PROGRAM

J. S. BACH: Mass in B minor, BWV 232

Applauded by Gramophone for its “mellifluous, crystalline artistry,” the professional choral ensemble Seraphic Fire has gained an international reputation. Hear them in one of the most sublime and majestic works ever composed, Bach’s B minor Mass.

Why the Lutheran Bach wrote a Catholic Mass remains a mystery, but we do know that he intended it to be a summation of his life’s work that would serve as a legacy. It may very well have been his last musical project. The Swiss composer and publisher Hans Georg Nägli called it “the greatest artwork of all times and all people,” (admittedly to drum up sales for the composition’s score). The cohesiveness of this massive work is somewhat astonishing considering that much of it was adapted from earlier Bach compositions, and that it runs a stylistic gamut from 16th century Palestrina-like motets to the latest 18th century trends. It’s also astonishing that Bach probably never heard the work himself since it received little notice outside of the handful of churches which performed it during his life. Most astonishing of all is the piece itself, whose divine beauty and awe-inspiring glory has been compared to the works of Shakespeare and the Sistine Chapel.

Experience one of the most magnificent expressions of faith ever created, performed by the superb Seraphic Fire and an orchestra conducted by AMFS Music Director Robert Spano.