Parody and Theological Consistency: Notes on Bach’s A-Major Mass

The small group of Lutheran Masses, long generally dismissed as works Bach hastily put together from earlier cantata movements, were virtually rescued from oblivion through Christoph Wolffs significant study. ¹ As Wolff pointed out, the Lutheran Masses must be viewed in the context of Bach's growing interest in the Mass compositions of earlier Italian masters, and the parody work involved can by no means be judged cursory but is predominantly of a high caliber. ²