Bach B Minor Mass

Zach Beeksma
1.
a. 1749
b. Bach organized the mass into four folders:
Kryie and Gloria;
Credo (Symbolum Nicenum)
Sanctus;
Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Dona Nobis Pacem.
c. Chronology
Kyrie and Gloria were composed as a Missa for Augustus III of Poland in
1733
Credo consists of primarily reworked material and is centered around
the crucifixus, which was composed in 1714
Sanctus was written for Christmas in 1724
Osanna consists of primarily reworked material
d. Two theories of why Bach may have composed a missa tota are:
Bach may have created a completed mass to be used for the
dedication of the new Hofkirche in Dresden, which was begun in 1738.
The church was not completed until after Bachs death, so scholars
dont know if he intended to submit the work.
Near the end of his life, Bach created several large scale, summative
projects, such as the Art of the Fugue. This work may have been in
that vein, and might not have been intended to be performed.
2.

3.

Gratias agimus tibi

Qui tollis
Crucifixus
Et expecto
Sanctus
Dona nobis pacem

BWV
BWV
BWV
BWV

29
46
12
120
Sanctus
BWV 29

3. Kyrie 2
7. Gratias agimus Tibi
2-1. Credo in unum Deum
2-8. Confiteor
4-1. Dona nobis Pacem
o EVIP
o Written in alle breve with long notes
4a. Bach uses both solo settings and choral settings. The choral movements are in
several voicings including double choir.
Osana-Double SATB Choir
SSAATB: Sanctus, Pleni sunt coeli
SSATB: Kyrie 1, Gloria, Et in terra pax, Cum sancto spiritu, Credo in unum
Deum, Et incarnates est, Et resurrexit, Confiteor, Et expecto 1, Et expect 2,

SATB: Kyrie 2, Gratias agimus tibi, qui tollis, Patrem omnipotentem,

Crucifixus, Dona nobis pacem.
4b. The orchestration changes almost every movement. Every instrument is not
used consistently throughout the piece. For example, the horn only plays one
movement.
5. The Bach B minor mass is a cantata mass in that the text for movements are
broken down into smaller phrases and each phrase is set as independent
movements.
6. Pieces of the B minor mass were performed beginning with the Symbolum Nicenum
by C.P.E. Bach in 1786, but the first full performance was by Karl Riedel in 1859.