schubert mass no. 6 in e-flat major d. 950 rutracker

The Elusive Lyrical Quality of Schubert's Mass No. 6 in E-flat Major D. 950

Schubert's Mass No. 6 in E-flat major D. 950 is a work that has fascinated music lovers for centuries, with its soaring melodies and grandiose harmonies. However, despite the best efforts of some of the greatest singers and orchestras of all time, this mass remains an enigma, its lyrical quality elusive and hard to grasp.

The recording by Rafael Kubelik with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, featuring soprano Gundula Janowitz and alto Grace Hoffman, is a prime example of this phenomenon. Even the outstanding vocal performances cannot make the melodies sound as natural and effortless as they should be. The music sounds forced, contrived, and lacking in genuine emotional depth.

Kubelik's interpretation of Schubert's Mass No. 6 is marked by his characteristic sincerity and earnestness, which can sometimes border on sentimentality. He was a master of conveying the composer's inner world, but in this case, he seems to have been too close to the music, too caught up in its grandiosity.

One of the reasons why Schubert's Mass No. 6 is so difficult to get right is that it is a work of contradictions. On the surface, it appears to be a celebration of faith and devotion, but beneath this facade lies a sense of irony and even cynicism. Schubert was a composer who was deeply affected by the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, and his music reflects this tension between reason and emotion.

In his final Mass, Schubert seems to have been trying to capture the ecstatic energy of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, but the result is more ironic than ecstatic. The music sounds forced, artificial, and lacking in genuine conviction. It is as if Schubert was trying too hard to be profound, too anxious to prove himself a great composer.

Schubert's relationship with the Roman Church was complicated, to say the least. Born in what was then known as the Holy Roman Empire, he came of age during the post-Revolutionary era, and by the time he composed his last Mass, he had lost faith in the institution. This sense of disillusionment is reflected in the music, which sounds more like a critique of the Church than a celebration of its values.

In conclusion, Schubert's Mass No. 6 in E-flat major D. 950 remains an enigma, a work that continues to fascinate and elude us. Despite the best efforts of some of the greatest musicians of all time, it remains a challenging and complex piece, full of contradictions and ambiguities. But it is precisely these qualities that make it so compelling, so worth exploring and understanding.

Schubert mass no. 6 in e-flat major d. 950 rutracker