Johannes Verhulst – Mass op. 20

- for 4 solo voices, choir and orchestra

Johannes Verhulst (1816-1891), a composer I had never heard of, was a highly influential celebrity in Dutch music life of the 19th century; this not only as a composer, but as a much sought after conductor as well. The booklet mentions it was due to him Dutch ensemble playing improved greatly.

Verhulst was a student and friend of Mendelssohn’s and knew Schumann pretty well. Influences of these major romantic composers (besides Beethoven’s) are easy to trace in the mass for extended choir, op. 20.
A massive work it is – I’d almost say, very undutch. Next time we got that many singers perform must have been in a football stadium when our national team beat die Mannschaft, hm.

Verhulst apparently enjoyed making it as big as possible. For a musical celebration in 1879 he had collected 900 singers and 150 players to perform Händel’s Joshua, Verhulst himself conducting those vast numbers, of course. Must have been quite a spectacle to watch.

As for this mass, it may not contain innovative ideas, but it's quite beautiful and certainly impressive.

Further, I count myself blessed to have found a pdf of the complete booklet and large front cover on the net…that saved a lot of time. Scanning is not the fun part of posting music.

Performers:

The Netherlands Concert Choir, Rob Vermeulen
Residentie Orchestra The Hague, Matthias Bamert

Tracks:

1. kyrie.
2. gloria
3. credo
4. offertorium
5. sanctus
6. benedictus
7. agnus dei