Bach, Johann Sebastian: Mass in B min BWV 232
score
Edited by Uwe Wolf, one of the Directors of Research at the Bach Archive Leipzig, this new edition of the Mass will present new findings and new insights. For the first time the Dresden parts of 1733, which were largely written by Bach, are included as valuable additional source material to the autograph score. At the same time state-of-the-art scientific methods (x-ray spectograph ) into Bach's manuscript score shed light on additions made by C.P.E. Bach and others. The methods also enable in-depth analysis of areas which have been eroded to a large extent by ink gall erosion.
The ' Dresden Parts' Valuable information to the readings of the autograph score of the Missa can be drawn from the ' Dresden parts' of 1733, largely written by Bach himself. The different readings of the parts are clearly differentiated from the readings of the autograph score by the use of passages printed in grey.
In search of the original state of the autograph manuscript using scientific methods For the first time annotations by J. S. Bach and C. P. E. Bach can be differentiated using ink analysis (x-ray spectrography of over 500 places in the score). All corrections, additions and alterations by Bach's son and places which remain doubtful (because of iron gall ink erosion) appear in the edition in square brackets.
In the autumn of 1923, a young man produced the first music editions of his newly founded publishing house in his parents’ living room. He named his company Bärenreiter. In the spring of 1924 when Karl Vötterle came of age, he was able to register it with the German Publishers and Booksellers Association. At first, he mainly put out folk song collections, church as well as organ music including early music by Leonhard Lechner and Heinrich Schütz, at the time primarily known in specialist circles.
During the last months of the Second World War, the publishing house in Kassel was destroyed and once more a fresh beginning had to be made. With the start of the extensive German music encyclopaedia MGG – "Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart" – as well as numerous series of scholarly-critical complete editions such as the “New Mozart Edition” and the “New Bach Edition”, the visionary founder of the publisher created the basis for the further development of Bärenreiter. The musicological editions increasingly aroused interest abroad, and Bärenreiter found itself on an expansion course.
When Karl Votterle died in 1975, his daughter Barbara took over the helm, supported by her husband Leonhard Scheuch. Under their leadership, the catalogue grew significantly and the brand BÄRENREITER URTEXT was established. Finally, in 2003, their son Clemens Scheuch joined the publisher which today he is managing together with his parents. Thus Bärenreiter has remained a family business to this day and has become a company of international standing in the world of classical music.
