Missa Solemnis Words

I sing my first Beethoven Missa Solemnis tonight here in Oregon.  It's a piece about which I have felt extraordinarily mixed and unsure for most of my life.  My first voice teacher revered the piece, as do many musicians I respect greatly.  I've become more convinced after these past few days of rehearsal with Helmuth, who is always an expert at unlocking musical mysteries for me.

A few words that have come to mind for me when thinking about this piece:

- complex
- unexpected
- focus
- challenging
- complex
- demanding
- expansive
- grand
- majestic
- dense
- rich
- lobster bisque

Here's Leonard Bernstein conducting the Kyrie - one of the best parts of the piece.  It's quite an opener.