By Boyd Pehrson (February 2002)
The subject of Bach's B minor Mass has been detailed here often. Since this work has been called Bach's "opus ultimum" (Dr. Andreas Bomba), and widely recognized as such, perhaps I may credibly indulge in yet another brief essay on one section of Bach's most monumental work. The section is the Domine Deus duet, a soprano & tenor duet from the B minor Mass. Specifically, I would like to focus on how the duet is affected positively by the use of a boy soprano with a tenor, and how perhaps most doubts can be removed that yes, Bach did write this soprano part for a boy soprano. First I pray that you'll indulge me a little background information on this section, and the Mass in general.
I have read that some musicians and scholars believe Bach's B minor Mass to be a reverting to Catholicism due to Bach's use of Latin texts, instead of his usual Cantata text form of German. Bach being a Lutheran, it is said, would have normally shunned the Latin in preference to Luther's Deutsche Messe. Others believe Bach was merely trying to make a more "universal" statement by using the then Universal Language of Latin. Both of these scenarios disregard the fact that, as scholars such as Günther Stiller point out, the Lutheran church did retain the Latin liturgical texts shortly after the Reformation, and a combination of German and Latin were used through Bach's time. In fact, Günther Stiller reports that the Leipzig agendas contained four different Latin Gloria intonations. The choir thus sang responses in Latin, and especially during festival and feast days. Thus, a more "religious" tone was achieved during important church seasons. While German was used in many parts of the service of Word and Sacrament, the choir continued with Latin responses such as the "Gloria in excelsis Deo," "Et in terra pax," and "Et cum sancto spiritu tuo" etc. Also, and most notably, the Lutheran priest was to continue to intone the "Credo in unum Deum" in Latin at the altar. Not until the beginning of the 19th century was this instructed to be performed in the vernacular.
These type of responses and intonations in Latin make up the core of the Liturgical Mass, and these are the very texts that Bach used for his B minor Mass. Bach's use of these Liturgical texts was strict, and no embellishments were made. The entire text for the opening three movements of this great Mass are merely: "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison." So, Bach's B minor Mass, though a departure from his usual Cantata in German, still has no un-Lutheran flavour of any kind. Bach's choir and congregation would have been very familiar with all parts of Bach's B minor Mass.
I think Bach was doing nothing more than presenting his most religious and respectful posture before God and King in using Latin texts for his Mass.
Part of the Liturgical texts, and of critical importance in Lutheran theology, is the Credo, or the Nicene Creed. This is the ultimate statement of the Christian faith, and it is the laundry list of beliefs, if you will, that all Christians must adhere to to be considered truly Christian. (Both the Eastern and Western church adopt the older Apostles' Creed, and thus all Christian churches are scripturally united) I am uninterested here in the filioque controversy. I wouldn't want to indulge in trying to uncover the mystery of the hypostatic union of the Father and the Son, but I would like rather to focus on the "One Substance with the Father" that is revealed to us, and look at the relationship of the Father and Son as artistically rendered à la Bach.
I have briefly touched on the 'why and how' of the use of Latin in Bach's Lutheran Leipzig because the Latin text is built upon so beautifully by Bach in the Domine Deus duet. Bach's adorning of the Latin text is as masterful as any of his previous German text expressions.
The Domine Deus duet enters the Mass before the text of the Credo- or the Nicene Creed. Bach in true orthodox Lutheran fashion addresses the Domine Deus with regard to the Creed, which is the pivot point of Lutheran Theology and the central focus of the Mass. This Mass can be viewed as the Credo dropped into the exact middle, and concentric liturgical rings spread across the surface. The first rings of the impact reach the outer edges, the beginning of the Mass and the end. Thus, the central point and the beginning become one, and the end of the Mass one with the central point. The Beginning pleads "Kyrie eleison" or "Lord have mercy." The central point of the Mass, 'ground zero' if you will, is the "Crucifixus," the Crucifixion, where sinners accept mercy as Christ works out their salvation with his tears, sweat and
blood. The end, "Dona Nobis Pacem" is reference to all preceding work, this work on the cross, and a reminder of the claim given and peace provided to forgiven sinners, who pleaded initially "Kyrie eleison", Lord have mercy.
Bach's musical design of the Domine Deus duet is specifically referenced from the portion of the Creed that expresses the "unity of substance" of God the Father, and Christ the Son (recall the concentric rings). Thus, Bach sets these duet text lines in a transverse structure. The text states simply:
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Latin |
English |
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Domine Deus, rex coelestis, |
Lord God, heavenly King, |
Bach's wonderful construction of the music for the duet emphasizes the interrelated nature of his two subjects, God the Father and Christ the Son. Through transverse
intertwining of the musical lines, and a trading off of soprano and a tenor texts, the piece opens with a playful flute and violin duet, each instrument taking turn on a
playful intertwining theme. Then the tenor enters first singing "Domine Deus," speaking of the Father, then on the second word "Deus" the soprano enters singing
"Domine Fili," speaking of the Son. The head start of the tenor speaks to the supreme position of the Father.Bach, at the end of these texts, has the words "Jesu Christie,"
sung by the soprano, and "Deus Pater," by the tenor, sung together at once, demonstrating the unity of the Father and Son. This establishes the two distinct parts the voices will play during the duet. The two parts continue and pick up the theme introduced by the two instruments, playfully intertwining, taking turns singing both text parts at once. First the Father sings the Son's part, and the Son in turn sings the Father's. Then they return to their original roles. At the very end of the duet the two roles merge and both sing the last parts of the text together: Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris (Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father).
It is clear that Bach is making the statement that God the Father, and Christ the Son are one in substance. This beautiful intertwining and transverse effect of voices and instrument, as the flute too moves along, soul-like among the sung texts, shows Bach's attention to the theological application and primacy of the text; as musical art also forms itself to the words and nature of God and not the other way round.
Our only recorded reference to this work being sung by a boy soprano with tenor is Robert King's 1997 release on Hyperion records. In King's recording we are able to hear the duet sung as it was intended, by a boy and a man. The sheer beauty of the scenario of a boy and a man singing a father and son theme duet contributes so much to the text and music that it is difficult for me to imagine that Bach wrote it with anything other than his Leipzig choir boy forces in mind. The Domine Deus and Domine Fili texts are sung marvellously on the King recording by boy soprano Matthias Ritter from the Tölzer Knabenchor and tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson. The two connect very well, and each anticipate the others' vocal nuances. In this way these two singers also translate the intimacy of Father and Son very well, delightfully fultheir vocal roles. This is very fine singing! Which demonstrates a connection with the music on the part of the boy, where there is absolutely no lack of understanding or maturity in his interpretation. Mr. Johnson also does well at adjusting his own voice to meld better with the delicate nuances of the boy soprano.
Bach's Domine Deus duet is to me another clear example of Bach's use of forces at hand to highlight his texts. It also is shown in the recording by King that boys are still quite very well up to the task of singing Bach the way it was meant to be sung, giving us not only a glimpse of the past, but enlightening us to the importance of the textual meanings. Here is one solitary recording among a sea of others that provides us a unique perspective on how Bach identified with his own compositions.
Written by Boyd Pehrson (February 25, 2002)
Amdreas Burghardt
wrote (February 25, 2002):Mass in B minor BWV 232
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