In 1760, Gossec was a young composer, conducting La Pouplinière’s private orchestra, and had already published two opuses of chamber music and two symphonies. His symphonies, one of which was performed at the Concert Spirituel in 1757, brought him some notoriety with the public and placed him at the forefront of the symphonic movement. However, Gossec had yet to produce a large-scale vocal work that could open the doors to a Parisian institution. The main attraction in Paris at the time was opera, and its sacred substitute, the grand motet, freed from the religious office as part of the Concert Spirituel.

The first performance of Messe des morts took place in May 1760 at the Jacobin church on the rue Saint-Jacques. In 1780, Gossec published the score by subscription on the presses of Henry. The work has already been performed at least fifteen times, as excerpts or in full, in major institutions, in concert or for liturgical services.

The Messe des morts requires 5 soloists, a 4-voice choir and a full orchestra of woodwinds, horns, timpani and strings, plus an off-stage orchestra consisting of a clarinet, two horns and three trombones for the Tuba mirum.