Kyrie–Gloria masses, BWV 233–236

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Lysa castle, possibly the location of performances of BWV 233 to 236

Apart from the 1733 Missa in B minor for the Dresden court (later incorporated in the Mass in B
minor), Johann Sebastian Bach wrote four further Kyrie–Gloria Masses, BWV 233–236. These
compositions, consisting of the first two sections of the Mass ordinary (i.e. the Kyrie and the
Gloria), have been indicated as Missae breves (Latin for "short masses") or Lutheran Masses.
They seem to have been intended for liturgical use, considering a performance time of about 20
minutes each, the average duration of a Bach cantata. They may have been composed around
1738/39.[1] Possibly they were written for Count Franz Anton von Sporck or performed by him in
Lysá.[2]

Each of the Kyrie-Gloria Masses is in six movements: the Kyrie is one choral movement (with
Kyrie/Christe/Kyrie subdivisions) and the Gloria is in five movements. The first and last
movement of the Gloria are also choral, framing three arias for different voice types. The music
consists mostly of parodies of earlier cantata movements.[3] Bach changed the music slightly to
adjust to the Latin words, but kept the original instrumentation. For instance, the opening chorus
of Es wartet alles auf dich, BWV 187, became the final movement of the Missa in G minor, Cum
sancto spiritu. Occasionally he switched a voice part, for example he asked for a tenor in the
Quoniam of that Missa, a parody of the soprano aria Halt ich nur fest an ihm of that cantata.

Contents
 1 History
 2 Compositions
o 2.1 Kyrie–Gloria Mass in F major, BWV 233
o 2.2 Kyrie–Gloria Mass in A major, BWV 234
o 2.3 Kyrie–Gloria Mass in G minor, BWV 235
o 2.4 Kyrie–Gloria Mass in G major, BWV 236
 3 Reception
  4 Discography
 5 References
 6 External links

History[edit]
See also: Bach's church music in Latin and Missa brevis § Kyrie–Gloria masses
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2018)

Compositions[edit]
Kyrie–Gloria Mass in F major, BWV 233[edit]

For the Missa in F major, BWV 233, scored for horns, oboes, bassoon, strings, SATB, and basso
continuo, Bach derived most of the six movements from earlier cantatas as parodies.[4] The first
movement derives from Kyrie "Christe, du Lamm Gottes" in F major, BWV 233a, which may
have been performed for the first time on Good Friday, 6 April 1708.[5]

No. Title Voice Base

1 Kyrie eleison – Christe eleison – Kyrie eleison Chorus BWV 233a
2 Gloria in excelsis Chorus
3 Domine Deus Bass possibly BWV Anh. 18/6[6]
4 Qui tollis Soprano BWV 102/3
5 Quoniam Alto BWV 102/5
6 Cum sancto Spiritu Chorus BWV 40/1

Kyrie–Gloria Mass in A major, BWV 234[edit]

For the Missa in A major, BWV 234, scored for flute, strings, SATB, and basso continuo, Bach
parodied music from at least four earlier cantatas.[4]

No. Title Voice Base

1 Kyrie eleison – Christe eleison – Kyrie eleison Chorus
2 Gloria in excelsis Chorus BWV 67/6
3 Domine Deus Bass
4 Qui tollis Soprano BWV 179/5
5 Quoniam Alto BWV 79/2
6 Cum sancto Spiritu Chorus Vivace part: BWV 136/1

Kyrie–Gloria Mass in G minor, BWV 235[edit]

For the Missa in G minor, BWV 235, scored for oboes, strings, SATB, basso continuo, Bach
derived all six movements from cantatas as parodies.[4]

No. Title Voice Base

1 Kyrie eleison – Christe eleison – Kyrie eleison Chorus BWV 102/1
2 Gloria in excelsis Chorus BWV 72/1
3 Gratias Bass BWV 187/4
4 Domine Fili Alto BWV 187/3
5 Qui tollis – Quoniam Tenor BWV 187/5
6 Cum sancto Spiritu Chorus BWV 187/1

Kyrie–Gloria Mass in G major, BWV 236[edit]

For the Missa in G major, BWV 236, scored for oboes, strings, SATB, basso continuo, Bach
derived all six movements from cantatas as parodies.[4]

No. Title Voice Base

1 Kyrie eleison – Christe eleison – Kyrie eleison Chorus BWV 179/1
2 Gloria in excelsis Chorus BWV 79/1
3 Gratias Bass BWV 138/5
4 Domine Deus Soprano, alto BWV 79/5
5 Quoniam Tenor BWV 179/3
6 Cum sancto Spiritu Chorus BWV 17/1

Reception[edit]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2018)

In 1818 the Missa in A major, BWV 234, was one of a very few of Bach's compositions for
voices and orchestra to appear in print prior to the Bach Gesellschaft complete edition in the
second half of the 19th century.[7]

Discography[edit]
 J.S. Bach: Missae Breves, Hans Grischkat, Schwäbischer Singkreis Stuttgart, Ton-Studio
Orchestra Stuttgart, Agnes Giebel, Lotte Wolf-Matthäus, Werner Hohmann, Franz Kelch,
Renaissance / Baroque Music Club early 1950s?
 J.S. Bach: Masses, Helmuth Rilling, Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart,
Elisabeth Speiser, Ingeborg Ruß, John van Kesteren, Gerhard Faulstich, Jakob Stämpfli,
Intercord 1967
  J.S. Bach: Missae Breves, Kurt Redel, Helmut Winschermann, Agnes Giebel, Gisela Litz,
Hermann Prey, Elly Ameling, Birgit Finnilä, Theo Altmeyer, William Reimer, Philips
1965, 1970
 Bach: Messen BWV 233-236, Martin Flämig, Dresdner Kreuzchor, Dresdner
Philharmonie, Renate Krahmer, Annelies Burmeister, Peter Schreier, Theo Adam, Eterna
1972 — re-issued Brilliant Classics 99361/3 and 4
 The Great Choral Masterpieces, Peter Schreier, RIAS Kammerchor, Kammerorchester
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Barbara Bonney, Birgit Remmert, Rainer Trost, Olaf Bär,
Philips 1991
 J.S. Bach: Missae Breves BWV 233-236, Patrick Peire, Capella Brugensis, Collegium
Instrumentale Brugense, Greta De Reyghere, Wilke te Brummelstroete, James Gilchrist,
Jan van der Crabben, Eufoda 2000
 J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 22, Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra &
Choir, Johannette Zomer, Bogna Bartosz, Jörg Dürmüller, Klaus Mertens, Antoine
Marchand 2005
 Bach: Lutheran Masses, BWV 233-236, Thomas Folan, Publick Musick, Anne Harley,
Andrea Folan, Miranda Loud, Pablo Bustos, Max van Egmond, Eufoda 2005

References[edit]
1. ^ Christoph Wolff: Johann Sebastian Bach, 2nd edition 2007. S. Fischer, Frankfurt,
ISBN 978-3-596-16739-5
2. ^ "Count Frantisek Antonin von Sporck". baroquemusic.org. Retrieved 20 September
2010.
3. ^ Margaret Steinitz. "Bach's Latin Church Music". London Bach Society. Retrieved 16
September 2010.
4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d (in German) Schmieder, Wolfgang, Alfred Dürr, and Yoshitake
Kobayashi (eds.). 1998. Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis: Kleine Ausgabe (BWV2a). Wiesbaden:
Breitkopf & Härtel. ISBN 978-3765102493, pp. 234–250
5. ^ Work 0292 at Bach Digital website.
6. ^ (in Italian) Alberto Basso. Frau Musika: La vita e le opere di J. S. Bach, Volume 2:
Lipsia e le opere de la maturità (1723–1750). Turin: EDT, 1983. ISBN 88-7063-028-5,
p. 518
7. ^ Charles Sanford Terry. "Introduction" of Johann Sebastian Bach: His Life, Art, and
Work. London: Constable (1920), p. xvii

External links[edit]