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Bach's Mass in B Minor is one of the finest expressions of the Christian faith in the history of music.
The composition of the first part of Bach's great Mass (the Kyrie and the Gloria) was sent to the Elector of Saxony, Friedrich August II, in July 1733 with a fullsome letter of dedication in which Bach asks that he might have conferred upon him a ``Predicate in your Hoff-Capelle". Bach mentions that during his years as Director of Music to the two principal churches in Leipzig, he has ``been obliged to suffer one slight and another quite undeservedly" and he also complains about his pay! It was not until 1736 that Friedrich August, as King of Poland and Serene Highness the Electoral Prince of Saxony, conferred upon Bach, ``by reason of his good skill", the Predicate of Composer to the Court Band.
Bach describes his Mass as a ``trifling product of that science which I have attained in Musique". Thus he describes one of the most glorious expressions of Christian belief in the history of music. Bach's duties in Leipzig demanded that he write music for the Lutheran, Protestant liturgy, while the Catholic court of Dresden demanded something quite different. The Lutheran mass required a Kyrie (in Greek) and Gloria (still in Latin) with the Creed sung probably to a metric chorale tune in the vernacular. Bach's practice had been to compose a Kyrie as a single movement and the Gloria in 5 movements. Already we can see from the so called ``Mass in B minor" that Bach's conception here is far grander. He added a Latin Credo in 9 movements, a Sanctus, Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei et Dona Nobis Pacem.
Not all the music for this Mass was original, Bach following his practice of borrowing from his own music. The Sanctus dates from 1724 and the Crucifixus and Agnus Dei appear in earlier cantatas. The opening movement of the Gloria and the Dona Nobis Pacem also appear in other version in Bach's Church cantatas. Be that as it may, it is no reflection on the quality of the music Bach selected from his own works; the various individual movements, both solo and choral are of the highest inspiration. This mass may be seen as the summit of Bach's achievements as a composer of choral music, accompanied by orchestral writing of the greatest imagination. Note particularly the solo writing for oboe da caccia, horn, flute and violin in the solo movements and fine orchestral ritornelli in the some to the choral pieces; in particular the wonderful ending to the Osanna which, of course, we are able to hear twice! |
