Regina Coeli in C major (K. 276)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozartâs Regina Coeli in C major (K. 276), composed in Salzburg in 1779 when he was 23, is a compact Eastertide Marian antiphon whose brilliance lies in its economy. Written for four vocal soloists, chorus, and a festive Salzburg orchestra, it distills cathedral ceremony into music of quicksilver joy and luminous C-major assurance [1].
Background and Context
Mozartâs Salzburg church music was shaped as much by local liturgical realities as by personal inspiration. In the late 1770s he served the court-archbishopâs establishment as organist and Konzertmeister, supplying music for a city whose cathedral culture prized clarity, concision, and reliable workmanship. Alongside his more extended sacred scores, Mozart produced a stream of âsmaller church worksââmotets, antiphons, and brief settings tailored to specific points in the service.
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K. 276 belongs to this practical world, yet it is far from routine. It is one of three settings Mozart made of the Easter antiphon Regina caeli (often spelled coeli), and it stands out for its buoyant ceremonial profile and bright orchestral coloring [1]. The piece deserves attention precisely because it shows Mozartâs Salzburg craft at its most concentrated: a few minutes of music that nonetheless feels theatrically âpublic,â vocally grateful, and formally tight.
Composition and Liturgical Function
The text Regina caeliââQueen of Heavenââreplaces the Angelus during Eastertide in the Roman Catholic tradition. Mozartâs setting is generally dated to 1779 in Salzburg, a year that also produced other confident C-major scores and occasional works, and it was likely intended for cathedral or court-chapel use during the Easter season [1].
Typical sources describe the work as written for SATB soloists, SATB choir, and orchestraâan economical but celebratory ensemble characteristic of Salzburg feast-day scoring [2]. Surviving editions and catalog listings likewise present it as a complete, self-contained antiphon rather than a fragment or later compilation, transmitted today through modern urtext publication and widely available performing materials [3].
Musical Structure
Although compact, K. 276 creates variety by moving briskly through contrasted texturesâsoloistic brilliance, choral affirmation, and orchestral punctuation.
Forces (typical Salzburg scoring)
- Vocal: soprano, alto, tenor, bass soloists; SATB choir [1]
- Winds: 2 oboes [2]
- Brass: 2 trumpets [2]
- Percussion: timpani [2]
- Strings: 2 violins (with bass line/continuo support in performance practice) [2]
- Continuo/keyboard: organ (as indicated in common performing materials and descriptions) [2]
The key of C major and the use of trumpets and timpani immediately place the work in a festive, âcathedral-brightâ sound world. Mozart typically lets the orchestra do real rhetorical workâannouncing cadences, underlining textual turns, and lending weight to choral tuttisâwhile keeping the vocal writing grateful and direct.
A distinctive feature, noted by performers and commentators, is the way Mozart can compress a sense of dialogue into a short span: solo quartet writing and choral responses feel less like separate ânumbersâ and more like a single, continuously unfolding paragraph. The result is a liturgical miniature with unmistakable theatrical energyâmusic that can crown a service moment without overstaying it.
Reception and Legacy
K. 276 has never rivaled Mozartâs best-known sacred works in popular imagination, yet it remains a staple in church and concert programming because it delivers maximum ceremonial impact with modest rehearsal demands. Modern publishers and online score libraries continue to circulate it as a practical choice for Eastertide services and for mixed choirs seeking Classical Latin repertoire with brilliant orchestral color [3].
In the broader view of Mozartâs output, the piece is valuable evidence of how his Salzburg âjobbingâ could still produce art of poise and sparkle. Its appeal is not only devotional; it is also architectural. Within a few minutes, Mozart balances solo display, communal choral affirmation, and festive orchestral sheenâan Easter antiphon that feels both functional and, in its confidence, quietly radiant.
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Sheet Music
Download and print sheet music for Regina Coeli in C major (K. 276) from Virtual Sheet MusicÂź.
[1] Wikipedia: overview of Mozartâs Regina coeli settings; notes K. 276 as best-known, for four soloists, choir, and orchestra; probable date 1779 in Salzburg.
[2] Bard College Conservatory (TĆN): program note describing liturgical use in Easter season and giving a detailed description of the small Salzburg ensemble (strings, oboes, trumpets, timpani, organ) with chorus and four soloists.
[3] IMSLP: work page for Regina coeli in C major, K. 276/321b, providing score access and publication/edition information.