Bach: Missae Breves (Lutheran Masses) - BWV233, BWV234, BWV235 and BWV236

"This new release from Cantus Cölln containing the four complete extant masses has it all: terrific sound, smart tempos, clear articulation, artful ensemble, and vibrant, energetic performances. Konrad Junghänel's chorus--two on a part--strikes a nice balance between Herreweghe's 18 voices (Virgin) and the one-to-a-part rendition on Chandos. The soloists--very important in these works--are all very good, and the orchestra enlivens every aspect of the performances, especially notable for the contributions of winds and horns. No matter how you look at it, this is first-rate Bach, and first-rate music that never should be relegated to adjunct status, and these excellent performances are proof enough."
(10/10 Performance & Sound Quality Classics Today June 2007)

In comparison to his 200 or so cantatas, the masses take up only a minimal portion of Bach's enormous output; they are dominated, of course, by the celebrated (and Catholic) Mass in B minor, which Cantus Cölln recorded in 2003. Contrary to what their Latin titles might seem to imply, the four short masses, composed in Leipzig between 1735 and 1744, belong to the sphere of the Reformed liturgy, and are therefore limited to the Kyrie and Gloria, with just six separate numbers in each mass.