Southside Philharmonic to bring Bach's 'Mass in B minor' to life

Patrick Clark, founder and artistic director of the Southside Philharmonic Orchestra
Patrick Clark, founder and artistic director of the Southside Philharmonic Orchestra

Completed within one year of his death in 1750, J.S. Bach's "Mass in B minor" is often described as a summation of his life's work, combining vocal and instrumental forces to create one of his most profound works.

Together the Bach Community Chorale and Southside Philharmonic Orchestra will treat their audience to a treasured piece of music literature and history Friday.

"Few dispute that J.S. Bach was one of the greatest composers in history - arguably the greatest," said Patrick Clark, founder and artistic director of the Southside Philharmonic Orchestra. "'Mass in B minor' represents the pinnacle of his writing for the voice."

As such, the work can prove extremely demanding for even a well-trained voice. For this reason, the orchestra is excited to collaborate with the Bach Community Chorale, a group of 13 vocalists under the direction of Christina Jarquio Nichols. All members are either graduates or current students of the University of Missouri School of Music, many of whom specialize in Baroque music.

The musicians have been hard at work to create a performance that will thoughtfully represent how it would have been performed during Bach's lifetime. Nearly 30 instrumentalists will perform the full orchestration of the work, each part covered by its equivalent in modern instruments.

"We are taking a 'performance practice' approach, meaning our phrasing and articulation is more true to that of Bach's time period," Clark said. "With approximately 40 musicians in total, we are able to get a chamber sound cleaner and more transparent than that of a large ensemble, as it is traditionally performed."

Due to its length, the "Mass" will be performed in its near entirety, omitting only six of the 26 movements.

Conceived as a musical performance following the complete setting of the Catholic and Lutheran Masses, "Mass in B minor" is rich in sacred texts of the Ordinary of the Mass.

The English text will be placed next to the Latin in the program to allow the audience to "savor the genius setting of these words in such diverse musical contexts."

"One of the most outstanding features is Bach's handling of text," Clark said. "It is very appropriate and adds to the dramatic form of the work."

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Jefferson City at the Central United Church of Christ, 118 W. Ashley St.

Tickets are $10 for regular pew seating or $18 for the first three rows and balcony seating, and are available for purchase online at SPOJCtickets.eventbrite.com or at the door.

The orchestra can be contacted at [email protected] or 573-635-1041.