This week I have been thinking (I need not articulate why) about nationalisms and anxiety, and how these might be related to theological music. There are many options I could have gone with, but an absolute classic (which, a long time ago, was an A Level set work for me) suggested itself. Theological as a setting of the text of the Latin Mass; theologically controversial as a reaction against the austerity in religious expression enforced by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, and written in Austria at a time when Napoleon appeared unstoppable – the latter’s set-back defeat in the Battle of the Nile was news that reached the composer only about the time the Mass was first performed.

Entitled Missa in angustiis (Mass in times of trouble) it quickly became associated with honour to the English Admiral who defeated Napolean, hence we tend to know it as Haydn’s ‘Nelson’ Mass.

Under Joseph II, who considered himself a man of the enlightenment, religious toleration for non-Catholics had been extended to some extent, but the Emperor had enacted various measures to control the Catholic Church in his territories himself. Among his reforms in that respect was a stripping out of what he considered excesses, including exuberant music in liturgy. He was succeeded in 1790 by Leopold II, who similarly wanted a level of control but was a lover of opera and therefore much happier with music.

Haydn himself appears to have had no compunction about expressing joyfulness in his music, even when religious. He is supposed to have said, indeed, that he could not do otherwise: ‘When I think of God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes gush forth as from a fountain. Since God gave me a joyful heart, he will forgive me for having served him joyfully.’

There is an ongoing tension between those who want worship music to express a fullness of joy, and those who find more sincerity and propriety in a more formal and austere music which does not distract from the mysteries of the service. Current tensions between traditional and charismatic styles of worship are nothing new! It seems likely that there is truth to be discerned in both instincts – it is possible for music in worship to be both a distraction and a bore.

However, both conceptions imply a distinction between ‘the service’ and ‘the music’. Is it, actually, either possible or necessary to split the two? As a liturgical musician I have always tried to understand my contribution as part of the service, not as something external that is merely appended to the liturgy as an alien activity.

Equally, when performed as a ‘concert Mass’ – that is as music separated from the ritual actions that truly make sense of the texts set – is there not something lost?

For now I am going to leave those two as open questions – readers are encouraged to respond in the comments, I’d love to understand how people respond.