ZWV3 Missa Corporis Domini

[G.Reuss]

I just made a midi of the first movement of ZWV3 Missa Corporis Domini. And I must say the Kyrie was a very well written piece. I rank this as one of Zelenkas best movements he composed.

I have uploaded the movement to Alistair, so the midi file will be present soon. Skiaouros will later make an mp3 with much better sound. This will also be uploaded when time permits for Skiaouros.

Would be happy to hear what you think of this movement.

[Alistair]

Thanks for doing this! This movement is everything that is good about Zelenka's music, and the mass was written as early as 1719! I wonder if this was played during the summer wedding festivities in Dresden attended by so many famous composers at that time (including Händel and Telemann).

Thanks to G.Reuss and skiaouros for letting some of these works see the light of day again after more than 250 years, even only if in electronic form. I hope performers and recording ensembles will realise that there are gems to be picked here.

Zelenka is really full of surprises. We can talk about his polyphony, his melodiousness, his ability to vary themes - but what strikes me is that he is difficult to pin down. Just when one thinks one has him summed up, one hears something new that alters one's conception of who he was as a composer.

Take Nisi Dominus (ZWV 92) - a stunning short piece from 1726 with such immediacy, and quite different to the majesty of Magnificat in D (ZWV 108) from 1725. Zelenka was extremely adaptable, as also witnessed by his final change of style in the 1730s. And even then, as stated by Wolfgang Horn, no two of his final five masses (ZWV 17-21) are alike. Perhaps he did write ZWV 45 (Requiem in C minor) after all...

[skiaouros]

Hello,

I'm doing the other pieces of ZWV 3 Credo Sanctus...

The mass seems to be a first version, in the style of the begining, more than ZWV1 and ZWV2 which were revised. The crucifixus has been copied and revised for the ZWV 2. One can hear many influences and already his original character with a touching Confiteor.
More when finished...

SK