Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – The Complete Masonic Music

★★★★✰

   One of interesting facts in biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is his relation to freemasonry. He was known as active member of the lodge, but in 18th century Europe it was not uncommon. In peak moment of Enlightenment it was really hard to find somebody who was publicly active and did not belong to any freemasonic tribe. In fact almost all significant composers of classical and romantic periods were freemasons. But in case of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart it was somehow unique. He was devoted to promote in his works freemasonic symbols along with values such as truth, morality and brotherly love. He was recollecting ideas of freemasonry in significant part of his works, also these which were not intended for use in lodge. Probably the most famous example is the opera Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), where Mozart along with librettist Emanuel Schikaneder, who was his lodge brother, created allegoric vision of mankind progression from animalism, through fallacy of religious beliefs, to Enlightenment and rationalism.

   The intellectual content of The Magic Flute is clear, but since sometimes references are much more discrete it is hard to clearly assess many of Mozart’s works as Masonic. The method of selecting works to the collection called Die komplette Freimaurermusik (The Complete Masonic Music) was to take into account only works used in loge or composed for loge commission. Published in 1968 by FSM double album was published the same year also in US under Turnabout label and republished under FSM Vox label (FSM 33 006/7) in 1992 as CD. Unlike some earlier productions, the collection of Masonic music conducted by Peter Maag was definite and complete. The idea was to publish all Mozart’s music connected to Masonic rites by its origins or by tradition. The collection is arranged chronologically.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – The Complete Masonic Music (1968)

   The collection is arranged chronologically. Oldest piece is Psalm 129 “De profundis clamavi” for choir and orchestra KV 93, composed in 1771 when Mozart was 15 years old. Second position is song for tenor and piano O heiliges Band der Freundschaft KV 148, composed in 1772. These early works were composed not for Masonic order but later were adopted for use in the loge. The same with Graduale “Sancta Maria, mater Dei” KV 273. First three recordings on first side of first record were composed before Mozart has become freemason, next few works were clearly written by commission. Canon and Adagio F Major KV 410 for two basset horns and fagot and Adagio B-flat Major KV 411 for two clarinets and three basset horns. Next side is clearly music of freemasonry, two cantatas “Dir, Seele des Weltalls” KV 429 and “Die Maurerfreude” KV 471, Masonic song “Die ihr einem neuen Grade” KV 468 and Maurerische Trauermusik C Minor KV 477 famous as one of the best classical funeral music – all are compositions written intentionally for loge in Vienna.
   Second record comprises series of Masonic lodge vocal music, songs and cantatas and two famous instrumental compositions – Adagio and Fugue C Minor from String Quartet KV 546 and Adagio C Minor and Rondo C Major for Flute, Oboe, Viola, Cello and Celesta KV 617. Peter Maag who was member of Great Loge “Mozart” has prepared these performances for 1966 jubilee celebrations. Singers were tenor Kurt Equiluz, boy soprano Franz Ellmer, tenor Rudolf Resch and baritone Leo Heppe. The main piano and organ accompanist was Kurt Rapf. In chamber performances participated violinists Paul Roczek and Peter Katt, viola player Jürgen Gise and cellist Wilfried Tachezi, flutist Herbert Weissberg, oboist Manfred Kautzky, clarinetists Alfred Rose and Josef Ortner, basset horn players Richard Schönhofer, Erich Webner and Horst Hajek and peter Maag playing celesta. In cantata and orchestral music attended Choir and Orchestra of Wiener Volksoper conducted by Peter Maag. This is unique complete with deep cover information. Five stars, one for information content and four stars for artistic quality of this double album.

J. S. Bach – Johannes-Passion BWV 245 – Nikolaus Harnoncourt

   Johann Sebastian Bach was absolute master of every musical forms already existing. At last in all these forms he has chance to deal with. And in addition to one big exception, the opera, almost every musical form known in his times was present in his output. Although he has no chance to receive a request for an opera, he put his narrative ideas into cantatas and oratorios. He used a lots of musical rhetoric means, and he did it in majority of his works. One of most comprehensive narrative works by Johann Sebastian Bach is Johannes-Passion. The Passion According to St. John and double chorus Matthäus-Passion are two survived. There were also preserved many fragments of five composed passions that gave chances for reconstructions of Lucas-Passion and Marcus-Passion. 

   Just as any other church work of Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes-Passion is deeply religious and perfectly united with Lutheran liturgy. This was normal practice in an era of still strong religious conflicts. In first half of 18th century being part of the congregation was still the primary determinant of individual and group identity. And Bach was aware of how powerful the impact of his music is and how great responsibility rests on him. The only possible solution to this dilemma was to compose in line with Lutheran theology. Therefore, in his vision of Johannes-Passion he strictly obeyed the order of worship. No wonder Passion according to St. John has been performed frequently during a quarter-century Leipzig period. Between premiere in 1724 and last acting in 1749 the work was presented at least four times under Bach’s direction.

Harnoncourt – Bach's Johannes-Passion (republished 1984) 

   In second half of 20th century Johannes-Passion was performed by almost every choir capable to perform this work. It was also interpreted by probably every successful conductor, not even necessary focused on baroque music. It was the era of phonograph, so St. John Passion has been recorded in dozens of renditions in both traditions of romantic symphonizm and modern stylization for original baroque sound. Second option based on original instruments and tuning principles gives wide possibilities for creating modern vision of baroque sensitivity. Probably the first recording on period instruments was 1965 performance of Concentus musicus Wien, and two connected choirs: Chorus Viennensis and Wiener Sängerknaben lead by choir master Hans Gillesberger. Conductor of this rendition was Nikolaus Harnoncourt, great artist and author of seminal books about musical aesthetics. First in the series of his texts was published in 1983 groundbreaking Musik als Klangrede: Wege zu einem neuen Musikverständnis, translated in next decade to many languages. A must read for any who wants to know and understand language of musical discourse.
   The Harnoncourt’s recording of Johannes-Passion was reissued several times in the seventies and eighties, becoming progressively one of the best known renditions of this work. Almost 50 years later, it is still great piece of art and document of moderately radical attitude to Bach’s music in sixties. It shows early stage of restoring the baroque music original sound. Nikolaus Harnoncourt with Concentus musicus Wien created different intellectual attitude and listener sensitivity opposite to previous performings. Closer to natural tune with pure, non-tempered intervals, for romantic long phrasing accustomed ears it sounded rough and only after the years listeners were able to notice how soft and vibrant these phrases are. Kurt Equiluz as Evangelist and Max van Egmond as Jesus are featuring soloists, some solo voices came from chorus members, just the same way Bach did with members of Tomanerchor. Organ parties have been played by Gustav Leonhardt and Herbert Tachezi – both great Bach interpreters on their own. On viola da gamba conductor played himself. The list of phenomenal musicians is long but it’s normal. Great musicians are always main power of any performance. Bach’s music demands the best, but effect is unforgettable.

Harnoncourt and Leonhardt conduct Bach’s Osterkantaten

There are no doubts Johann Sebastian Bach was greatest composer of European music ever known. Building his output almost exclusively on demand, he made synthesis of all genres and techniques used before. Only one form of music was beyond his reach. He never received an order for dramma per musica. And in 17th and early 18th century works, especially operas were composed only on request. Nevertheless Bach shifted his operatic ambitions into his oratorios and cantata works, carrying dramatic action with pure musical agents. Using only church music resources he created highly legible and clear language based on musical rhetorical means and measures strengthening the emotional expression.

Since his music was rediscovered in romantic era, Johann Sebastian Bach for more than a century was the composer who was increasingly recognized as genius who made the formal synthesis of all achievements of the previous music. In 1985 many record labels seized the opportunity of 300 anniversary of the birth of the great cantor from St. Thomas church in Leipzig and made special editions of his works. One of panoramic projects for Bach’s birthday celebration was Teldec Special Edition 1985 „300 Jahre J. S. Bach”. The fifth volume of the series was double album with set of five cantatas for Easter – numbers 4, 6, 31, 66 and 134 in Schmieder’s Bach Werke Verzeichnis. As signed two great personalities, Nicolaus Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt – conductors famous for performing music of the baroque period on original instruments.

Harnoncourt and Leonhardt - Bach's Easter Cantatas

Published by Teldec in Direct Metal Mastering technology album is mostly some kind of collection of older recordings from seventies. There is one newly recorded Cantata 134. Double album is divided between two conductors. First LP featuring Gustav Leonhardt conducting instrumental group Leonhardt-Consort, choirs Collegium Vocale working under direction of Philippe Herreweghe and Knabenchor Hannover leaded by Heinz Hennig includes two cantatas BWV 66 and 134. Second LP contains three cantatas BWV 4, 6 and 31 conducted by Nicolaus Harnoncourt with baroque orchestra Concentus musicus Wien, choirs Wiener Sängerknaben and Chorus Vienensis working under direction of Hans Gillesberger. The core group of soloists is mutual for both records – Paul Esswood (alt), Kurt Equiluz (tenor) and Max van Egmond (bass). In Cantata BWV 134 this group was augmented by soloist of Knabenchor Hannover Sebastian Hennig (sopran) and René Jacobs (alt). The same happened in Cantata BWV 31 with soloists of Wiener Sängerknaben and Siegmund Nimsgern (bass). Beautiful, perfectly tuned up voices, forced in timbre and pitch and totally new sound of baroque music.

This recordings were a part of quiet revolution in art of performing the old music. The top indication of new style was use of original instruments tuned in one of original tempering systems. But this was only surface of deeper changes. When whole sound and metric system has changed, ideas of reading and constructing the work need to be redefining. This is why conductors were the most important artists in these recording sessions. Of course there is always a personal imprint in such complex work as cantata. And obviously these conductors and bands are different. Leonhardt aims to the vision of ancient, raw, so much emotionally clear as sometimes rude musical seting of Bach’s work. Harnoncourt creates equilibrium of historical aesthetics and contemporary sensitivity. While Leonhardt goes towards reconstruction of historical music, Harnoncourt builds more readable parallel of old music for today’s listener. Both represent highest level of musical artistry due to the nature of composers creativity. Different personalities and one ideology to make old music alive, sounding the way it sounded 300 years before and agitate as strongly as it was in Bach’s in early 18th century.

Mozart – Requiem – Nikolaus Harnoncourt

After last two centuries of historical and musicological research problem of authorship of Mazart’s missa pro defunctis is still vivid question. Sometimes it looks like the authorship issues were not as much interesting alone as connected to this research question of composers intentions. And this could be the crucial question for almost every artistic event. In this special case intentions are meaningful for investigating what parts are real Mozart’s and what are only styling. Romantic legends say about poisoning composer and creating in last minutes work becoming his artistic testimony. The effect were dozens of solemn, heavy mourning interpretations of always the same Süssmayr’s version. Just like Mozart wasn’t the one who decided about the style of classical era. In last decades of twentieth century raised the whole movement for creating new vision of final Mozart’s oeuvre, by correcting evident mistakes, by playing it on instruments from Mozart’s time or just by interpreting the work more classical than romantic way.

Mozart – Requiem – Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1982)

Important recording of the Requiem was made by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and his orchestra Concentus musicus Wien for Telefunken in 1982. This great rendition was founded on the traditional basis of well known Mozart’s Requiem structure with additions by Franz Xaver Süssmayr but in new and improved instrumentation  by Franz Beyer. Great sound of the orchestra and again Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor are playing the main narrative role. Choir have the full spectrum of dynamics and articulation and its sound is perfectly set in meaningful interpretation. Soloists, Rachel Yakar, Ortrun Wenkel, Kurt Equiluz and Robert Hall are relatively less independent than in other recordings, treated rather as a chamber continuation of the choir part. Anyway these four great voices with this unbelievably precise performance are demarcating new standards of vocal expression. Partly it is also effect of improved sound of instrumental parts. Softly and deeply, tragic consciousness of inevitable death is coming to be listener’s intimate experience. Under Harnoncourt’s baton Requiem is closer to the performing style of Coronation Mass than to many other renditions of this work. When this comes out of knowledge about the style and artistic technology, musicians can follow text as it was open space for many possibilities. But only talented musicians can follow the Mozart’s music in such narrative manner. And maybe this is what makes Harnoncourt’s recording so much exceptional.