Join Choir of the Earth as we return to the wonderful music of Joseph Haydn for one of his great late Mass settings: the Theresienmesse.
What we will learn
The Theresienmesse, often called the 'Maria Theresa Mass' in English, was composed in 1799 - the fourth of the six large-scale Masses Haydn wrote towards the end of his life. Written for SATB choir and soloists, it combines the energy and clarity of Classical-period writing with moments of striking drama, tenderness and grandeur.
Across its six traditional Mass sections - Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei - Haydn moves effortlessly between bright, rhythmically energetic passages and more intimate, expressive music.
Although Haydn himself simply titled the work Missa, it later became known as the Theresienmesse because of its association with Empress Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily, wife of Holy Roman Emperor Francis II.
The Theresienmesse belongs to the extraordinary final period of Haydn’s career, alongside works including The Creation, The Seasons and his other great late Masses.
The work is full of the qualities that make Haydn such rewarding music to sing: clear melodic lines, lively exchanges between voices, rich harmony and a wonderful sense of forward movement.
The first five weeks of the course will run from Monday 9 November to Thursday 10 December 2026, followed by a teaching break over Christmas and New Year, before returning for the final four weeks of teaching from Monday 4 January 2027.
About the composer
Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was one of the leading composers of the Classical period and a central figure in the development of the symphony, string quartet and large-scale choral repertoire.
Haydn spent much of his career in the service of the wealthy Esterházy family, where he composed for court, church and theatre and developed an international reputation.
His long career spanned a period of enormous musical change, and his influence on later composers - including Mozart and Beethoven - was profound. By the time he wrote the Theresienmesse, Haydn was one of Europe’s most celebrated composers, with decades of experience behind him and an exceptionally assured command of large-scale vocal and instrumental writing.
Our teaching and resources
The course will be directed by Choir of the Earth Musical Director Ben England, who teaches the music note by note and voice part by voice part through a programme of online rehearsals. Each week begins with a full choir rehearsal, followed by separate sessions focusing on individual voice parts. Rehearsals are usually around an hour long and, if you cannot attend live, every session is recorded, so you can catch up when it suits you best.
You will also have access to high-quality voice part louder rehearsal tracks recorded by Fieri Consort. Separate tracks are provided for each voice part, with your part louder than the other voices so that you can hear it clearly while you learn. These are the same tracks used during our rehearsals, so as Ben teaches the music you can hear exactly what you need to replicate - not only the notes and rhythms, but also the phrasing, dynamics, pronunciation and other musical details that bring the piece to life.
You can attend as many rehearsals as you like, learn more than one voice part if you wish, and take the course at your own pace. There is no requirement to record: some singers simply enjoy the teaching, while others submit their voice from home to become part of our final performance.
A free score of the Theresienmesse will be available as part of your course resources.
Join us!
Everyone is welcome to join Choir of the Earth. There are no auditions - just sign up as a member and you’re already in!
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Hear us in action
Here is Choir of the Earth singing some other works by Haydn. Will you be part of our next recording? 🎶