The Solemn Mass was one of Beethoven’s favorite compositions of his own. It was written from 1819 to 1823, around the time of his Symphony No. 9, and was premiered in St. Petersburg on April 7th, 1824. The work was dedicated to Archduke Rudolph of Austria, in light of his new appointment as Archbishop of Olmütz. Rudolph was a friend and student of Beethoven to […]