2 CD-Set, Live Recording

Johann Sebastian Bach composed several settings of the Mass text. The best known, of course, is the B Minor Mass, the so-called Catholic version, yet there was no place for it in Lutheran services. The shorter Kyrie-Gloria masses, however, were suitable for singing in Latin on high feast days in Leipzig’s St Thomas and St Nicholas churches, as unlike other reformers, Luther had made a less drastic break with the pre-Reformation liturgy.

The appeal of Johann Sebastian Bach’s short masses lies in the opportunity they present to observe the mature and experienced composer’s approach to the elegant compositional style of the 1730s. Nonetheless, Bach also showcases his roots in polyphonic and Lutheran tradition, and even integrates chorale music into the mass movements – further evidence of his genius in combining different styles. In short, the music is catchy and often cheerful, yet of the highest quality, even and especially where he uses movements from his earlier compositions. Indeed, it is evident that these settings meant a great deal to Bach.