Beethoven’s Mass in C at St. Lucia’s Cathedral

British maestro Gregory Rose to conduct Beethoven’s transcendent Mass in C with the Chamber Music Society of Colombo (CMSC) and the Coro Populorum and Coro Sacrum on Sunday, 14 February at 6 p.m. The Mass is presented by the Archdiocese of Colombo and entrance is free. 

Beethoven wrote this work in 1807, at the request of Prince Nicolas Estherhazy, patron for many years of Joseph Haydn, who still remained alive but no longer composed.

The work was first performed on 13 September 1807, at the castle of Eisenstadt, not far from Vienna. The composer aged 37 and in full maturity, conducted his own work.

It appears the prince did not appreciate the work, judging it probably too ‘modern’. He is supposed to have said: “But, Beethoven, what have you done here?” Nevertheless Beethoven was very satisfied, asserting “to have treated the text like it had not previously been done.”

When the work was edited, in November 1812, at Breitkopf & Härtel (of Leipzig), it was dedicated to Prince Kinsky.

This mass requires a classical orchestra, a quartet of vocal soloists, (Meneka Sahabandu, Peshali Yapa, Jaliya Senanayake and Laknath Seneviratne) a large mixed choir of soprano, alto, tenor and bass. The performance held at St. Lucia’s Cathedral in Kotahena, Colombo 13 will be a part of a Holy Mass with chief celebrant Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. The CMSC appears courtesy of Fairway Holdings, their premier sponsor.