Musical Rhetoric as basis for an expressiveandmeaningful performance in Baroquerepertoire. Case study: „The Great Mass in B Minor”by Johann Sebastian Bach

Abstract

The article aims to emphasize the role of the musical rhetoric in understanding aesthetic ideals of Baroque period and to reveal how it works as basis for decisions regarding the performance. Previous investigations during the 20th century were largely focused on reconstructing the “authentic” sound. The outcomes were useful in determining how to perform the notes written in the score. This paper is based on a complementary opposite approach that starts from the analysis of the notes written in the score. It will be shown by examples of rhetorical exegesis on extracts from Bach’s Mass in B minor how the musicians are enhanced with tremendous ideas for a meaningful, moving, and enchanting performance.