Capriccio, the independent
German label, has released a new recording
of Mozart’s Church Sonatas or
Epistle Sonatas. The scores
feature the organ and were written to
bridge the liturgical gap between the
Epistle and the Gospel at Mass.
In Mozart’s 250th anniversary
year it was a welcome change to hear
some of his lesser known output as opposed
to repeat recordings of the more popular
scores. The Church Sonatas are
performed here using period instruments.
Martin Haselböck is also the organ
soloist in the majority of the scores.
Capriccio made the recording in 2005
in the Vienna Hofburgkapelle, the famous
gothic chapel which is the residence
of the Vienna Boys Choir.
These Sonatas, which
Mozart refers to in a 1776 letter to
his Italian champion Padre Martini,
were played as part of the Mass between
the reading (or chanting) of the Epistle
and the Gospel in services at Salzburg
Cathedral, although similar sorts of
pieces occasionally occurred at other
venues in Catholic Europe. I understand
that none of the subsequent organists
or composers at Salzburg Cathedral cultivated
the genre. In 1783, a few years after
Mozart had left for Vienna, Archbishop
Hieronymus of Salzburg decreed that
the Church Sonatas be
replaced by vocal Gradualia and
a new output of choral composition took
the place of the Sonatas.
Mozart composed seventeen
of them for use in Salzburg between
the years 1772 and 1780. They are brief
pieces that consist predominantly of
a single fast movement. In the early
Sonatas the organ appears as
a continuo instrument with an
increasing emancipation of the organ
part in the later scores. These concisely
designed pieces currently lead
a life in the shadow of Mozart’s more
familiar output, serving no function
in contemporary liturgy and have no
fixed place in the concert repertoire.
The first group of
three, KV67 to KV69 were composed in
1772 and are scored, as are seven of
these scores, for two violins, bass
and organ. Their brevity is explained
by the insistence of Hieronymus Count
Colloredo, the then new Prince-Archbishop
of Salzburg, on the entire Mass not
lasting for more than three-quarters
of an hour. Mozart deplored this shortening
and said as much in a letter on the
subject written in 1776 to his former
mentor Padre Martini, in Bologna.
The second Sonata
of the group KV68, from 1772, introduces
a brief element of contrapuntal imitation
in the second subject; the whole is
an abridged sonata form, also found
in the third Sonata KV69. The
KV144 and KV145, from 1774, similar
in form and scoring, are explicable
by the fact that Mozart was now employed
as Konzertmeister of the Salzburg Cathedral
orchestra.
The group of seven
Sonatas: KV212, KV241, KV224,
KV225, KV244, KV245 and KV274 are scored
for two violins, bass and organ. They
have been ascribed to 1775-1777 in Salzburg.
Composed in the winter of 1776 KV263
includes a pair of trumpets which presence
serves to add a ceremonial emphasis.
KV278 was written in the spring of 1777
and is scored for two violins, cello,
bass, pairs of oboes, trumpets and drums
and organ.
On his Salzburg return
from Paris, early in 1779, Mozart assumed
more specific duties as the cathedral
and court organist. KV329 is scored
for strings without viola, and pairs
of oboes, French horns, trumpets and
drums. There is a more elaborate part
for the organ, which Mozart would likely
have played himself.
With KV328, from 1779,
Mozart returns to the simpler orchestration
of two violins, bass and organ. This
is the same instrumentation as for the
last Church Sonata of the series
KV336, written in March 1780. It contains
a part for solo organ as well as a ripieno
organ basso continuo.
The period instrument
orchestra the Wiener Akademie under
their founder Martin Haselböck
are highly impressive throughout. Haselböck
expertly draws out a whole range of
harmonic, textural and dynamic surprises
in these varied and compelling scores.
The performances are authoritative and
frequently full-blooded with playing
that displays rich and sensuous timbres
from the authentic instruments. The
two violin soloists: Thomas Fheodoroff
and Regine Schroder complement each
other impressively and their playing
is distinguished throughout as is that
of bass player Alexandra Dienz. The
recording utilises the services of two
organists; the conductor Martin Haselböck
and Istvan Matyas (on the three Church
Sonatas for orchestra and organ)
and their playing is exemplary in
every way.
The booklet notes are
interesting and reasonably informative
in what is a well presented release.
The engineers of this super audio CD,
which I played on my standard CD players,
have provided crystal clear sound. To
suit my personal taste I would have
preferred a more forward-placed organ
but friends who listened to this recording
were highly satisfied with the balance.
This is a disc of high
quality music from Mozart which I have
no hesitation in recommending to anyone
especially to those who enjoy lesser
known music from the Classical era.
Michael Cookson
for
details
Istvan Matyas, organ (KV263, KV278 &
KV329) 
CAPRICCIO
DIGITAL SACD 71 064 [61.37]
