not appear until 1980, when the Edizioni musicali Otos in Florence published a version faithful to the composer's intentions, edited by Angelo Coan. Three new editions of the piano version were prepared celebrating Rossini's 200th anniversary in 1992: two critical editions by Oxford and Carus-Verlag, and one by Novello, with only one piano part. Reception The reception of the work was divided. Music critic Filippo Filippi in La Perseveranza noted: "This time, Rossini has outdone himself, because no one can say what prevails, science and inspiration. The fugue is worthy of Bach for erudition." A reviewer for L'Illustration wrote: However, Giuseppe Verdi was much less enthusiastic, as he wrote to Count Opprandino Arrivabene on 3 April 1864: "Lately Rossini has made progress and studied! Studied what? Personally, I would advise him to unlearn the music and write another Barber". Scoring In its original version, the performance of the mass required four soloists (soprano, contralto, tenor and bass), a mixed choir of ideally twelve singers including the soloists, two pianos and harmonium, which sometimes could be replaced by an accordion, according to the first idea of Rossini, but was considered too "popular" for a religious framework at the time of the creation. This low number of performers contrasts with the dimension of ensembles used at that time to interpret the great works of sacred music. This is what has earned this mass the adjective petite. In 1867 Rossini orchestrated his mass for instrumental forces much larger: three flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, three bassoons, four horns, four trumpets, three trombones, ophicleide, two cornets, timpani, two harps, organ and strings. Judgements about the two versions diverge. Some musicologists argue that the orchestrated version is preferred today to the original while others explain that the piano gives back its "bite" to the original version, which the composer preferred. Structure The mass is structured following the five parts of the liturgical text, with a ternary Kyrie, a Gloria in six movements, a Credo divided in four sections, Sanctus (including Hosanna and Benedictus) and Agnus Dei. Rossini added two earlier compositions, using an instrumental piece in the form of prelude and fugue for an offertory, and inserting in the orchestral version a soprano aria, a setting of "". As Fleming points out, insertion of an instrumental offertory and/or a motet such as "" was mentioned in in reviews of contemporary mass settings. The Kyrie and