BWV 232 Messe h-moll
Missa
No. 1 “Kyrie eleison” opens with a sincere four-bar tutti that one might describe as a cry of repentance echoing through the church. It is based on the melody of the “German Mass” that Luther established on Gregorian chant. Then the main section enters in largo, and a five-voice fugue unfolds at length. The theme derives from J.H. Wilderer’s 《Mass in G minor》. It may be added that the subject, built on a chromatic figure expressing “lament,” also resembles the fugue in B minor from Book I of the Well-Tempered Clavier.
No. 2 “Christe eleison” A duet for sopranos addressing Christ, the second Person of the Trinity. The vocal parts continue in sweet parallel motion, while occasional secondary-dominant harmonies add color. The violins play an obbligato in unison; some see the piece as approaching the galant style.
No. 3 “Kyrie eleison” A new appeal to God becomes a four-voice fugue in solemn stile antico. The Neapolitan sixth chromatic alteration placed on the second degree lends the subject a novel effect. Especially noteworthy is the beauty of the writing in the latter half, where overlapping themes and staggered entries appear frequently.
No. 4 “Gloria in cxcelsis” Symbolism of “3” dominates—an ensemble of three trumpets that may be likened to angelic music, triple meter, and so on. Around 1743–1746 it was, together with the following movement, reused in BWV 191.
No. 5 “Et in terra pax” When the whole work has advanced 100 bars, a section in quadruple meter (symbol of blood) enters with gentle figures praying for peace on earth. The overall range drops for a time, but soon a fugue begins on a theme opening with a lively ascending figure; with melismas and the return of the wind instruments it builds a majestic climax as if uniting heaven and earth.
No. 6 “Laudamus te” An aria in which the second soprano and solo violin concertize. Decorative figures are strewn throughout, praising God on high.
No. 7 “Gracias agimus tibi” A stile-antico motet-like chorus based on a parody of BWV 29. The smooth, simple theme, moving stepwise and confined within a perfect fourth, conveys gratitude with an air of “sincerity,” and its overlapping entries produce deep emotion.
No. 8 “Domine Deus” Over muted upper strings and pizzicato continuo, the flute rushes forth and leads the duet. The vocal parts repeatedly imitate and unite, expressing the identity of “Father” and “Son.”
No. 9 “Qui tollis” A four-voice chorus whose original is BWV 46 No. 1. An introspective mood, as if meditating on human sin, prevails. Two flutes envelop the whole in a canonic obbligato.
No. 10 “Qui sedes” An aria with an expressive obbligato for oboe d’amore. One of the arias of mercy that Bach often entrusted to the alto.
No. 11 “Quoniam tu solus sanctus” Against the unusual quartet of horn solo, two bassoons, and basso continuo, the bass sings in a low register. The holiness of the one God is expressed with conviction.
No. 12 “Cum Sancto Spiritu” The bass aria flows straight into a brilliant finale. The closing movement, corresponding to the opening chorus of the 〈Gloria〉, unfolds energetically, freely alternating homophonic and fugal sections. The ascending melismas set to the word “Gloria” are highly forward-looking, lightly and loftily praising the glory of God.
Symbolum Nicenum
No. 13 “Credo in unum Deum” Over a continuo that keeps walking in quarter notes, the texture comprises seven parts in all—five-voice chorus and two violin parts. Bach’s skill in unfolding independent polyphony with as many as seven parts without collapse is especially noteworthy. Later a bass entry appears with an augmented theme; I believe a tempo at which this theme is just audible is appropriate.
No. 14 “Patrem omnipotentem” A parody of BWV 171 No. 1. The confession of faith in the Father is repeated here as well. Eighth notes dominate the continuo as if continuing from the previous movement, and homophonic and fugal sections are well balanced. At the end the winds join for a brilliant close.
No. 15 “Et in unum Dominum” From here the confession of faith turns to Christ. Like No. 8 it is composed as a duet, but the two voices proceed in strict canonic imitation. The instruments also take part in the canonic structure, commenting that God and Christ are of one substance yet distinct in person.
No. 16 “Et incarnatus est” The following three movements form the center of the 〈Credo〉. This movement was added last. It gently sings the mystery of the virgin birth, so valued in the Catholic world. It is also said to have been influenced by Pergolesi’s 《Stabat Mater》.
No. 17 “Crucifixus” A parody of BWV 12 No. 2. The chorus that forms the center of the symmetrical structure of the 〈Credo〉. Though the oldest music in the entire work, through masterful supplementation it blends seamlessly with the whole. The form is a passacaglia based on a lament bass; the suffering of the cross is expressed through bold dissonances. In the final five bars the instruments fall silent and the chorus sinks to a low register, suggesting death.
No. 18 “Et resurrexit” Immediately afterward the joy of the Resurrection is celebrated explosively. A parody of the first movement of the secular cantata BWV Anh. 9. In free da capo form; ascending, rushing figures that appear from time to time are especially striking.
No. 19 “Et in spiritum Sanctum” Here the focus of the confession turns to the “Holy Spirit,” and then to the “universal Church.” Two oboes d’amore unfold an intimate duo. The bass sings fluidly a beautiful melody written in a high register.
No. 20 “Confiteor unum baptisma” Confession of faith in baptism. A five-voice fugue in stile antico, with the liturgical melody skillfully quoted and incorporated into the theme as a cantus firmus. The closing phrase “awaiting the resurrection of the dead” turns to adagio, calling forth a mysterious mood through frequent modulations and upward displacement of the sixth degree, among other means.
No. 21 “Et expecto” A parody movement of BWV 120 No. 2. Yet through careful revision it is given a fullness equal to a new composition. The “figure of joy” played in ascending arpeggios rings out powerfully. It shows a powerful climax as if filled with expectation for the future.
Part III
No. 22 “Sanctus” Praise of the Lord of hosts with large forces. The chorus is in six voices; the instrumental parts apart from the continuo are divided into groups of three trumpets, three oboes, and three string parts. This dominance of “3” alludes to the seraphim’s threefold exchange of the word “Holy,” and every bar overflows with triplets.
No. 23 “Pleni sunt coeli” Quadruple meter changes to triple (3/8), the tempo quickens, and the music presses forward. A fugue on a light theme including hemiolas. It is also interesting that two parts often sing the theme together stacked in thirds or sixths.
Part IV
No. 24 “Osanna in excelsis” In Catholic Mass settings the 〈Osanna〉 is the concluding portion of the 〈Sanctus〉. Here it becomes a large independent movement, unfolded by two choirs. It was reused via the secular cantatas BWV Anh. 11 and BWV 215.
No. 25 “Benedictus” A tenor aria with a fluent obbligato for flute (some argue for violin). In Bach’s day, when a large Mass was celebrated in the Catholic Church, “Sanctus” and “Benedictus” were sung separately, and between them the priest performed the rite of consecration. During that time both priest and congregation remained silent, concentrating on Christ’s body; afterward “Benedictus” was sung—hence, one may think, Bach inevitably prepared a quiet, meditative piece. At the first word it is a devout moment when the sign of the cross is made to express reverence for the Host.
No. 26 “Agnus Dei” Music reused via the secular cantatas BWV Anh. 196/Anh. 14 and BWV 11, but with considerable revision. Accompanied by unison violins, the alto offers a prayer for mercy.
No. 27 “Dona nobis pacem” The final line of the 〈Agnus Dei〉 text here becomes an independent chorus. Musically it takes the form of a recapitulation of No. 7, joining the wish for peace to a solemn hymn of praise and closing the work loftily.
《Overview》
Among Bach’s vocal works the 《Mass in B minor》 is among the most familiar and most often performed. Yet as a Bach enthusiast one may find it a little strange that a work in Latin should stand out so prominently. It is well known that Bach was a Lutheran, and that most of his vocal works (the cantatas) take German texts, with Lutheran hymns (chorales) as an important foundation of his creativity. The root of this twisted structure, I believe, can probably be sought in the nature of the two kinds of text. Cantata texts are highly poetic and, linguistically & theologically, are swayed by changes of taste from age to age. The texts of Latin liturgical music, by contrast, transcend the ages and are used eternally. Moreover, one must not forget that composing to Latin texts was, for Bach in his office, an extremely important task. Martin Luther’s reform of the liturgy was not an attempt to exclude Latin. In fact Luther’s liturgical orders ranged from the Latin “Formula missae” to the vernacular “German Mass,” and it is known that a mixture of both languages was permitted in the Mass.
The 《Mass in B minor》 is Bach’s only through-composed Mass setting of the entire Ordinary. Composed in Leipzig between August 1748 and October 1749. Though it has a Catholic aspect, in content it seems a universal work transcending denomination. In effect it became Bach’s last completed work; various styles are richly combined across time and region, conveying the sense of a musical macrocosm. There is no evidence that the whole was performed in Bach’s lifetime; the work was in effect left to posterity as Bach’s legacy. In 1812 Zelter gave a private first complete performance with the Sing-Akademie in Berlin. Complete performances became common only in the 1800s; the first complete publication was the old complete edition of 1856.
The autograph score is gathered into four parts, suggesting staged composition. Part I is itself titled 〈Missa〉 and forms an independent missa brevis. It was completed in 1733. Part II 〈Symbolum Nicenum〉 is the so-called 〈Credo〉 chapter and, together with Part IV, was reworked in 1748–1749 (preparation may have begun in the early 1740s). Part II contains relatively many original movements and is understood as the core of the assembled Mass. Part III 〈Sanctus〉 is a copy of music composed in Leipzig in 1724 for the Lutheran service on the First Day of Christmas. From the 〈Osanna〉 onward, not included there, forms Part IV in the score, and many of its movements are parodies (reuses) of earlier works.
From this outward form of the autograph score, F. Smend argued that the 《Mass in B minor》 is merely a collection of four separate works. That view was later rejected, and it is now common to see Bach himself as clearly intending a through-composed whole. The custom of using a through-composed Mass in the liturgy does not exist in Lutheranism. Yet no corroboration can be found for the theory that this work was written for the Catholic Church. Features that deviate from pure Catholic church music are also present; I am convinced that the 《Mass in B minor》 is a universal work that Bach completed in his late years as “pan”-religious music transcending both Catholicism and Protestantism—a masterpiece that, more than two hundred years after its composition, still shines brilliantly and will be loved for all time.
References :
『Bach Lexicon』”Das Bach Lexikon” Tadashi Isoyama / Yoshitake Kobayashi / Fumio Narumi
『Bach Digital』“Bach Digital 2008–2020” Bach-Archiv Leipzig Leipzig Bach Archive
『The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians』 “The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians”
Toshiki Tsumuraya