Musica Sacra: The guiltiness of the first commandment

Mozart's "The Obligation of the First Commandment" (1767) is a sacred singspiel that the eleven-year-old composed on commission from Archbishop Schrattenbach of Salzburg.

The libretto, presumably by Ignaz Anton Weiser, deals with the allegorical conflict between worldly seduction and Christian virtue. The score combines elements of church music with operatic features: Recitatives, arias and ensembles already reveal essential features of later operatic art, while the moral-didactic orientation remains anchored in Baroque theology. The five soloists embody allegorical figures with clearly delineated stylistic characteristics. The virtuous figures are characterized by cantabile, formally closed arias with sensitive expression, while the "world spirit" unfolds a seductive effect through rhythmic lightness and dance-like gestures. The alternation of secco and accompagnato recitatives heightens the dramaturgical tension; da capo arias and the first signs of ensemble scenes point to Mozart's later compositional developments. Today, the work is regarded as a revealing document of Mozart's early creative abilities and as an example of religious and pedagogical musical practice in 18th century Salzburg. At the same time, it provides insights into the foundations of his later opera compositions