MOZART AND THE PRACTICE OF SACRED MUSIC, 1781-91 a ...

through local congregations and not paid for by state funds intended for the upkeep of the
parish.
Leopold’s resolution was sent to the provincial governments in a Generale dated 17
March 1791. 12 No new edition of the Gottesdienstordnung was issued that incorporated the
changes, and it was up to the local authorities to implement them. 13 Given Cardinal
Migazzi’s strenuous objections to the order of services since its introduction in 1783, one
may presume that he introduced Leopold’s revisions in Vienna to the maximum extent
possible, although there is no concrete evidence at present to support this presumption. One
wonders, however, whether Mozart’s decision to apply for the position of adjunct
Kapellmeister at St. Stephen’s in April 1791 may have been prompted by Leopold’s partial
relaxation of restrictions the previous month. Leopold made no further reforms to Joseph II’s
Gottesdienstordnung during his short reign, and died, three months after Mozart, on 1 March
1792. The Emperor made no fundamental changes to the liturgical structure introduced by
his brother, but in his concessions to church authorities, Leopold set an important precedent
for the more extensive reforms carried out under his successor, Franz II. 14
12 In response to the Generale, Bishop Gall sent an order to his clergy with detailed instructions on when
instrumental music was permitted. He expressed the opinion that, “Je einfacher die Musik ist, desto besser
entspricht sie der Christlichen Demuth und Andacht.” RGZJ, 319.
13 The opening of the Generale states explicitly: “Die Ordnung des Gottesdienstes und der öffentlichen Andacht
soll so, wie sie gegenwärtig vorgeschrieben ist, beybehalten und beobachtet werden.” RGZJ, 559.
14 On Leopold’s reforms in general, see Gerda Lettner, Das Rückzugsgefecht der Aufklärung in Wien 1790-92
(Frankfurt and New York: Campus Verlag, 1988).
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