On 29 September 1758, Horatio Nelson was born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, England. Nelson would become one of Englands greatest naval heroes, noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics. However, for music lovers, Lord Nelson is perhaps even better known for his association with Joseph Haydns late masterwork, the Missa in Angustiis (Mass for troubled times) or Nelson Mass (Hob. XXII:11). When he wrote this Mass 1798, Haydns reputation was at its peak, but his world was in turmoil. Napoleon had won four major battles with Austria in less than a year. The previous year, in early 1797, his armies had crossed the Alps and threatened Vienna itself. What Haydn did not know when he wrote the Mass, but what he and his audience heard (perhaps on the very day of the first performance September 15), was that on Aug. 1, Napoleon had been dealt a stunning defeat in the Battle of the Nile by British forces led by Admiral Horatio Nelson. Because of this coincidence, the Mass gradually acquired the nickname Lord Nelson Mass. The title became indelible when in 1800, Lord Nelson himself visited the Palais Esterházy and heard the Mass performed. We remember the birthday of this great hero of the Napolionic Wars withthe stormy opening Kyrie from the Lord Nelson Mass, performed by the Gächinger Kantorei and Bach Collegium Stuttgart under the direction of Helmuth Rilling. #Haydn #choralmusic https://play.spotify/track/5f49tcM8v6mj62tE54NacC
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 14:52:17 +0000