and may have heard the mass performed by Haydn himself and would meet shortly afterwards. Haydn's original title may also have come from illness and exhaustion at this time, which followed his supervision of the first performances of The Creation, completed a few months earlier. More simply, it may have sprung from the challenge of composing without the desired instrumentation. The solo parts for two of the vocal quartet are virtuosic: the bass line was perhaps written for the accomplished Christian Specht, and the soprano line, even more demanding, could have been written for Barbara Pilhofer or Therese Gassmann. The piece was premiered 23 September 1798 at the town parish church (now cathedral), a last minute venue change from the Bergkirche in Eisenstadt. Movements The text, slightly altered, is taken from the Latin Mass of the Catholic church. It consists of the following six movements.Performances require between 45 and 60 minutes. The choir sings in all movements. , , D minor, 3/4 (soprano solo) , , D major, common time (soli soprano, alto, tenor, bass [SATB]) , , B-flat major, 3/4 (soli soprano, baritone) , , D major, common time (soli SATB) , , D major, alla breve , , G major, 3/4 (soli SATB) , , D major, common time (soprano solo) , , D major, common time , , D major, 3/4 , , D minor, 2/4 (soli SATB) , , Allegro, D major, 3/4 (soli SATB) , , G major, 3/4 (soli SATB) , , D major, common time (soli SATB) Selected discography 1962: King's College Choir and a reduced London Symphony Orchestra with Sylvia Stahlman (soprano), Helen Watts (contralto), Wilfred Brown (tenor), Tom Krause (baritone), Simon Preston (organ), conducted by Sir David Willcocks; recording re-released in 2000 by London/Decca Legends CD 458623 1986: The English Concert Choir and the English Concert conducted by Trevor Pinnock, recording released in 1990 by Archiv Produktion (Deutsche Grammophon) CD 423097 References Notes Sources Hibbert, Christopher (1994). Nelson – A Personal History. Basic Books. . McCaldin, Denis (1995). "Haydn's 'Nelson' Mass: Its decline and rise." South African Journal of Musicology/Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir musiekwetenskap (SAMUS), 15: 25–32. Webster, James and Feder, Georg. "§ Sacred vocal music" in "Haydn, Joseph." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Further reading Schenbeck, Lawrence. (1985) "Missa in angustiis by Joseph Haydn." Choral Journal, 25, no. 9: 19, 25–30. External links UC Davis Symphony & Chorus: Haydn: Missa