Gloria In Excelsis Deo

During the summer of 1808, the Vienna News announced a soprano vacancy in the choir of the imperial chapel. Following Franz's impressive audition, the imperial court Kapellmeister Antonio Salieri (August 18, 1750-May 7, 1825), who had been Gluck's protege, Haydn's friend, and Mozart's rival, enrolled the eleven-year-old as an imperial chorister and student at the Konvikt. Soon Franz was also playing first violin in the orchestra, gaining conducting skills, and composing music for his family's string quartet. In 1812 Salieri assumed the task of supervising Franz's music lessons, continuing to serve as his teacher until 1817. The supreme irony of their association: Salieri disapproved of his pupil's interest in the German tied, the art form in which Schubert ultimately found his most inspired and profound expression.

Although his voice changed during the summer of 1812, Franz remained a student at the college until late in 1813, when his family persuaded him to enter a training school for elementary teachers. In 1814, having been rejected by the military because he was less than five feet tall, Franz, at the age of seventeen, became an assistant teacher in his father's school.

Even though he was annoyed by the time-consuming teaching duties that took him away from his beloved music, Franz found time in 1815 to compose an amazing 145 songs, including best-loved works such as Erlkö:nig, Heidenröslein, Die Mainacht, Das Rosenband, Der Jangling an der Quelle, Der Fischer, and Nähe des Geliebten. In his spare moments, this prolific eighteen-year-old also completed a string quartet, two symphonies, and at least a dozen piano pieces. Nor did he neglect choral music. During 1815, Schubert wrote at least five sacred choral works with orchestra, plus numerous a cappe11a and accompanied choral compositions for mixed, male, and female choirs.

Originally scored for STB soloists, SATB chorus, two violins, viola, and continuo, the Mass No.2 in G was composed in just six days, between March 2-7, 1815, probably for the parish church in tiechtenthal, a suburb of Vienna. Schubert's brother Ferdinand (1794-1859) later added trumpet and timpani parts. After Franz's death, Ferdinand also prepared parts for two oboes (or clarinets) and two bassoons. The mass was first published in 1846.

Click here to see a sample.