Mass in B minor

The Mass in B minor (BWV 232) by Johann Sebastian Bach is a musical setting of the complete Ordinary of the Latin Mass. The work was one of Bach's last compositions, not completed until 1749, the year before his death. Much of the Mass gave new form to vocal music that Bach had composed throughout his career, dating back (in the case of the "Crucifixus") to 1714, but extensively revised. To complete the work, in the late 1740s Bach composed new sections of the Credo such as "Et incarnatus est".

It was unusual for composers working in the Lutheran tradition to compose a Missa tota and Bach's motivations remain a matter of scholarly debate. The Mass was never performed in its entirety during Bach's lifetime; the first documented complete performance took place in 1859. Since the nineteenth century it has been widely hailed as one of the greatest compositions in musical history, and today it is frequently performed and recorded.Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach archived this work as the Great Catholic Mass.

B minor

B minor is a minor scale consisting of the pitches B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, and A. Its key signature consists of two sharps. The harmonic minor raises the note A to A♯. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written with accidentals as necessary.

Its relative major is D major, and its parallel major is B major.

Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart (1739–1791) regarded B minor as a key expressing a quiet acceptance of fate and very gentle complaint, something commentators find to be in line with Bach's use of the key in his St John Passion. By the end of the Baroque era, however, conventional academic views of B minor had shifted: Composer-theorist Francesco Galeazzi (1758–1819) opined that B minor was not suitable for music in good taste. Beethoven labelled a B minor melodic idea in one of his sketchbooks as a "black key". Brahms, Dvořák, Schubert, Liszt, Chopin, Borodin, and Tchaikovsky all wrote significant works in B minor.

Notable compositions in B minor

Johann Sebastian Bach (painter)

Johann Sebastian Bach (26 September 1748 – 11 September 1778) was a German painter. He was the son of composer Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and the grandson of composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

Bach was born in Berlin. He studied under Adam Friedrich Oeser in Leipzig. In May 1773, he moved to Dresden, and in February 1776 he moved to Hamburg, where his father was Director of Music. In September 1776 he embarked on a study trip to Rome, where he became seriously ill soon after his arrival in February 1777, and died of this (unknown) ailment in 1778.

Bach created mostly brush drawings of idyllic landscapes, bustling with people. His works show the influence of Solomon Gessner. Towards the end of his life he turned to representations of people and created historical and mythological scenes. He also made vignettes and illustrations of works by Gottlieb Rabener and Christian Felix Weisse.

In his time he was quite renowned as an artist. Collections of his works are in Coburg, Dresden, Hamburg, Leipzig and Vienna.

Sebastian Bach

Sebastian Philip Bierk (born April 3, 1968), known professionally as Sebastian Bach, is a Canadian heavy metal singer who achieved mainstream success as frontman of Skid Row from 1987-96. Since his departure from Skid Row, he has had many television roles, acted in Broadway plays, and leads a solo career.

Career

Kid Wikkid (1983–1985)

The members of Kid Wikkid were stationed in Peterborough. Upon hearing of the band and unaware of their ages, 14-year-old Bach auditioned for the group, and was successfully hired by guitar player and band leader, Jason Delorme. Kid Wikkid moved back to Toronto, and Bach's dad eventually allowed Bach to move in with an aunt.

Skid Row (1987–1996)

Skid Row initially formed in the mid 1980s with lead singer Matt Fallon. They began playing at various New Jersey clubs. Fallon would soon leave the band in 1987, leaving Skid Row without a singer. Bach was spotted singing at rock photographer Mark Weiss's wedding at the age of 18, and the members asked him to join in early 1987.