The story of the crusader Rinaldo, is one of the most famous episodes of Torquato Tasso’s epic poem Jerusalem Delivered, which inspired countless musical works. The protagonist of Tasso’s work is in fact is the witch Armida, who seduces the knight and keeps him under her control on an enchanted island. In contrast with Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s work, the librettist of Brahms’s work gave Armida a “silent” role in that she merely appears in Rinaldo’s imagination. In a series of recitativos and more or less close arias, the knight evokes and relives the events of the recent past. First he conjures up the beauties of the island, the palaces and flower gardens, which is followed by a bitter awakening (the fellow knights arriving to his rescue confront him with his softened former self by means of a diamond mirror) and his breaking with Armida, transforming the witch into a destructive demon, who destroys the palaces and everything beautiful and magical. Struck by pain, Rinaldo leaves with the knights. He finally finds relief in the powerful closing chorus, depicting the voyage home.

Puccini was just 21 when he composed this mass for male soloists, four-part choir and symphony orchestra. The Credo had been intended as a self-contained work, which Puccini worked into a full mass as his graduation exercise from the luccai Istituto Musicale Pacini. It received its first performance on 12 July 1880. It is no surprise that the future world-famous opera composer wrote sacred music as a young man, given that his family had served as church musicians in Lucca for generations. Even though it is a juvenile and a sacred work, it bears the traits of the future opera composer. It is no accident that his composition teacher criticised it for its theatrical character. Although the Mass was a success at the premiere, it was never performed again until after his death, in Chicago in 1952.