Mass No. 1 (Bruckner)
| Mass No. 1 | |
|---|---|
| by Anton Bruckner | |
The composer, c. 1860
|
|
| Key | D minor |
| Catalogue | WAB 26 |
| Form | Mass |
| Performed | 20 November 1864: old Linz Cathedral |
| Published | 1892: Innsbruck |
| Movements | 6 |
| Vocal | SATB choir and soloists |
| Instrumental | orchestra and organ ad lib. |
Mass No. 1 in D minor, WAB 26 by Anton Bruckner, is a setting of the Mass ordinary for soloists, mixed choir and orchestra, and organ ad libitum.
After he had ended his eight-year study period with Sechter and Kitzler and he had composed a few smaller works, such as the Festive Cantata (1862) and Psalm 112 (1863), Bruckner composed his first grand Mass, the Mass in D minor. He completed the work on 29 September 1864.
The premiere of the Mass in the old Linz Cathedral on 20 November 1864 was successful. A laudatory review in the Linzer Zeitung described Bruckner's potential as a symphonic composer and ranked the D minor Mass in the highest echelon of church music.
Bruckner revised the work in 1876 and again in 1881–1882. The (small) differences between the versions concern mainly annotations about tempo, etc. For the original organ intermezzo of the Credo (after "et sepultus est", see: manuscript Mus.Hs. 3170) Bruckner composed an alternative with woodwind instruments, so that the conductor could choose between these two options.
First version 1864, slightly revised in 1876 and 1881–82.
According to the Catholic practice – as also in Bruckner’s previous Missa solemnis and his following Mass No. 2 – the first verse of the Gloria and the Credo is not composed and has to be intoned by the priest in Gregorian mode before the choir is going on.
The work is divided into six parts:
Total duration: about 50 minutes
When compared to the previous Missa solemnis the work is more mature in conception with crescendos, which are so characteristic of Bruckner's later symphonies.
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