Music 110-08B
December 2, 106
J.S. Bach Mass in B Minor On November 5, 2016, I attended the J.S. Bach Mass in B Minor music concert at Converse College, featuring a performance by the Spartanburg Festival Chorus. I enjoyed the musical selections performed by the chorus and saw a few familiar faces of some of my classmates at the concert as well. The venue of the concert was very nice and a lot of older people attended the concert. The music of the concert was nice to me and the different movements sung and played by the chorus and orchestra made me feel various types of emotions. The concert was something different for me to go to because it was my first time ever being at a music concert so it was a step for me to come from …show more content…
The Baroque era style of music was between 1600-1750 and applied to art and architecture before music. The baroque era consisted of humanism which included universities and the invention of geometry and the laws of physics, renaissance trends, arts and economics, and values of art and music. The general music styles I learned about the Baroque era style of music include emotional expressiveness, a sense of drama and dramatic contrast, and increasing ornamentation and virtuosity. During the 17th century, Baroque era music goes from polyphony to transforming into homophony which is one main melody supported by accompaniment basso continuo. Vertical harmonies, new instruments like the harpsichord, and rhythm, because more and more important and composers start to only have to write bass note and key. Baroque concerto was also important because it was an instrumental genre for a soloist or small group of soloists accompanied by a large orchestra. The late baroque style is distinguished by tonality that regulated chord progression, dissonance treatment, and formal treatment …show more content…
Bach begins with a double chorus cantata and included a concerto movement. During this piece, the orchestra included musical instruments like the flute, oboes, violins, and trumpets which shouted praise to the monarchs. The first chorus sings enthusiastically with the second showing praise of the assent. The chorus alternates homophonic and polyphonic sections and the background moves to the tonic at the end. There is a long melisma during the progression of the bass, tenor, alto and soprano. Osanna represents Bach’s skill to ornament and expand different techniques and designs with various styles and this sections are based off secular music. Osanna ends in ritornello and simulates Gigue dance music.
I felt like this piece was trying express to joy and excitement based off of how the chorus was singing this movement. They were practically shouting, “Hosanna is the highest,” showing enthusiastic praise. While the chorus sang this movement, I felt joyful emotions and I felt the praise that they were trying to portray during the song and you could feel like joyfulness as they