Beethoven's sacred masterpiece, the Missa Solemnis, has thrilled audiences with its monumental splendor and grandeur of vision since its premiere. Even the master himself described his Mass as "the greatest work that I have written so far." And the unusually long duration of the works evolution - originally intended for the occasion of the appointment of the Archduke Rudolph of Austria to the Cardinal Archbishop of Olomouc in June 1819 to the score's completion in March 1823 - is external evidence of the extraordinary commitment of the intensity the composer's effort.

The Mass reveals Beethoven at the height of his powers and Helmuth Rilling, the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, the Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart and the outstanding quartet of vocal soloists have achieved world-wide acclaimed in producing a reference recording of this great masterpiece, which is now available once again in a new edition as part of the "Great Choral Works" series at a special price!