Between 1772 and 1780 Mozart composed a dozen of short, one-movement pieces for Salzburg Cathedral, to be performed during mass. The “church sonatas”, as they are known today, involve strings without a viola and an organ, as well as the occasional woodwind instrument. The organ has a solo role, in particular in the last C-major sonata, the K 336. In the K 244 the keyboard instrument has a brief part, and in the K 274 it plays continuo. The orchestra in the C-major K 329 further includes two oboes, two horns, two trumpets and kettle drums.

Composed between 1925 and 1926, Church Windows is subtitled “four symphonic impressions”, and the composer sought to evoke old church music by setting modal tunes. The movements depict four old stained-glass windows with Biblical and Catholic-tradition stories. The first, Flight into Egypt is a contemplative, melancholic series of variations on a simple tune. The second, Saint Michael the Archangel, depicts a dramatic battle scene. The third, the Matins of Saint Claire, is once again introspective, depicting the story of Saint Claire who was too ill and carried to mass by angels. The fourth, Saint Gregory the Great, pays homage to Pope Gregory and the plainchant that bears his name.

“Dies irae”. Allegro marcato

“De profundis clamavi”. Adagio

“Dona nobis pacem”. Andante

In 1946 the composer wrote, “I wanted to symbolise the reaction of modern man against the tide of barbarity, stupidity, suffering […] the inner conflict between a surrender to blind forces and the instinct of happiness, the love of peace and feelings of a divine refuge”

Dies irae expresses “the day of wrath, the explosion of strength and of hate which destroys everything and leaves nothing but debris and ruin […].” De profundis “is a plea to a higher force whom one asks for help and to whom one wants to offer what remains of all that is pure and noble at the depth of one’s soul.” “Dona nobis pacem […] there is nothing more insane in civilisation than unbridled barbarity. That is what I wished to express at the start of the third movement.”