More Than Notes. Student Study Guide. Johann Sebastian Bach Mass in B Minor. The Greatest of All Time

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1 Johann Sebastian Bach Mass in B Minor NOVEMBER 2, :00 PM KENNEDY CENTER CONCERT HALL In deepest devotion, I present to our Royal Highness this small product of that science which I have attained in Musique. With these humble words, Johann Sebastian Bach submitted his very fi rst copy of the Kyrie and Gloria to be performed before the Dresden* Court in Fifteen years later, these two pieces would become opening movements of Bach s greatest musical achievement: the Mass in B Minor. More Than Notes Student Study Guide The Greatest of All Time Above: Portrait of J.S. Bach (Haussmann, 1748) The German composer Johann (yoh-hahn) Sebastian Bach ( ) is one of the most well-known composers in history. Ludwig van Beethoven described Bach as Urvater der Harmonie (The Original Father of Harmony). Richard Wagner* described his compositions as the most stupendous miracle in all of music. Today his music is still heard and celebrated in modern day religious ceremonies, radio broadcasts, and concert halls around the world. Despite his current status as a brilliant composer, Bach s musical creations were rarely published during his lifetime. In fact, he was more renowned within Germany as a skilled organist and church musician. Throughout his humble existence, Bach considered himself to be an ordinary man supporting his large family, teaching music, and glorifying God through his involvement in the Lutheran Church*. He showed this devotion by signing many of his compositions with the letters S. D. G. which stood for the Latin phrase Soli Deo Gloria (translation: Only For God s Glory, see above). Near the end of his life he wrote, I was obliged to work hard, but anyone who is equally industrious will succeed just as well. *see glossary 1

2 Out of this World! NASA Voyager I Three samples of Bach s music were sent into outer space by NASA s Voyager Mission in the hopes they would be discovered and appreciated by extraterrestrial life. Lost Treasures After Bach s death, all of his original musical manuscripts were divided among his family. Some of the music was sold, much of it lost. Today we probably have less than half of all the music Bach actually composed during his lifetime. Right Time, Wrong Place Bach and George Frideric Handel* were born within months of each other in 1685, in towns less than 80 miles apart. Despite this fact, they never met. Bach s place in history was secured by Felix Mendelssohn s* performance of the St. Matthew Passion in By 1845, nearly a century after Bach s death, the Mass in B Minor was fi nally published in its entirety. Over the next 170 years, Bach s ingenious musical compositions would be continually discovered, performed, and celebrated throughout the world. This work is MASS-ive! The Mass in B Minor was composed to match the form of the ancient mass service of the Catholic Church. This service of prayer and praise is still the primary means of worship in many churches. Even the traditional Latin words from today s performance are still used every day in churches across the globe. Statue of J.S. Bach outside St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany The practice of setting the mass to music developed over many centuries as churches searched for ways to make these spoken Latin services more meaningful for religious followers. Around the 10th century, monks started to write-down these musical ideas in the very fi rst forms of written notation. By the 14th century, harmony and melody were being explored in completely new ways through compositions that used mass form. By the time Bach had completed his mass in 1749, thousands of compositions using this same format were composed. This enormous history of musical mass settings was undoubtedly an infl uence on Bach s own style and writing. Composer GF G.F. Handel (Denner, 1733) 2

3 Daddy Johann Johann Christian Bach, notable composer and son of J.S. Bach (Gainsborough, 1776) Print depicting Bach family (anonymous, 19th century) Keeping It in the Family Johann Sebastian Bach was a genius, no doubt. But he was only one of 50 known musicians in the Bach family! This long line of composers, performers, and innovators changed the course of music history forever. What is Baroque? Bach s compositions were so infl uential that his death in the 18th century marked the end of a very important style-period the history of western classical music: the Baroque period ( ). Art, sculpture, architecture, theatre, literature, music, and dance from this period all share similar characteristics of drama, grandeur, and extravagant ornamentation. In music, the Baroque period gave rise to the fi rst operas, oratorios*, concertos, and sonatas in human history. Composers wrote in new and exciting ways that required new instrumental playing techniques and more complexity in the size and range of instrumental ensembles. The Baroque period also gave rise to the form of musical accompaniment known as basso continuo*. Baroque period architecture in the Palace of Versailles This instrumental group is present in every movement of Bach s Mass in B Minor. Bach was certainly a family man. He had 20 children, the largest family of any of the great composers. Nine of his children lived to adulthood, and several became renowned composers themselves. Mr. Mediocre In 1723, the Leipzig town council considered applicants for the important job of choir master. The city council minutes read: Since the best men are not available, mediocre musicians must be considered. And so they chose Bach. Choir at St. Thomas in present day Leipzig. Only male choristers are accepted. *see glossary 3

4 Listening Guide This performance will consist of all 27 movements of Mass in B Minor. The Latin text is taken from the traditional Roman Catholic mass service. Visit for English translations of the Latin text. I. Missa Kyrie Gloria Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Kyrie eleison Gloria in excelsis Et in terra pax Laudamus te Gratias agimus tibi Domine Deus Qui tollis peccata mundi Qui sedes ad dextram Patris Quoniam tu solus sanctus Cum sancto spiritu II. Symbolum Nicenum (Credo) Credo in unum deum Patrem omnipotentem Et in unum dominum Et incarnates est Crucifi xus Et resurrexit Et in spiritum sanctum Confi teor Et expecto III. Sanctus Sanctus IV. Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei et Dona nobis pacem Osanna in excelsis Benedictus Osanna in excelsis Agnus Dei Dona nobis pacem Bach reworked many of his earlier cantatas to serve as the musical material for much of this 27 movement work. In fact, the fi rst documented performance of the entire work took place in 1859, over 100 years after Bach s death. Because the Mass in B Minor was never performed in its entirety during Bach s lifetime, you could consider performances as a Greatest Hits collection from Bach s compositions. These hits are separated into movements (shown by roman numerals) and are arranged in symmetrical sections with choral movements acting as introductions and conclusions to technically challenging solo movements. Additonally, several sections of the mass contain references to other compositions such as Bach s earlier cantatas, secular music, and well-known Gregorian chant*. With its mathematical levels of ornate complexity, Bach s Mass in B Minor exemplifi es the musical trends of the Baroque style period. Throughout this work, Bach uses elements of counterpoint* and fugue* to create pieces with several distinct musical lines. Take a look at the excerpts on the next page (Figure 1 and 2) and notice how voice parts enter in succession, imitating one another in a typical fugue setting. Bach s ability to bring ethereal unity to the seemingly chaotic and independent parts in his music sets his compositions apart from his contemporaries. DURING THE PERFORMANCE LISTEN FOR Choir with fi ve voices: soprano I, soprano II, alto, tenor, bass 2. Instrumentation for strings, woodwinds, trumpets, timpani, and basso continuo* 3. Instruments playing light dance-like rhythms, typical of the Baroque period 4. Imitative fugue* sections in many of the choral movements 5. Sigh-motifs* used to express sorrow and pain (See fi gure 1, 2, and 3 for visual examples) 4

5 Bach calls for fi ve different vocal parts, but often asks soprano I and II to sing together Figure 1 Gratias agimus tibi Fugue entrances on the fi rst subject imitate one another at timed intervals Figure 2 Crucifi xus Continuo group includes both the keyboardist and the low strings Descending subject in this fugue is considered a sigh-motif Embellished rhythms of the trumpet symbolize the joy of the Resurrection Figure 3 Et resurrexit *see glossary 5

6 Caffeinated Criminal While coffee drinking was against the law in much of Germany, Bach frequented the illegal coffee houses in Leipzig and owned several coffee makers. Curiosity Corner Want more Bach? Craving another beautifully crafted Baroque performance? See below for even more astounding Bach discoveries! Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Austrian conductor YouTube Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 with conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt Cantata No. 147 with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra Cello Suite No. 1 with Mstislav Rostropovich Engraving of Café Zimmermann in Leipzig Mathematical Maniac B-A-C-H in mystical numerology is analyzed as follows: B is 2, A is 1, C is 3, and H is 8. The total is , and its mirror, 41, were among Bach s favorite numbers. Scholars have found these numbers hidden countless times within the notes and musical structure of Bach s music. Continued Listening Goldberg Variations Glenn Gould Mass in B Minor, BWV 232 Monteverdi Choir Orchestral Suites No. 1-4 Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Films A Cry for Peace (2002), a biography of Pablo Casals Glory to God Alone: The Life of J.S. Bach (2006) Il était une fois Jean-Sébastien Bach (2003) Pablo Casals, Spanish cellist 6

7 Bach s seal, used throughout his Leipzig years. It contains the letters J S B superimposed over their mirror image topped with a crown. Bach the Bully Bach compared the playing of a certain bassoonist to the bleating of a nanny goat. When the player and fi ve accomplices ambushed Bach in the night, Bach drew his ceremonial sword and they fought briefl y. School authorities later cited Bach for failure to get along with his students. The students who threatened Bach s life received a mild reprimand. Mass in B Minor Kreuzworträtsel! (crossword) J.S. Bach at the organ DOWN ACROSS 1. Casals instrument 3. Choral Arts Artistic 2. BACH arithmetic Director 4. German opera buff/jsb fan 5. Continuous Bass Bach Home Spiritual Smoker For Bach, nothing in life, however mundane, was considered unspiritual. In a humorous poem about his beloved tobacco pipe, he wrote: On land, on sea, at home, abroad, I puff my pipe and think of God. Visit for the answer key. *see glossary 7

8 To strip human nature until its divine attributes are made clear, to inform ordinary activities with spiritual fervor, to give wings of eternity to that which is most ephemeral; to make divine things human and human things divine; such is Bach, the greatest and purest moment in music of all time. -Pablo Casals Glossary Basso Continuo form of musical accompaniment usually involving a keyboard instrument and another bass instrument such as cello or bassoon; means continuous bass Counterpoint compositional technique that involves writing melodies in conjunction with another, according to fi xed rules Dresden city in the eastern part of modern day Germany, once a royal capital of Saxony Felix Mendelssohn popular German conductor and composer of the early 19th century Fugue compositional technique involving recurring imitation George Frideric Handel popular German-born composer, contemporary of J.S. Bach Gregorian chant unaccompanied liturgical song of the Roman Catholic Church; developed during the reign of Pope Gregory I during the 9th and 10th centuries Lutheran Church major branch of protestant Christianity that identifi es with Martin Luther Oratorio large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists to be presented in concert Richard Wagner German composer and theater director primarily known for his operas Sigh-Motif recurring musical idea that seems to outline the contour of a vocal sigh, often contains smaller chromatic intervals, used to express sadness Visit Choral Arts YouTube channel for Artistic Director Scott Tucker s insights into Mass in B Minor. 8 Study Guide created by David Mann. Writing Credits: Dr. Mary Jane Ayers, David Gordon, San Francisco Choral Society