Gioachino Rossini

Petite messe solennelle

Gioachino Rossini's Petite messe solennelle (Little Solemn Mass) was written in 1863, possibly at the request of Count Alexis Pillet-Will for his wife Louise, to whom it is dedicated. The composer,

History#

Rossini composed the Petite messe solennelle in 1863, 34 years after writing his last opera, in Passy, where he spent the last decades of his life. Rossini and his wife entertained a circle of friends, holding samedi soirs for which he composed several pieces of chamber music, often vocal, which the composer called his péchés de vieillesse (sins of old age). The mass was possibly commissioned by Count Alexis Pillet-Will for his wife Louise to whom it is dedicated, but the musicologist Nancy P. Fleming points out that Rossini may have had reasons of his own to compose it, and dedicated it in response to staging the first performance. The mass is structured in several extended movements in the tradition of the missa solemnis, but the composer labeled it petite with a grain of irony. He wrote on the last page of the autograph manuscript (now preserved in the Fondazione Rossini, Pesaro): The unusual scoring for voices, two pianos and harmonium is in the Neapolitan harpsichord tradition of the 18th century. Rossini specified, on the second page of his manuscript, twelve singers in all, noting on the title page: “Twelve singers of three sexes, men, women and castrati will suffice for its execution: that is, eight for the choir, four soloists, in all twelve cherubim”.

Performances#

The mass was first performed on 14 March 1864 at the couple’s new residence in Paris, the hôtel of Louise, comtesse de Pillet-Will. The countess is the dedicatee of this refined and elegant piece. Albert Lavignac, aged eighteen, conducted from the harmonium. The soloists were the sisters Carlotta and Barbara Marchisio, Italo Gardoni and Luigi Agnesi. The sisters Marchisio had performed together in Rossini’s works before, such as the leading parts of the lovers in his opera Semiramide. Rossini, who had helped prepare for the performance, turned pages for the first pianist, Georges Mathias, and marked tempos by nodding his head. Among the first listeners were Giacomo Meyerbeer, Daniel Auber and Ambroise Thomas. The performance was repeated the following day, for a larger audience which included members of the press. In 1867, three years after the first performance, Rossini discreetly orchestrated the Petite messe solennelle, partly for fear that others would do it anyway after his death. As he disliked the sound of cathedral boys’ choirs, he requested permission from the pope to perform the work with female voices at a church. When his request was rejected, he demanded that the orchestral version would only be performed after his death. The composer preferred the chamber music version anyway. The first public performance of the work took place on 24 February 1869, close to what would have been Rossini’s seventy-seventh birthday. It was performed at the Salle Ventadour in Paris by the Théâtre-Italien, with soloists Gabrielle Krauss, Marietta Alboni, Ernest Nicolas and Luigi Agnesi.

Publication#

In 1869, both the piano version and the orchestral version were published. The first edition was a piano version by the Brandis & Dufour who made it available on the day of the premiere, based on Rossini’s piano version but reduced to only one piano, also cutting passages. It was soon followed by editions from Chappell in London, Ricordi in Milan, and Oliver Ditson in Boston, somewhat later by B. Schotts Söhne. These four prints have in common that they were settings for harmonium and only one piano. Ricordi published a piano reduction of the orchestral score rather than following Rossini’s original piano version. Some versions failed to mention that Rossini intended the work to be accompanied by two pianos. A critical edition did not appear until 1980, when the Edizioni musicali Otos in Florence published a version faithful to the composer’s intentions, edited by Angelo Coan. Three new editions of the piano version were prepared celebrating Rossini’s 200th anniversary in 1992: two critical editions by Oxford and Carus-Verlag, and one by Novello, with only one piano part.

Reception#

The work was well received by contemporary critics. Writing for La Perseveranza, Filippo Filippi said that “this time, Rossini has outdone himself, because no one can say what prevails, science and inspiration. The fugue is worthy of Bach for erudition.” A reviewer for L’Illustration wrote: Giuseppe Verdi was less enthusiastic, writing to Count Opprandino Arrivabene on 3 April 1864 that “lately Rossini has made progress and studied! Studied what? Personally, I would advise him to unlearn the music and write another Barber”.

Scoring#

In its original version, the performance of the mass required four soloists (soprano, contralto, tenor and bass), a mixed choir of ideally twelve singers including the soloists, two pianos and harmonium, which could sometimes be replaced by an accordion, according to Rossini’s initial ideas, but was considered too “popular” for a religious framework at the time of the mass’s creation. This small number of performers contrasts with the dimension of ensembles used at that time to interpret the great works of sacred music. This is what has earned this mass the adjective petite. In 1867 Rossini orchestrated his mass for instrumental forces much larger: three flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, three bassoons, four horns, four trumpets, three trombones, ophicleide, two cornets, timpani, two harps, organ and strings. Judgements about the two versions diverge. Some musicologists argue that the orchestrated version is preferred today to the original while others explain that the piano gives back its “bite” to the original version, which the composer preferred.

Structure#

The mass is structured following the five parts of the liturgical text, with a ternary Kyrie, a Gloria in six movements, a Credo divided in four sections, Sanctus (including Hosanna and Benedictus) and Agnus Dei. Rossini added two earlier compositions, using an instrumental piece in the form of prelude and fugue for an offertory, and inserting in the orchestral version a soprano aria, a setting of “”. As Fleming points out, insertion of an instrumental offertory and/or a motet such as "" was mentioned in in reviews of contemporary mass settings. The Kyrie and Gloria form Part I, the other movements are combined as Part II. In the following table of the movements, the markings, keys and time signatures are taken from the Ricordi choral score, using the symbol for common time (4/4). The table reflects the original scoring but includes the added movement “”. In movements without notes, both piano(s) and harmonium accompany the voices.

Music#

Fleming compares the mass to Rossini’s operas and early mass settings and finds restrained vocal lines, even in the melismas of the Agnus Dei, but observes his “predilection for spicy harmonic twists”. She summarizes his “optimistic and deeply felt faith”. Robert King, the conductor of The King’s Consort, notes: “It certainly is solennelle, for it is a heartfelt religious work which shows the extraordinary compositional capabilities of this astonishing man of the theatre: it is full of drama, pathos, colour and intensity.”

Kyrie#

The structure of the Kyrie, following the liturgical three appellations, “Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison” (Lord, have mercy. Christ, …), is ternary, in the form A–B–A’. * “Kyrie eleison” Andante maestoso ( = 108) A minor (measures 1–35) * “Christe eleison” Andantino moderato ( = 66) in C minor (measures 36–57) * “Kyrie eleison” as a reprise of the first part, but in other keys (measures 58–90) The work opens in A minor, with two chords marked pppp, extremely soft. The piano then begins an ostinato motif which remains present throughout the rest of the A sections of the movement. A continuous flow of sixteenth notes appears in a pattern of the first sixteenth note in each beat played in octaves by the left hand (often including the third and fourth sixteenth notes, especially at the start), while the remaining sixteenth notes appear as chords in the right hand (often syncopated). The harmonium introduces motifs repeated by the chorus. The voices pick up a slowly rising line on the word “Kyrie”, marked sotto voce, in imitation: first tenor and bass, a measure later alto, a measure later soprano. The word “eleison” appears in contrasting homophonic chords marked forte, but smorzando to piano for the repeats of the word. A second appellation begins in measure 18 in C major, marked pppp for “Kyrie” but with another sudden forte and decrescendo for “eleison”. The middle section, “Christe eleison”, is a double canon in an archaizing style. Marked “tutto sotto voce e legato” it stays on one dynamic level, different from the dynamic contrasts of the first part. This music was composed by Rossini’s friend Louis Niedermeyer as the “Et incarnatus” of a solemn mass, and included by Rossini “possibly as an affectionate personal tribute”, as the musicologist David Hurwitz points out. The second “Kyrie” returns to the initial tempo and musical themes, but has a tonally inverted path: C minor instead of A minor, then A major instead of C major. After the second exposition, the finale runs through a chain of surprising harmonies (measures 75 to 80) leading to the final cadence.

Gloria#

The Gloria is subdivided into six movements (seven sections), similar to Baroque masses such as Bach’s short masses.

Gloria in excelsis Deo#

Marked Allegro maestoso ( = 120), the first line is introduced by two sequences of three chordal motifs, separated by a measure of silence. According to Claire Delamarche, these represent the trois coups announcing the rise of the curtain in the French theater tradition. The sopranos alone sing the first line, “Glory to God in the Highest”, repeated by a four-part harmonization.

Et in terra pax#

After six measures of piano interlude, the bass soloist begins softly the text “And peace on earth”, joined later by the other soloists. Finally the four parts of the chorus all repeat one after the other gently “adoramus te” (we pray to you) and conclude the section singing in homophony “glorificamus te” (we glorify you), marked again sotto voce.

Gratias#

The second movement of the Gloria is a trio for alto, tenor, and bass. It sets the “Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam” (We give you thanks for your great glory). Marked Andante grazioso ( = 76) in 2/4, it is made up of: * an introduction for piano * theme A, used in different voices (measures 24–51) * presentation of a new theme, B (measures 51–58) * a chromatic digression for piano (measures 59–65) * a brief return to theme A (measures 67–76) * development of theme B (measures 76–94) * a long plagal cadence (measures 96–114) The setting for three voices illustrates “We give you thanks”.

Domine Deus#

The third movement of the Gloria is a tenor aria, setting “Domine Deus rex celestis” (Lord God, King of Heaven). Marked Allegro giusto and fortissimo ( = 120) in common time, it is introduced by a march-like theme with a pattern of a syncopated long accented note on beat 2 of most measures, which the tenor picks up. The second thought, “Domine Deus Agnus Dei” (Lord God, Lamb of God) is presented in contrasting triple-piano and even rhythm. A third aspect, “Domine Deus Filius Patris” (Lord God, Son of the Father), appear forte and with an even accompaniment in triplets. The aria is, by its music of energetic syncopes, dotted rhythms and leaps, an image of a majestic heavenly king.

Qui tollis#

The fourth movement of the Gloria is a duet for the two female soloists, expressing “Qui tollis peccati mundi, miserere nobis” (You who carries the sins of the world, have mercy). Marked Andantino mosso ( = 76) in common time, it has the two voices often in parallels of thirds and sixths.

Quoniam#

The fifth movement of the Gloria is a bass aria on the text “Quoniam tu solus sanctus” (For You alone are Holy). A short introduction, marked Adagio, leads to an extended piano section, marked Allegro moderato ( = 76) with contrasts in dynamics.

Cum Sancto Spiritu#

The final movement of the Gloria is a chorus on the words “Cum Sancto Spiritu in Gloria Dei Patris.” (With the Holy Spirit in the Glory of God.) Amen". They are presented first as in the beginning of the Gloria, returning to the initial key. Then, marked Allegro a capella, they are expanded to long fugue with a display of counterpoint. Shortly before the end, the opening of the Gloria is repeated on the first words, unifying the movement further.

Credo#

Different from the Gloria, the text of the Creed is mostly in the same character, interrupted only for a short soprano solo “Crucifixus” (Crucified) and an episode “Et resurrexit” (And risen), concluded by another fugue. The word “Credo” (I believe) is first sung by the tenors, then by the sopranos, again by the choir. This statement of belief is repeated several times throughout the movement, structuring and unifying it, in a way that Niccolò Jommelli, Mozart and Beethoven used before, among others. Marked Allegro Cristiano ( = 120), a strong beginning is contrasted by softly expressing “in unum Deum” (in one God), beginning on the same tone, reminiscent of liturgical reciting tone. Then the soloists, with alto and tenor beginning, sing the passage “Et incarnatus est” (And was born) in the same mood. The female voices of the chorus announce in unison: “Et homo factus est” (and was made man), repeated by the male voices, then the piano plays a sequence of short motifs, interrupted by many rests.

Composer: Gioachino Rossini