The Third Prelude – La Santa Misa
I recorded several pieces from Bottazzo’s La Santa Misa when exploring a Harmonium sample set for Hauptwerk. Luigi Bottazzo wrote these pieces for the Harmonium. Today’s video, Bottazzo – La Santa Misa – Prelude 3, is the third Prelude in this collection.
Luigi Bottazzo – La Santa Misa
Let me share a bit of background on the source music. My score is part of a Spanish library, the Biblioteca Orgánica. The publishing house is La Editorial de Música Boileau.
This edition is listed as the first in a series of organ works from this publisher. The title indicates 20 pieces for the Harmonion (Veinte piezas para Armonio). The compositions are presented in groups of 4 under the categories Preludios, Ofertorios, Elevaciones, Comuniones, and Postludios.
Clearly, this collection is suited for the Catholic Mass. In fact, I’ve used the edition on a few occasions when prep time during the week has been limited or just plain absent. While the pieces are written as single notes in each hand, they are easily harmonized, So this is usually the approach I’ve taken to embellish them when played at a mass.
The timing of this piece is just over two and a half minutes. In a service setting, this prelude would be fitting either before mass as a prelude, or even during offertory. On the video, I play the piece as written. Although, in a service setting, since these works are rather sparse, I usually embellish the pieces with harmonies. I’ll sometimes add an interlude and even a recap of the prelude with additional embellishment.
Video Link
Link to video: Luigi Bottazzo: La Santa Misa para Armonio – Prelude 3
The Dutch Harmonium of Kezdimartonfalva
It was fitting that I found a Dutch Harmonium that could be integrated in Hauptwerk. This organ is one of several free sets made available by T. Augustine at his website Augustine’s Virtual Organs.
The notes for this harmonium indicate it has been part of a Dutch parish and is by an unknown maker. It says “Boot Bodegraven”.
The Dutch Harmonium is available as a 24-bit sample set. The original compass of the manuals are 54 keys (C-f3), no pedal. The extended sample set is similar to the originals and the pedal compass is extended to 30 keys.
For a harmonium, the specifications provide for about as rich of a registration selection as you will ever find. You can find the complete specifications via the following link at the source website:
Registration Specifications for the Dutch Harmonium
The Score for La Santa Misa by Luigi Bottazzo
I checked the publisher’s website for a current copy of the score La Santa Misa by Luigi Bottazzo. The publisher does have several books available for sale with similar covers. Currently, the available editions are listed as Numbers 2 through 4 in the series. My edition is Number 1 in the series and I do not see an edition description currently available for this particular score. So, if the score is of interest for purchase, this likely falls into the category of searching via eBay or related websites (until otherwise it might show up on IMSLP or be made available again by the publisher).
Click here to be directed to related scores by Luigi Bottazzo at the publisher’s website.
The publisher’s website shows an edition of “La Santa Misa” Volume 1 by Luigi Bottazzo. However, the picture doesn’t match the link description. Furthermore, the page count does not match my personal edition. So, it is unclear if this offering is in fact, Volume 1 of La Santa Misa.