Since the National Library and the other archives are closed on the weekends I had some time to review notes, plan my last few days in Vienna, and email scholars regarding some of my findings. Today was a real treat to hear a modern connection to my research by attending High Mass at the Hofburgkapelle, the chapel for which Caldara’s masses, such as Missa gratiarum, were composed. The Hofburgkapelle is the Chapel Imperial found within the Hofburg, and in Caldara’s time would have been the court chapel for the Hapsburg Emperors, such as Charles VI.
The choir of the chapel has traditionally been a choir made up of men and boys. Today the world knows this choir as the Vienna Boys Choir. For High Mass the choir sang Mass in E-flat, a missa solenne in the Romantic style by the Viennese composer Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828). It was a wonderful experience to hear this music outside of the concert hall and in the liturgical setting for which it was composed. After the service the boys came out of the music loft and sang “Hebe deine Augen” (Lift thine eyes) from Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elias (Elijah) in front of the alter.
A Research and Travel Blog by John Rakes 