| Mozart:
Mass in C minor, K. 472 ("Grand Mass")
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Sanctus
- The
opening of the Sanctus is a surprising contrast to "et incarnatus,"
a juxtaposition we would normally not find, of course, had Mozart
finished the entire Credo. (By the way, if you ever hear a complete
Credo, know that Mozart didn’t write music any sections not
described above.)
- Mozart
follows the normal musical and textual separation for this movement,
reaching a big cadence beginning "Osanna in excelsis."
More often than not, composers in the Classical era (and many
other times as well), subdivide the Sanctus into these two sections,
making a strong contrast between the two. Here is a summary of
Mozart’s bipartite composition:
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Sanctus
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Osanna
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Latin
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Sanctus,
sanctus, sanctus,
Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt coeli in terra gloria tua.
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Osanna
in excelsis
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Translation
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Holy,
holy, holy
Lord God of Sabbath
Heaven
and earth are full of Your glory.
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Hosanna
in the highest.
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Tempo
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Largo
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Allegro
comodo
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Texture
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Homophonic
and antiphonal (use of double choir)
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Polyphonic
(Fugue); homophonic and antiphonal near the final cadence
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Accompaniment
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Orchestra
independent but supportive of voices; provides rhythmic activity
beneath slower-moving choral parts
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Orchestral
parts double voices until nearing the final cadence
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Tonality
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C
major, moving to G
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C
major, moving also to G, a minor, d minor, F major, e minor;
ends in C
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The
"Osanna" is another fugue in this Mass. Mozart did not
provide complete choral parts for both choirs although he clearly
intended the double choir to remain for this portion of the movement.
Scholars have reconstructed the choral parts from sketches and study
of the doubling instrumental parts.
Benedictus
The
Benedictus is written for solo vocal quartet (SSTB), with full orchestra
accompanying. This is the only movement set in a minor key since
the Kyrie. Even the a minor opening gives way to C major eventually
(m. 21ff). The a minor tonality returns in m. 65, with a reprise
of the opening melodic material. Additional gestures make this feel
like another ternary movement (ABA’) in which the turn towards
C major is avoided. Just as we prepare for a closing cadence in
a minor, the full choir returns to reprise the "Osanna"
fugue–in an abridged version–which closes the movement
in C major after all.
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