I never know what I do feel. -- I don't think that matters, provided one doesn't try to persuade one's self into appropriate feelings. - D.L. Sayers
Chorales
2007, October 08
Cross Relation
A cross or false relation in BWV 40.6?
A cross or false relation may exist between the alto and the soprano between measures 8 and 9 in a chorale from BWV 40.
Listen to the illustration
View entire chorale
Listen to entire chorale
Definitions:
False relation: In harmony, the appearance of a note with the same letter-name in different parts (or 'voices') of contiguous or the same chords, in one case inflected with a sharp or flat and in the other uninflected; e.g. E natural and E flat in the same chord or adjacent chords. American term is 'cross relation'. Partly from The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music, 1980, edited by Michael Kennedy.
False relations may exist (a) between two notes of the same chord; (b) between different parts of adjacent chords; (c) of a tritone between two notes in adjacent chords.
Wikipedia definition
Everything definition
The F sharp in the alto part followed by an F natural in the soprano part in the illustration above would seem to fit all the criteria for a false or cross relation. But, I ask, does it?
The soprano voice has the structure A A B B. Though the soprano exactly repeats the A and B, the harmonization of the repeated phrases is completely different. The alto F sharp is at the end of a phrase, and the soprano F natural is at the beginning of a new phrase, and in fact, measure 8 is the end of the part A and measure 9 is the beginning of the next part B. Thus, though the notes appear in adjacent chords on the paper, musically they seem as separated from one another as the two sides of a river. So I am not sure that these notes really stand in a false relation to one another.
2007, October 01
The Revision
The revision begins, based on the Complete Cantatas of J. S. Bach from Bärenreiter, the study score in 19 volumes.
The Complete Cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach, Bärenreiter 2007; Catalog number TP2004
Alphabetic index of the Complete Cantatas
BWV index of the Complete Cantatas
Today marks the start of the revision of all files on JSBChorales.net. This edition presents the cantatas in the order of the church calendar so the chorales from the cantatas will be uploaded in that order. For this 'definitive' revision (hopefully) I am starting this new page and am keeping the old corrections page as this archive. I will focus first on the four-part chorales, and leave the other, more complex chorales until after the four-part harmonizations are complete.
Each time a new upload occurs, all sets will be updated. New pdf sets will contain the new layout with the tenor part in the one octave down G clef. This file will now be the one linked on the pdf column of the list pages; the chorale with the tenor in the bass clef will be included in the sets, with the suffix 'f' (for F clef) in the file name. It will not be linked on the pages, but is included because it may be easier for keyboard players to read. Until the chorale is updated, the original file name will be the file with the tenor in bass clef; the change to the G clef tenor will not occur until the upload of the new revision.I know this will be confusing; unrevised pdfs will have tenor in bass clef, updated pdfs will have the tenor in the octave down G clef. A way around this would be to wait to upload the pdfs until the entire revision is complete but I would prefer to make the files available as they are done. Another solution would be to keep the bass clef file with the original name, and make a new name for the G clef file. However, this would entail changing every pdf name in my entire database and on every page of the web site - not feasible.
When the entire revision is complete, the standard file name will have the chorale with the tenor in octave down G clef, and the pdf with the tenor in bass clef will have an 'f' added to the name.
006206.pdf - tenor in octave down G clef
006206f.pdf - tenor in bass or F clef.
I am very excited about this project, mostly because I have wanted the set of full cantata scores for about 13 years, when I discovered them in the San Francisco Public Library. I am so happy that Bärenreiter has made this study score available. The link is at about the middle of the page, under "Highlights of our Program."
2007, September 24
New Edition and a Revisit to May 18
Just received, the Complete Cantatas of J. S. Bach from Bärenreiter, the study score in 19 volumes.
The very beautiful, very perfect NBA edition from Bärenreiter of all the cantatas in a 19 volume study format has arrived at my doorstep and I have been buried all weekend happily exploring. Just holding the books makes my heart stand still. Previously, any reference to the NBA edition entailed a trip to the UC Berkeley music library to use their large format library edition, which probably costs in the neighborhood of $20,000 to $30,000.
Now we have an affordable, accessible complete edition in the comfort and convenience of home. I will use this edition for the proofreading of the files at JSBChorales.net. New measure numbers will reflect pick-up measures and I will change the clef for the tenor part to the octave down G clef as used in this new edition.
Since I work full time, this complete update, a major project, will take considerable time. Revised files will be listed on the the update page as they are completed.
Again, be aware that copies of files on another person's server may not be correct. I can not be responsible for updating files on another person's server, even if my name is attached to them. My name associated with copies on another person's website does not mean that they have been been kept current.
And, also again, be aware that when the midi files are imported into a notation program, accidentals may be enharmonically incorrect. For instance a G sharp may be notated as an A flat.
If possible, please always check files against a reliable edition.
2007, May 18
Chorale Files, Accuracy and Responsibility
Anyone using the Bach midi files should check the accuracy of the parts with a reliable edition of the chorales.
Because many errors have been found in the chorale files at JSBChorales.net, I am embarking on a proofreading mission through all the files. At the same time I will change measure numbers so that pick-up measures are not included in the numbering, as is the standard.
Since I work full time, this complete update will take considerable time. Revised files will be listed on the the update page as they are completed.
Be aware that copies of files on another person's server may not be correct. I can not be responsible for updating files on another person's server, even if my name is attached to them. My name associated with copies on another person's website does not mean that they have been been kept current.
In general people who wish to link to the files have been helpful and cooperative and have linked to my pages so that incorrect files are not proliferated.
Also, be aware that when the midi files are imported into a notation program, accidentals may be enharmonically incorrect. For instance a G sharp may be notated as an A flat.
If possible, please always check files against a reliable edition.
Chorale Editions
An overview and comparison of the editions of the chorales.
I have used the following editions in the preparation of the midi files of the chorales appearing on JSBChorales.net. Initially I used the Riemenschneider edition; it has some misprints and misleading voice notations, and coupled with input errors on my part there have been many errors uncovered in the chorales through the years. I have done ongoing corrections when I or a reader has found errors. As you can see on the Update page, many people have contributed to the correction process.
| J.S. Bach Four Part Chorales
by Johann Sebastian Bach, Imre Sulyok (Editor), Editio Musica Budapest 1982 Note: Reliable |
| Bach Chorales from the C.P.E.Bach Collection
by Johann Sebastian Bach, Frieder Rempp (Editor), Barenreiter 2002; Catalog number 5237 Note: New Bach Work Edition. Generally reliable. See note below. |
| Bach 389 Chorales
by Johann Sebastian Bach, Kalmus Edition, Belwin Mills Publishing Corp. Kalmus Catalog K06002. Note: Old Bach Work Edition, I have found no errors. |
| Bach 371 Harmonized Chorales
ed Riemenschneider, G. Schirmer 1941 Note: Old Bach Work Edition, many errors. |
| J.S. Bach Complete Church Cantatas
by Johann Sebastian Bach, CD Sheet Music, LLC, distributed by Theodore Presser. Note: Old Bach Work Edition, vocal scores with piano reduction. |
| J.S. Bach Keyboard Music and 371 Chorales
by Johann Sebastian Bach, CD Sheet Music, LLC, distributed by Theodore Presser. Note: This is a digitized Riemenschneider. |
An example of an inconsistency in the editions is the chorale, BWV 14.5, Barenreiter #182 (Kalmus #330), is unlike the chorale in the source cantata BWV 14.5; it has a repeat sign and if written out, at the point where the second repeat ends and the remainder of the chorale starts, successive 5ths are created between the bass and the alto. This does not exist in the cantata version because there is not a repeat, and Bach changed the bass and alto notes in the chord at the beginning of the next phrase. The Kalmus edition is correct. See the illustration.
From the cantata
From the Riemenschneider edition
For singers, the Kalmus edition is convenient, has the German words to the chorales, is accurate and a nice size. For keyboard players, the Musica Budapest edition is reliable, a good size and easy to read.
2006, July 25
JSBChorales.net revision
New pages with server side includes means .shtml on all back pages.
A new revision of the entire web site at JSBChorales.net will go up this weekend, July 28. The index page and the text-only page will be the same, but the extension on all other back pages will be changed from .html to .shtml. There will be some 404 errors at first, but I have tracked down the links to back pages I could find and notified the owners so that they could change their links to the home page.
