“There’s so much that’s mysterious about Bach’s Mass,” Bill says, and this week he attempts to demystify Bach’s grand work by setting its context in history, tracing relevant antecedents: Bach was writing a Latin mass despite his orientation as a Lutheran. Bill surmises that Bach went back to his musical heroes from the Renaissance. “They composed masses in Latin, and so would he.” Bill illustrates pertinent influences in Beethoven, Strauss, and Haydn as well as how Bach reformed some of his own work to inform his mass.
Bach’s Not-So-Minor B-Minor Mass
Playlist
Episode 1
Bach, JS: Mass in B Minor, BWV 232
I. “Kyrie eleison” (excerpt)
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus/Shaw
Bach: Mass in B
Telarc 80233
1:28
Des Prez, Josquin: Missa De Beata Vergine
I. “Kyrie” II. “Christe” III. “Kyrie”
A Sei Voci Fabré/Garrus
Ave Maria – Josquin
Naïve 8892
3:17
Palestrina, Giovanni: Missa Papae Marcelli
“Kyrie”
Oxford Camerata/Summerly
PALESTRINA: Missa Papae Marcelli
Naxos 8.553238
4:34
de Lassus, Orlande: “Kyrie”
(excerpt)
The Hilliard Ensemble
Lassus
ECM 453841
:53
Bach, JS: Mass in F Major, BWV 233
I. “Kyrie” (excerpt)
Stuttgart Gächinger Kantorei, Stuttgart Bach Collegium/Helmuth Rilling
Masses BWV 233,234,235,236
Profil – Hänssler 7027
4:48
Bach, JS: Mass in B Minor, BWV 232
I. “Kyrie eleison” (excerpt)
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus/Shaw
McNair, Ziegler
Bach: Mass In B
Telarc 80233
00:34
Bach, JS: Mass in B Minor, BWV 232
I. “Kyrie eleison” II. “Christe eleison” III. “Kyrie eleison”
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus/Shaw
Sylvia McNair, Delores Ziegler
Bach: Mass in B
Telarc 80233
19:48
Haydn, Joseph: Missa in Tempore Belli, H 22/9, Paukenmesse
I. “Kyrie”
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, RIAS Chamber Choir
Sylvia McNair, Delores Ziegler
Haydn: Paukenmesse – Mozart: Coronation Mass
DG 435853
2:07
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Missa Solemnis in D major Op. 123
I. “Kyrie”
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Rundfunkchor Leipzig/Masur
Tomowa-Sintow, Burmeister, Schreier, Polster
Masur Edition – Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
Berlin 9150
8:02
Episode 2
Palestrina, Giovanni: Missa Papae Marcelli
“Gloria”
Oxford Camerata/Summerly
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli
Naxos 8553238
5:37
Bach, JS: Mass in F Major, BWV 233
“Gloria”
Stuttgart Gächinger Kantorei, Stuttgart Bach Collegium/Helmuth Rilling
Masses BWV 233,234,235,236
Profil – Hänssler 7027
6:36
Bach, JS: Mass in B minor, BWV 232
“Gloria in Excelsis,” “Et in terra pax,” “Laudamus te,”
“Gracias agimus tibi,” “Domine Deus”
Netherlands Bach Society/van Veldhoven
Mields, Zomer, White, Daniels, Harvey, Root
Bach: Mass in B Minor
Channel Classics 25007
18:00
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Missa Solemnis in D, Op. 123
“Gloria,” “Qui Tollis”
Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Solti
Popp, Minton, Walker, Howell
London Underground
London 455014
11:23
Bach, JS: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068
II. “Air,” V. “Gigue”
La Stravaganza Köln/Manze
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 4-6
Brilliant Classics 93668
7:00
Bach, JS: Orchestral Suite No.3 in D Major, BWV 1068
“Air on a G String” (excerpt)
English Chamber Orchestra/Barritt
Kennedy, violin, Anderson; oboe, Lester, harpsichord
Classic Kennedy
EMI Classics 56890
2:05
Episode 3
Bach, JS: Missa brevis in A Major, BWV 234
“Qui tollis peccata mundi,” “Cum Sancto Spiritu”
Academy of Ancient Music/Cleobury; Choir of King’s College, Cambridge
Lisa Milne, soprano
Magnificat
EMI 56994
9:34
Bach, JS: B minor Mass, BWV 232
“Qui tollis peccata mundi,” “Qui sedes ad dextram Patris,”
“Quoniam tu solus sanctus,” “Cum Sancto Spiritu”
New Phiharmonia Orchestra; BBC Chorus/Klemperer
Baker; Krauss; Sutcliffe, oboe d’amore; Busch, horn
Bach: Mass In B Minor
EMI 63364
20:34
Strauss, Richard: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
“Von den Hinterweltlern” (excerpt)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan
London/ Decca 440618
3:36
Strauss, Richard: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
“Von den Hinterweltlern” (excerpt)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Solti
R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan
London/ Decca 440618
:28
Anonymous: Graduel d’Aliénor de Bretagne
“Credo in unum Deum”
Ensemble Organum/Pérés
Graduel d’Alienor de Bretagne
Harmonia mundi 290652
:20
Bach, JS: B minor Mass, BWV 232
“Credo” (excerpt)
The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra/Christophers
Catherine Dubosc; James Bowman
Vocal Works Vol. I – Vokalwerke
Brilliant Classics 99361
00:20
Bach, JS: B minor Mass, BWV 232
“Credo,” “Credo In Unum Deum,”
“Patrem Omnipotentem,” “Et In Unum Dominum”
The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra/Christophers
Catherine Dubosc; James Bowman
Vocal Works Vol. I / Vokalwerke
Brilliant Classics 99361
08:10
Bach, JS: WTC, Bk. 1 Fugue No. 2 in C minor
Lewis, piano; Lester, violin; Martin, viola; Collins, guitar; Johnson, bass
J.S. Bach Preludes and Fugues From The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1
Phillips 824 381
4:20
Bach, JS: WTC, Bk. 1 Prelude No. 1 in C minor (excerpt)
Lewis, piano; Lester, violin; Martin, viola; Collins, guitar; Johnson, bass
J.S. Bach Preludes and Fugues From The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1
Phillips 824 381
2:41
Episode 4
Bach, JS: Crucifixus
(excerpt)
The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra/Christophers
Catherine Dubosc; Catherine Denley
Vocal Works Vol. I – Vokalwerke
COR16044
:35
Bach, JS: Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 12
Academy of Ancient Music/Cleobury; Choir of King’s College, Cambridge/Chance
George; Bostridge; Radcliffe; Comberti; Lissauer; Blackadder
Magnificat
EMI 56994
8:42
Bach, JS: Mass in B Minor, BWV 232
Et Incarnatus est-Credo; Crucifixus; Et Resurrexit; Et in Spiritum
Sanctum; Confiteor Unum Baptisma; Et Expecto Resurrectionem
New Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra/Giulini
Jenny Hill, Janet Baker, Peter Pears, John Shirley-Quirk
Bach: Mass In B Minor
BBC 4062
23:24
Bach, JS: Crucifixus (excerpt)
New Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra/Giulini
Jenny Hill, Janet Baker, Peter Pears, John Shirley-Quirk
Bach: Mass In B Minor
BBC 4062
:32
Bach, JS: Crucifixus (excerpt)
Netherlands Bach Society/Van Veldhoven
Bach: Mass In B Minor
Channel Classics 25007
:35
Bach, JS: Crucifixus (excerpt)
Les musiciens du Louvre-Grenoble/Minkowski
Mass in B Minor
Naïve V 5145
:42
Bach, JS: Crucifixus (excerpt)
The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra/Christophers
Dubosc, Denley
Vocal Works Vol. I / Vokalwerke
COR16044
:35
Bach, JS: Crucifixus (excerpt)
New Philharmonia Orchestra and BBC Chorus//Klemperer
Bach: Mass In B Minor
EMI 63364
2:04
Mozart, WA: Grosse Messe c-moll KV 427
“Credo,” “Et incarnatus est”
Bayerischen Rundfunks/Bernstein
Arleen Auger, soprano
Grosse Messe C-Moll KV 427 (Exsultate, Jubilate KV 165 – Ave Verum Corpus KV 618)
DG 431 791
7:50
Bach, arr. Koopman: Cantata No. 167, BWV 167
“Ihr Menschen, Rühmet Gottes Liebe,” “Sei Lob Und Preis Mit Ehren”
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra/Koopman
Yo-Yo Ma, cello
Simply Baroque
Sony 60680
4:39
Episode 5
Bach, JS: B Minor Mass: “Gloria” (excerpt)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
Mass in B Minor
London 430353
:50
Mozart, WA: Mass in C Minor, K 427, (Great)
“Sanctus”
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Bernstein
Grosse Messe C-Moll KV 427 (Exsultate, Jubilate KV 165 – Ave Verum Corpus KV 618)
DG 431 791
3:26
Haydn, Joseph: Missa in Tempore Belli, Paukenmesse H 22/9
“Sanctus”
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, RIAS Chamber Choir
McNair, Ziegler, Blochwitz, Schmidt
Haydn: Symphonies 92 and 88
DG 435 853
2:55
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Missa Solemnis in D, Op. 123
“Sanctus;” “Benedictus”
Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Solti
Popp, Minton, Walker, Howell
London Underground (A Compilation of Independent Club/Dance Music)
London 455014
16:48
Bach, JS: Mass in B Minor
“Sanctus,” “Osanna,” “Benedictus,”
“Osanna No. 2,” “Agnus Dei,” “Dona Nobis Pacem”
Atlanta Symphony and Chamber Chorus/Shaw
McNair, Ziegler,Simpson, Aler, Stone, Paul
Bach: Mass in B
Telarc 80233
25:43
Bach, JS: Mass in B Minor – Qui Tollis Pecatta Mundi
Netherlands Bach Society/Van Veldhoven
The Art of the Fugue
Channel Classics 5007
3:05