Antonín Leopold Dvorák (1841 - 1904) was a Czech composer. Dvorák frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia, following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predecessor Bedrich Smetana. Dvorák's style has been described as "the fullest recreation of a national idiom with that of the symphonic tradition, absorbing folk influences and finding effective ways of using them," and he himself has been described as "arguably the most versatile... composer of his time". He displayed his musical gifts at an early age, being an apt violin student. The first public performances of his works were in Prague in 1872 and, with special success, in 1873, when he was 31 years old. Seeking recognition beyond the Prague area, he submitted scores of symphonies and other works to German and Austrian competitions. He did not win a prize until 1874, with Johannes Brahms on the jury of the Austrian State Competition. In 1877, after his third win, Brahms recommended Dvorák to his publisher, Simrock, who commissioned what became the Slavonic Dances, Op. 46. The sheet music's high sales and critical reception led to his international success. A London performance of Dvorák's Stabat Mater in 1883 led to many other performances in the United Kingdom, the United States, and eventually Russia in March 1890. The Seventh Symphony was written for London in 1885.

The Mass in D Major (Op. 86 B. 153), is a mass composed by Dvorák in 1887. It is also called Luzanská mše (Luzany Mass) after the chapel in Luzany for which it was written. It was first a work for soloists, choir and organ (B 153), and expanded to an orchestra version in 1892 (B 175). He was commissioned to compose a mass by the architect and patron Josef Hlávka for the inauguration of the chapel that he had built for his summer residence in Luzany. Because of the size of the chapel, the choir had to be small, and no orchestra was possible. Dvorák composed the work from 23 March and 17 June 1887. On the day of completion, he wrote to Hlávka: "I am pleased to announce that I have finished the work and that I am supremely pleased with the result. I think it will be a work that will fully suit its purpose. It could be called: faith, hope and love for God Almighty, and an expression of thanks for this great gift, for having been given the opportunity successfully to complete a work in praise of the Highest, and in honour of our art. Do not be surprised that I am so devout, but an artist who is not cannot achieve anything like this. Take the examples of Beethoven, Bach, Raphael and many others. I would also like to thank you for giving me the impulse to write a work of this genre, it would hardly have occurred to me otherwise; until now I had only written similar works of larger proportions with considerable means at my disposal."

He expressed that he was satisfied with the work for modest forces, which he thought could be subtitled Faith, Hope and Love ("Glaube, Hoffnung und Liebe"), and be understood as giving thanks to God. He mentioned other artists he regarded as motivated by Christian faith: Beethoven, Bach and Raphael. The mass was first performed at the chapel on 11 September 1887, conducted by the composer. Zdenka Hlávka, the architect's wife, and Dvorák's wife Anna were among the soloists. The first public performance was on 15 April 1888 at the municipal theatre of Plzen, now with an ensemble of two harmoniums, cello and double bass.

The mass is numbered Op. 76 in the autograph, but his publisher Fritz Simrock gave this number to the Fifth Symphony. Simrock was not interested in the mass. It was published in 1893 by Novello in London as Op. 86, with an orchestration by the composer. This version was first performed on 11 March 1893 at the London Crystal Palace, conducted by August Manns. The organ version was published by R. Carl in Saarbrücken in 1963. Bärenreiter published a critical edition of the organ version, including the added parts for cello and bass, regarded as authentic by the composer.

The work is structured as the mass text prescribes: 1. Kyrie (Andante con moto) 2. Gloria (Allegro vivace) 3. Credo (Allegro ma non troppo) 4. Sanctus (Allegro maestoso) 5. Benedictus (Lento) 6. Agnus Dei (Andante)

Source: Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_in_D_major_(Dvo%C5% 99%C3%A1k)).

Although originally composed for Chorus (SATB) and Organ, I created this Arrangement of the Benedictus from the Mass in D Major (Op. 86 B. 153 No. 5) for Winds (Flute, Oboe, French Horn & Bassoon) and Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).