Masses, Passions, Oratorios is the subject of the second series of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe (NBA, New Bach Edition), a publication of Johann Sebastian Bach's music from 1954 to 2007. In the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV, catalogue of Bach's compositions) masses, passions and oratorios refers to two chapters: Chapter 3: Messen, Messensätze, Magnificat (Masses, Mass movements, Magnificat), original range: BWV 232–243 Chapter 4: Passionen, Oratorien (Passions, Oratorios), original range: BWV 244–249 In the BWV, as in Series II of the NBA, the group thus also includes Bach's Magnificat and separate mass movements.
Further the second series of the NBA and/or the 1998 updated edition of the BWV (BWV2a) group some new additions to the BWV catalogue with the masses, passions and oratorios (e.g. Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden, BWV 1083, Bach's adaptation of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater), and regroup some compositions that were formerly associated with other genres in the masses, passions and oratorios group (e.g. BWV 11, published as a cantata in the 19th century, added to the group as an oratorio).
Also various items in the BWV Anhang (BWV Anh., annex to the BWV), or even unmentioned in the BWV (BWV deest, lacking a BWV number) are associated with this group, for instance the motet Der Gerechte kömmt um, BC C 8, arranged, probably by Bach, from the Tristis est anima mea motet attributed to Johann Kuhnau. Such compositions or movements usually have a Bach Digital Work (BDW) page at the website.
Masses, mass movements and Magnificat
Mass with all usual sections
BWV 232 – Mass in B minor
Kyrie–Gloria masses
BWV 232I, early version – Missa in B minor for the Dresden court (1733), re-used as part I of the Mass in B minor BWV 233 – Missa in F major BWV 234 – Missa in A major BWV 235 – Missa in G minor BWV 236 – Missa in G major
Cantata based on BWV 232I
BWV 191 – Cantata Gloria in excelsis Deo
Separate mass movements
BWV 232II, early version – Credo in G major (1748–49?) BWV 232III, early version – Sanctus for six vocal parts (1724) BWV 233a – (early version of Kyrie from BWV 233) BWV 237 – Sanctus in C major BWV 238 – Sanctus in D major BWV 239 – Sanctus in D minor (based on the first section of the Gloria of Antonio Caldara's Missa Providentiae) BWV 240 – Sanctus in G major (spurious, unknown composer) BWV 241 – Sanctus in D major (arrangement of Sanctus from Johann Caspar Kerll's Missa superba) BWV 242 – Christe eleison in G minor (composed by Bach for a mass by Francesco Durante, BWW Anh. 26)
Latin Magnificat
BWV 243 – Magnificat in D major
BWV 243a – Magnificat in E-flat major, early version of BWV 243, containing four Latin and German interpolations related to Christmas
German Magnificat cantatas
BWV 10 – Meine Seel erhebt den Herren (German Magnificat) BWV 189 – Meine Seele rühmt und preist on a German paraphrase of the Magnificat text, attributed to Melchior Hoffmann. BWV Anh. 21 – Meine Seel erhebt den Herren, a.k.a. Kleine Magnificat (small Magnificat), Magnificat in A minor, by Melchior Hoffmann.
