The Mass in E flat major is the last of Schubert’s six settings of the Ordinarium Missae and it is also his most significant work in this form. It is full of varied dramatic gestures and fervent expression and because of some essential omissions of text, it was described by some contemporaries as “unsuitable for liturgical use”.

For the editions of the ‘great’ Schubert Masses the editors have once again thoroughly and subtly reexamined the source material. This has resulted in historical-critical Urtext editons which differ from previous editions in many passages: these are major differences but many obvious details, especially dynamic and articulation are corrected (which has been a trouble spot in the Schubert Edition). The scholarly editions present the musical text in a manner which furthers historically informed performance practice.

Scoring: Soli SATTB, Coro SSATTBB, 2 Ob, 2 Clt, 2 Fg, 2 Cor, 2 Tr, 3 Trb, Timp, 2 Vl, Va, Vc, Cb
Language: Latin
Duration: 55 min