Opus In Great Essay

The Mass in D major, Opus 86, for chorus, soloists and organ —also known as “Lužany Mass”—was originally composed in 1887 for the consecration of the chapel in the stately home of the prominent architect and philanthropist Josef Hlávka in Lužany. Hlávka had built a chapel at his residence in the southwest Bohemian village of Lužany, and he wanted music by Dvořák for its consecration. Hlávka and Dvořák corresponded personally, and Dvořák was glad to seize upon this opportunity to write to Hlávka about the role his faith played in the Mass’s composition:
Dvořák began his work with passion and focus, refusing other commissions. In May he wrote from Vysoká near Příbram to the choirmaster of the Hlahol choir in Plzeň Matěj Slezák, who had asked him to write a new vocal work for that ensemble’s twenty-fifth anniversary:
Dvořák wrote the Mass largely at his summer residence in Vyoká, surrounded by natural and familiar beauty. Although he was commissioned to write the Mass, above all he worked for his own enjoyment. As Dvořák said, “I work diligently on the New Mass and enjoy it in God’s nature.” The intimacy and authenticity of nature’s own simplicity and vigor is reflected in the work, a …show more content…
The organ is unique for its small size and lack of a motor, which means it must be pumped quietly by hand during the performance. It is located at the end of the choir loft with a small floor space of about two meters by one meter. To get to the console, the organist must squeeze through a very narrow passage in order to get to a small hinged bench. While playing the organ, one may constantly slide downwards towards the pedalboard. On the other hand, to prevent the sounds of the bellows mechanism from disturbing the audience, the assistant has to stay in an extremely small enclosed space under the organ. The oxygen level would decrease and the temperature would rises sharply during the