This is one of the most significant early compositions of by Haydn. It was written right after he became the full Kapellmeister for the princely Esterhazy family. It is the largest work of his from the years 1750 to 1766. The title indicates that it was written for the great pilgrimage church of Mariazell in Styria, a province of Austria. ("Cellensis" is an adjective formed from the word "Celle," which equals "Zell.") Not only was this church a favorite of the Esterhazys and included a private chapel built by the family, but Haydn had been taken in and fed when, as a penniless and hungry boy, he made the pilgrimage.

Nevertheless, the work is of such dimensions that it is not practical for actual church use. The work is so well composed that for years commentators thought it came from a later period. Only the discovery of in 1951 of Haydn's autograph of the opening "Kyrie," which is dates, have made it clear how early a work it is.

It is a festive work with trumpets and timpani, plus two oboes and two bassoons in addition to the strings. There are also parts for two horns, probably a later addition by Haydn.

In form it is a "Cantata Mass, meaning that it is long and is laid out in cantata-like movements. While the style is well advanced into the classical or rococo style, the high trumpet parts give it a rather Baroque sound. The vocal forces include choir and full solo quartet, and all the solo singers have brilliant arias, often operatic in style. There is even an accompanied recitative in the middle of the "Credo" movement, which turns into a lovely largo solo for tenor. The whole quartet joins in for the part of the Crucifixion statement of the Credo, with a hypnotic broken violin figure for over twenty measures. A radiant burst of C Major (clearly presaging the similar passage in "The Creation") burst out when Christ is proclaimed as risen.



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