Dvorák composed the “Mass in D major” in 1887 at the suggestion of his patron Josef Hlávka for the inauguration of the Lužany castle chapel. It is written for choir and organ with sporadic passages for soloists, uses simple expressive devices and makes light technical demands. Thus, this work is easy to perform, also by amateur church choirs; all that is needed is a small choir and the solo parts can be sung by members of the choir.

The full score includes an additional violoncello/double bass part edited for the first time. Dvorak himself had written this additional part into a copy of the organ version.