CENTERblog

Bach B Minor Mass
by Anthony Sallows - Alaska Pacific University

House lights dim, silence permeates the Atwood Theater. Anchorage’s Concert Chorus prepares and tension builds. Whooom! Silence is shattered with a profound start to a musical tour de force. Those lucky enough to be present in the Atwood Theater on March 20th know exactly what I’m talking about. Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B Minor is a testament to his madness turned greatness. Most works of this sort have five major movements, Bach’s has 27.

A complete Latin mass put to symphonic music. My only gripe is that it was in Latin. I firmly believe that some of the power is lost in translation. Thankfully the program had an English version written alongside the original text. Still, reading the text doesn’t have the same effect as hearing and comprehending the words. Perhaps I should just learn to speak Latin. Regardless of my ability to understand the lyrics, I could feel the authority and praise within. In some ways it was like listening to a chorus of angels.

To get the full effect of the performance, I would close my eyes and let my body and ears receive the sounds. Consciousness fades a bit and I revel in that space between the waking world and the dream world. A transcendence of reality is such an amazing experience to get from a show. It’s almost like connecting to Bach on a spiritual level.

I have to give props to the Anchorage Concert Chorus for even attempting to pull this together. Dr. Grant Cochran, the artistic director and conductor, emphasized the difficulty and complexity of the work. He was also very, very grateful and proud of his performers. Taking an extra moment to recognize soloists and lead musicians during applauses. The final of which was a standing ovation. Well done people, well done.

Bach B Minor Mass
Anchorage Concert Chorus
Saturday, March 20, 2010 @ 7:30pm
Atwood Concert Hall