In the Mass in C a new theory is developed in mass composition.  It differs radically from the style of church composition made popular by Haydn and Mozart, beautiful as some of that is.  Their music is a concord of sweet melodies, illustrating the peace and happiness which a contemplation of the religious life affords.  Acting on the principle that beauty is its own excuse for being, they give many examples where the music does not even attempt to fit the sentiment of the words.  The Kyrie of Haydn’s Imperial Mass would do for a Te Deum, or a Song of Triumph rather than a cry for help.  The Kyrie of Mozart’s Mass in B flat is an Italian street song which he heard on one of his tours in Italy and worked over for this Mass, and is not at all adapted to the words.  There are ideas in the Mass in C which neither Mozart nor Haydn would have tried to attain.  Beethoven’s aim here is not to please the ear by beautiful melodies, although he does that often enough, but to stir the soul.  He bears a message to the listener, which it is greatly to his interest to get at.  The Mass in C depicts our innermost experiences.  It has a mission and is not simply an end in itself.  The Symphonist here shows his individuality as may be expected, since it was composed after Coriolanus, the first four symphonies, Fidelio.  In many places the orchestra becomes an independent entity, abandons the choral part, and, rising into majestic strains unattainable in choral composition, tells the story of Christianity in its own powerful way.  In Beethoven this ascendency of the orchestra is first apparent; he has demonstrated for all time its greater importance as a means of musical expression than the voice.

[Musical notation.]

The work throughout is cast on a higher plane than any mass which had appeared since Bach’s Mass in B minor.  It was written for Prince Nicholas Esterhazy, whose grandfather was Haydn’s patron, and was first sung in the chapel of the Prince at Eisenstadt, on the name-day of his wife, the Princess Marie.  Huemmel was Kapellmeister there, but Beethoven conducted the performance on this occasion.

The Prince evidently was of the opinion that having ordered the work, the master would consider his preferences and prejudices in the composition of it, as Haydn would have done, but as Beethoven could not have done, had he wished.  The result was that Prince Esterhazy failed to see its purport or significance and was unable to comprehend it.  Beethoven should not have been surprised at this, since he knew himself to be in advance of his time.  At the conclusion of the service the Prince made the rather inane remark, “but my dear Beethoven, what have you been doing now?” in allusion to the mass.  Beethoven, deeply offended, left abruptly, and returned to Vienna.  It may be said in passing that Beethoven frequently managed to disappoint the persons for whom he wrote.  This did not lead him to doubt or distrust his powers, knowing intuitively that posterity would justify him.  The Mass in C is to-day one of the best known of all masses, and is frequently performed at high festivals in churches having a good equipment of chorus and orchestra.