If one starts with the greatest choral composition and works backward to
the composer, then Bach by virtue of his B-minor Mass would have to stand
as the greatest choral composer.  In addition to his masterpiece, Bach also
was the composer of over 200 cantatas and 100 chorales.  He also composed
four excellent Passions, of which the Passion according to Saint Matthew
(or Saint John, depending on predilection) is among the most glorious piece
of choral music.  The irony, of course, is that all Bach's choral music is
religious, except for a few secular cantatas, and because he was a Lutheran
rather than a Catholic, he never composed a Mass that was functional (the
B-minor is nearly three hours long) nor a Requiem (Lutherans again didn't
use them at funerals).

When it comes to anthems/motets, Masses, Requiems, Canticles, and
Oratorios, composers like Mozart, Haydn, Bruckner, Beethoven, and Schubert
come to mind.  But as singularly good as any of their compositions are --
and Haydn's Masses are exceptionally good, they still do not reach the
complexity and prolix of Bach.  Yet, save the B-minor Mass and Saint
Matthew Passion, I'd rather listen to any of these other composers for
hours on end than listen to Bach.  While his compositional skills are
unparalleled, they tire easily.  Handel, on the other hand never wrote a
composition for a major choral work of Mass or Requiem, but wrote numerous
anthems and six or seven Oratorios and about an equal number of Operettas.
With the exception of the Messiah, and the anthem "I know my Redeemer
liveth," there's not much memorable as a whole.

More recently.  Elgar has composed some excellent choral pieces of
Substantial merit: The Dream of Gerontius, The Apostles, The Kingdom,
and dozens of other Oratorios and similar works.  Britten composed a
great number of religious and secular choral works, including an opera
and operetta, but his works don't have that particular umph that Vaughn
Williams, Elgar, Parry, Holst, and Stanford have.  Parry's "Jerusalem"
stands out singularly as the perfect tune, and his orchestration of it,
when done properly, brings tears to the eyes.  Those who haven't heard
his "Long in Egypt's Plenteous Land" have missed another of his stellar
compositions.  Britten is perhaps more stylized, but not the greater for
it.

D. Stephen Heersink
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