Vincenzo Maria Righini|Missa Solenne

Righini composed his Missa Solenne during his tenure in Mainz for the coronation of Leopold II as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in Frankfurt in 1790. The entire mass captivates with a sensuousness of sound, colourful harmonies, high-contrast dynamics and sophisticated, elegant melodies whose chromatic colouring is not dissimilar to that of Mozart. In terms of melodic construction and tonal richness, it opened up new possibilities and paved the way for the Mass in C major by Ludwig van Beethoven, almost 20 years later. Righini’s mass is complemented by the String Quintet in G major by Johann Franz Xaver Sterkel, Righini’s successor in Mainz. It was specially adapted for string orchestra and rearranged by Domkapellmeister Karsten Storck.