Baptism, the court organist's post and the Coronation Mass
Mozart in the Dom
Mozart and Salzburg Cathedral: his baptism, his post as court organist, the Hoforgel and the Mass that was almost certainly first heard here.
Reserve a seat under the dome ↗Baptised in the cathedral
English Wikipedia says Mozart was born on 27 January 1756 in Salzburg and was baptised at the cathedral on the day after he was born. The article on the cathedral gives the date of the baptism as 28 January 1756. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Rupert and Saint Vergilius, and the Baroque building Mozart knew had been consecrated in 1628, more than a century earlier, according to the cathedral's own history page.
A family of cathedral musicians
The cathedral's music page says court musicians of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg arranged the music of the services for centuries, and that until the 18th century they included Stefano Bernardi, Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, Georg Muffat, Leopold Mozart and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Leopold Mozart is described by Wikipedia as a court musician and violin teacher, and as Mozart's father and teacher.
Back from Paris
Wikipedia says Mozart left Paris in September 1778 after months of fruitless searching for a post away from Salzburg. With the support of the local nobility his father pursued a place for him at home, and Mozart was offered a post as court organist and concertmaster. He returned to Salzburg on 15 January 1779 and took up the appointment, although Wikipedia notes that his discontent with Salzburg remained undiminished.
The court organist at the cathedral
The Wikipedia article on the Coronation Mass says that Mozart's father promptly got him a job as court organist and composer at Salzburg Cathedral. The cathedral's organ page says Mozart himself usually played on the south-east pillar organ, the Hoforgel. Taken together, the two sources put the young organist at that balcony in the crossing, with the nave and the dome below him.
The Coronation Mass
Wikipedia says Mozart completed the Mass in C major, K. 317, on 23 March 1779 in Salzburg, and that it was almost certainly first performed in the cathedral on Easter Sunday, 4 April 1779. It says the first documented performance was at the coronation of Francis II as Holy Roman Emperor in 1792, and that the nickname Coronation Mass appeared in the Köchel catalogue of 1862. Wikipedia calls it one of the most popular of Mozart's 17 extant settings of the Mass, and notes that it is relatively short but festive in character, with a large orchestra and a substantial brass section.
Music in the cathedral before Mozart
No composer is promised for any day, and reviews mention a short introduction to each organ rather than a named composer. What the building offers is the setting: the dome, the galleries and the organ that the cathedral says Mozart usually played. The guide to the organs explains which is which.
What this means for a midday concert
Nothing in the concert's own description promises Mozart. The cathedral says the programme is the organist's and that the instruments are the draw, and reviews mention a short introduction to each organ rather than a named composer. What the building offers is the setting: the dome, the galleries and the organ that the cathedral says Mozart played. The guide to the organs explains which is which.
Read next: Salzburg Dom organs
Frequently asked questions
Was Mozart baptised in Salzburg Cathedral?
Yes. Wikipedia says he was baptised at the cathedral on the day after he was born, and gives the date as 28 January 1756.
Did Mozart play the cathedral organs?
The cathedral's organ page says he usually played on the south-east pillar organ, the Hoforgel. Wikipedia says he held a post as court organist.
Will the midday concert include Mozart?
No composer is promised for any day. The concert is an introduction to the organs, and the organist and pieces change from day to day.
Was the Coronation Mass first heard in the cathedral?
Wikipedia says it was almost certainly first performed there on Easter Sunday 1779, though the first documented performance was in 1792.
Sources