Day Two of Manuscript Work

As of the end of today, I have had the chance to work with all three sources of Missa gratiarum.  Yesterday, I was able to work with the autograph at the Gesellschaft and also handle the leather bound imperial copy found in the Austrian National Library.  It took me a good half-hour to get used to Caldara’s hand.  While the autograph is very clean and easy to read some of Caldara’s notations are more archaic than I would have imagined.  For example, his notation of common time, typically a “C,” is a backwards “S”.  When cut time is to be notated a slash is put through the “S” which looked at first glace like a treble clef.  This took me a while to comprehend when I saw the indicated clefs followed by what looked to me as a treble clef.  The intent of the sign was not clear until I drew the sign in my notebook.  Then all was made very clear.  It was very helpful and informative to view the autograph since some important instrumentation instructions are missing from the first page of the National Library’s score,  Also it is interesting to see how fluently Caldara composed.  I only came across two or three measures where he had erased and changed the music.  This is quite amazing especially when you take into account the frequent use of counterpoint.

At the National Library I have started to compare Missa gratiarum to other missa solenne (lengthy, multi-movement masses for full choir, solo quartet, and large instrumental forces composed for a Catholic feast day).  It was interesting to learn that indeed these masses were copied and bound for the imperial library in the Prunksaal.  I am hoping to discover if these masses all share a similar style or if they are all uniquely composed.  Some of the masses that I am handling are not in score, but exist as a set of performing parts.  These are official Hofkappelle parts which would have been used in the royal chapel.  These are very informative to look through since you can see what the performing forces for these large-scale masses was.  Unfortunately, I am not allowed to take photos in the Gesellschaft or in the National Library, but you can view a scan of the imperial copy from the National Library here.  Since I requested a scan in the Fall, the library has added the file to their online digital archives.

Today, I spent the whole day at the Archives of the Schottenstift where I was able to handle a set of performing parts of Missa gratiarum that were copied for use at the Abbey.  The first performance date listed on the folder is 30 May 1737, a year after Caldara died.  After looking at the parts thoroughly they seem to have been copied from the autograph.  They do give insight into the instrumentation of the piece as well as some insight into period ornamentation.  I discovered today that a soprano and an alto soloist who used these parts at one time inked in their own ornamentation.  I had hoped to discover markings such as these so this is very exciting.  Luckily, I can take pictures and make copies in the Schotten Archive so here is a picture of me holding one of the two folders for the Missa gratiarum parts …

… and here is a view of the roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral which I passed on the way back to my hotel.