Mozart Mass in C Minor

13 April 2019

The Easter concert of the Salisbury Musical Society attracted a large audience on Saturday evening. The main work was Mozart’s C Minor Mass, a work, which, like his Requiem, was left unfinished, though no-one is sure why. It was probably intended as a peace offering to his father, who disapproved of his recent marriage to Constanze, and as a gift to Constanze in the shape of a fine soprano part which she was to sing in Salzburg. The work was designed on a large scale, with double chorus and a large orchestra, including trumpets and trombones.

SMS and the Chelsea Opera Group Orchestra gave a spirited performance of this magnificent piece. Most of the choral movements start with forte entries and SMS did not disappoint, the voices cutting cleanly through the thick orchestral textures, sometimes conveying a sense of exultation (as in the Gloria) or even of angst (as in the Qui Tollis with its double dotted string accompaniment). The Cathedral acoustic is not always kind to choral-orchestral balance, but on this occasion the choir parts positively blazed out.

The soloists were also impressive. Particular mention must be made of the mezzo, Katie Bray, who is to represent England in the BBC Singer of the World Competition in Cardiff late this year (one can see why!) and Claire Rutter, who stood in at the last moment for the advertised soloist.

This was an enormously enjoyable performance and one was left asking, as always, why, oh why didn’t Mozart get round to finishing it?

Stephen Lycett
Reviewer