מיסה בסי מינור - באך

המיסה: (mass)

הפולחן הדתי המרכזי בכנסיה הרומית הקתולית ואחת הצורות המוסיקליות החשובות ביותר במוסיקה הכנסייתית. למיסה שני חלקים: אורדינריום שהוא קבוע ובלתי משתנה, והפרופריום המשתנה מיום ליום בתמליל ובמוסיקה על פי לוח השנה הכנסייתי. החלקים המוסיקלים החשובים ביותר של המיסה הם חלקי האודינריום: קיריה (האדון רחם עלינו), גלוריה (יהיה כבוד אלוהים), קרדו ( אני מאמין), סנקטוס (קדוש), בנדיקטוס (ברוך); אגנוס דאי (שה אלוהים) ודונה נוביס ( שים לנו שלום). את המיסה הרב קולית השלמה הראשונה הלחיןגיום דה משו במאה ה-14 ואחריו אקוחם, דיפי, פלסטרינה ועוד. במאה ה17 איבדה המיסה מחשיבותה המרכזית בחיי המוסיקה ונטתה להשתלב באנסמבלים גדולים ולחלק את הפרקים הארוכים (גלוריה וקרדו) לחלקי משנה עצמאיים וכן סיגלה לה סימני היכר מקובלים במוסיקה החילונית, כמו אריות וסממנים קונצרטיים אחרים. בין מלחיני המיסות המפורסמים מאז המאה ה18 – היידן, מוצרט, בטהובן, שוברט, ליסט, ברוקנר, סטראווינסקי ובאך (שאני לומדים כעט).

המיסה בסי מינור, אחת מיצירות המופת שהעניק באך לעולם, היא מהמורכבות והעשירות ביותר בכתיבה למקהלה ולסולנים. באך מגיע ביצירה זו לשיא מיצוי הפוטנציאל הרב-קולי – האלמנט הבולט ביצירותיו – וכן הפוטנציאל ההרמוני והתזמורי שלו. רבים רואים ביצירה זו כיצירה החשובה ביותר בעולם המוזיקה הקלאסית. תחילתה של היצירה בהכרה בעיקרי האמונה, המשכה בתחינה למחילה וסופה בתפילה לשלום. 24 הפרקים המרכיבים את היצירה כוללים קטעי מקהלה ותפקידי סולו נשגבים. היצירה כנראה לא בוצעה בשלמותה בחייו של באך.

Kyrie

Kyrie eleison Lord, have mercy A

Christe eleison Christ, have mercy B

Kyrie eleison Lord, have mercy A

The Kyrie and the Gloria are the two movements normally included in the Lutheran Missa. Thus, it is likely that Bach completed these two movements at an earlier date and for a different purpose than the other movements of the B minor Mass. This setting is very expansive, particularly given that it contains by far the shortest text of any of the movements of the Mass -- a mere six words over three lines of text, in an ABA format.

Gloria

The Gloria is the other Ordinary Bach composed early, most likely for use in a Lutheran service, rather than a Catholic one. Second only to the Credo [Symbolum Nicenum] in length, the lengthy text is set by Bach across eight movements. The text and musical divisions are shown below.

Movt Latin English translation Instruments Voices Key, meter 1 Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to his people 3 trumpets, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, bassoons, strings, continuo SSATB (choir) D major, 3/8; then switch to 4/4 2 Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you Solo violin; strings, continuo Solo SII A major, 4/4 3 Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam We give you thanks for your great glory 3 trumpets, timpani, 2 oboes, 2 flutes, bassoons, strings, continuo SATB (choir) D major, 2/2 4 Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnimpotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe altissime: Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris: Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father; only begotten Son of the Lord, Jesus Christ most high: Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father Flute, strings, continuo Solo S1, T G major, 4/4 5 Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram: Who takes away the sins of the world; have mercy on us, receive our prayer 2 flutes, strings, continuo SATB (choir) B minor, 3/4 6 Qui sedes ad dexteram patris, miserere nobis: Who sits at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us: Oboe d'amore, strings, continuo Solo A B minor, 6/8 7 Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus altissimus: Jesu Christe: For you alone are Holy, you alone are the Lord, you alone are Most High: Jesus Christ Corno da caccia, bassoons, continuo Solo B D major, 3/4 8 Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. With the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen. 3 trumpets, timpani, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, bassoons, strings, continuo SSATB (choir) D major, 3/4

Credo [Symbolum Nicenum] Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, Factorem caeli et terrae, Visibilium omnium, et invisibilium. Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigentium. Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula. Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero. Genitum, non factum, Consubstantialem Patri: Per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos homines, Et propter nostram salutem Descendit de caelis. Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto Ex Maria Virgine: Et homo factus est. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis: Sub Pontio Pilato passus, et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die, Secundum Scripturas. Et ascendit in caelum: Sedet ad dexteram Patris. Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, Judicare vivos et mortuos: Cujus regni non erit finis. Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum, Et vivificantem: Qui ex Patre Filioque procedit. Qui cum Patre et Filio Simul adoratur, et conglorificatur: Qui locutus est per Prophetas. Et unam sanctam catholicam Et apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma In remissionem peccatorum. Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen. I believe in one God, Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, All things seen and unseen. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, The only begotten Son. Born of the Father before all ages. God from God, light from light, True God from True God. Begotten, not made, One in being with the Father: Through Him all things were made. For us men. And for our salvation He came down from heaven. And was incarnate by the Holy Spirit Of the Virgin Mary: and became man He was crucified also for us, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried And the third day he rose again, According to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven: He sits at the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory To judge both living and dead: of his kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, Lord, and giver of life: Who proceeds from the Father and Son. Who with the Father and Son is adored and glorified: Who spoke through the Prophets. And in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism For the remission of sins. And look for the resurrection of the dead. And the life of the world to come. Amen.

Sanctus

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Holy, holy, holy Dominus Deus Sabaoth, Lord God of power and might Pleni sunt coeli et terra Heaven and earth are full Gloria ejus. Of your glory.

Osanna and Benedictus

Officially, the text for these movements is a part of the Sanctus; beginning in the late Renaissance, some composers began to set the text of the Benedictus as a separate movement, perhaps because the text does seem to hold a gentler mood (or Affekt) than the Sanctus.

Osanna in excelsis

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. In many settings of the Mass, the "Osanna" is often accompanied by a change of mood, key, instrumentation, or scoring, as Bach does here. Here, Bach uses a strict da capo form (ABA), in which the two movements setting "Osanna in excelsis" are identical. Bach even writes "Osanna da capo" in the score as a space saving device, rather than writing out the music twice. This is a common form in Baroque music, though we most often associate it with arias. (Bach employs several da capo arias in his Passions.)

Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, Dona nobis pacem. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world Have mercy on us Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world Grant us peace.

The text shown above includes the entire text of the Agnus Dei as it normally appears. In his musical setting, Bach, however, omits the last repetition of "Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi," and moves immediately into "Dona nobis pacem." The reason is unclear though we can speculate. Bach may have felt the third statement of that text was redundant, especially after the numerous pleas for mercy found in the extensive Kyrie, and to a lesser extent in the Gloria. A second consideration may have been a musical one: the tone of the last portion, "dona nobis pacem (grant us peace)," is different than the focus on mercy earlier, and Bach may have wanted to enact a dramatic musical change sooner, rather than dwelling further on "mercy.