J.S. Bach Mass in B Minor
Text


Xinh's project for Mu123, spring/1996 [Bach home page]
What follows is the full text for Bach's B-Minor Mass.

I. MISSA

Kyrie
  • Kyrie eleison (5-part chorus)
    Kyrie eleison. (x3)
    Lord, have mercy upon us. (x3)
  • Christe eleison (Duet, soprano I,II)
    Christe eleison. (x3)
    Christ, have mercy upon us. (x3)
  • Kyrie eleison (4-part chorus)
    Kyrie eleison. (x3)
    Lord, have mercy upon us. (x3)
    • Gloria
  • Gloria in excelsis (5-part chorus)
    Gloria in excelsis Deo.
    Glory be to God on high.
  • Et in terra pax (5-part chorus)
    Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
    And on earth peace to men of good will.
  • Laudamus te (Aria, soprano II)
    Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te.
    We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee.
  • Gratias agimus tibi (4-part chorus)
    Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
    We thank thee for thy great glory.
  • Domine Deus (Duet, soprano I, tenor)
    Domine Deus, rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe, Altissime, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.
    Lord God, heavenly King, Father Almighty. O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ Highest, Lord God, Lamb of God, son of the Father.
  • Qui tollis peccata mundi (4-part chorus)
    Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
    Thou who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
  • Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris (Aria, alto)
    Qui sedes ad dextram Patris, miserere nobis.
    Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
  • Quoniam tu solus sanctus (Aria, bass)
    Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe.
    For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only, Christ, art most high.
  • Cum sancto spiritu (5-part chorus)
    Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
    With the Holy Ghost in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

    • II. SYMBOLUM NICENUM

    Credo
  • Credo in unum Deum (5-part chorus)
    Credo in unum Deum.
    I believe in one God.
  • Patrem omnipotentem (4-part chorus)
    (Credo in unum Deum) Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
    (I believe in one God) The Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
  • Et in unum Dominum (Duet, soprano I, alto)
    Et in unum Dominum, Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula, Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri, per quem omnia facta sunt, qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis.
    And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by who all things were made: who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven.
  • Et incarnatus est (5-part chorus)
    Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria virgine, et homo factus est.
    And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
  • Crucifixus (4-part chorus)
    Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus et sepultus est.
    And was crucified also under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried.
  • Et resurrexit (5-part chorus)
    Et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas, et ascendit in coelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris, et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos, cujus regni non erit finis.
    And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father: and he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
  • Et in spiritum sanctum (Aria, bass)
    Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit, qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur, qui locutus est per prophetas. Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.
    And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, who prodeedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the Prophets. And I believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
  • Confiteor (5-part chorus)
    Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.
    I acknowledge baptism for the remission of sins.
  • Et exspecto (5-part chorus)
    Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.
    And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

    • III. SANCTUS

    Sanctus
  • Sanctus (6-part chorus)
    Sanctus, sanctus, snactus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria ejus.
    Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.

    • IV. OSANNA, BENEDICTUS, AGNUS DEI

    Osanna, Benedictus
  • Osanna (8-part double chorus)
    Osanna in excelsis.
    Glory be to Thee, O Lord most high.
  • Benedictus (Aria, tenor)
    Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
    Blessed is he, who cometh in the name of the Lord.
  • Osanna (8-part double chorus)
    Osanna in excelsis.
    Glory be to Thee, O Lord most high.
    • Agnus Dei
  • Agnus Dei (Aria, alto)
    Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. (2x)
    O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. (2x)
  • Dona nobis pacem (4-part chorus)
    Dona nobis pacem.
    Grant us peace.
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    Last updated: June 4, 1996
    xinh@cco.caltech.edu