Franz Schubert composed six masses, the fifth of which – in A flat major, completed in 1822 – is classified as a Missa solemnis, or solemn mass. It is an elaborate work in terms of both forces and duration. Schubert skilfully exploits the richness and power of sound afforded by the performing apparatus to generate extraordinary musical diversity, not only in the successive movements of the mass cycle, but also in smaller passages of the text and even individual words. The spirit of triumphant joy that permeates the work, especially in the choral parts, is balanced by the reflective, warm lyricism of the solo passages.

Beethoven completed his Symphony No. 2 in 1802, having worked on it for almost four years. This says a lot not only about the great composer’s working methods, but also about a deeper transformation of creative consciousness that heralded a new era in music, when no composer would set themselves the task of composing dozens of symphonies, following the example of Haydn or Mozart. Beethoven made numerous corrections and rejected earlier versions of the work. He was also dissatisfied with the final result, but fortunately for listeners, he did not decide to destroy the work. Consequently, we can enjoy this music full of unrestrained joy, freedom, humour, lively rhythms and great melodic ideas. And Beethoven, in his dilemmas over the Second Symphony, was probably already on the way to the breakthrough that would come two years later with the creation of the Eroica.

Robert Losiak