The Credo in Bach’s B-minor Mass

Abstract This article examines the way the musical structure of the Credo of Bach’s B-minor Mass qualifies the meaning both of the “I” of “I believe” and of the act of believing. As the Credo goes along, the “I” becomes increasingly inclusive, and those included become a community. Correlatively, “believing” comes to mean not only affirming the truth of the narrative of divine actions but also coming into a relationship both with the agent of these actions and with other believers. Consequently, for listeners who include themselves in the “I,” the hearing of the Credo becomes a mode of spiritual practice; it has devotional as well as cognitive significance. The article also examines the meaning of the Credo for listeners who do not include themselves in the “I.”