The "Viaticum in Domino morientium" is full of earnestness, and very original in treatment. The soprano voices give out as subject the chorale of the hymn to the Holy Sacrament, "Pange lingua gloriosi," as a Gregorian plain-chant, accompanied by the wind instruments (oboes, horns, bassoons, and trombones), and two muted violas, while the violins are occupied with a quaver passage in _pizzicato_, generally in divided chords. The effect of the whole is surprisingly serious and dignified. The Pignus futuræ gloriæ follows. It is in counterpoint, and of complicated workmanship. The chief subject of six bars comprises the words "Pignus futuræ gloriæ, miserere nobis," but in the third bar, at the words "miserere nobis," the three remaining parts are added--[See Page Image] and the subject given to them is differently elaborated along with the continuation of the chief theme. After the first working-out a second independent theme occurs--[See Page Image] {UNFINISHED VESPER, 1774.} (275) and is thoroughly worked out, together with the first. We see more of the actual workmanship in this than in others of Mozart's works in counterpoint, and the voices are treated less as such and more as abstract vehicles for contrapuntal development. The Agnus Dei is a soprano solo; the passages for the voices, and the concerted treatment of the accompanying instruments, give a uniform impression of grace and elegance. This movement has a certain resemblance to many passages of Mozart's later operas. At the close the chorus (as sometimes with Haydn) takes up again the principal subject of the Kyrie, and works it into a simple and appropriate ending to the Litany. Mozart seems never to have composed an entire Vesper during this period, but the two final movements of one, Dixit and Magnificat in C major (193 K.), written in July, 1774, are preserved, and are serious works in clever counterpoint. The Dixit is quite in the style of a short mass, the different sections in counterpoint full of force and animation. The Gloria Patri is an independent movement, with a slow introduction to a short fugal movement on the words "et in sæcula saeculorum," with a charming organ point. [See Page Image] The Magnificat is grander in design and execution. The Virgin's song of praise forms a grand movement (Allegro moderato), the theme of which from the third plain-song tone of the Magnificat-- {CHURCH MUSIC.} (276) is introduced by the tenor, the bass immediately interposing a counter-subject:--[See Page Image] These give the groundwork of the whole movement, elaborated in various forms of counterpoint, and bound together by other freely treated episodical subjects. The Doxology is again independently treated in two movements. The first is slow, and is animated by a varied accompaniment; the second is a lively and conventional fugue.