Nederlandse Bachvereniging - Sources of the Hohe Messe
Which of his works did Bach consider the most beautiful? Chances are that it was the Hohe Messe (Mass in B minor). In this programme you can hear the origins of this masterpiece: three cantates, which Bach would use in the Hohe Messe towards the end of his life.
Programme
- Johann Sebastian Bach Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm, BWV 171
- Johann Sebastian Bach Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen, BWV 215
- Johann Sebastian Bach Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen, BWV 11
Thus, the ‘Patrem omnipotentem’ in the Hohe Messe is based on the cantate ‘Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm’. The Jubelcantate ‘Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen’ served as basis for the ‘Osanna’, and ‘Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen’ for the dramatic ‘Agnus Dei’.
Richard Egarr leads the ensemble in the performance of these original versions of what is perhaps Bach’s most beautiful work. Egarr is a true specialist in old music, with a background in English choir music. He likes to approach music as if he had only just discovered it: fresh and dynamic, with a stand-out role for the vocal parts.