A mass for chorus and orchestra to be composed by the contemporary Polish composer Krzystof Penderecki was commissioned in 1996 by the Internationale Bachakademie in Stuttgart, Germany, and the Oregon Bach Festival, USA. It is the result of the vision of Helmuth Rilling and Royce Saltzman to bring another world premiere performance to the United States, to Oregon, and to the festival that was the external incentive for the composition of this new work. The work is based on the standard Latin version of the historic Nicene Creed. It is scored for five soloists (SSATB), boys choir (here the Phoenix Boys Choir), mixed choir, and orchestra. This Credo may well be the first American premiere of a large work for chorus and orchestra by a major European composer since 1930, when Igor Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms was performed by the Boston Symphony. Soloists: Juliane Banse, soprano, Milagro Vargas, mezzo, Marietta Simpson, mezzo, Thomas Randel, tenor and Thomas Quasthoff, bass. Winner 43rd annual Grammy Award.
