Haydn Nelson Mass - St Martin's Digital

Haydn Nelson MassSaturday 5th DecemberRecorded on Saturday 28th November

St Martin's Voices St Martin's PlayersGabriella Noble Director

St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square London WC2N 4JJ020 7766 1100 www.smitf.org

St Martin's Autumn Choral Concerts 2020

Welcome to St Martin-in-the-Fields for the third and final concert in our Autumn Choral Concert series

This concert centres around Haydn’s Mass for Troubled Times (the 'Nelson Mass’) and arguably Haydn’s greatest composition. The summer of 1798 was a terrifying time for Austria, and when Haydn finished this Mass he gave it the title Missa in Angustiis (Mass for Troubled Times). The programme begins with three works by Mozart, his Divertimento in F for strings, the much-loved Ave verum corpus, as well as another of his less-well known choral works, the double choir motet Venite populi.

We are thrilled to be able to once again offer live concerts at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Please do visit our website for details of further choral concerts in this series, for concerts in the re:connect series by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and for our much-loved upcoming Christmas programmes, which this year are both in-person and online.

With all best wishes,

Dr Andrew EarisDirector of Music

PROGRAMME

Allegro from Divertimento in F – Mozart

Ave verum corpus – Mozart

Venite populi – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Missa in Angustiis ('Nelson Mass'), Hob XXII: 11 – Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

I. Kyrie

II. Gloriai Gloria in excelsis

ii. Qui tollisiii. Quoniam tu solus sanctus

III. Credoi. Credo in unum Deum

ii. Et incarnatus estiii. Et resurrexit

IV. Sanctus

V. Benedictus

VI. Agnus Dei

PROGRAMME NOTESby Charlotte Marino

Divertimento in F MozartWork by great composers in their youth are variable in their quality, but the Divertimenti, written by Mozart when he was in his mere teens, are as architectural, mature and delightful as any music he composed in his later years. His genius and charm surfaced early and was proudly flaunted by his father who didn’t hesitate to punctuate Mozart’s young life with series of grand tours to connect with the rich and famous. As Mozart was taking up his position as a musician at the Saltzburg court, aged seventeen, he found himself with space from touring and the opportunity to compose in a great number of genres. Three of his Divertimenti were written in this period and seem, perhaps, to have been scored in preparation for his next tour of Italy for the Aristocracy. Although the works are debated by today’s scholars as to whether they can be classed under the musical form ‘divertimento’, the compositions are undeniably light, multi-movement ensemble pieces, and were certainly intended to entertain at outdoor summer festivities – exactly what a divertimento is intended to do. To echo the words of Alfred Einstein, this work by Mozart is “a masterpiece of masterpieces, on the smallest possible scale.”

Ave verum corpus MozartMozart’s Ave verum corpus was written 25 years after his Venite populi, in the year of 1791. Mozart composed the motet as a sign of gratitude for his good friend, Anton Stoll, who was the musical director of a parish church nearby and whose hospitality allowed Mozart’s wife to rest as an escape during the early summer Vienna heat. The simple and charming purity of scoring for choir, organ and strings was composed as a Eucharistic motet to be sung on the Feast of Corpus Christi, and despite being one his

best loved works, Mozart wrote the music in an extraordinarily busy year of his life. Not only was his wife pregnant with their sixth child, Mozart was in the middle of writing his most famous opera, The Magic Flute; had written his final piano concerto,

W. A. Mozart Posthumous painting,Barbara Krafft, 1819

Mozart's autograph of Ave verum corpus motet

the iconic clarinet concerto; the last in his series of string quartets; and his unfinished Requiem. Tragically, in his most lucrative year of composition imaginable, Mozart died in late 1791 on 5 December.

Venite populi Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the classical era. Born in Salzburg, Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. By the age of seventeen Mozart was engaged as a musician at the Saltzburg court, giving him the opportunity to compose in a great number of genres.

Mozart’s Venite populi is arguably one of the master’s more neglected compositions, with his much later Missa in C minor far overshadowing it as a piece for double choir. Mozart’s writing for two choirs was rare, but this piece is a beautiful example of many classic features from the Venetian polychoral traditions at the time. Written in 1767, the offertory text is unusual Eucharistic wording and has remained unattributed. The music reveals Mozart’s clear striving for more pronounced contrapuntal music for the time, with only a short central movement of homophony. Either side of this section are two predominantly polyphonic movements that are beautifully woven from the same thematic material as the chordal middle. The interweaving ideas are so striking because of the compositional possibilities that Mozart created by scoring for the two sets of voices, with an abundance of contrasting texture and echo effects.

St Martin's Players

Nelson Mass Missa in Augustiis Franz Joseph HaydnWritten seven years after Mozart’s death, Haydn composed his greatest of scores – Missa in Augustiis. Entitled to mean ‘Mass for Troubled Times’, the work was written by Haydn to depict the turmoil and anguish in Austria at the time. With Napoleon Bonaparte’s campaign to overrun the country, he had defeated the Austrian army in four major battles and pushed forward along the Alps, threatening even Vienna itself. The citizens lived in intense fear, with political and financial instability rife. Haydn’s musical resources were no longer his usual broad selection, for his court had dismissed the majority of their wind players and held on a skeleton of chamber string musicians. Undeterred, Haydn put pen to paper and created a musical depiction of the times for Austria, with a terrifying opening in D minor, a key he had loved since hearing Mozart use it to portray doom in Don Giovani. With rumbling timpani and penetrating trumpets, the dissonant sonority of Haydn’s writing is morbid, anxiety ridden, heavy and groaning. Unaware of battle developments, however, Austria soon became privy to the British involvement, where the inevitable fate was turned and Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated Napoleon in the Battle of the Nile. Nelson was hailed as the ‘saviour of Europe’, and when he came to visit Esterhazy court (where Haydn had worked for 30 years), he met the composer and enjoyed a dedicated performance of the Mass. As Nelson and Haydn became friends it is rumoured that the Admiral’s defeat changed the way in which the Mass was heard from then on, with spirits high, it fondly became known there forth as ‘Nelson Mass’.

Nelson's Column, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London

TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS

Ave verum corpusAve verum corpus, Hail, true body,natum de Maria Virgine, born of the Virgin Mary,vere passum, immolatum truly suffered, sacrificedin cruce pro homine, on the cross for mankind,cujus latus perforatum whose pierced sideunda fluxit et sanguine, flowed with water and blood,esto nobis praegustatum be for us a foretastein mortis examine. in the trial of death.

Venite, populi Venite, populi, venite Come, O peoples, come;de longe venite, come from afar,et admiramini gentes. and marvel, O races.Venite, populi, venite, Come, O peoples, come;an alia natio tam grandis, is there any nation so greatquae habet Deos appropinquantes sibi, that it has its gods so near to itsicut Deus noster adest nobis, as our God is near to us,cujus in ara veram praesentiam whose true presence on his altarcontemplamur jugiter per we continually contemplate through fidem vivam, living faith:an alia natio tam grandis? is there any nation so great?O sors cunctis beatior, O fate more blessed than all others,O sors sola fidelium, O fate only of the faithfulquibus panis fractio for whom breaking breadet calicis communio and sharing the cupest in auxilium. is a helpEja ergo epulemur Therefore let us feastin azymis veritatis et sinceritatis, on the unleavened bread of truth and sincerity,eja ergo epulemur Let us feast, therefore,et inebriemur vino laetitiae sempiternae; and become drunk with wine of eternal joy;an alia natio tam grandis? is there any nation so great?Venite, populi, venite. Come, O peoples, come.

Nelson Mass Missa in Augustiis

I. Kyrie

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy.Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.

Soloist: Hilary Cronin (soprano)

II. Gloria

i. Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory to God in the highest,Et in terra pax hominibus And peace on earth to menbonae voluntatis. of good will.Laudamus te, benedicimus te, We praise You, we bless You, Adoramus te, glorificamus te. We worship You, we glorify You.Gratias agimus tibi propter We give You thanksmagnam gloriam tuam. for Your great glory.Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Lord God, King of Heaven,Deus Pater omnipotens. God the Father Almighty.Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. Lord only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ.Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.

Soloists: Hilary Cronin (soprano), Helen Stanley (alto), James Botcher (tenor), Ben Tomlin (bass)

ii. Qui tollis peccata mundi, You who take away the sin of the world, Miserere nobis. have mercy on us.Qui tollis peccata mundi, You who take away the sin of the world,Suscipe deprecationem nostram. hear our prayer.Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, You who sit at the right hand of the Father,miserere nobis. have mercy on us.

Soloists: Hilary Cronin (soprano), Ben Tomlin (bass)

iii. Quoniam tu solus sanctus, For You alone are holy,tu solus Dominus, You alone are Lord,Tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe. You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ.Cum Sancto Spiritu with the Holy Spiritin gloria Dei Patris, Amen. in the glory of God the Father, Amen.


III. Credo

i Credo in unum Deum, I believe in one God, Patrem omnipotentem, the Father, the Almighty,factorem coeli et terrae, maker of heaven and earth,visibilium omnium et invisibilium. of all that is, seen and unseen.Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, And in one Lord Jesus Christ, Filium Dei unigenitum, the only Son of God,et ex patre natum ante omnia saecula, eternally begotten of the Father,Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, God from God, light from light,Deum verum de Deo vero, true God from true God,genitum non factum, begotten, not made,consubstantialem Patri; of one being with the Father; per quem omnia facta sunt. through Him all things were made.Qui propter nos homines et propter For us and for our salvationnostram salutem descendit de coelis. He came down from heaven.

ii Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, He became incarnate by the Holy Spirit,ex Maria virgine; and the Virgin Maryet homo factus est. and was made man.Crucifixus etiam pro nobis For our sake He was crucifiedsub Pontio Pilato, under Pontius Pilate; passus et sepultus est. He suffered death and was buried.


iii Et resurrexit tertia die He rose again on the third daysecundum Scripturas, in accordance with the Scriptures;et ascendit in coelum, He ascended into heaven, sedet ad dexteram Patris, and is seated at the right hand of the Father;et iterum venturus est cum gloria, He will come again in gloryjudicare vivos et mortuos, to judge the living and the dead, cujus regni non erit finis. and His kingdom will have no end.Et in Spiritum Sanctum And I believe in the Holy Spirit, Dominum, et vivificantem, the Lord, the giver of Life,qui ex Patre Filioque procedit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son;qui cum Patre et Filio with the Father and the Sonsimul adoratur, et conglorificatur, He is worshipped and glorified. qui locutus est per Prophetas. He has spoken through the prophets. Et unam sanctam catholicam I believe in one holy catholicet apostolicam Eccelsiam. and apostolic Church;Confiteor unum baptisma I acknowledge one baptismin remissionem peccatorum, for the forgiveness of sins; et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, I look for the resurrection of the dead, et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen. and the life of the world to come. Amen.


IV. Sanctus

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Holy, holy, holy, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Lord God of Hosts.Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Heaven and earth are full of your glory,Osanna in excelsis. Hosannah in the highest.

V. Benedictus

Benedictus qui venit Blessed is He who comesin nomine Domini. in the name of the Lord,Osanna in excelsis. Hosannah in the highest.


VI. Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei Lamb of God,qui tollis peccata mundi, who takes away the sin of the world,miserere nobis. have mercy on us.Agnus Dei Lamb of God, qui tollis peccata mundi, who takes away the sin of the world,dona nobis pacem. grant us peace.

Soloists: Hilary Cronin (soprano), Helen Stanley (alto), Robert Folkes (tenor), Ben Tomlin (bass)

View of St Martin-in-the-Fields from Nelson's Colomn

PERFORMERS

St Martin's VoicesSt Martin's Players

Gabriella Noble Director

St Martin's VoicesSoprano Hilary Cronin*, Rachel Haworth, Isabella Gibber and Eleanor Sperling

Alto Sophie Overin, Helen Stanley* and Lydia WardTenor James Botcher*, Robert Folkes* and Thomas Perkins

Bass George Cook, Adam Jarman and Ben Tomlin*

*soloists

St Martin's PlayersViolin I Richard Milone

Violin II Hilaryjane ParkerViola Jon Thorne

Cello Adrian BradburyDouble bass Andrew Davis

Trumpet Imogen Whitehead and Ellie LovegroveTimpani Tristan Fry

Chamber organ Ben Giddens

St Martin’s Voices is an exciting and dynamic professional vocal ensemble, primarily made up of talented past and present choral scholars who come together to sing concerts and special events at St Martin-in-the-Fields and beyond. Recent performances have included Mozart Requiem and Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and Beethoven Mass in C with Southbank Sinfonia. St Martin’s Voices regularly broadcast on the BBC, including Radio 3 Choral Evensong and BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship and Daily Service. They also make regular national and international tours, including recent performances at Greenbelt Festival and visits to the USA – Minneapolis, Washington DC, New York – and Johannesburg, South Africa. This evening’s concert features this year’s group of St Martin’s Voices Fellows. The Fellowship scheme provides an opportunity for eight outstanding singers to enjoy an intensive, focused period of training and is an integral part of the exciting choral music programme at St Martin-in-the-Fields.

We are grateful to the many supporters of the St Martin’s music scholarship programmes.

Gabriella Noble is a conductor and singer based in London. In 2017 she graduated with a First Class degree in Music from Oxford University, where she conducted Oxford University Chorus and held a conducting scholarship with Schola Cantorum of Oxford. She went on to study solo voice ensemble singing under Robert Hollingworth at York University, where she conducted new music with the Chimera Ensemble. As a fellow of the National Youth Choir, Gabriella enjoyed leading workshops with young musicians and taking part in outreach work. She continues to work as on the music staff for

NYCGB, directing young musicians and exposing them to choral music. Gabriella conducts the Kingston Singers, The Cares Family (charity) choir, and Port Meadow Sinfonia, an amateur orchestra she co-created for musicians who have chosen to work in other fields. Gabriella was the 2019/20 conducting scholar for Genesis Sixteen, The Sixteen’s Young Artist Programme.

Our thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, for supporting the Autumn Choral Concert Series at St Martin-in-the-Fields.

As the impact of COVID-19 takes hold, we need people like you to keep supporting us and helping the musicians we work with. To help us keep playing on, please consider making a donation today.

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St Martin's Online Christmas Concert SeriesA series of three specially recorded concerts to enjoy online this Christmas:

Festive Family CarolsWatch online until Thusday 31 DecemberEnjoy an hour of favourite readings and music for families from St Martin’s Voices. This joyful celebration concert includes much loved favourites: Jingle Bells, Little Donkey and We wish you a Merry Christmas.

Carols for ChristmasWatch online until Thusday 31 DecemberJoin St Martin’s Voices and presenter, Zeb Soanes for an hour of your favourite carols and readings in an uplifting celebration of the Christmas season.

A Baroque Christmas CelebrationWatch online until Thusday 31 DecemberA beautiful sequence of baroque music for Christmas from St Martin’s Voices and St Martin’s Players including much-loved choruses from Handel’s Messiah.

Other online concerts from St Martin-in-the-Fields

A Renaissance Christmas Watch online from Thusday 17 DecemberA beautiful sequence of renaissance music for Christmas from St Martin’s Voices.

Documents

Haydn Nelson Mass - St Martin's Digital