Bach, a Lutheran, incorporated an ecumenical spirit into the Mass, as shown by his choice of the Nicene Creed for the Credo and the understanding of 'catholicam' as 'universal' or 'Christian'.
Critical Reception
The B minor Mass was not given its current name by Bach, but rather in the 19th century, and it was first fully published in 1856.
Cultural Impact
The B minor Mass is still considered by many to be 'the greatest musical work of all time and all nations,' a sentiment echoed by the Leipzig Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung in 1818.
Critical Reception
In the early 19th century, the B minor Mass was considered 'the most difficult of all known works,' and its first essentially complete public performance didn't occur until 1833.
Composition History
The Kyrie and Gloria sections of the Mass were originally composed in 1733 as a Missa brevis, which Bach used to apply for the post of court composer to Elector Friedrich August II.
Composition History
Bach wrote the B minor Mass at the end of his life as a musical legacy, not for a specific occasion, and it incorporates sections from earlier compositions.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach's mastery as a 'musical mathematician' is evident in the B minor Mass through his use of number symbolism, such as the frequent appearance of the number 3 (for the Trinity) and 6 (for the seraphim).
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