Orchestral Eucharist – Trinity Sunday

All are welcome to attend this choral service of Holy Communion to mark our observance of Trinity Sunday which commemorates the Christian doctrine of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — three persons in one substance, an eternal community of love.

We are delighted to announce that St Bride’s Choir will be joined by the St Bride’s Orchestra to perform Mozart’s ‘Coronation’ Mass in C K317.

Additional Information

Directions to St Bride’s Church and information about accessibility are available on our Visit Us page. The service lasts approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Mozart’s ‘Coronation’ Mass

The Mass in C K317 was one of Mozart’s first compositions after taking up the post of court musician to the Archbishop of Salzburg in 1779. It was first heard on Easter Day that year.

Although Mozart had been renowned throughout Europe as a child prodigy, he was still unusually young, aged 20, to take up such a prestigious appointment, and he was clearly keen to make a good impression. The Mass has elements of ceremonial music, with a large orchestra including both woodwind and brass, but is nevertheless short enough for liturgical use – it also contains one of Mozart’s most sublime melodies in the soprano solo at the start of the Agnus Dei, which is reminiscent of the aria Dove sono from The Marriage of Figaro.

The title ‘Coronation Mass’ was not used until a number of years later. Mozart was working in Prague and asked for the score and parts of the Mass to be sent to him for performance as part of the celebrations for the coronation of Leopold II as King of Bohemia in 1791 and hence its nickname arose. The piece was repeated at the coronation of his son, Francis I, the following year.

Online Worship

Each Sunday morning at 11am we release a specially created short reflection in words and music for those who cannot make it to church. It will be posted on this page and across our social media channels.

Almighty and everlasting God,
who hast given unto us thy servants grace,
by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity,
and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity:
We beseech thee, that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith,
and evermore defend us from all adversities,
who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.