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There might have been more to say, but within three weeks of their arrival, baby Raimund, left in Vienna with a wet nurse, was dead of “intestinal cramps” on 19 August. Infant mortality was certainly a fact of everyday life in the eighteenth century—between one in four and one in three babies in Germany did not survive their first year, primarily due to infectious disease, poor sanitation, and malnutrition. Leopold and his wife Anna Maria had had five children who died in infancy. Perhaps couples could find a way to become hardened to the possibility of death the more children they had, but the first would have to weigh heavily. Eight years after Magdalena Haydn had lost her only child, an infant daughter, Mozart described her as a weeping religious recluse.
Though it was not unusual for an infant to be left with a wet nurse due to the rigors of travel, for Wolfgang and Constanze not to have been near Raimund when he died must have been devastating. For years, based on an early biography, it was thought that the mass was sung on 26 August, but Nannerl’s diary clearly documents it on 26 October. Perhaps it was scheduled in August but then delayed due to the baby’s death. In any event, Mozart did no further work on the mass. The next movement to write would have been “Crucifixus”, and I think he would have needed no more reminders of death.
Most of my musical examples for “K427″ are from John Eliot Gardiner, for going 2/3 in solos, 2/3 in ensembles, a crackerjack 9/9 in choruses, and, of course, for Sylvia McNair’s two absolute best in show solos in “Christe eleison” and “Et incarnatus est” (see “Compilations” heading below for ratings). His is the version included in the Philips set of all the Mozart masses, which is also my favorite set.
I use Ferenc Fricsay for his best in show “Laudamus te” solo with Hertha Töpper.
For “Domine Deus”, the one ensemble in Gardiner I don’t like only because it’s too smooth and harmonious, I use Ivor Bolton. I don’t know if his is the best, because many are very good, but Bolton demonstrates how a “silver” and a “gold” voice can enhance the sense of conflict, because each voice is easily discernible. I also particularly like the way his orchestral introduction sets up the battle by sounding downright ominous.
Where there’s a contrasting point to be made, I will throw in another conductor, such as Christopher Hogwood for his despicable “Qui tollis” and his sublime “Credo in unum Deum”, the first and best recording of an edition that add trumpets, trombones, and timpani.
Shall we get to the music?
NEXT: KYRIE
