In the liturgy of the catholic church, a litany is a prayer or song of petition between the prayer leader and the congregation, who alternate in beseeching God. In addition to his numerous liturgical works – first and foremost of which is his frequently performed Requiem – Mozart also composed four litanies. Under the baton of young Viennese conductor Katharina Müllner, the choir of the Konzertgesellschaft and the Wuppertal Concert Choir act as a congregation. They are complemented by Theresa Pilsl (soprano), Sylvia Rena Ziegler (mezzosoprano), Jörg Dürmüller (tenor) and Simon Stricker (baritone)as metaphorical soloist prayer leaders.
As Franz Schubert put it, “Those who love music can never be completely unhappy”. But if one has to earn one’s living in this way, such love can prove ill-fated. Schubert had great expectations of his Mass in A-flat major, and used it as a reference in his search for permanent employment. He was not granted the post of “Vizehofkapellmeister” (deputy musical director at the court) in Vienna – alone the structural arrangement of the different keys in the various sections of the mass were simply too daring. In certain sections, he broadened the choral parts out to eight voices. This apparently did not accord with the Kaiser’s wonted listening habits.