Sacred Music: The Duty of the First Commandment

The libretto, presumably by Ignaz Anton Weiser, addresses the allegorical conflict between worldly temptation and Christian virtue. The score combines elements of church music with operatic features: recitatives, arias, and ensembles already reveal essential characteristics of later operatic art, while the moral-didactic orientation remains rooted in Baroque theology. The five soloists embody allegorical figures with clearly defined stylistic characteristics. The personifications of virtue are depicted through cantabile, formally structured arias with sensitive expression, while the "Spirit of the World" exudes a seductive effect through rhythmic lightness and dance-like gestures. The alternation of secco and accompagnato recitatives heightens the dramatic tension; da capo arias and early hints of ensemble scenes point to Mozart's later compositional developments. The work is now considered an insightful document of Mozart's early creative abilities and an example of the religious-pedagogical music practice in 18th-century Salzburg. At the same time, it provides insights into the foundations of his later opera compositions.