Exalted and splendid, maestoso yet with hints of percipience, Beethoven pays tribute to the past with his Missa Solemnis, while its inventive writing foretells the future. It is comprised of formidable and brilliant passages, extensive and colossal fugues, chamber-music-like delicacy, and sincere narration. These elements make Missa solemnis extremely strenuous to perform. It’s a challenge for the vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra, and a trial for the conductor, challenging his ability to lead and interpret the score. One of the most well-known of Beethoven’s late works, Missa solemnis is one of the hardest to present and leaves its listeners in awe. Music lovers should seize every opportunity to hear it performed live. How can religious devotion and humanist thinking be blended together? How can the deliberate employment of counterpoint be arranged to unveil the innermost workings of the composer? In Beethoven’s 250th anniversary, let’s follow Shao-Chia Lü who will lead the NSO, Taipei Philharmonic Chorus, and vocal soloists in putting his time-surpassing mind on display in this musthear Missa solemnis.