the chorus gently says “Agnus Dei, dona….” and a transition is made to the Dona Nobis Pacem (give us peace) section of the Agnus Dei. There are lots of soaring passages on the word “pacem”, and the music becomes more intense, and then Beethoven introduces for the first time (7:55) a cadence which seems to resolve matters for him, and a device he will use again several times:
But then the “pacem” prayer continues in slowly increasing intensity, with finally the chorus percussively and demandingly singing “PA CEM PA CEM” (8:49). Then at 9:10 Beethoven introduces drums and trumpets, a clear reference to war. (This was written with the Napoleonic wars fresh on his mind). At 9:25, the soloist sings “Agnus Dei” in a most anxious tone, and then the chorus at 9:36 screams “miserere nobis!!” But finally the soloists get everybody to calm down, and then at 10:32 that cadence again.
Another flaw: at 11:24, one tenor sings loudly “pacem” while we are supposed to be singing softly! At 11:55, more demanding “pacem” words. Then at 12:05 an inexplicable and convoluted orchestral interlude -like Beethoven has gone nuts! At 12:43 there is another wild and anxious plea to Agnus Dei. The plea is calmed down, but builds up again. Sounds a lot like my own spiritual life! Then that cadence occurs again at 14:36, but this is interrupted by another war drum citation, dialoging with the cadence. Finally that cadence one more time, with intensity, and the entire Mass is over, in a way without a “big bang” ending. You are left with the question as to whether Beethoven really “got the victory” or not, but whatever it means, the emotion and spirituality are valid and real – there is no pretense going on.
Orchestration
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass choir
Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass soloists
2 flutes
2 oboes
2 clarinets
2 bassoons
double bassoon
4 horns
2 trumpets
3 trombones
drums
percussion
organ
Kyrie
| (1:03) Kyrie eleison! | Lord, have mercy upon us! |
| (3:55) Christe eleison! | Christ have mercy upon us! |
| (6:10) Kyrie eleison! | Lord, have mercy upon us! |
Gloria
| (0:09) Gloria in excelsis Deo, (0:52) et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. | Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth to men of good will. |
| (1:25) Laudamus te, benedicimus te, (1:38) adoramus te, glorificamus te. | We praise Thee, we bless Thee, We adore Thee, we glorify Thee |
| (2:57) Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. | We give Thee thanks for Thy great glory. |
| (3:36) Domine Deus, Rex caelestis! Deus Pater omnipotens! (3:59) Domine, Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe! | O Lord God! O heavenly King! O God, the Father Almighty! O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotton Son! |
| (4:18) Domine Deus! Agnus Dei! Filius Patris! | O Lord God! Lamb of God! Son of the Father! |
| (5:12) Qui tollis peccata mundi! miserere nobis; suscipe depracationem nostram. | O Thou, who takest away the sins of the world! have mercy upon us; receive our prayer. |
| (7:29) Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, (7:49) miserere nobis. | O Thou, who sittest at the right hand of the Father! have mercy on us. |
| (10:35) Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe! cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris, Amen. | For Thou alone art holy, Thou alone art Lord, Thous alone art most high, O jesus Christ! together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father, Amen. |
Credo
| (0:15) Credo in unum Deum, patrem omnipotentem, factorem caeli et terrae visibilium omnium et invisibilium. | I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. |
| (1:15) Credo in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, | I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, |
| (1:36) Filium Dei unigenitum; et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula. | the only-begotten Son of God; and born of the Father before all ages. |
| (1:59) Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine: | God of Gods, Light of Light, |
| (2:07) Deum verum de Deo vero; | true God of true God; |
| (2:16) Genitum, non factum; consubstantialem Patri, per quem omnia facta sunt; | begotten, not made; consubstantial to the Father, by Whom all things were made; |
| (2:52) Qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem, descendit de caelis, | Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, |
| (4:04) et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex maria Virgine, et homo factus est. | and became incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. |
| (6:09) Crucifixus etiam pro nobis; sub Pontio Pilato passus et sepultus est, | He was crucified also forus; suffered under Pontius Pilate and was buried, |
| (9:24) Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas. | And the third day He arose again according to the Scriptures. |
| (9:36) Et ascendit in caelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris. | And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. |
| (9:58) Et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos; cujus regni non erit finis. | And He is to come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end. |
| (11:01) Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem, | I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, |
| qui ex Patre Filioque procedit; qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur; qui locutus est per prophetas. | Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; Who, together with the Father and the Son, is adored and glorified; Who spoke by the prophets. |
| (11:26) Credo in unam sanctam Catholicam et Apostolicam Ecclesiam. | I believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. |
| Confiteor unum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. | I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. |
| Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, (11:46) et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen. | And I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. |
Sanctus
| (0:55) Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. | Holy is the Lord God Sabaoth. |
| (2:38) Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. | Heaven and earth are fully of Thy Glory. |
| (3:14) Osanna in excelsis! | Hosanna in the highest! |
| (6:02) Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini! | Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord! |
| (14:03) Osanna in excelsis! | Hosanna in the highest! |
Agnus Dei
| (0:27) Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis, (6:59) dona nobis pacem. | O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us, grant us peace. |