Missa Omnium Sanctorum | ZWV 21 | 1741 | Jan Dismas Zelenka | performed by Ensemble Inégal

Next to Johann David Heinichen and Johann Adolf Hasse, Jan Dismas Zelenka is more than justified in claiming a position among the leading musical luminaries of Dresden Baroque. Born in Louňovice pod Blaníkem, Bohemia, in 1679, he took his first music lessons most likely from his father, an organist. He is presumed to have studied at the Jesuit College in Prague. KYRIE 00:00 Kyrie eléison (Coro) 00:42 Christe eléison (Solo T) 04:26 Kyrie eléison II (Coro) GLORIA 06:59 Glória in excélsis Deo (Coro, Solo S,A,T,B) 12:05 Qui tollis peccáta mundi (Solo S) 17:23 Quóniam tu solus Sanctus I (Coro) 18:24 Quóniam tu solus Sanctus II (Solo A) 23:04 Cum Sancto Spiritu I (Coro) 23:22 Cum Sancto Spiritu II (Coro) CREDO 27:05 Credo (Coro, Solo S,A,T,B) SANCTUS 38:02 Sanctus (Coro) 40:32 Benedictus (Solo S,A) 42:21 Osanna (Coro) AGNUS DEI 43:30 Agnus Dei (Coro, Solo B) 46:21 Dona nobis pacem (Coro) Along with other sacred works, the five late masses ZWV 17-21 clearly distinguish themselves from the Zelenka’s early masses in their musical idiom and conception. Zelenka no longer uses any “large“ scorings with trumpets and trombones, but prefers the smaller, standard setting with two oboes, violins, viola and basso continuo, which also gives him more space to experiment with musical forms. The last three of these late masses, designated by Zelenka himself as Missae ultimae (“Last masses“) are generally considered to be summit of his oeuvre for the church. According to the individual titles, Zelenka had originally planned a cycle of six “Last masses“of which, however, only the first, second and sixth (ZWV 21) were composed. Each of these three completed final masses are scored for four vocal soloists and four-part choir accompanied by violins 1 and 2, violas, oboes 1 and 2, and a basso continuo group which would have comprised at least one each of violoncello, string bass, bassoon, organ, and possibly theorbo. The setting of the “Last masses“, as it developed in Naples during the first half of the eighteenth century, undoubtedly influenced Zelenka. He held examples in his collection of sacred music, including works of the Neapolitan composers Francesco Durante, Francesco Mancini and Domenico Sarro. Moreover, between 1738 and 1740 when the Saxon Electoral Prince Friedrich Christian was visiting Italy, Neapolitan sacred music, including mass settings by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, was being sent back to Dresden. Missa Omnium Sanctorum mass is based in a ’number’ settings, meaning that the mass is divided into clearly defined sections. Stylistically they reflect the stilo misto which was common at the time, mixing tutti sections in the stile antico with arias for solo voices in a more modern fashion, often in a galant idiom. Although of 263 bars in length, the Credo of Missa Omnium Sanctorum falls into five clearly defined sections: Credo, Et incarnatus est, Crucifixus, Et resurrexit, and Et vitam venturi saeculi, Amen. Ironically Zelenka’s latest mass show the influence of his great rival Hasse. It is probably his way of showing that he was able to compose in the then popular style, and didn’t just stick to the idiom of the past. From 1710 until his death he worked at the Dresden Hofkapelle, first as double-bass player and latter as church-music composer. During a longer stay in Vienna in 1716-19, he studied with the Imperial Kapellmeister Johann Joseph Fux and delved with great curiosity into works of earlier masters. Moreover, the flautist Johann Joachim Quantz reported that in 1717 he was given counterpoint lessons by Zelenka in Vienna. By February 1719, Zelenka had returned to Dresden where he took part in the lavish musical activities that accompanied the celebrations surrounding the arrival of the Saxon electoral prince with his bride, Maria Josepha who was a firm supporter of Zelenka. In the 1720s Johann David Heinichen often fell ill, and his duties were then taken over by Zelenka. No wonder he expected to be appointed as his successor when Heinichen died in 1729. But it was J. A. Hasse who got the job. In the next years until his death Zelenka continued to write sacred music working both with the royal musicians, and with the growing body of church musicians – the Kapellknaben, but his compositions were not that often performed during the liturgy. ● References: Dr Ulla K. Enßlin and Prof Janice B. Stockigt ● Performed by: Gabriela Eibenová soprano, K. Wessel alt, J. Kobow tenor, M. Krejčík and T. Král bass Ensemble Inégal with Prague Baroque Soloists (on authentic instruments) Adam Viktora conductor Cover: Loreta Monastery in Hradčany, Prague, Czech Republic. Construction started in 1626, the architect was the Italian Giovanni Orsi. The baroque facade was designed by the architects Christoph Dientzenhofer and Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, and added at the beginning of the 18th century.