Joseph Mayseder, solo violinist of the Vienna Hofoper Orchestra and since 1830 concertmaster of the Vienna Court Orchestra, composed numerous violin pieces and chamber music, and a significant late work, the Mass in E flat major, op.64, for mixed choir and orchestra. The premiere of the mass took place in 1848 in the Vienna Hofburgkapelle. It was performed from 1875 to 1935 on 49 New Years' days and therefore was given the nickname 'New Year's Mass'. Performing musicians include the Vienna Boys' Choir, the Men's Choir of the Vienna Hofmusikkapelle, and members of the Hofmusikkapelle under the direction of the Viennese violinist and conductor Thomas Christian, who also appears as a soloist in the Violin Concerto no.2, which is also to be heard on this recording.

Thomas Christian, pupil of Franz Toifl, Theodore Pashkus and Jascha Heifetz, performed Paganini's First Violin Concerto at New York's Carnegie Hall at the age of 19. Since then he has performed as a violinist and conductor of numerous major orchestras in Europe, the USA and Asia, and is professor at the conservatories in Detmold, Vienna and Tokyo. He has released many CDs of solo and chamber music recordings.