Helston and Kerrier Music Society's choir will be performing the Mass in D Major by Johann Nepomuk Hummel, a child prodigy who was spotted by Mozart when he was only eight years old.

He became the leading pianist of his day and developed fingering techniques that made the music of Liszt and Chopin possible and which are still used today.

Hummel was a friend of Beethoven and performed for him, but as a composer was overshadowed by him. Hummel followed Haydn into the employ of the Esterhazy family where he had to compose a mass every year.

The masses were never published in his day, but due to the internet they are now resurfacing.

Nearly 200 years after the Mass D in Major work was written, Manfred Hoessl of Neumarkt in Germany, found the original score in his church. He typed it into notation software and put it on the net where anyone can download it, copyright-free - which is exactly what the Helston and Kerrier choir's musical director David Burleigh has done.

Mr Burleigh said: "I could work from Hummel's original manuscripts, re-construct the score and define the parts for the choir to sing - very attractive to a choir such as ourselves, as we have no performing rights to pay!

"Of course, the downloaded scores were not perfect. I spent many hours scrutinising and editing a version for our performance, followed by the mammoth task of printing some 67 sides of paper for each performer. But it's been worth it. We have the chance to hear a lovely work, unjustly neglected since it was written."

The concert will also include John Rutter's Requiem and the choir will be joined by young soprano Malina Bowman and the choir's own George Shutter on keyboard with other instrumentalists on cello, oboe, flute, harp, glockenspiel and timpani.

It will take place at St Michael's Parish Church, Helston this Saturday from 7.30pm. Tickets will be £5 at the door, with concessions for senior citizens and students.

For more information call 01326 560387 or 01326 565774, or visit the choir's website at www.beehive.thisiscornwall.co.uk/hkms.