Sunday, March 31, 2013


ET RESURREXIT

Mass in B-Minor

Johann Sebastian Bach


HAPPY EASTER DAY!

5 comments:

  1. Years ago, when I had the privilege of singing with the Choral Arts Society of Washington (now under a new conductor and performing a dumbed-down repertoire as of this season so as to please audiences, I suppose), I sang in the chorus for this glorious piece.

    This piece touches the face of God. All of Bach's music does so!

    A blessed Easter to you, FT.

    ReplyDelete
  2. May you and my fellow readers here enjoy a happy and blessed Easter!

    Glad to see you found the keys to the store!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am so happy you had the experience of performing this great work, AOW. It demands a great deal of singers, if one is to performing with accuracy and clarity. Few amateur groups would dare attempt it.

    The point, of course, is the way it strides, bounces, skips and dances along bubbling over and fairly chortling with effervescent glee while maintaining highly structured unity along with the independence of each line of counterpoint.

    When performed well, Et resurrexit sounds like a spontaneous outburst of joy from a great multitude, yet it is put together with all the skill, care and precision of the finest Swiss watch.

    Bach, the greatest composer of contrapuntal music who ever lived, showed us time and time again how individuality must be maintained within the context of any given whole in order for a musical presentation to work.

    I believe that is the great Paradigm for Harmonious, Productive, Fulfilled Existence -- i.e. we must be permitted our individuality, but at the same time be aware that we are a vital part of something infinitely greater than ourselves.

    Johann Sebastian Bach may not have thought of it in precisely these terms, but he really was in tune with "The Music of the Spheres" to the greatest extent any mortal of my acquaintance ever has been.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks to all who stopped by with good wishes for the most important event on the Christian liturgical calendar.

    May the twin joys of both Christmas and Easter reman with you throughout the year and far beyond.

    ReplyDelete

IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING, YOU DON'T BELONG HERE, SO KINDLY GET OUT AND STAY OUT.

We welcome Conversation
But without Vituperation.
If your aim is Vilification ––
Other forms of Denigration ––
Unfounded Accusation --
Determined Obfuscation ––
Alienation with Self-Justification ––
We WILL use COMMENT ERADICATION.


IN ADDITION

Gratuitous Displays of Extraneous Knowledge Offered Not To Shed Light Or Enhance the Discussion, But For The Primary Purpose Of Giving An Impression Of Superiority are obnoxiously SELF-AGGRANDIZING, and therefore, Subject to Removal at the Discretion of the Censor-in-Residence.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.