The April Concerts Bring this Masterwork to Fox Chapel, Coraopolis, and Oakland
Resonance Works’ tenth anniversary season continues with Bach’s profound Mass in B Minor this spring. This spectacular masterwork, representing the culmination of Bach’s colossal musical legacy, will be performed at three iconic religious spaces around Pittsburgh.
“Although the complete Mass was never performed during Bach’s lifetime, it embodies his incredible skill as a composer and incorporates music he created throughout his career,” says Maria Sensi Sellner, Resonance Works’ Artistic & General Director. “With musical motives imbued with specific meaning and elaborately layered voices, the Mass brings the audience through a deeply spiritual exploration that ranges from quiet meditation to exhilarating joy. Hearing the B Minor Mass performed live is a rare and unforgettable experience.”
Johann Sebastian Bach’s profound and magnificent Mass in B Minor is the summation and culmination of a life’s work. The Resonance Chamber Orchestra, Festival Chorus, and an impressive cast of soloists bring this opus to three inspiring spiritual spaces across the Pittsburgh region.
Unlike Bach’s previous sacred works, the B Minor Mass was not written for the urgency of an impending performance. Instead, the creation of this spiritual testament became his ultimate legacy. It is the masterful assemblage of earlier works, transformed pieces, and newly composed movements written across a quarter-century and likely among the final compositions of his life.
The Resonance Works performances of this masterwork bring together more than the usual number of soloists, with alums from throughout its history, including sopranos Katy Shackleton Williams, Charlene Canty, Amelia D’Arcy, and Lara Lynn McGill, mezzo-sopranos Timothi Williams and Thespina Christulides, tenor Javier Abreu, and bass-baritone Matthew Scollin. Maria Sensi Sellner conducts.
The B Minor Mass is the fourth program in the 2022–23 season that features the depth and range of classical music performance, including two world premieres, orchestral favorites, and awe-inspiring masterworks. This 10th anniversary season will close with a fresh interpretation of Verdi’s Macbeth on May 18 and 20 at the Charity Randall Theatre at the University of Pittsburgh.
Bach Mass in B Minor performances are: Friday, April 28, 7:30 p.m. at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church | Saturday, April 29, 7:30 p.m. at Coraopolis United Methodist Church | Sunday, April 30, 3:00 p.m. at Heinz Memorial Chapel Tickets at: https://www.resonanceworks.org/bach-b-minor-mass
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