The Sixteen - J S Bach Mass in B minor

The Sixteen is a tiny soundbite of Heaven. - The Times.

In trying to find words to describe the sheer wonder and remarkable power of Bach’s B Minor Mass one quickly runs out of superlatives. Scholars debate as to whether Bach ever imagined it being performed complete, about quite how he ever thought it could fit into either the Lutheran or Catholic traditions, and the extent to which he might have seen it as a summation of his life’s work. All of which is fascinating, but none of which should distract from the work’s majesty, the profound journey it takes us on through episodes of striking power and intimacy, f rom the penitential Kyrie, through to the life-affirming Sanctus and the reflective grace of the Agnus Dei.

Harry Christophers and his choir The Sixteen have for 30 years made the case for Early Music as being music for today – those who have followed their performances have been richly rewarded.