Mozart - Sancta Maria, mater Dei, K. 273

Sancta Maria, mater Dei (Holy Mary, mother of God), K. 273, is an act of Consecration to Blessed Virgin Mary in F major, written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for SATB choir, first and second violins, violas and basso continuo of violoncello, double bass and organ. Mozart entered the work into his catalogue on 9 September 1777 in Salzburg In the summer of 1777, the 21-year-old Mozart was desperate to leave Salzburg, and so asked Archbishop Colloredo to allow him and his father, Leopold, to find their income elsewhere. The archbishop’s response was to dismiss both of them from his service, however he later felt remorse, and allowed Leopold to resume his job of deputy Kapellmeister. Mozart composed this act of consecration for the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (8 September), before setting out on 23 September 1777 with his mother on their journey to Augsburg, Mannheim, and Paris, where she died. The full title of the manuscripts and published scores are “Sancta Maria motte