René Jacobs, a Haydn conductor, expresses his admiration for Haydn's "Cecilia Mass," calling it the most magnificent and artistic among Haydn's masses. The exact date of the mass's creation is undocumented, and the title, referring to the patron saint of church music, isn't Haydn's own. Jacobs performs the mass with the Basel Chamber Orchestra and a select vocal quartet.
René Jacobs is one of the more electrifying figures in the early music circles. For those who do not follow the ideological battles of fans of historical performance practices daily, it may seem surprising how much excitement some of the Belgian conductor and singer's productions generate. In half a century of artistic activity, Jacobs has been one of the main protagonists of the early music renaissance. At first, as an excellent countertenor, he specialised in recordings of forgotten works and took part in many enthusiastically received interpretations of works by Bach or Mozart. For Jacobs as a conductor, historical treatises and knowledge of past practices can sometimes be the starting point for getting carried away with the free play of the imagination. For some, these ideas are too bold, while in the opinion of others, they make his interpretations closer to contemporary audiences. How will it be with Haydn's two comparatively different works? The E minor Symphony took its name, Mourning, from the composer's alleged request that the slow movement be performed at his funeral. However, there is no evidence that it was played at either the funeral or other memorial services for the artist. The Missa Cellensis in honorem Beatissimae Virginis Mariae, also known as the Cecilian Mass, is one of two works (or actually three) written for the Abbey of Mariazell, one of the most important pilgrimage points in Austria. The first version of the Mass, composed in 1766, was destroyed in a fire. Therefore, seven years later, Haydn reconstructed the entire work from memory and expanded it into the shape it is known today. Szymon Maliszewski Concert duration (intermission included): approximately 120 minutes
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