Be uplifted by the unprecedented grandeur of sound and emotional intensity of Beethoven’s colossal Missa solemenis. Created for a religious service honoring his student and patron Prince Rudolf of Austria, it rises above traditional liturgical music. A dramatic opening sets the tone for ecstatic voices singing in the Gloria, ascends to magnificent heights with the Benedictus section’s ethereal violin solo, and culminates in a beautiful prayer for peace that celebrates both the Almighty and humanity.