Vienna Choral Society (VCS) Performs Two Extraordinary Masses

By Shirley J. Gregory

The world-class Vienna Choral Society (VCS) performed the reverent Missa Brevis Sti. Joannis de Deo, by Franz Joseph Haydn, and the hauntingly beautiful Requiem in Mass in D Minor, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, at the Vienna Baptist Church, 541 Marshall Road, Vienna, VA, on Saturday, March 23. Under the direction of Robert Leggett, the not-for-profit musical organization continued its tradition of presenting high-quality music for public entertainment and personal enrichment, to promote greater appreciation and enjoyment of good music. Both sacred selections were exquisitely performed.

The term Missa Brevis in the title of the Missa Brevis Sti. Joannis de Deo mass written by Haydn refers to a more concise, brief Mass, in which only a few of the texts are set to music. One of Haydn’s early creations, Missa Brevis, also known as Small Organ Mass, is short, but profound in its choral handling.

The text of Haydn’s Missa brevis, as with most musical settings of the Mass (properly called the Eucharist, a reenactment of the Last Supper), is made up of the Ordinary of the Mass. The Ordinary of the Mass is that part of the Mass the text of which is sung or recited at every service. A missa brevis attempts to be a shorter version of the entire mass. In this case, Haydn often juxtaposes multiple phrases simultaneously in all voices, causing the text to be difficult to be understood. It is obvious that musical considerations take precedence over textual ones. Unlike the majority of Haydn’s mass settings, which were composed for concert use rather than for use in the actual church service, this Missa Brevis was written while Haydn was still a choirboy at St. Stephens Cathedral in Vienna and intended for the services there. It is conjectured that Haydn and his younger brother Michael, who had joined the cathedral choir there shortly before its composition sang the solo parts.

"Mozart was hardly a religious man, notwithstanding his time in the employ of the Archbishop of Salzburg, but his settings of the Mass, however mercenary the conditions of their composition, still resonate with a deep spirituality."

Hoboken Volume XXII of Franz Joseph Haydn's massive musical oeuvre contains his 14 Mass settings ... Mozart in his maturity matched parts of them despite a significantly smaller output of church music, but Haydn's 9-14 are breathtaking in their range of expression -- everywhere more assured in purpose than, say, Beethoven's misshapen, sometimes misfiring, albeit awesome Missa Solemnis.

Many have speculated that Mozart had the chilling premonition that he was writing the beautiful mass for himself.

Mozart's unfinished Requiem has long been shrouded in mystery. Mozart undertook the commission for an Austrian nobleman, little knowing that he was to write a requiem for himself. Inevitably, the secrecy surrounding the anonymous commission, the circumstances of Mozart's death, the unfinished state of the work, and its completion under the direction of Mozart's widow, Constanze, have precipitated two centuries of romantic speculation and scholarly controversy.

Who Are The VCS Members?

In addition to its regular concert season, VCS also performs at area nursing homes and retirement communities, and with other organizations in the Metropolitan area in programs of cultural benefit to the general public. In 1996, VCS had a successful concert tour in England with the London-based Gaudeamus Chorus. The Gaudeamus Chorus has twice traveled to the U.S. for joint concerts with the VCS, most recently in June 1999.

New members are always welcome, and auditions are not required. Some people join after moving to the area to meet people with common interests and to get involved in a community activity. But, the most common refrain among VCS members join because they love to sing, and it’s fun!

"I was recruited to Vienna Choral Society in the spring of 2000 by two tenors of my church choir who are also VCS members," said second soprano Sandra Stitt . "I enjoy it because being a secular community chorus, it has a light and enjoyable atmosphere.

"I feel I’m getting a classical education almost for free. It’s a lot of fun, and Bob (director Leggett) is very good, very patient, and fun to work with. I can be in a bad mood or tired when I come in on Monday night for rehearsal, but I’m always in a great mood afterwards. It’s always a lot of fun.

"Bob," she continued, "is fun to work with, and I feel like I am getting virtually free classical and contemporary choral music knowledge and training, as well as vocal coaching. I hope more folks will join us and share my experience.

Patricia Kassilke loves to sing, but there’s not much to sing along with within her soprano range on the radio. Singing in her range with VCS she can sing for hours without hurting her throat. "I just love to sing. It’s fun. It’s fun to get out and to do something in the community," she said.

"I believe in what you can do with a community chorus," said Bob Leggett. We have a non-denominational chorus of people who really love to sing, and they sing because they have to, not because they can. They love it. We have great music right in our own community."

Bob Leggett began directing the VCS in 1990. He is also been Director of Music for the Andrew Chapel United Methodist Church in Vienna since 1981. He studied music at Millsaps College, Jackson, Mississippi, and has been an active singer and choir director for the last 30 years.

Tom Leich has been the VCS accompanist for five seasons. He has been a church organist and choral accompanist since 1970, and is currently Organist for the Presbyterian Church of the Atonement in Silver Spring. He owns and operates a music publishing business, is active in the American Guild of Organists, and released his first CD of organ music in December 1998.

Bob Davis, veteran radio announcer, actor, and supporter of the arts, was the Master of Ceremonies, "Voice of VCS". Recognized by the Washington Area Broadcasters Association with its Legend Award, he has earned a Cannes Film Festival award, has appeared in on-stage and in movies, and is presently both an announcer and theatre critic with Washington’s classical station, WGMS-FM.

Americana

Although the details have yet to be worked out, you'll not want to miss the first musical performance in the brand new sanctuary at the Church of the Holy Cross, another first for the Vienna Choral Society. It will be the society’s final performance this season.

May 18, 2002 at 7:30 pm
Church of the Holy Cross
(Directions and Map)

Cassette tapes or CDs of all VCS performances are available by contacting RonArt Associates Recordings at 703/541-0149, or by email at rduquette@juno.com.

The Vienna Choral Society is a member of the Arts Council of Fairfax County, The Northern Virginia Choral Alliance, and the United Way. It is supported by corporate, institutional, and private supporters. All contributions are deductible for income tax purposes. VCS welcomes those interested in auditioning for the chorus, as well as in functional support roles. Visit their website at 222.viennachoralsociety.org.

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they will perform a program entitled "Americana" on May 18^th at the Church of the Hold Cross on Gallows Road at the Dunn Loring Church of the Holy Cross. Go to (Directions and Map) for directions.