The Mass in B minor (BWV 232) is a musical setting of
the complete Latin Mass by Johann Sebastian Bach. The
work was one of Bach's last, not completed until 1749,
the year before his death in 1750. Much of the Mass
consisted of music that Bach had composed earlier: the
Kyrie and Gloria sections had been composed as a Missa
in 1733 for the Elector of Saxony at Dresden. The
Sanctus dates back to 1724, and the Crucifixus movement
was based on a cantata chorus dating from 1714. To
complete the work,...(+)
The Mass in B minor (BWV 232) is a musical setting of
the complete Latin Mass by Johann Sebastian Bach. The
work was one of Bach's last, not completed until 1749,
the year before his death in 1750. Much of the Mass
consisted of music that Bach had composed earlier: the
Kyrie and Gloria sections had been composed as a Missa
in 1733 for the Elector of Saxony at Dresden. The
Sanctus dates back to 1724, and the Crucifixus movement
was based on a cantata chorus dating from 1714. To
complete the work, however, in the 1740s Bach composed
new sections of the Credo such as Et incarnatus est.
The completed Mass was his last major composition.
It was unusual for composers working in the Lutheran
tradition to compose a Missa tota and Bach's
motivations remain a matter of scholarly debate. The
Mass was most probably never performed in totality
during Bach's lifetime, and the work largely
disappeared in the 18th century. Several performances
in the early 19th century, however, sparked a revival
both of the piece and the larger rediscovery of Bach's
music. Today, it is widely hailed as one of the
greatest works of all time and is frequently
performed.
Although the Mass in B minor (H Moll) BWV 232 was
Originally written for Chorus & Orchestra, I created
this arrangement for Wind Ensemble (Flutes (3), Alto
Flutes (2), Oboes (2), English Horn, Bb Clarinets (2),
French Horns (2), Timpani & Bassoons (2)).
PARTITION