Mozart's 'Masonic Funeral Music' K.477

[pastoralguy]

I recently acquired the Klemperer/Philharmonia recording of this work.. Boy, is it powerfull?!!

Does anyone else have a favourite recording of this piece?

[Petrushka]

I only have two recordings of this piece and both with a Klemperer connection.

The first is one given by Klemperer with the VPO in June 1968 when he was reluctantly persuaded to include it as a prelude to Mahler 9 in commemoration of Robert Kennedy who had been assassinated that week. You can just imagine Otto's truculent response when asked can't you?

The second is one given by Rafael Kubelik and the New Philharmonia at a Klemperer memorial concert in 1974 which preceded Beethoven 9.

[french frank]

I have the CD of all the Masonic Music, including for solo voice and piano and choral works, plus the Funeral Music, which is the only purely orchestral piece. István Kertész and the LSO, W Krenn and T Krause.

Wha-a-a-t! . I expected to see it in the marketplace for 1p. Not the cover I have, though, which is this one - cheaper to get it from the US.

But I love this CD which I play frequently. Enormous simplicity in some of the songs but the cantatas have that sort of Zauberflöte mysticism. Very much from the Enlightenment.

[JFLL]

I have the CD of all the Masonic Music, including for solo voice and piano and choral works, plus the Funeral Music, which is the only purely orchestral piece. István Kertész and the LSO, W Krenn and T Krause.

Wha-a-a-t! . I expected to see it in the marketplace for 1p. Not the cover I have, though, which is this one - cheaper to get it from the US.

But I love this CD which I play frequently. Enormous simplicity in some of the songs but the cantatas have that sort of Zauberflöte mysticism. Very much from the Enlightenment.

I seem to remember that Herreweghe and the CV Ghent played an 'original version' of the Masonic Funeral Music called Meistermusik, with men's chorus, at the Proms a few years ago. I agree about the power of the Klemperer performance, and I like the gentler Kubelik version, too, especially poignant as a memorial to Klemperer. The underrated Peter Maag recorded the complete masonic music, as well, with the Vienna Volksoper Choir and Orchestra.

[Roehre]

I have the CD of all the Masonic Music, including for solo voice and piano and choral works, plus the Funeral Music, which is the only purely orchestral piece.

That's how it is usually performed. It is however originally a choral piece (KV479a), and as such performed at the Proms IIRC in the 2006 season, at that occasion named Meistermusik.

Edit: I see JFLL already mentioned this too.

[Pabmusic]

It's a good example of the practical nature of music at the time. It was first performed in August 1785 as the Meistermusik, "Replevit me amaritudinibus", for 2 oboes, clarinet, basset horn, 2 horns and strings with unison men's chorus. The men intoned the cantus firmus in the central section (based on Lamentations 3, vv. 15 & 54). Then two important masons died in November, which led Mozart to rescore the work for a memorial service on 17th (quite an easy task, since all he did was to dispense with the unison men's chorus).

Then, on December 9th it was played again. This time Mozart added a contrabassoon, and (almost at the last minute) two more basset horns. This was because two basset-horn players (and Masons) were in Vienna at the time and were given a benefit concert by one lodge.

So there are actually three versions. The last is the best-known (K 477 0r K 479a, whichever edition of Koechel you're using). I've conducted this (concert hall, not a church) and it does have a very powerful effect. The recording I know best is Bruno Walter's CBS one from the late 1950s.

[Roehre]

Thanks pabmusic

[french frank]

Thanks to JFLL and Roehre for the information about the KV479a choral version. I can hear those rolling, brooding, waves of music in my head and can't easily conceive of it having been written for vocal/chorus. But since all the other Masonic works are, I suppose (reluctantly) that was what Mozart conceived (and the opening of the Requiem creates a similar effect for me).

Added thanks to pabmusic.

[John Skelton]

The recording of the piece I have is the version with men's chorus (wonderful performance, Herreweghe conducting).

Here it is on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1JusRDgRDA

[Roehre]

The recording of the piece I have is the version with men's chorus (wonderful performance, Herreweghe conducting).

Here it is on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1JusRDgRDA

AFAIK the only recording of this version which also reached a CD issue (Harmonia Mundi with the unfinished Mass KV427)

[french frank]

The recording of the piece I have is the version with men's chorus (wonderful performance, Herreweghe conducting).

Here it is on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1JusRDgRDA

It says 'reconstructed' (and deest) - what is the evidence for the earlier version?

[John Skelton]

Amazon UK also have the Herreweghe CD http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Chora...5861549&sr=1-1

On the reconstruction

http://www.musicomh.com/classical/proms/2006-57_0806.htm

http://www.mozartforum.com/VB_forum/archive/index.php?t-3872.html

ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/multimedia/mut...lys/README.txt

[french frank]

JS

The note from Dennis Pajot in that third link is the most informative on the subject. Thank you

[Pabmusic]

...I can hear those rolling, brooding, waves of music in my head and can't easily conceive of it having been written for vocal/chorus.

I agree, but it was hardly a choral work - it has 20 bars of unison singing in the middle, all covered by other instruments and easy to omit (which Mozart did for the second performance). The link that John Skelton has posted is lovely, and I am very grateful for it, but I don't think this is a case of getting back to Mozart's original intentions by stripping away the accretions of 230 years. It is a great piece of occasional music that Mozart used in three different formats within four months. And I think the contrabassoon and two extra basset horns was an inspired idea that underlines the solemnity.

[visualnickmos]

I've just discovered that I have a 2-disc set of this with the Orchestra and Choir of the Vienna Volksoper, conducted by Peter Maag. I have NO recollection of when and where I acquired it! Must give it a spin. It's on Carlton Classics, a label I've never heard of...?