Missa in C major K. 220 (196b) "Sparrow Mass"

Mozart’s “Missa in C major” (K. 220), nicknamed the “Sparrow Mass” for its frequently recurring characteristic motifs in the violins, has retained a firm place in the choral repertoire to the present day. Now it has been arranged for female choir and is appearing as part of the recently started “Bärenreiter Female Choir” series. Heribert Breuer has judiciously transferred the tenor and bass solos to the high voices and incorporated the original soprano and alto parts largely unchanged into the solo and chorus parts. He has thereby retained the work’s original substance while giving it a wholly new and delightful sound. Heribert Breuer was professor of choral conducting and music theory at Berlin University of the Arts until 2010. He is the founder and director of the Berlin Bach Akademie and has made a name for himself with his many arrangements of works from Bach to Schubert.