Gratias. The Occasion Franz Joseph Haydn lived in a time of great social change and political foment. HARRY BICKET conductorJOÉLLE HARVEY sopranoMEG BRAGLE mezzo-sopranoDANIEL TAYLOR countertenorTHOMAS COOLEY tenorMATTHEW BROOK bass-baritone MAY FESTIVAL CHAMBER CHOIR Robert Porco, directorThe May Festival Chorus is endowed by the Betsy & Alex C. Young Chair. Benedictus. The style of Palestrina is invoked by the absence of large skips in the vocal lines and the use of the instruments to reinforce the voice parts rather than to provide independent contrapuntal lines. For the scores being prepared could not have been destined for use in Leipzig, but clearly for St Sophia's Church Dresden where W.F. Bach was remembered after his death mainly as an organist. 12 (1714) 'Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen' (Weeping, wailing, grieving, fearing). Nearly one-third of the Mass is reworked from cantatas. More detail on the Royal visit, and illustrations. Well I don’t necessarily think that. The reserved expression of the second Kyrie gives way to an extroverted style, complete with trumpets, drums and instrumental virtuosity. I think it is precisely because the B minor Mass represents a form of “complete” Bach (ie. His master, the young prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen, was a Calvinist so there was no church music at Cöthen; however, the young Prince's religious beliefs did not bar him from enjoying a cheerful and cultivated style of living complete with secular cantatas and instrumental music featuring the latest styles and fashions. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Thuringia, on March 21, 1685. Mass in B minor BWV232 [109'09] Of all Bach’s great output of sacred vocal music, the Mass in B minor stands alone, not just for its supreme musical greatness, but because it was composed for no specific occasion. This, like the first piece in the Gloria, is virtuosic, with rapid motion in the fugue’s countersubject, intricate counterpoint, and considerable demands on the chorus. During the 1730s, the second decade in his life at Leipzig, Bach would now begin to devote more time to activities outside the city; to examine for musical appointments, to advise on organ building, to lend support from time to time to such private establishments as at Cöthen and Weissenfels, where he was honorary Capellmeister from 1729-1736. In this book George B. Stauffer explores the music and complex history of Bachs last and possibly greatest masterpiece. The first section is the Missa, and includes the Kyrie and Gloria. In his book on the Lenten journey, Alexander Schmemann described the “atmosphere” of Lent as a … From 1740 until his death in 1750, Bach would become more introspective, philosophical, looking back over his varied life and compositions, and reviewing the legacy he would leave to the future for he certainly considered this an important aspect of his art, especially as tastes in music were turning rapidly away from the baroque arts of fugue and counterpoint towards the more informal style of the rococo and classical periods. It, like many of his important works, remained unknown for generations. Haydn may have been a musician for hire, but he couldn’t keep his personality from bursting at ever… The theme, taken from a Gregorian chant, is introduced in each of the seven voices, in this order: tenors, basses, altos, first sopranos, second sopranos, first violins, second violins. Stauffer examines the B-Minor Mass in greater detail than ever before, demonstrating for the first time Bachs reliance on contemporary models from the Dresden Mass repertory and his brilliantly innovative methods of unifying his immense composition. The second Kyrie, for four-part choir, has an intense, chromatic fugal subject. The five-part chorus is accompanied by two independent violin lines (plus the ubiquitous continuo), so that we have a seven-voice contrapuntal texture. Confiteor. This Sunday at 9, Nikolaus Harnoncourt leads the Vienna State Opera Chorus and Concentus Musicus of Vienna, and a brilliant cast of soloists, in Mozart’s glorious masterpiece, the “Great” Mass in C minor. It uses almost the same music as 'Ach bleibe doch, mein liebstes Leben' ('Oh, stay with me, my dearest life'), from Cantata No. Yet he often found himself subjected to petty criticisms by his employers, the Leipzig Town Council. The Agnus Dei, which follows a straight reprise of the Osanna, is scored for alto solo matched to a low-lying ritornello for strings. Quoniam. Saxony had not celebrated the enthronement of a new Elector-King for almost forty years, so the Coronation of August II was marked with dazzling celebrations throughout the Saxon Land. The Dona nobis pacem reprises the Gratias, bringing the Mass in B Minor to a triumphant close and linking majestically the concepts of peace, praise, and gratitude to God. While the Mass of 1733 (the Kyrie and Gloria) provided suitable music for the Royal Visit, and would subsequently lay the foundation stone for the Mass in B-Minor, Bach also had another purpose in mind for this 1733 work. The magnificence of this work is signalled at the very outset with the mighty adagio five-part setting of the words Kyrie eleison succeeded by a fugal section of architectural grandeur and complexity. PART THREE: Sanctus and For the scores being prepared could not have been destined for use in Leipzig, but clearly for St Sophia's Church Dresden where W.F. The Mass springs out from the depths of hopelessness with the jubilant Et resurrexit, again apparently reworked from an instrumental movement. Some kind of Royal Title from the Dresden Court would give him the prestige he needed and felt was his due. 11 (The Ascension Oratorio). Sunday, September 13, 2020 9:00 PM. Though this was not immediately forthcoming, after a reminder in 1736 by Bach's influential friend Count von Keyserlingk, the title of Compositeur of the Royal Court Capelle was "conferred upon Johann Sebastian Bach on the latter's most humble entreaty and because of his ability". The duet Et in unum Dominum is set for soprano and alto with oboe and strings. The Laudamus te, with its beautiful soprano solo balanced by an equally beautiful violin obbligato, has all the hallmarks of having originally been a violin duet. The third part, consisting of the Organ Mass with the Prelude and Fugue [“St. While the Mass of 1733 (the Kyrie and Gloria) provided suitable music for the Royal Visit, and would subsequently lay the foundation stone for the Mass in B-Minor, Bach also had another purpose in mind for this 1733 work. The Nicene Creed, originally written in Greek and one of the fundamental creeds of Christianity, was drawn up by the Council of Nicaea, a meeting of bishops in AD 325, the first ecumenical (=worldwide) council consisting of church leaders who met to discuss teachings about Jesus. 29 (1731), the words of which 'Wir danken dir, Gott' ('We thank Thee, O God') represent a literal German translation of the Latin text set here with such solemn nobility and assurance. The words of the Nicene Creed were formulated by the bishops and were a statement of the most important beliefs of Christianity, being an Ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and major Protestant churches. The first Kyrie was composed in 1733 in commemoration of the deceased Elector of Saxony. There are several symbols of the cross in this movement. By this time, Bach had established a wide reputation as composer, musician, organist, and as an expert in organ construction and acoustics. Its use establishes a tone of timeless nobility. The Gratias is a fairly straight copy of the opening chorus of Cantata No. The text of the Patrem belongs to the same sentence as that of the preceding movement. It is linked to the final joyous Et expecto by a passage of the strangest, most haunting quality â quite a contrast with the exuberant chorus that ends the Credo. The Sanctus, the oldest portion of the B Minor Mass originally composed as a mass movement, was written for Christmas day in 1724. In choral music: The mass Bach’s Mass in B Minor (1733–38) was a monument of the preceding Baroque era. Preparations were set in motion. The first part of the Gloria, a joyous outpouring, was probably reworked from a now lost instrumental movement. By this time, Bach had established a wide reputation as composer, musician, organist, and as an expert in organ construction and acoustics. It is a superlative example of Bach's concern with symmetry: Crucifixus is the central pivot and the centre of the trinity of movements concerning Christ's incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection. In a society which regards Kings as divinely appointed by God, Bach would have seen no incongruity in using the same music to praise the King of Poland and the King of Heaven. Yet the Mass in B Minor’s depiction of the ascension of Jesus Christ comes near to distilling the peculiar combination of mourning and joy that make Lent such a remarkable season. Bach's arrival was clearly a major event in the musical and social world, and one North German newspaper described it in great detail: "Last Saturday at noon, four carts laden with goods and chattels belonging to the former Capellmeister to the Court of Cöthen arrived in Leipzig and at two in the afternoon, he and his family arrived in two coaches and moved into their newly decorated lodgings in the school building". Its three sections state beliefs about God (Credo in unum Deum sections 1,2), Jesus Christ (Et in unum Dominum, sections 3-6), and other aspects of Christianity (Et in Spiritum Sanctum sections 7-9). Here the Elector descended from his Carriage and was conducted to his quarters. Recording of Bach's B-Minor Mass. Furthermore, Bach took care to gain prior support from officials at the Dresden Court and leading players in the Dresden Court Capelle. Saxony had not celebrated the enthronement of a new Elector-King for almost forty years, so the Coronation of August II was marked with dazzling celebrations throughout the Saxon Land. Furthermore, Bach took care to gain prior support from officials at the Dresden Court and leading players in the Dresden Court Capelle. The romantic age’s concern with its roots led Germans to rediscover the music of Bach; simultaneously, a new appreciation of history in England led to a Bach revival there as well. Furthermore, Bach did not observe the traditional grouping of the text into five sections—Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei. The middle section, which states Christian belief about Jesus, is the longest. The choir for this piece is divided into six parts. The first complete performance took place in Leipzig in 1859. It is majestic in its complexity and sweep, as well as its use of various styles and quotations from music written throughout the composer’s career. The Kyrie and Gloria were performed in Vienna in 1816; the Et incarnatus est was heard in Berlin in 1827; the Credo was performed in Frankfurt in 1828. Bach's magnificent Sanctus, with its exultant fugue, was written originally for Christmas Day, 1724. It is linked to the final joyous Et expecto by a passage of the strangest, most haunting quality â quite a contrast with the exuberant chorus that ends the Credo. Though this was not immediately forthcoming, after a reminder in 1736 by Bach's influential friend Count von Keyserlingk, the title of Compositeur of the Royal Court Capelle was "conferred upon Johann Sebastian Bach on the latter's most humble entreaty and because of his ability". It might be added that thereafter there were no further records of disagreements between Bach and either the School or City authorities. Qui tollis. It affirms that Jesus is God 'of one being with the Father', which stresses the Oneness of God. 215 (1734) 'Preise dein Glucke, gesegnetes Sachsen' ('Praised be your fortunes, most blessed Saxony'), a piece performed in honour of the coronation of Augustus III as King of Poland. The second Kyrie, for four-part choir, has an intense, chromatic fugal subject. The Nicene Creed is much longer than the better-known Apostles' Creed and is usually said by Christians during the celebration of the Eucharist (Mass or Holy Communion). Prince Leopold had already spent three years (1710-13) doing the Grand Tour of Europe, first to Holland and England, through Germany to Italy, returning by way of Vienna. Its use establishes a tone of timeless nobility. The performing parts were copied out in secret by members of the Bach family only, so that neither the Thomas School nor City officials would be aware of Bach's intentions. Thus during the latter years of his life Bach gradually withdrew inwards, producing some of the most profound statements of baroque musical form. Domine Deus. Here the Elector descended from his Carriage and was conducted to his quarters. Bach's magnificent Sanctus, with its exultant fugue, was written originally for Christmas Day, 1724. According to Ancient Custom, the new Landesherr would visit the important cities of his territory, to receive there the greetings of the populace. For the scores being prepared could not have been destined for use in Leipzig, but clearly for St Sophia's Church Dresden where W.F. In particular, Bach had become famous, not only as an organist and improvisator, but as an expert in organ construction. And then I’ll recant my first statement. Yet he wanted to emphasize the unity of the textual idea. There is also a preponderance of six-measure phrases, including the fugue subject. Bach was organist, since the organ there was tuned a whole tone lower than those of the Leipzig churches. Bach, Mass in B minor - Suzuki on BIS Bach, St. Matthew Passion - Herreweghe's 2nd recording on Harmonia Mundi (I know, I seem to be the dissenting vote on whether to get his first or second recording) Mozart, Mass in C minor - Gardiner on Phillips Beethoven, Mass in C major - Gardiner on Archiv Brahms, A German Requiem - Klemperer on EMI Interest in his music was reborn in the 19th century. Completed in 1748, with individual parts composed and performed earlier. Thus he created some extraordinarily powerful, beautiful and complex music for the solemn occasion of the new Elector’s visit to Leipzig to accept the town’s declaration of allegiance. Et in unum Dominum. The Christe eleison is a gentle duet for sopranos with a charming ritornello for strings. Furthermore, Bach took care to gain prior support from officials at the Dresden Court and leading players in the Dresden Court Capelle. In a society which regards Kings as divinely appointed by God, Bach would have seen no incongruity in using the same music to praise the King of Poland and the King of Heaven. The words of the Nicene Creed were formulated by the bishops and were a statement of the most important beliefs of Christianity, being an Ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and major Protestant churches. When Bach assembled his B Minor Mass near the end of his life, he used some movements he had composed years earlier, adopted other movements from various cantatas, and wrote some new material. Thus during the latter years of his life Bach gradually withdrew inwards, producing some of the most profound statements of baroque musical form. Though this was not immediately forthcoming, after a reminder in 1736 by Bach's influential friend Count von Keyserlingk, the title of Compositeur of the Royal Court Capelle was "conferred upon Johann Sebastian Bach on the latter's most humble entreaty and because of his ability". The Benedictus, apparently the vestige of a lost tenor aria, with its slow, long, graceful vocal and instrumental lines is an evocation of serene love and longing. Et in Spiritum Sanctum. The Gratias is a fairly straight copy of the opening chorus of Cantata No. MOZART "Great" Mass in C minor, K. 427 Krisztina Laki and Zsuzsanna Denes, sopranos Bach was then 38 years old. The duet Et in unum Dominum is set for soprano and alto with oboe and strings. The Credo uses one of the old church modes (the Mixolydian). Postscript Bach's magnificent Sanctus, with its exultant fugue, was written originally for Christmas Day, 1724. The Mass in B minor is a consecration of a whole life. The Benedictus, apparently the vestige of a lost tenor aria, with its slow, long, graceful vocal and instrumental lines is an evocation of serene love and longing. The Credo bursts forth with two vibrant fugal choruses. Bach's magnificent Sanctus, with its exultant fugue, was written originally for Christmas Day, 1724. Bach moved to Leipzig on May 22, 1723, where for the remaining 27 years of his life he was to live and work as Cantor, or Directore Chori Musici Lipsiensis Director of Choir and Music in Leipzig. Furthermore, Bach took care to gain prior support from officials at the Dresden Court and leading players in the Dresden Court Capelle. The Dona nobis pacem reprises the Gratias, bringing the Mass in B Minor to a triumphant close and linking majestically the concepts of peace, praise, and gratitude to God. Sanctus. Bach uses stile antico, the archaic style of 16th-century church music, to make the mood simpler and more objective than in the first Kyrie. Like the Missa, the Symbolum Nicenum has its own cohesive structure. The third consists of a single movement, the Sanctus, and the fourth is entitled Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei et Dona nobis pacem. The Mass displays Bach ïs The magnificence of this work is signalled at the very outset with the mighty adagio five-part setting of the words Kyrie eleison succeeded by a fugal section of architectural grandeur and complexity. Bach's Kyrie and Gloria were, diplomatically, acceptable equally to both faiths. In a society which regards Kings as divinely appointed by God, Bach would have seen no incongruity in using the same music to praise the King of Poland and the King of Heaven. Bach also sought to leave a significant sacred choral work, and began to conceive the notion of what would become known as the Mass in B-Minor. The Mass springs out from the depths of hopelessness with the jubilant Et resurrexit, again apparently reworked from an instrumental movement. The first, in antique style, is based upon the plainchant associated with the words 'Credo in unum deum' and symbolises strength of faith; the second is adapted from a chorus of praise from Cantata No. Kyrie II. Credo. The performing parts were copied out in secret by members of the Bach family only, so that neither the Thomas School nor City officials would be aware of Bach's intentions. Preparations were set in motion. Some kind of Royal Title from the Dresden Court would give him the prestige he needed and felt was his due. From 1740 until his death in 1750, Bach would become more introspective, philosophical, looking back over his varied life and compositions, and reviewing the legacy he would leave to the future for he certainly considered this an important aspect of his art, especially as tastes in music were turning rapidly away from the baroque arts of fugue and counterpoint towards the more informal style of the rococo and classical periods. 46 (1723), 'Schauet doch und sehet' ('Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow'). 46 (1723), 'Schauet doch und sehet' ('Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow'). On top of his "authentic forces" condition, Klemperer was very picky about way it was recorded and the choice of soloists. These two movements would later form the opening of the B-Minor Mass. The Dona nobis pacem reprises the Gratias, bringing the Mass in B Minor to a triumphant close and linking majestically the concepts of peace, praise, and gratitude to God. So he would have been thoroughly familiar with the latest European fashions in music. The choir for this piece is divided into six parts. 171 (1729) 'Gott, wie dein Name, so ist ouch dein Ruhm' ('God, Thy fame is as Thy name'). Like the Credo, this movement is in stile antico and uses a Gregorian theme. The Credo bursts forth with two vibrant fugal choruses. Postscript While the Mass of 1733 (the Kyrie and Gloria) provided suitable music for the Royal Visit, and would subsequently lay the foundation stone for the Mass in B-Minor, Bach also had another purpose in mind for this 1733 work. Its three sections state beliefs about God (Credo in unum Deum sections 1,2), Jesus Christ (Et in unum Dominum, sections 3-6), and other aspects of Christianity (Et in Spiritum Sanctum sections 7-9). It leads directly into the Qui tollis, a revision of part of the opening chorus of Cantata No. The Clavierübung was Bach's most monumental undertaking in keyboard music. With incredible skill, Bach adapted this older music to new texts, often adding contrapuntal lines, extending passages and otherwise furthering the music. The first, in antique style, is based upon the plainchant associated with the words 'Credo in unum deum' and symbolises strength of faith; the second is adapted from a chorus of praise from Cantata No. In place of the Kyrie’s fugues, the baroque concerto form is invoked, although there eventually is a fugue in this movement. Postscript While the Mass of 1733 (the Kyrie and Gloria) provided suitable music for the Royal Visit, and would subsequently lay the foundation stone for the Mass in B-Minor, Bach also had another purpose in mind for this 1733 work. PART TWO: Symbolum Nicenum ( Credo) It is a publication in four parts, of which the first and second consisted of the Six Partitas for harpsichord in Part One, and the Italian Concerto and French Overture in Part Two. Osanna II. May 31, 1723, marked the inaugural ceremony for the new Capellmeister with the customary speeches and anthems, putting an end to six unsettled months for the city in filling the post. Does anyone? Nearly unique among his vocal output, its genesis and purpose are largely speculative. This may well have given Bach the idea of assembling his great Mass from his own earlier works. Bach subsequently sent the music to his Royal Majesty, in the hopes of obtaining a position at his court. The symmetry is apparent as the bass aria, Et in Spiritum, recalls in tone Et in unum Dominum, and the fugal Confiteor, like the first movement of the Credo, harks back to the older church style and uses plainsong to underpin the firmness of the belief it represents. On the other hand, movements such as the Laudamus te, Qui sedes, Quoniam, Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Benedictus and Agnus Dei are similar to coloratura arias from contemporary Italian operas, as are the duets in the Christe, Domine Deus, and Et in unum Dominum. It might be added that thereafter there were no further records of disagreements between Bach and either the School or City authorities. Preparations were set in motion. The first, in antique style, is based upon the plainchant associated with the words 'Credo in unum deum' and symbolises strength of faith; the second is adapted from a chorus of praise from Cantata No. Bach's two-fold position as member of the chamber orchestra and as Organist to the Court offered him many opportunities for improvement. The third consists of a single movement, the Sanctus, and the fourth is entitled Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei et Dona nobis pacem. Actually, the B Minor Mass is not usable in the Catholic liturgy. Kyrie Eleison (Greek for "Lord have mercy") is a very old, even pre-Christian expression used constantly in all Christian liturgies. In order to match the magnificence of the Sanctus, Bach divides the chorus into eight parts. The original manuscript shows that Bach divided the Mass in four major sections, similar to the sections in the Roman Catholic Mass Ordinary. The Nicene Creed, originally written in Greek and one of the fundamental creeds of Christianity, was drawn up by the Council of Nicaea, a meeting of bishops in AD 325, the first ecumenical (=worldwide) council consisting of church leaders who met to discuss teachings about Jesus. For his friend the music-loving Count Anton von Sporck, a great admirer of Bach's cantatas who was unable to perform them in his home in Bohemia which was strictly Catholic, Bach had cleverly assembled some of his finest cantata movements into four short masses, the Missae Breves, thus disguising Lutheran cantata choruses and arias as Catholic pieces! The second Kyrie, for four-part choir, has an intense, chromatic fugal subject. The performance itself demonstrates John Nelson's nonpareil mastery of conducting, especially of large scale orchestral works. When the text speaks of the unity of the catholic and apostolic church, the peaceful duet of two oboes d’amore signifies, according to musicologist Karl Geiringer, the “harmony and understanding between Catholics and Protestants.”. The Dona nobis pacem reprises the Gratias, bringing the Mass in B Minor to a triumphant close and linking majestically the concepts of peace, praise, and gratitude to God. 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