Franz Schubert, the composer, stated in an 1825 letter that he "never forced himself to devotion" when composing sacred works, preferring to compose "in proper and true devotion" when his heart was in it.
Composition History
Schubert worked on his Mass in A flat for a long time, beginning in November 1819 and not finishing until September 1822, with significant revisions made around 1825.
Performer Biography
Johanna Winkel, a soprano on this recording, made her international debut in Nantes in 2008 and won first place in the 2009 Cantilena Singing Competition in Bayreuth.
Performer Biography
Frieder Bernius, the conductor, has founded several ensembles, including Kammerchor Stuttgart and Hofkapelle Stuttgart, both of which perform on this recording.
Performer Biography
Florian Sievers, a tenor on this recording, won a 2020 OPUS KLASSIK award for his solo-voice recording of Bach's St John Passion of 1725, where he sang all tenor parts.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Schubert's Mass in A flat shows his personal faith through unique textual treatments, such as abridgements in the Credo and structural emphasis on certain passages like the 'Agnus Dei' in the Gloria.
Composition History
Schubert made radical changes to the closing fugue of the Gloria, replacing it with an entirely new composition, likely to suit Emperor Franz's preference for strict choral fugues.
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