Franz Schubert and Johann Philipp Neumann: A musical heritage in St. Stephan's Cathedral

Franz Schubert and Johann Philipp Neumann: A musical heritage in St. Stephan's Cathedral

On November 19, the important composer Franz Schubert is reminded, whose church music in the world of liturgy enjoys a very special reputation. The St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna will be the German trade fair "Where should I turn" at 6 p.m., a setting that Schubert has completed two years before his death and has been extremely popular with many believers since then. This year, however, the focus is not only on Schubert, but also on Johann Philipp Neumann, the copywriter of the so-called "Schubert Mass".

Neumann, who lived from 1774 to 1849, will be celebrated this year because the 175th death of his death in October and its 250th birthday will be due next December. Cathedral musician Thomas Dolezal emphasizes that the "Schubert Mass" would not exist without Neumann. Originally physicist, Neumann also worked as a writer and librarian. His collaboration with Schubert was not a unique matter; Schubert Neumann's texts had already been used for the opera "Sakuntula".

The Schubert fair and its meaning

The German Mass of Schubert, with the official title "Songs for the celebration of the Holy Victim of the Mass", received its name through the use of German language, which was rather unusual at the time. According to anecdotes, the work initially met with resistance to the Vienna Archbishop's Consistory, but quickly became popular, especially in Austria and southern Germany. Songs from this fair, like the well -known "Where should I turn" or the Gloria "honor, honor of God in height", are now part of the traditional Catholic singing book.

A remarkable aspect is the four -strophy appendix "The Prayer of the Lord", which also comes from Neumann and was set to music by Schubert. This special paraphrase of the "Father our" is unique in the genus of the German Mass. Dolezal suspects that the close connection between Neumann and Schubert to the parish church of Lichtenental in Vienna-Alsergrund, where frescoes can be seen with the texts of the "Father our", had an impact on the composition.

For the musical design of the Schubert memorial fair, the cathedral music will rely on the support of Burgenland military music under the direction of Colonel Johann Kausz. This cooperation promises an impressive performance to memory of Schubert, which not only focuses on his music, but also on the literary legacy of his copywriter.

A detailed view of the background and the influence of the German language on church music offers the article by www.katholisch.at .