Mass in B Minor
Bach's musical testament
J.S. Bach
Kaisa Ranta, soprano
Essi Luttinen, alto
Aarne Mansikka, tenor
Tomi Punkeri, bass
Key Ensemble
Finnish Baroque Orchestra
Salo Adult Education Centre (Loimaa and Salo), Tanssiurheiluseura Swivel (Salo), Dance School Turun Seudun Tanssioppilaitos (Turku)
Jutta Seppinen, conductor
Johann Sebastian Bach’s (1685–1750) Mass in B minor – the grand masterpiece of his later career – is being performed in three places in Finland Proper by Key Ensemble and the Finnish Baroque Orchestra in collaboration.
The mass is often considered to be Bach’s musical last will and testament. It contains themes from Bach’s earlier works since it wasn’t composed in one piece. The first parts, Kyrie and Gloria, were finished in 1724 and 1731, and the rest of the music during the following twenty years. The Mass in B minor was finished during Bach’s last year of life, in 1749.
The Mass in B minor is different from the passions that Bach composed as sacred music. The work follows the mass of the catholic church and the text is in Latin, which wasn’t used officially in the Lutheran church during the 18th century. Because of this, the work wasn’t performed as a whole for a long time. The first complete performance that we know of was only in 1859 in Leipzig, 110 years after the work had been completed.
Duration: 2 h 30 min (incl. intermission)
LOIMAA
Tickets 20/10* €, contribution ticket 40 €: keyensemble.fi
* discount groups
SALO
Tickets 20/10* €, contribution ticket 40 €: keyensemble.fi
* discount groups
TURKU
Tickets 50/80* € (places in the front part), 30/40* € (other places), 15 € (students): keyensemble.fi and closer to the concert the Cathedral's info
* contribution ticket