The first four of his masses are rather short and are relatively simple. In contrast, in the Missa solemnis in A flat major he sought to attain “the highest in art;” it breaks new ground, especially in its treatment of harmony. Together with the Mass in E flat major, an expressly choral mass, it points to Schubert’s late style. The Mass in G major is available both in the version with additions by Schubert’s brother Ferdinand, and in a version with the original trumpet and timpani parts, which are handed down in the Klosterneuburg parts. This makes the attractive set of study scores indispensable for scholar and musicians alike.
Prefaces:
Mass in F major · Mass in G major · Mass in B flat major · Mass in C major · Mass in A flat major · Mass in E flat major |