Bärenreiter presents a new arrangement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Mass in C major. While the vocal parts remain unchanged, the orchestra is replaced by four-hand piano and harmonium.

This arrangement, commissioned by the Harvard Choruses and the Massachusetts American Choral Directors Association from the composer, conductor and musicologist Michael Ostrzyga, continues the tradition of arranging large-scale works for four-hand piano—a practice that reached its peak in the 19th century.

In its conception, however, it differs fundamentally from historical four-hand arrangements: only the orchestral accompaniment is transcribed – true to the original, stylistically authentic, and idiomatic for the new instrumentation. By contrast, 19th-century arrangements aimed to reproduce the full score, which, while retaining the original vocal parts, inevitably led to sonic and structural distortions. Ostrzyga’s arrangement, on the other hand, preserves the clarity and brilliance of the original score. The use of the harmonium is reminiscent of Rossini’s “Messe solennelle”, giving prominence to an instrument that played a significant role in both church and domestic music-making in the 19th century.

From a small vocal ensemble accompanied by period instruments to large oratorio choirs with a modern grand piano and harmonium, possibly with technical amplification: this new version is suitable for a wide range of concert settings. Beethoven’s masterpiece can thus be experienced anew in a fascinating and historically grounded guise.