​“My dearest son,

I return of mass at the cathedral, where mass was given with the oboes of Haydn, which he himself conducted. (.) I liked everything extraordinarily. It flows naturally, the fugues are masterfully crafted, the themes are natural ... It seemed too short to me as the book was superbly written ”.

These are the words of Leopold Mozart, who attended the premiere of the Missa Sancti Hieronymi on November 1, 1777, during the solemn mass on the feast of All Saints at the Salzburg Cathedral.

This mass, offered by Michael Haydn to his employer Count Hieronymus Colloredo, prince-archbishop of Salzburg, is one of the composer's most remarkable works: the original instrumentation for wind ensemble, the mastery of counterpoint in the fugue parts, the fluidity of the melodies, make this mass a true masterpiece.