Missa solemnis

Description

A powerful tribute from the entire musical world was paid to Nikolaus Harnoncourt upon his passing on March 5th. Numerous covers or major features in magazines (Diapason, Classica), many articles in Le Monde, Le Figaro, a special day on France Musique, have testified to the special place held by one of the most illustrious contemporary conductors. As he definitively retired from the artistic scene last December, in a particularly moving message addressed to his audience, Nikolaus Harnoncourt also expressed the wish that his last musical project, the monumental "Missa Solemnis" by Beethoven, be recorded. These performances of Beethoven's mass at the Graz Festival (Austria) as well as at the Salzburg Festival 2015 were his last public appearances. The recording of this monumental work took place during the rehearsals and concerts in Graz. Following his long work on Beethoven throughout his career, he recorded the work for the first time on period instruments, at the head of his Concentus Musicus of Vienna, to which the wonderful Arnold Schoenberg choir and a first-rate vocal quartet were added. Sacred music has always held a special place in Nikolaus Harnoncourt's repertoire, particularly with Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart, and this new precious testimony, a musical testament, is likely to enter the pantheon of great interpretations of our time.