Mass in B minor, BWV 232

            Johann Sebastian Bach - Mass in B minor, BWV 232 - completed 1749.

Article on the Mass in B minor

            Considered, along with St Mathew Passion of 1727, the Mass in B minor is one of Bach's 

      greatest vocal works and one of the greatest masses of all time.   Although Bach was a Lutheran, 

      the Mass is in Latin and has the structure of a Catholic mass.  At nearly two hours, it is too long 

      to be played in a church service although they ran nearly three hours in Bach's day.  It is generally 

      regard as a missa solemnis.  The B minor Mass was completed a year before Bach's death from 

      materials he had composed over the past 30 years.

      The mass consists of 27 pieces of music divided into four sections:  I.  Kyrie & Gloria (12)  II.  Credo (9)  III.  Sanctus (1)  IV.  Agnus Dei  (5)

Article - The Structure of the Mass in B Minor


I.  Kyrie and Gloria ("Missa")

0:00:07  Kyrie eleison
0:10:33  Christe eleison
0:15:20  Kyrie eleison
0:19:06  Gloria in excelsis
0:20:49  Et in terra pax
0:25:35  Laudamus te
0:29:40  Gratias agimus tibi
0:33:02  Domine Deus
0:38:31  Qui tollis peccata mundi
0:41:33  Qui sedes ad dextram Patris
0:45:46  Quoniam tu solus sanctus
0:50:09  Cum Sancto Spiritu

II.  Credo ("Symbolum Nicenum")

0:53:48   Credo in unum Deum
0:55:40   Patrem omnipotentem
0:57:44   Et in unum Dominum
1:02:19   Et incarnatus est
1:05:37   Crucifixus
1:09:01   Et resurrexit
1:13:02   Et in Spiritum Sanctum 
1:18:07   Confiteor
1:22:06   Et expecto

III.  Sanctus

1:25:15   Sanctus

IV.  Agnus Dei ("Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Dona Nobis Pacem")

1:30:38   Osanna in excelsis
1:33:21   Benedictus
1:37:51   Osanna (repetatur)
1:40:42   Agnus Dei
1:46:02   Dona nobis pacem?