Bach Missa

San Francisco-based early music ensemble Cantata Collective continues its major series of J S Bach's choral works with the Mass in B Minor, a towering testament of sacred music and the composer's crowning achievement of his final years. With celebrated conductor Nicholas McGegan, four of today's most distinguished early music vocal soloists and a refined chamber choir, this live recording exudes a spontaneity that reveals the depth and passion of Bach's glorious affirmation of faith.

Since the additional movements of the Roman Catholic Mass (Sanctus, Agnus Dei, and Credo) that appear in his B minor Mass were excluded, Bach's four missa breves (short masses) are essentially two-movement Lutheran works. Naturally, Bach being Bach, he subdivided the expansive Gloria into five shorter movements; set the texts as arias, duets, and choruses; and used an orchestra ensemble including strings, flutes, oboes, trumpets, and organ as a powerful and colorful accompaniment. But at the heart of all four works is the austere faith of Martin Luther, and the German reformer's strength, severity, and occasional sentimentality is at the spiritual core of Bach's sacred music.

C.P.E. Bach's "Magnificat" is one of the glories of the choral repertoire, and, like other reviewers, I envy you your first experience of this magnificent music. I first heard it in the impressive performance by Philip Ledger and the Academy of St.-Martin-in-the-Fields. I think Rilling's performance is even better, though, more supple and nuanced, without sacrificing speed and intensity.

Johann Sebastian Bach - Messe in H-moll / Mass in B-minor BWV 232
Concentus Musicus Wien / Arnold-Schönberg-Chor / Nikolaus Harnoncourt
EAC+LOG+CUE | 2x FLAC Image: 450 MB | Artwork (no Booklet) | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Teldec "Das Alte Werk" # 8.35716 ZA | Country/Year: Germany 1986
Genre: Classical | Style: Sacred, Baroque, Mass

…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 never performed in totality during Bach's lifetime; the first documented complete performance took place in 1859. Since the nineteenth century it has been widely hailed as one of the greatest compositions in history, and today it is frequently performed and recorded…