Mass in B minor — Kyrie I

J. S. BachBWV 232

Key

Bm

Time

C

Tempo

♩=60

AO focus

AO3

Form

Opening Kyrie — five-voice fugue (SSATB) on a chromatic descending subject. The Mass in B minor is Bach's late summa, assembled in his last years from new and pre-existing material.

Teaching points

• Five-voice fugue — discuss SSATB scoring, Bach's preferred sacred-music ensemble
• Chromatic subject — the descending chromatic fourth (B–A♯–A–G♯–G–F♯) is the Baroque emblem of grief
• AO3: Mass in B minor as Bach's catholic statement — Lutheran composer setting the full Latin Ordinary
• AO1: full performance is 2 hours; the Kyrie alone is concert-programme-able at 9 minutes