Mass in C major, K. 262 "Missa longa"

{{Short description|1776 mass by W. A. Mozart}}

{{Infobox musical composition

| name = Missa longa in C major

| subtitle =

| type = Mass by W. A. Mozart

| image = Salzburger Dom.jpg

| image_upright = 1.1

| caption = Salzburg Cathedral may have been the first performance venue of the mass.

| other_name =

| occasion =

| catalogue = K. 262/246a

| composed = {{Timeline-event|date={{Start date|1775}}|location=Salzburg}}

| published =

| movements = 6

| vocal = SATB choir and soloists

| instrumental = {{hlist | orchestra | continuo }}

}}

The Missa longa in C major, K. 262/246a, is a mass composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in May 1776.{{cite book|title=Mozart: His Character, His Work|first=Alfred|last=Einstein|authorlink=Alfred Einstein|year=1945|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ep4PXMszMv4C|page=338|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780195007329}} Other sources claim it was composed in May 1775.{{cite book|title=Mozart: The Early Years 1756–1781|first=Stanley|last=Sadie|authorlink=Stanley Sadie|year=2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aALj9X3UToUC&pg=PT276|page=276|publisher=Oxford University Press, UK |isbn=9780191622663}} It is scored for SATB soloists, SATB choir, violins I and II, 2 oboes, 2 horns in C, 2 clarini (high trumpets) in C, 3 trombones colla parte, timpani and basso continuo.

The mass is classed as a missa longa due to its length. However, due to its lack of extended writing for the solo parts, it has also been categorised as a missa brevis. The occasion the mass was composed for remains debatable. It may have been composed at the Archbishop Colloredo's request for a special occasion at the Salzburg Cathedral, or at the directive of a different priest – Colloredo's preference for brief settings makes it unlikely that he would have approved of the missa longa.{{rp|page=387}}{{cite book|title=The Pegasus Pocket Guide to Mozart|first=Nicholas|last=Kenyon|authorlink=Nicholas Kenyon|year=2006|url=https://archive.org/details/pegasuspocketgui0000keny|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/pegasuspocketgui0000keny/page/63 63]|isbn=978-1-933648-23-1 }} Alternatively, it may have been composed for performance at St Peter's Church.

The mass is divided into six movements.

1. Kyrie Allegro, C major, {{music|commontime}}
2. Gloria Allegro con spiritu, C major, {{music|commontime}}
3. : "Qui tollis peccata mundi" Andante, G minor, {{music|time|3|4}}
4. : "Quoniam tu solus Sanctus" Allegro con spiritu, C major, {{music|commontime}}
5. Credo Allegro, C major, {{music|time|3|4}}
6. : "Et incarnatus est" Adagio ma non troppo, C major, {{music|commontime}}
7. : "Et resurrexit" Molto allegro, C major, {{music|commontime}}
8. : "Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum" Allegro, G major, {{music|time|3|4}}
9. : "Et unam sanctam" Allegro, C major, {{music|time|3|4}}
10. : "Et expecto resurrectionem" Adagio, C major, {{music|commontime}}
11. : "Et vitam venturi saeculi" Allegro, C major, {{music|cuttime}}
12. Sanctus Andantino, C major, {{music|time|3|4}}
13. Benedictus Andantino, F major, {{music|time|3|4}}
14. Agnus Dei Andante, C major, {{music|commontime}}
15. : "Dona nobis pacem" Allegro, C major, {{music|commontime}}