Bach Symphony 8 Analysis

Set in D major with a duple meter, traditional ricerare-type alla breve fugue, with a step by step ascending and descending repeated note pattern, the movement has a Baroque like nature within its ornate, chant-like, modal, conjunct, harmonic and tonal characteristics. Strangely, “Gratias agimus tibi” does not document any sort of dynamic qualities; therefore, Bach has left the dynamics up to the performers to differentiate their parts in a way that reflects both the music and its text. Much of the cantata matches the text Bach chose to utilize within the piece. The theme of thanksgiving starts in the bass section and progresses upward through the voices as it continues, in addition to the instruments of the orchestra.
The trumpets play a
significant role in the movement as the first trumpet goes up to a high D, higher than a typical human voice, and goes lowest at measure 35, when the timpani begins. They create a symbol of the divine nature of God. Much of the first and second parts sing together so often times it is more or less seen as a single soprano section than two. Within the work, it has fugues which each section essentially imitates the first subject at various timed intervals, similarly to polyphony. Stylistically different from its preceding aria, “Gratias agimus tibi” is set in a cappella style of the Renaissance which refers back to Kyrie II. As seen in the first 3 measures of this measures of this movement, voices are accompanied by instruments and similarly to a fugue in which each section imitates the first subject at various timed intervals, starting with the basses then tenors, then altos, and lastly sopranos, with countersubject throughout that has added melismas, “propter magnam gloriam tuam,” meaning “for thy great glory.” Highly polyphonic textures begin to emerge which end up supporting each voice with a different instrumental timbre which reflects the style of Cantata 29, Wir danken dir Gott, having the German vernacular language paired with Latin text. Parodying older movements, similarly to his other works, Bach’s text for the movement is nearly identical to the older cantata as they both reflect the nature of thanksgiving. Each voice is doubled by strings, oboes, and bassoon with trumpets and drums entering near the end of the piece, adding a fifth and sixth part to the composition.
Another movement within Bach’s Mass, “Quoniam tu solus sanctus,” is set also in D major but its register is lower and darker than any of the other movements as it has a bass voice, solo horn, bassoon duet obbligato, and continuo, enveloping a sense of warmth. Within this instrumental aria, the Gloria changes from a form of prayer to a declaration of praise and becomes much more joyful sounding as the previous melancholy key of B minor switches to D major for the rest of the Mass. Instead of being in common time, this movement is in modified da capo form, 3/4, andante lento, and much of its scoring seems as if it was specifically written for the orchestra in Dresden, common for most its works based on the sensitivity of the strengths and weaknesses of players. Appoggiaturas are characteristics within this movement that help shape the lines into musical phrases, as seen in bar 19/96 in addition to polonaise. With the addition of polonaise, Bach was not only able to express the text through music, rather he was also able to pay respect to those the work was attributed to, including the Dresden Court. Interestingly enough, unlike the rest of the movements within the B Minor Mass, it is the only one which uses a horn, depicting the essence of Christ’s superiority as the hunting horn is normally utilized for royalty. One of Bach’s most extraordinary arias,
Interestingly enough, it seems like Bach originally notated most of his instruments for this movement in the wrong clefs which requires they be about an octave higher than its original version; therefore, the musicians are almost required to have their parts transposed, changed, or modified.
In its literal translation, “Quoniam tu solus sanctus” means “For thou alone art holy, thou alone art God, thou alone art most high: Jesus Christ.” The bass voice is commonly used in Bach’s Passions as the voice of Jesus; hence, in reflection, it is as if the meaning of this movement is coming from the words of God as He is declaring His holy nature. The soloist in this movement is paired with a low woodwind. “Quoniam tu solus sanctus” is a piece with diverse rhythms which shares characteristics of the upcoming and final chorus movement of the Gloria, “Cum Sancto Spiritu.” Similarly to “Gratias agimus tibi,” this movement is highly ornamented and gives off a dignified and majestic quality with trills which somewhat reflect the nature of bells giving stress to the words “sanctus” and “Dominus,” meaning holy and Lord, as found in measures 16 and 19. This movement gives off more of a Baroque feel as it is seems to have the music reflect the text more than “Gratias agimus tibi” as it focuses less on textures like polyphony to give voice to the “most high.” Though it is an upbeat movement, its collaborative balance of text and music makes it more of a beautiful solemn reflection of Christ’s divinity, allowing its listeners to focus on God’s supreme nature rather than just the complexity of the
piece. Besides being richly ornamented with Renaissance and Baroque elements, Bach’s B Minor Mass serves as wonderful artifact not only of the music world but that of Bach’s enduring faith. Truly, as much as it has been attributed as a never-ending source of wonder and one of Bach’s finest works, ¬Bach’s Mass in B Minor, as described by Robert Shaw, is Bach’s testament to, and of, one great universal faith.