BWV 234 - Mass in A major
The four Masses BWV 233-236 form a group of works that all date from the late 1730s and follow directly on from the B minor Mass BWV232 of 1733. All five works are Kyrie-Gloria masses, that is to say they are not settings of the complete five movement mass consisting also of the Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei. This abbreviated mass type (often mistakenly called a “Lutheran mass”) had become established in both the Lutheran and the Roman Catholic rite. In addition, are almost entirely examples of the so-called ‘parody method’, i.e. the combination of existing music with new texts, which necessitated revisions to a greater or lesser extent. These masses are based on selected movements of cantatas dating from the period 1723-26.
The Mass in A major, BWV 234, probably first performed in 1738, projects French nobility and delicacy with its scoring of two flutes in addition to strings and continuo. The flutes contribute to the unusually idyllic character of the first "Kyrie eleison" with its rocking rhythms and playful flute echoes. Probably newly composed, since no source has been found, the Kyrie brings the three implorations together in a single gesture: the first "Kyrie eleison" in concertante style, the "Christe," a sort of accompanied recitative for all four vocal soloists, largely in canon, and the second ‘"Kyrie eleison" in fugal style.
The Gloria surprises the listener with its numerous changes between tumultuous tutti sections and lyrical passages, sometimes for soloists and accompanied only by flutes and continuo.It is a reworking of the dramatic "Friede sei mit euch" from Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum Christ, BWV 67 for the First Sunday after Easter, 1724.The cantata movement is associated with the gospel passage for that Sunday, which explains how Jesus’ disciples secretly assemble after his death "for fear of the Jews," and the resurrected Jesus suddenly appears among them with the words: "Peace be unto you." This peaceful greeting is accompanied by gentle music in lyrical passages, while in the more tumultuous sections the disciples speak of menace and struggle: "Happy us! Jesus helps us fight."
The "Qui tollis" laments the sin of the world, and also laments Jesus, who through his death on the cross took the burden of this sin upon himself. For this movement Bach turned to a piece with some similarities in terms of emotional content: the soprano aria "Liebster Gott, erbarme dich" from the cantata Siehe zu, dass deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei, BWV 179 (1723), which, like the Mass text, is about consciousness of sin and a plea for mercy. The alto solo "Quoniam tu solus sanctus" is based on the alto aria from the well-known cantata Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild, BWV 79 (1725). Apart from the first three bars, the final chorus, ‘Cum Sancto Spiritu’ is a parody of the opening chorus of the cantata Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz, BWV 136, from Bach’s first year in Leipzig, 1723.
©Ryan Turner