# The Light and the Way - Bach's Mass in B Minor and St Matthew's Passion



## Muse Wanderer (Feb 16, 2014)

I have listened to the highly recommended Herreweghe's renditions of the St Matthew's Passion and the Mass in B Minor over and over again these past few months and in every instance it was as if I am hearing these musical works for the first time.

I simply can't imagine living my life without these two masterpieces.










The Mass is so balanced with each part moving seamlessly to the next one. Each and every piece contributes to the whole forming a monumental testament to Bach's brilliance and genius. Melodic arias interspersed with contrapuntal fugal movements, uplifting parts followed by others imbued with deep melancholy and pain.

Listening to the Gloria followed by Et in Terra Pax is sublime. Et incarnatus es followed by Crucifixus takes my breath away every single time (especially Karl Richter's rendition).

The Sanctus simply defies description with its rising voices reaching for the stars, my mind is held up high listening to this achievement of nature through the mind of man.

The Agnus Dei on the other hand goes deep in the blackest hole of the my heart, bringing out repressed memories, regrets and sadness whilst at the same time caressing my face with motherly love and consolation. Dona Nobis Pacem is the brightest light that shines through, the finality that has been hinted at throughout this journey of elation, sorrow, beauty, dead, rebirth and glory.

The Mass in B minor is an uninterrupted voyage to the cosmos widening the universe of our minds to the great wilderness of our consciousness. It is perfection in every sense of the word.

The Mass in B minor by Johann Sebastian Bach is the crowning achievement of humanity.










The St Matthew's Passion on the other hand is firmly grounded on earth. It really feels like we, mere human beings, are entrenched in the torments and turbulence of earthly life, suffering our everyday passions. Good and evil are intertwined, the deepest feelings of our soul are elevated to our consciousness and its ultimate message of hope in salvation is liberating even to an ex-religious person as I am.

There are so many pieces within the St Matthew's Passion that affect me at times subtly and at other times with staggering force...
The recitative 'Evangelista, Jesus - Da kam Jesus mit ihnen zu einem Hofe' gives me the shivers. Its ending beats with trepidation and is soon followed by 'Recitativo a due Cori (Tenor) - O Schmerz! hier zittert das gequälte Herz' that takes on quick anxious tempi alternating with consoling sections. 
Another section of note is the down-falling 4 note motif in 'Der Heiland fällt vor seinem Vater nieder'. It seems to lead us down a dark alley leading onto a beautiful bass aria 'Gerne will ich mich bequemen'

What happens in 'Aria a due Cori (Sopran, Alt) - So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen' describing the capture of Jesus is completely stupefying. There is no continuo symbolizing the fall of all foundations. The sound Bach produces in the middle chorus section has an outburst of violence that was never envisaged by any human before him and probably following him until Beethoven's later works. The way the chorus comes in 'out of dead silence' is truly harrowing. The following choral 'O Mensch, bewein' dein Sünde groß' brings relief and comfort to my senses but not for long.

The 'Recitativo (Tenor) - Mein Jesus schweigt zu falschen Lügen stille' again brings back that slow beat of resignation that the following aria suitably titled 'Patience, patience' doesn't resolve.

The recitative with Peter's sudden realization of his denial of Jesus leads onto the most melancholic sad aria ever conceived 'Erbarme dich' filled with such remorse about the ultimate betraying of the best of friends or relative. Within the development there is a sense of strength, a sense of change towards atonement, the inner human's redemption for his angst and wrongdoings.

The bass aria 'Gebt mir meinen Jesum wieder' is one of the climaxes following the deep sadness of Erbarme Dich. There is so much joy, such childish innocence within the melody as the singer sings 'Give me my Jesus back'. It is a resolution from the previous 'patience' extract, an assertion against the inevitable ending.

The soprano aria 'Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben' starts off with the sweetest of flute music and there is that continuo beating noted in the other recitatives. It is such a sad beautiful aria whereby the singer acknowledges the ultimate sacrifice. There is silence between the notes giving time for repose and reflection. And what follows this piece? The chorus shouting out with such force bringing in back violence and evil with the words 'Let him be crucified'.

The sublime bass aria 'Komm, süßes Kreuz' signifies the accepting of one's cross of life.

The Alto recitativ 'Ach, Golgatha, unsel'ges Golgatha' is the point of no return when death is inevitable. This mood of this piece couldn't be more somber with a repeated motif and pizzicato cello and bass, possibly signifying the drops of blood falling down or the tears falling on one's cheeks. This piece is reminiscent of crucifixus from the Mass in B minor.

The following alto aria 'Sehet Jesus hat die Hand' brings us back from the deepest depths of despair, back towards light and hope. There have been so many instances of such contrasting music within this passion. 
The evangelist announcing the death of the savior is an instant of deep sadness that is followed by a resting choral befitting the piece.

The final Bass aria 'Mache dich, mein Herze, rein' cradles me with its melodious theme, and 'goodnight' message. I have cried so many times whenever this wonderful musical passage comes on. Personally the bass aria might signify my late father's goodbye before his untimely death, or the recent 'goodbye' I gave to my 2 year old boy before leaving on a 2 month absence for work reasons.

The concluding 'Chorus I & II - Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder' brings finality to this majestic monumental boundless musical work that goes beyond its musical realm. It is the ultimate triumph of humanity on earthly suffering. The words 'Rest gently, Rest well' and the accompanying music feels like a lullaby of such intensity consoling one's mind, body and soul.

Is there another piece written by a human being that is as painfully intense, as tormentous and as consoling as the gentle hug of a mother, like the St Matthew's Passion?

At times I found myself trembling at Bach's rendition of the concept of suffering, redemption and enlightenment. Love and hope at the end triumphs.

At a purely instinctive, human and emotional level, the St Matthew's passion is essential to me as the air I breathe.

I was blind and Bach showed me the light with the Mass in B minor.

I was lost and Bach showed me the way with the St Matthew's Passion.

SDG


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## JosefinaHW (Nov 21, 2015)

Thank you for taking the time to organize your thoughts re/ these wonderful pieces and then sharing them in this blog. I adore both these pieces of music. I'd like to just reflect on what you have written for a few days, let it all just sort itself out in my mind, and then write a response that I hope does justice to what you have shared. Again, thank you very much.


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## Muse Wanderer (Feb 16, 2014)

Thank you for your kind words Josefina. 

Knowing you and other forum members can relate to my thoughts feels liberating.


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