JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: MASS IN B MINOR

The combination of Philippe Herreweghe and the Collegium Vocale Ghent has been a guarantee for Bach interpretations in a class of their own for decades. This applies all the more when they appear with an excellent ensemble of soloists, the venue is the Frauenkirche, and the piece in question one of the world’s greatest sacred compositions ever, whose score is counted among the UNESCO’s World Heritage Documents: the Mass in B minor was Bach’s last great vocal work, and he spent almost half his lifetime working on it. A »Sanctus« was written as early as 1724 for Christmas Day; a »Kyrie« and »Gloria« followed for the Dresden Court in 1733 – individual movements which Bach finally wove together in 1748 and 1749 in one mass, adding the missing movements. The result was a monumental and unique composition, which Franz Liszt described as »the Mont-Blanc of sacred music – it is impossible to climb any higher in occidental music«.

HANA BLAŽÍKOVÁ SOPRANO
DOROTHEE MIELDS SOPRANO
ALEX POTTER ALTO
GUY CUTTING TENOR
JOHANNES KAMMLER BASS

COLLEGIUM VOCALE GENT
PHILIPPE HERREWEGHECONDUCTOR

Johann Sebastian Bach Mass in B minor BWV 232