GUEST ARTIST MONIKA HARRIS
8 December 2022
NEWSFLASH: AUSTRALIAN BOYS CHOIR GOES WEST FROM 2023
10 December 2022
BACH'S 'MISSA BREVIS IN A MAJOR'
J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750)
Bach has a special place in Western music. The sheer genius of his compositional style and expressive gamut of his works has made him one of our most popular composers today. Bach was not really known as a composer during the Baroque period but more as an organist and teacher. As such, his music virtually faded into obscurity after his death but it is thanks to the composer Felix Mendelssohn who led the Bach revival in the 19th century (whose music we also performed in our 'Sing Joyfully' concerts this year) that he has achieved legendary status.
Johann Sebastian Bach came from a long line of musicians. Indeed, he was very proud of this lineage and even completed a family genealogy in 1735, dating back to his great, great grandfather. Famously, most of Sebastian's surviving sons would also continue the family trade.
Bach wrote in virtually every Baroque genre, with the exception of opera. His compositions push beyond the ordinary in almost every respect, and his music is comparably more difficult than almost any of his contemporaries.
Put simply, Bach is one of the greatest composers to ever live. We were honoured to be able to perform in St. Thomas' Church in Leipzig where Bach was music director for 27 years. He is buried in the church, and performing his motet 'Jesu, meine Freude' by Bach's grave was an extremely significant part of our 2018 European tour. Bach wrote for a choir of boys and young men quite similar in nature to the Australian Boys Choir and The Vocal Consort, and we enjoy the challenge of his music. There also aren't many ensembles in the world of boys and men that can perform this music as originally intended.
Bach made at least four contributions to the genre of the Missa Brevis - a sacred composition for church use. These four pieces are in different keys but all have a similar structure, being scored for chorus, orchestra and soloists. The A Major setting we are performing at our 'Sing of Christmas' concert this year is pastoral in nature thanks to the inclusion of two flutes (reminiscent of shepherd's piping in the fields). It is only one of the four masses to include this instrument. It is not for the Christmas season per se, but does lend itself to performance at this time of the year.
One particular aspect of each of these four short mass settings written by Bach is the use of pre-existing material. Musicians during the 17th and 18th centuries often re-used previous material they had composed, and even music written by others. Bach is well-known for borrowing from himself, re-synthesising material to suit a new purpose as required. Many (but not all) of the original models for each movement of this Mass in A Major have survived, and it is throughly interesting to compare the initial and subsequent versions. Bach's manuscript for the piece has also survived and is very beautiful to look at.
The opening of the Missa Brevis in A Major, BWV 234 by Johann Sebastian Bach. Composer's manuscript. Source: Petrucci Music Library.
Like each of Bach's short masses, this piece is in six movements. Sections for chorus alternate with set movements for each of the four soloists. In the Gloria, the alto, tenor and bass soloists event respond and answer to the choir. There are also three glorious arias for the soprano (in conjunction with the two flutes), alto (accompanied by strings) and bass (led by a solo violin) which are contrasting in mood. The final movement is highly joyful in nature and employs all available forces to bring the work to a rousing conclusion. As with most pieces by Bach, the vocal and instrumental writing is challenging. Bach's use of harmony is also extremely interesting and at times even surprising or shocking - aspects which clearly set him apart.
A translucent orchestral texture underpins the choir and soloists from start to finish, and we are seeking to employ additional clarity through the use of period instruments (instruments from Bach's time, or copies thereof, which are substantially different to our modern orchestral instruments). Of particular note is the use of a small chamber organ to underpin the texture and, in our performance, a large lute with extra bass strings known as a theorbo, the inclusion of which allows the music to sparkle as it plucks along with the bass line. The text of the piece is entirely in Latin but a translation is provided below. Before coming to our ‘Sing of Christmas’ concert at Melbourne Recital Centre, you can listen to a recording of the last movement below.
Movement I (Chorus & Soloists): Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Movement II (Chorus & Soloists): Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
Movement III (Bass Solo): Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.
Movement IV (Soprano Solo): Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.
Movement V (Alto Solo): Quoniam tu solus Sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe.
Movement VI (Chorus & Soloists): Cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
Movement I (Chorus & Soloists): Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Movement II (Chorus & Soloists): Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory.
Movement III (Bass Solo): Lord God, heavenly King, O God almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of The Father.
Movement IV (Soprano Solo): You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
Movement V (Alto Solo): For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ.
Movement VI (Chorus & Soloists): With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Next Concert: Sing of Christmas
Presented by Australian Boys Choral Institute and Australian Digital Concert Hall
Sunday 10 December 2023 at Melbourne Recital Centre
SUBSCRIBE TO AUSTINATO MAGAZINE
To receive Austinato Magazine via email, sign up to our newsletter in the footer below.