| W. A. Mozart (1756-1791) Solemn Vespers K.339 | |
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Dixit Dominus; Confitebor; Beatus Vir; Laudate Pueri; Laudate Dominum; Magnificat | |
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Background | |
Dixit Dominus begins dramatically without preamble. For maximum impact, its first two words are declaimed vividly in choral hammer-blows separated by an instrumental interlude, before continuing in an emphatic declamatory style. The movement maintains its relentless momentum in pictorial contrasts between imitative entries and homophony. The closing Gloria Patri employs the soloists for the first time. The Sicut erat, however, follows the customary device, resorting to the movement's opening for its thematic material. | |
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Dixit Dominus Domino meo, sede a dextris meis,donec ponam inimicos tuos, scabellum pedum tuorum. Virgam virtutis tuae emittet Dominus ex Sion: dominare in medio inimicorum tuorum. Tecum principium in die virtutis tuae in splendoribus sanctorum:ex utero ante luciferum genui te. Juravit Dominus et non poenitebit eum:Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Dominus, a dextris tuis confregit in die irae suae reges. Judicabit in nationibus, implebit ruinas conquassabit capita in terra multorum. De torrente in via bibet propterea exaltabit caput. Gloria Patri, et Filio.et Spiritui Sancto Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen | The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion: be thou ruler, even in the midst among thine enemies. In the day of thy power shall the people offer thee free-will offerings with an holy worship:the dew of thy birth is of the womb of the morning. The Lord swore, and will not repent:Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech. The Lord upon thy right hand shall wound even kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen;he shall fill the places with the dead bodies and smite in sunder the heads over divers countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shall he lift up his head. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Confitebor begins with the choir in unison, its rather austere opening bars bearing a striking resemblance to one of the plainsong psalm tones customarily assigned to Vespers. Thereafter its expression becomes more expansive with each new phrase. The rising sequence in toto corde makes way for the beautifully ornamented melodic lines of Magna opera Domini in praise of God's works and Confessio et magnificentia opus ejus, which begins with imitative choral entries and rises to a climax. A brief respite of hushed singing, manet in seculum, saeculi, reflects on God's eternal nature before the paean of praise resumes in the dramatically harmonised Memoriam fecit mirabilium. The florid soprano solo that follows, Memor erit in saeculum, and its companion quartet show Mozart the composer unable to restrain the urge to write operatically. As if to check himself (before the Archbishop does?) Mozart conveys his sense of awe at the name of God by returning to the opening plainsong, but this time altered chromatically with the dual purpose of dramatic effect and a change of key. The brief return of the soprano soloist heralds a further quartet in which the tenor and soprano reintroduce a slightly modified version the earlier Confessio et magnificentia theme, this time to the words laudatio ejus. The doxology, Gloria Patri is pronounced in unison forte by the choir and the Sicut erat in principio and the Amen follow convention in using the thematic material of the opening to bring this wonderful movement to a glorious close. | |
| Confitebor tibi Domine in toto corde meo:in consilio justorum et congregatione. Magna opera Domini:exquisita in omnes valuntates ejus. Confessio et magnificentia opus ejus:et justitia ejus manet in saeculum saeculi. Memoriam fecit mirabilium suorum, misericor, et miserator et justus: escam dedit timentibus se. Memor erit in saeculum testamenti sui: virtutem operum suorum annuntiabit populo suo ut det illis hereditatem gentium opera manuum ejus veritas et judicium. Fidelia omnia mandata ejus: confirmata in saeculum saeculi:fucta in veritate et aequitate Redemptionem misit Dominus populo suo: mandavit in aetemum testamentum suum. Sanctum et terribile nomen ejus: initium sapientiae timor Domini Intellectus bonus omnibus facientibus eum: laudatio ejus manet in saeculum saeculi. Gloria Patri, et Filio,et Spiritui Sancto Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper,et in saecula,aeculorum Amen. |
I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart secretly among the faithful, and in the congregation. The works of the Lord are great sought out of all of them that have pleasure therein. His work is worthy to be praised, and had in honour and his righteousness endureth for ever. The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous work, that they ought to be had in remembrance. He hath given meat unto them that fear him :he shall ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath shewed his people the power of his works that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. The works of his hands are verity and judgement, all his commandments are true. They stand fast for ever and ever and are done in truth and equity. He sent redemption unto his people he hath commanded his covenant for ever; holy and reverend is his name The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do thereafter; the praise of it endureth for ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end Amen. |
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Beatus Vir Mozart treats choir and soloists with equal panache in this delightful movement, using each with consummate skill to enrich the sound palette. Despite its inspirational text, Beatus Vir could easily stand alone as pure music, testimony to Mozart's gifts as both melodist and orchestrator. Typically, Mozart constructed this movement without wasting a single note. An obvious example of this is the easily recognizable sequence initially used in the bass's Potens in terra, which recurs on several occasions and is pressed into service for the final Amen. Similarly the string melody that introduces Gloria et divitiae assumes an importance of its own when it reappears as the soprano soloist's Gloria Patri of the closing section. Similar examples abound. | |
| Beatus vir qui timet Dominum in mandatis ejus volet nimis. Potens in terra erit semen ejus generatio rectorum benedicetur Gloria et divitiae in domo ejus:et justitia ejus manet in saeculum saeculi. Exortum est in tenebris lumen rectis: misericors, et miserator, et justus. Jucundus homo qui miseretur et commodat, disponet sermones suos in judicio: quia in aeternum non commovebitur. In memoria aeterna erit justus:ab auditione mala non timebit. Paratum cor ejus sperare in Domino, non commovebitur donec despiciat inimicos suos. Dispersit, dedit pauperibus:justitia ejus manet in saeculum saeculi: cornu ejus exaltabitur in gloria. Peccator videbit, et irascetur, dentibus suis fremet et tabescet:desiderium peccatorum peribit. Gloria Patri, et Filio,et Spiritui Sancto Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in seacula saeculorum Amen. |
Blessed is the man that feareth the Lordhe hath great delight in his commandments His seed shall be mighty on earth the generation of the faithful shall be blessed Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house and his righteousness endureth for ever. Unto the godly there ariseth up light in the darkness: he is merciful, loving, and righteous. A good man is merciful, and lendeth and will guide his words with discretion: for he shall never be moved and the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance: he will not be afraid of any evil tidings for his heart standeth fast, and believeth in the Lord. His heart is established, and will not shrink until he see his desire upon his enemies. He hath dispersed abroad, and given to the poor and his righteousness remaineth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. The ungodly shall see it, and it shall grieve him he shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away;the desire of the ungodly shall perish. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end Amen. |
| Laudate Pueri begins fugally but it is rapidly modified to great dramatic effect by the use of textural and dynamic contrasts. The imitative opening forte, for example, is formal and four-square, but Qui sicut dominus Deus introduces greater movement in a downward scalic subject. In turn, this is contrasted with intensely quiet homophonic singing and insistent accentuated rhythms at the words et humilia respicit, returning dramatically to forte with in coelo et in terra. With great thematic economy, Mozart builds the entire movement from these three ideas, but varies their treatment each time they are re-used. Particularly effective is the Gloria Patri in which an almost mesmeric stasis is created by its eight bars of hushed choral singing, accompanied by repeated string figures against a pedal note. Predictably the motion resumes with the opening fugal subject to the words Sicut erat in principio, this time with its entries pointed up by the trombones. The closing Amen supplies an extended coda, employing terraced dynamics to great effect. | |
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Laudate pueri Dominum:laudate nomen Domini, Sit nomen Domini benedictum, ex hoc nunc, et usque in saeculum, solis ortu usque ad occasum, laudabile nomen Domini. Excelsus super omnes gentes Dominus, et super coelos gloria ejus. Qui, sicut Dominus Deus noster, qui in altis habitat et humilia respicit in coelo et in terra? Suscitans a terra inopem, et de stercore erigens pauperem; Ut collocet eum cum principibus populi sui Qui habitare facit sterilem in domo, matrem filiorum laetantem. Gloria Patri, et Filia,et Spiritui Sancto Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum Amen. |
Praise the Lord, ye servants O praise the Name of the Lord, Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth for evermore, The Lord's Name is praised from the rising up of the sun unto the going down of the same The Lord is high above all heathen and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath his dwelling so high, and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth? He taketh up the simple out of the dust and lifteth the poor out of the mire; That he may set him with the princes even with the princes of the people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghosl As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end" Amen. |
 In Laudate Dominum, one of Mozart's most memorably beautiful melodies is given to the soprano soloist, accompanied by strings and bassoon. In the Gloria Patri the choir reiterates the same tune in four-part harmony. Their closing Amen becomes part of the accompanying texture for an elaborately decorated descant added by the soprano soloist.
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Laudate Dominum omnes gentes:laudate eum omnes populi; Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia ejus: et veritas Domini manet in aeternum. Gloria Patri, et Filio,et Spiritui Sancto Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum Amen. |
O praise the Lord, all ye heathen praise him, all ye nations; For his merciful kindness is ever more and more towards us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end Amen. |
| In a masterly example of concision, Mozart treats each individual phrase of the Magnificat prayer while still managing to retain its stylistic homogeneity. Its relentless progress is made all the more exciting by constantly contrasting dynamics and changes of texture. Energetic triplet movement in the strings and an imitative bass-led opening replace the traditional plainsong intoning of the Magnificat, for example. This gives way to an excited soprano solo at the words Et exultavit and is followed by emphatic choral declamation at Quia respexit humiliatem. Et misericordia is given to a quartet of soloists, returning to a dramatically harmonized choral tutti for Fecit potentiam - a show of divine strength - and the scattering of the proud (dispersit superbos) and the putting down of the mighty (deposuit potentes) are combined in imitative writing which graphically portrays the one tumbling ignominiously after the other. There is an unexpected sense of drama with the sudden piano of the word humiles, and a change of key as the soprano soloist sings Esurientes, followed by the syncopated choral treatment of demisit inanes, as the rich are sent away empty. In Suscepit Israel Mozart returns to the earlier themes of et exultavit and quia respexit . The final Gloria Patri is given to the four soloists before an imitative choral Sicut erat in principio. In the closing moments Mozart takes a final opportunity to tantalize the listener with a sudden dynamic change to piano at the word saeculorum (forever) before three dramatically affirmative Amens. | |
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Magnificat anima mea Dominum Et exultavit spiritus, meus in Deo salutari meo Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae: ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est:et sanctum nomen ejus Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in brachio suo: dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles; Esurientes implevit bonis:et divites dimisit inanes; Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae; Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini ejus in saecula Gloria Patri, et Filio,et Spiritui Sancto Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum Amen. |
My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden For behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed For he that is mighty hath magnified me and holy is his Name And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meek; he hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away; He, remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end Amen. |
The Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, K339 (Solemn Vespers for a Confessor) were written in 1780, the year after Mozart had reluctantly returned home to take up the role of court organist to Hieronymous Colloredo, the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg. It was not a happy time for Mozart. Now in his twenties, his days of instant recognition as a child-prodigy were over, and his last trip to Europe in search of wealthy patronage had proved fruitless. To make matters worse, his mother, who had travelled with him, had been taken ill and died in Paris, and Aloysia Weber, with whom he had fallen head over heels in love, had jilted him. Salzburg cramped his style; it was too provincial and there was no opera house. As if that wasn't enough, Archbishop Colloredo, sought to clip his wings and introduced liturgical reforms, forbidding the customary use of operatic conventions in church music, and demanding a much more direct and succinct mode of expression. It is all the more remarkable, then, that this period of discontentment for Mozart should be marked by an outpouring of such joyful masterpieces as the Coronation Mass and the two wonderful sets of Vespers, of which the The Vesperae Solennes de Confessore is the second and perhaps best known.© J. S. Whitehead, January 2003