In the mid-1700s, Johann Sebastian Bach set the Ordinary of the Mass to music in his

epic piece, Bachs B Minor Mass. The Ordinary is liturgically known as parts of the Mass whose
texts do not change during the church year. This differs from the Proper of the Mass, which
contains texts that vary depending on the church holiday. There are 5 parts to the Ordinary: The
Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.1 The tradition of setting these 5 sections to music
polyphonically was especially notable during the Renaissance time period. Although the Mass
Ordinary reached its peak as a musical custom in the Renaissance period, the sacred genre
remained a challenge to composers during the Baroque period (the era in which Bach wrote his
Mass). Bach compiled his missa tota in 1748-1749, drawing from his previous compositions
written as early as 1724. 2
The first portion of the mass that Bach composed was the Sanctus, written in Leipzig for
Christmas Day 1724.3 Due to the co
ntrasts in voicing between the 1724 Sanctus and the missa tota, it is probable that Bach wrote the
Sanctus without the intent to incorporate it in a complete Mass Ordinary. However, Bach would
later directly alter this 1724 composition to include in his B-Minor Mass.4 Nine years after
writing the Sanctus, Bach wished to transfer from his post in Leipzig to Dresden and obtain a
court title in the process. Thus, he wrote a petition to the new Elector of Saxony, including in his
letter that he had suffer[ed] one slight or another quite undeservedly5 at Leipzig. As a part of
his petition to Friederich August II, he submitted a new composition, the Missa, which was
comprised of the Kyrie and the Gloria. These two movements would become the first half of his

John Butt, Bach: Mass in B Minor (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1991), 1-2.
Butt, Bach: Mass in B Minor, 5.
3
Butt, Bach: Mass in B Minor 32.
4
George Stauffer, Bach, the Mass in B Minor: the Great Catholic Mass (New York: Schirmer, 1991), 15.
5
Stauffer, Bach, the Mass in B Minor: the Great Catholic Mass, 8.
2

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Mass in B Minor and were crucial to the development of the missa tota.6 The Missa was most
likely first performed in Dresden, not Leipzig, due to a mourning period for Friederich August I
which forbade the playing of music in public. In 1745, Bach came back to the Missa to aid in his
composition of Cantata BWV 191, Gloria in excelsis deo. This review possibly inspired Bach to
use his 1733 Missa as a cornerstone for a full Mass Ordinary.7
Between 1748 and 1749, Bach assembled the complete setting of the Mass Ordinary.
After refining his 1733 Missa, he used the same instrumentation in his setting of the Credo. He
then adapted his Sanctus of 1724 to fit the voicing of the Kyrie, Gloria, and Credo, revising the
original Soprano I-III, Alto, Tenor, and Bass to Soprano I-II, Alto I-II, Tenor, and Bass.8
Finally, Bach completed the Missa tota with Osanna through Dona nobis pacem in 1749.9 He
separated the B-Minor Mass into four sections, a decision that promoted the option of
performances of sections individually. Bach, a Lutheran, most likely wanted to allow parts of his
Great Catholic Mass to be performed as a whole in a Catholic service and also divided into
sections acceptable for performance in the Lutheran liturgy (The Missa and Sanctus).10
Ultimately, Bach did not live to see a performance of his B-Minor Mass. His health
steadily declined until his death in 1750, the year after the completion of the Mass. Some
sections had been performed before its compilation; The Sanctus was performed multiple times
after its 1724 premiere and before Bachs revisions.11 In addition, Cantata 191 shares many
similarities with the Gloria section of the Mass and was performed in church services, notably at

Stauffer, Bach, the Mass in B Minor: the Great Catholic Mass, 9.

Butt, Bach: Mass in B Minor, 34-39.
8
Butt, Bach: Mass in B Minor, 43-45.
9
Stauffer, Bach, the Mass in B Minor: the Great Catholic Mass, 15-18.
10
Butt, Bach: Mass in B Minor, 47-48.
11
Stauffer, Bach, the Mass in B Minor: the Great Catholic Mass, 19.
7

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the Christmas Day 1745 service in celebration of the end of the second Silesian War.12 Although
both sections were performed before Bachs death, the full B-Minor Mass was not. It remained
unpublished during his lifetime.13 Furthermore, errors in the Sanctus section of the manuscript
indicate that the full score had not yet been prepared for an imminent performance.14
Fortunately, the manuscript was preserved with all its sections intact, thus ensuring Bachs
legacy as one of the most influential composers in music history.

Outline of Bachs Mass in B Minor

The outline below is separated by the five movements of the Catholic Mass and is not a
reflection of Bachs four part organization.
Kyrie
Kyrie eleison B Minor, common time, adagio then largo, ends on Picardy 3rd
2 oboes, bassoon, 2 violins, viola, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, continuo
Christe eleison D Major, common time, adagio
Soprano duet accompanied by 2 violins, continuo
Kyrie eleison F# Minor, Alla Breve, ends on Picardy 3rd
2 violins, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, viola, bassoon, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, continuo

12

Stauffer, Bach, the Mass in B Minor: the Great Catholic Mass, 13.
Butt, Bach: Mass in B Minor, 175.
14
Stauffer, Bach, the Mass in B Minor: the Great Catholic Mass, 19.
13

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Gloria
Gloria in excelsis deo D Major, 3/8 time, vivace
3 trumpets, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, bassoon, 2 violins, timpani, viola, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass,
continuo
Et in terra pax Connected to Gloria in excelsis deo and uses the same orchestration. B Minor,
common time, adagio ends in D Major
Laudamus te Soprano II Aria, A Major, common time moderato, violin solo
2 violins, viola, continuo
Gratias agimus tibi D Major, Alla Breve
3 trumpets, 2 oboes, timpani, 2 violins, 2 flutes, viola, bassoon, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass,
continuo
Domine Deus Duet between soprano and tenor, flute solo, G Major, common time, Adagio
2 violins, viola, continuo
Qui tollis peccata mundi connected to Dominus Deus, B Minor, 3/4 time, Lonto
2 flutes, 2 violins, viola, 2 soprano, alto, tenor, bass, cello, continuo
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris Alto solo, oboe solo, B Minor, 6/8 time, Largo
2 violins, viola, continuo
Quoniam tu solus sanctus Bass solo, corno da caccia (horn) solo, D Major, Andante

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2 bassoons, continuo
Cum Sancto Spirtu D Major, 3/4 time, Vivace
3 trumpet, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, bassoon, timpani, 2 violin, viola, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass,
continuo
Credo
Credo in unum Deo D Major, cut time, Andante
2 violins, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, continuo
Patrum omnipotentem D Major, cut time, Andante
3 trumpets, 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, timpani, 2 sopranos [one line], alto, tenor, bass, continuo
Et in unum Dominum Duet between soprano and alto, G Major, common time, Andante
2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, continuo
Et incarnates est B Minor, 3/4 time, Largo
2 violins, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, continuo
Crucifixus E Minor, 3/4 time, Largo
2 flutes, 2 violins, viola, Soprano II, alto, tenor, bass, continuo
Et resurrexit D Major, 3/4 time, Moderato
3 trumpets, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, timpani, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, continuo
Et in Spiritum Sanctum Bass Aria with oboe duet, A Major 6/8 time, continuo
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Confiteor F# Minor, cut time, Andante

2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, continuo
Et expecto D Major, cut time, vivace/allegro
3 trumpets, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, timpani, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, continuo
Sanctus
Sanctus B Minor [to D Major in 3/8 sections], common time and 3/8 time
3 trumpets, 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, timpani, 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, continuo
Osanna D Major 3/8 time, Andante
3 trumpets, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, timpani, continuo, 2 sopranos, 2 altos, 2 tenors, 2
bass, double chorus, continuo
Benedictus - Tenor Aria and violin solo, B Mnior, 3/4 time, Largo, accompaniment by continuo
Osanna Da Capo
Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei Alto Aria with violin I and violin II solo, G Minor, common time, Adagio,
accompaniment by continuo
Donna nobis pacem D Major, cut time, Andante
3 trumpets, Flute I and Oboe I on the same line, Flute II and Oboe II on the same line, 2 violins,
viola, timpani, soprano, alto, tenor, bass, continuo

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