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Fri, 28 Jan 2005
Bach, Mass in B Minor
J.S. Bach, Mass in B Minor
The King's Consort
Robert King
2 CD's, Hyperion
Did I state my opinion that Bach is close to God? That will
give you an idea of what is to come, but even without that,
this is a very interesting piece of music.
Bach wrote this late in his long life, and in some ways it
seems to be a demonstration of all he had learnt. It is a
forceful, swirling work with both grandeur and delicacy. There
is a small mystery however.
And that mystery relates to the fact that this is a Mass
that could not have been performed in a Protestant Church because
Luther had removed references to Christ's sacrifice from the
liturgy and there are references to it in the B Minor Mass.
The Mass also didn't follow the Roman Catholic way of
proceeding so could not have been performed in a Catholic
Church (which would have caused some ructions I imagine).
In addition to that, the Mass is nearly two hours long and
so, with the post reformation need of clergy to sermonise
for hours, it would have been rather a large pill to swallow
for an average Sunday.
What was Bach's motive in this? Academic opinion seems to
like the idea that it was a "top this" statement by Bach but
does that really chime with what we know of his character?
Could it have been a statement, not only of his skill, but
also an opinion on the liturgy as it then stood? Who knows?
It is interesting to speculate though.
This is an absolutely magnificent work, perhaps Bach's
finest, and this recording of the King's Consort by Hyperion
is also very fine.
(Count K)
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