Mass in D minor, K. 65

The Missa brevis in D minor, K. 65/61a, is a mass composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (12 years old at the time) and completed on 14 January 1769.^[1] It is scored for SATB soloists and choir, violin I and II, 3 trombones colla parte, and basso continuo.

Missa brevis in D minor
Mass by W. A. Mozart
Kollegienkirche, the University Church of Salzburg, c. 1712
Key	D minor
Catalogue	K. 65/61a
Occasion	Forty-hour vigil held at the Kollegienkirche
Composed	1769 (1769): Salzburg
Movements	6
Vocal	SATB choir and soloists
Instrumental	3 trombones 2 violins continuo

It is thought that this mass was performed in the University of Salzburg's Kollegienkirche to open a forty-hour vigil.^[2][3] As a Lenten mass, it is likely that the Gloria could not have been performed on this occasion, and would have been composed for subsequent use.^[4] This is Mozart's shortest setting of the Order of Mass, and his only missa brevis set in a minor key.^[3]

The mass is divided into six movements.

1. Kyrie Adagio, D minor, common time

   "Kyrie eleison" – Allegro, D minor, 3/4

2. Gloria Allegro moderato, D minor, common time
3. Credo Allegro moderato, D minor, 3/4

   "Et incarnatus est" Adagio, D minor, cut common time

   "Et resurrexit" Allegro moderato, D minor, 3/4

   "Et vitam venturi saeculi" Più mosso, D minor, cut common time

4. Sanctus Adagio, D minor, cut common time

   "Pleni sunt coeli et terra" Allegro, D minor, common time

   "Hosanna in excelsis" Allegro, D minor, 3/4

5. Benedictus Andante, G minor, common time; soprano/alto duet

   "Hosanna in excelsis" Allegro, D minor, 3/4

6. Agnus Dei Andante, D minor, common time

   "Dona nobis pacem" Vivace, D minor, 3/8

References

1. Deutsch, Otto Erich (1966). Mozart: A Documentary Biography. Stanford University Press. p. 86.
2. Sadie, Stanley (2006). Mozart: The Early Years 1756–1781. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-19-816529-3.
3. Eisen, Cliff; Keefe, Simon, eds. (2006). The Cambridge Mozart Encyclopedia. p. 273. ISBN 978-1-139-44878-9.
4. Einstein, Alfred (1945). Mozart: His Character, His Work. p. 326. ISBN 978-0-19-500732-9.

External links

•  Missa brevis in d K. 65 (61a): Score in the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe
• Free scores of Missa brevis in D minor, KV 65 in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Missa brevis in D minor, K.65/61a: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• "Missa Brevis in D minor KV 65 (Mozart)". 3 April 2015 – via YouTube.
• "Missa Brevis in D minor KV 65 (Mozart)". 17 July 2013 – via YouTube.