Mass in C Minor Kv 427 New Ve

It is something of an oddity that two of Mozart's most enduring sacred works are incomplete: the Mass in C Minor, and the even more famous Requiem. Dr. Robert Levin is one in a long line of musicologists who has completed the Requiem in an edition which is my personal favorite, so naturally, I jumped at the chance to give his new completion of the Mass in C Minor a listen. I was cautious- only the beginning of the Credo had been finished by Mozart, and the Sanctus is riddled with lacunae. The Agnus Dei is completely lacking. From what material would Levin draw to make an educated and sound completion?

The one important thing to remember, is that Levin used as much of Mozart's own material as possible, so much that relatively little of the present work is original Levin. Levin drew from the arias of another work... the cantata "Davide Penitente," in which Mozart reused the music from the Mass' Gloria; Levin used sketches, themes, subjects, etc. from the period in which Mozart composed the Mass. To provide unity, Levin reuses fugue themes Mozart composed for the Mass (e.g. the second subject of the "Kyrie" is reused in the fugue "Et Vitam venturi" at the end of the Credo). Sounds academic, sure, but the reality of the performance is astounding, sounding appropriately Mozartian. The sound is nearly seamless, in keeping with Mozart's unique contrapuntal style. All of the modulations, episodes, etc. are in place. Mozart would have been proud. If I had been less well-versed in musicology or unfamiliar with the Mass prior to listening, I would never have guessed it was completed by another (modern) hand. For that, Levin's endeavors require the highest merit. (The "Agnus Dei" is especially emotionally charged, adapted from the aria "Fra l'oscure" in Mozart's aforementioned cantata, and completed by the "Dona nobis pacem" fugue, the theme an authentic Mozart creation.)

It is a recording one will have to approach with open ears. No, Professor Levin is not Mozart, but he is surely the best living candidate to complete Mozart's unfinished masterpieces. Having heard this man speak to college campuses in person, as well as reading his publications, it is clear his understanding of the subject is absolutely unparalleled.

As for the recording itself, Helmuth Rilling leads with precision and clarity. His expertise with Bach's choral music serves him well here, in this heavily contrapuntal Mozart mass (itself a work of experimental nature following Mozart's exposure to Bach's contrapuntal technique). As for the "brassiness" a previous review mentioned: it seems rather refreshing that finally more conductors are paying more attention to balance with their orchestras... after all Mozart must have included a brass section here to be heard.

The singers are excellent. Diana Damrau alone is reason enough to get this record. She is a great talent and has proved herself to be a true Mozartian. From Dr. Robert Levin's amazing scholarship, to the efforts of the singers, this is a recording a would not hesitate to recommend.

It is difficult to understand what "Observer" disliked about Robert Levin's completion of Mozart's glorious Mass in C Minor, especially in Helmuth Rilling's magnificent performance with his Stuttgart forces and soloists. Maybe that reviewer finds any "completion" of a masterpiece "presumptious" (so long, Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's "Pictures"). Rather than intellectually analyzing every added fugue to see whether it goes on for too long a time, I prefer to listen with open ears and mind and bask in the enchanting score. Certainly of all Mozart's works, the C Minor Mass tends most to sound "Baroque" (indeed, even Romantic) in its drama and passion. As for the "brassyness" [sic]of the added orchestrations, again nothing sounds out of place. Hearing the originally 45-minute incomplete mass pour out of my speakers (or through my headphones) for nearly an hour and a quarter has been a repeatedly enthralling experience. The soloists are wonderful, the chorus enthralling, the direction by Helmuth Rilling of the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart exhilariating. Do not let "Observer's" grumpiness keep you from enjoying this monumental masterpiece.

I admire Robert Levin as much any classical music buff. His restoration of the Requiem is miraculous, and his thrilling period performances of Mozart's keyboard concertos I can listen to over and over again and never tire of them. But why tinker with a piece of music that really doesn't need any improvement? So what if Mozart never finished this amazing Mass, when I listen to the monumental fragment there is nothing left to do but be totally blown away. It is one of the most compelling and emtionally draining pieces in the classical repetoire, so why make it longer than it already is? Can't we just enjoy what Mozart left us? I guess DR. Levin chose to "complete" this piece simply because he could. No doubt, Levin is a terrific improviser at the keyboard but as a composer he will never come close to Mozart's level. I respect his efforts, but for myself, I prefer to listen to Mozart's score by itself, which features a more magnificent ending than Levin, or anyone else for that matter, will ever come up with.

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