Title: Mass in B minor
Composer: Johannes Sebastian Bach
Performed by: The Gewandhaus Orchestra and Choir
Soloists: Anna Larsson, Dietrich Henschel
Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt
Venue: St. Thomas Church, Germany
Year: 2005

Bach’s Mass in B minor was written in 1749, a year before he died, pulling music from decades of his career. It was his “final statement”. He reworked his compositions to fit the Mass text, showing how he could refine his best ideas. The choral sections are some of the richest, most complex polyphony he ever wrote. It’s challenging for singers and instrumentalists, demanding vocal agility and stamina, especially in the fast fugues and ornamented arias. This is the Mount Everest of choral music.