The Press.
London, England, 1858-10-23 00:00:00

Vusital gtbittir.

Mozarts "Requiem" and First Mass. London:
Robert Cocks and Co.
THE reissue of these great works, at prices
within the reach of almost all classes of the com-
munity, cannot fail to excite general interest in
the musical world, and the new editions will
doubtless be bought up rapidly, as were their
predecessors. Such admirable, taste-improving
publications cannot succeed too well, and all
acquainted with the usual policy of the trade,
which is to sell flimsy things dear rather than
substantial ones cheap, and who wish with us to
see music of the highest and best kind become
popular in this country, must admit that Messrs.
Cocks, who are contributing largely, as they
have been for some years past, to the dissemina-
tion of a knowledge of and love for the im-
perishable classics of music, are really entitled to
the warm sympathy and liberal support of the
public. We observe that Mr. John Bishop of
Cheltenham, the English editor of the two
beautiful compositions immediately under no-
tice, calls the Mass in C Mozart's first, in
conformity with a custom, the authority for
which is derived from the catalogue of
Breitkopf and Mae!, the universally-known
Leipsic publishers. This figuring is nevertheless
quite erroneous; for the work in question is in
reality No. 16 of the authentic Masses signed
Mozart.

The genuine No. 1 is a "Missy Brevis" iu G,
for four voices, " string-quartet," and organ,
dated Vienna, 1768. No. 2, also a " Missa
Brevis," in I) minor, is for four voices, two violins,
and organ, dated Salsburg, Jan. 14, 1769. No.
3 (Oct., 1769), in C, is for the usual number of
voices, the string-quartet, two trumpets, kettle-
drums, and organ. No. 4is likewise in C, but
for voices and organ only. This is complete no
further than the " Sanctus," beyond which no
more than nine bars are written. No. sis in F,
for voices, two violins, and organ. This, too, is
broken off abruptly in the " Credo," at the words,
" Sedet act dexteram patris." No. 6, in C minor,
is for voices, string-quartet, two oboes, four
trumpets, three trombones, kettle-drums, and
organ. The dates of the three last-named works
are not exactly known, but they were unques-
tionably composed between 1769 and 1772. No.
7 (June, 1773), in C, is for voices, two violins,
two oboes, four trumpets, kettle-drums, and
organ. No. 8 (June, 1774), in F, is for voices,
two violins, and organ. No. 9 (1775 or 1776),
in C, is for voices, two violins, two trumpets,
drums, and organ. No. 10 (1776), entitled
" Missa Longa," is likewise in C, and for voices,
two oboes, two violins, two trumpets, and organ.
No. 11 (Nov., 1776), another "Missy Longa,"
and also in C, is for voices, two violins, two oboes,
two trumpets, three trombones, drums, and
organ. This Mass is published by Breitkopf and
Hertel, of Leipsic, as No. 11., but incomplete,
and with some wretched adulterations. The
tempi, too, in many instances, differ widely front
those marked in the original score possessed by
Herr Andr6, of Offenbach. No. 12 (Dec.,
1776), for voices, two violins, two trumpets,
drums, and organ, is again in C; as is also No.
13 (Dec., 1776), written for the same voices and
instruments. No. 14 (probably 1777), in B flat,
is for four voices (concertante), two violins, and
organ. No. 15 (1777 or 1778), in D, is for voices,
two violins, and organ ; and NO. 16, in C, for voices,
two violins, two oboes, two trumpets, three trom-
bones, kettle-drums, and organ, dated March
23, 1779, is the so-called No. 1 of Messrs.
Breitkopf and Hertel, and their English fol-
lowers. The Leipsic edition is moreover faulty
in many other respects. The horn parts are
wanting altogether, the entrees of the trombone
parts published as additions are not indicated,
and there are certain notal errors in the score.
To all English admirers of Mozart—and who
amongst us does not admire this most perfect of
masters ?—the above facts, hitherto but very little
known in this country, will doubtless prove
highly interesting ; and if Messrs. Cocks would
but obtain and bring out in their own excellent
and reasonable way all, or some of the works of
which we have spoken, as predecessors of the
so-called No. 1, and likewise the following
numbers from 16 to 19, so as to give the whole of
Mozart's Masses complete and incomplete, accord