Mozart, Mass in C minor, K. 427

Together with the "Ave, verum corpus" and the Requiem, the Mass in C minor K. 427 is one of Mozart's last sacred works. And, like the Requiem, it too is incomplete: the Kyrie and Gloria were performed in Salzburg in 1783, but only part of the Credo was written, and none of the Agnus Dei. The work is marked by an archaic flavor reminiscent of Handel's music, which Mozart had developed a taste for in his later years. Though few people would spontaneously associate Leonard Bernstein with 18th-century sacred music, this production stunningly confirms the words of a major Munich daily: "After a few bars, one is conquered by Bernstein's mastery in creating atmosphere and communicating moods." This live concert with the Chorus and Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio was filmed at the ornate Basilica of Waldsassen in Franconia (Germany), one of the first architectural adaptations of the Italian Baroque style to German taste. Significantly, this work also represents a melding of Italian vocal writing and German contrapuntal art.