Mass in B minor: Confiteor/et expecto (part 1 of 2)

A Moment of Bach

Always know where you're going.

Today is part 1 of a 2-part series on one of the famous moments of Bach -- the transition from "Confiteor" to "Et expecto" at a dramatic moment in the Mass in B minor. Rather than jump right into the final, festive section that describes the eternal joy of the resurrection of the dead, Bach first gives us a slow, searching, harmonically unstable bridge. This section contains some of the most unusual sounds in all of Bach's work. But... he always knows where he's going -- and when he gets there, it is glorious.

This week we focus mostly on the "Confiteor", which is a lead-up to the real moment. Next week we get to the bridge.

Jump to the "Confiteor" from the Netherlands Bach Society performance of Mass in B minor

Vocal score for Mass in B minor (public domain) from IMSLP -- "Confiteor" starts on page 113