- Foreword (Eng/Cz/Ger) and Critical Commentary (Eng) by the editor Dvorák composed the “Mass in D major” in 1887 at the suggestion of his patron Josef Hlávka for the inauguration of the Lužany castle chapel. It is written for choir and organ with sporadic passages for soloists, uses simple expressive devices and makes light technical demands. Thus, this work is easy to perform, also by amateur church choirs; all that is needed is a small choir and the solo parts can be sung by members of the choir. The full score includes additional violoncello and double bass parts edited for the first time. Dvorák had penned them himself in a transcription of the organ version. Editor: Haig Utidjian