Gretchaninov started his musical studies rather late because his father, a businessman, had expected him to take over the family firm. Gretchaninov began his studies at the Moscow Conservatory in 1881, later moving to St. Petersburg where he studied composition and orchestration with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov until 1893. It is not surprising that Rimsky's influence can be heard in Gretchaninov's early works. The Missa Festiva was not written until 1937. This is the choral score of the work, with Latin text, and without notated accompaniment. 23 pages.