rssWe live and learn in the book of our fellow-men. - Ellis Peters
Cantata
2011, March 31
First YouTube Videos
I have spent the last week making my first YouTube videos. There was no upload for Cantata BWV 136 which is my next post, so I made a set. Here are the links and now I can get busy and finish the post.
BWV 136.1 and 136.2 Koopman
BWV 136.3 and 136.4 Koopman
BWV 136.5 and 136.6 Koopman
2011, March 16
Cantata BWV 186
JS Bach Cantata BWV 186: Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht
(Trouble thyself not, O Soul)
Seventh Sunday after Trinity July 11, 1723
Scoring: Oboe I,II, Oboe da caccia, Bassoon, Violin I,II, Viola, Continuo
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
Bärenreiter vol 7; p 175
Reading: Epistle Romans 6:19-23
Reading: Gospel: Mark 8:1-9
Words: Unknown librettist
Bach Bibliography
Recordings
Next on the calendar, the Visitation of Mary, is BWV 147, created from a shorter cantata, 147a, written in Weimar.
Comments re BWV 147 from Julian Mincham.
Discussion
Literature
Dürr p 440-444
Whittaker vol 1 p 200-207
Green p 393-396
Terry vol 2 p 464
Boyd p 14
For the seventh Sunday after Trinity, the eighth cantata in the first Leipzig year is BWV 186, another "double" cantata. This cantata is a revised version of the unrecorded BWV 186a, written in Weimar for the third Sunday of Advent. Originally this was a short cantata, adapted by adding recitatives and altering the text. This is the last large scale cantata until six months later when BWV 70 closed the church year; one more, BWV 20, was written two years later. Cantata 30, also a 12 part piece, was an adaptation of a secular cantata, adapted for St. Johns nativity in 1738.
Part 1
1 Chorus: Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht
A rondo form - A B A B A -
Instruments only measures 1-8
A: measures 9-22 (see comments below)
B: measures 22-27
Instruments only measures 27-28
A: measures 29-38
B: measures 39-43
A: measures 44-49
Fugue entrances sound: first 4 notes entrance in measure 9; second 4 notes, entrance measure 29.
Whittaker says of the voices entering at measure 9: The chorus enters with a remarkable passage indicative of doubt, the voices beginning with sustained tones, entering from top to bottom with a striking series of notes...Below, the bassi move in the rising arpeggi. A more arresting choral passage cannot be conceived; even after repeated hearings the chain of dissonances, each entry almost seeming wrong, holds one in breathless suspense.
2 Bass recitative: Die Knechtsgestalt, die Not, der Mangel
A straight declamatory recitative. All the recitatives in this cantata end with an arioso section, this one starting in measure 16
3 Bass aria: Bist du, der mir helfen soll
A rhythmic and tuneful aria.
4 Tenor recitative: Ach, daß ein Christ so sehr
Koopman's piece is plaintive, Harnoncourt more forceful. Arioso starts in measure 16
5 Tenor aria: Mein Heiland läßt sich merken
The tenor seems to be enjoying this tuneful aria, a happy change of pace from the previous statement.
6 Chorale: Ob sich's anließ, als wollt er nicht
A lovely extended chorale with the oboes and violins in a dialogue in the instrumental intervals.
The chorale on Bach Cantatas.com
C.S. Terry comments on the chorale in a PDF excerpt
Part 2: After the sermon
7 Bass recitative: Es ist die Welt die große Wüstenei
The arioso starts in measure 16.
I would point out the translation of the line:
Damit sie nur der Welt sich desto mehr entziehen
Emmanuel Music: with which the world attracts them only more (doesn't make sense)
Dürr: Which causes them all the more to withdraw from the world
Z.P. Ambrose: So that they but the world may all the more forsake now;
8 Soprano aria: Die Armen will der Herr umarmen
Dürr characterizes this aria and part 5, the tenor aria, as examples of a concertante style, unlike the bass aria, part 3. The bass aria is written in a style more common to the earlier Bach, with a solo part over a continuo ground bass. Part 5 and part 8 alternate instrumental measures with the vocal soloist's part.
9 Alto recitative: Nun mag die Welt mit ihrer Lust vergehen;
This is a rather straightforward statement. The arioso starts in measure 16.
10 Soprano alto duet: Laß, Seele, kein Leiden
Dürr remarks that this piece is dance like, a gigue. I like Koopman's quicker tempo, but I like the alto and soprano best in Leusink's recording. Harnoncourt's slow tempo changes the character of the piece, it is nearly funereal, which I don't think pairs well with the lyrics.
11 Chorale: Die Hoffnung wart' der rechten Zeit
Identical with the conclusion of Part 1, the extended chorale.
The chorale on Bach Cantatas.com
C.S. Terry comments on the chorale in a PDF excerpt
The music
Harnoncourt
1 chorus, 2 recitative bass, 3 aria bass, 4 recitative tenor
5 aria tenor, 6 chorale, 7 recitative bass, 8 aria
9 recitative alto, 10 aria soprano alto, 11 chorale
Instruments and voices for each part
| Section | Instruments, voices |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chorus, Oboe I,II, Oboe da caccia, bassoon, violin I,II, viola, continuo |
| 2 | Bass recitative, continuo |
| 3 | Bass aria, continuo |
| 4 | Tenor recitative, continuo |
| 5 | Tenor aria, oboe I, violin I,II, continuo |
| 6 | Extended chorale SATB, oboe I,II, violin I,II, viola, continuo |
| 7 | Bass recitative, violin I,II, viola, continuo |
| 8 | Soprano aria, violin I,II in unison, continuo |
| 9 | Alto recitative, continuo |
| 10 | Soprano alto aria, oboe I,II, violin I,II, viola, continuo |
| 11 | Extended chorale SATB, oboe I,II, violin I,II, viola, continuo |
References
Emmanuel Notes BWV 186.
Emmanuel Translation BWV 186.
Discussion from Bach Cantatas Website.
Recordingsfrom Bach Cantatas Website.
Discussion on WikiPedia
Classical.net discussion, Simon Crouch.
John Eliot Gardiner Cantatas Recording.
From Julian Mincham
2011, March 03
Cantata BWV 167
JS Bach Cantata BWV 167: Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe
(You people, glorify God's love)
Feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist June 24 1723
Scoring: Trumpet (clarino), Oboe, Oboe da caccia, Violin I,II, Viola, Continuo
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
Bärenreiter vol 12; p 25-46
Reading: Epistle: Isaiah 40:1-5
Reading: Gospel: Luke 1:57-80
Words: Unknown librettist
Bach Bibliography
Recordings
Discussion
Literature
Dürr p 681-684
Whittaker vol 1 p 418-421
Green p 356-358
Terry vol 2 p 443
Boyd p 237
The feast for the nativity of St. John the Baptist is assigned to June 24, this year it will be on a Friday. This cantata was performed first on a Sunday. Boyd finds the music consistently interesting and often inspired. Whittaker complains that the librettist presents us with a string of insipid reflections...yet there is not a dull number.
1 Tenor aria: Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe
Boyd states that this movement is a very clear example of modified da capo structure (A-B-A') that Bach was largely responsible for developing. Dürr says that this opening aria is of exceptional charm. It is a pastorale that reflects a mood of relaxed joyfulness. He finds the texture is essentially homophonic. For Whittaker, the music suggests the flowing Jordan with its gracious undulating phrases
2 Alto recitative: Gelobet sei der Herr Gott Israel
Dry recitative that closes with an arioso starting in measure 13.
3 Soprano alto aria duet: Gottes Wort, das trüget nicht
Green states: there is a prominent and difficult oboe da caccia solo. The alto and soprano move mostly at the same time, and there is an impression of parallel motion; however, examination of the score shows that this is not the case. Dürr finds that this part is, like the opening aria, not conceived in genuinely polyphonic terms. The close proximity in pitch of the obbligato instrument and the voice parts again creates a dense, full sound.
4 Bass recitative: Des Weibes Samen kam,
Measures 14 and 15, the end of the recitative, state the beginning of the melody of the coming chorale.
5 Chorale: Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren
Discussion of chorale by C.S. Terry in PDF excerpt
Sample of chorale played by Yo-Yo Ma from Simply Baroque
From C.S. Terry, the melody ascribed to Johann Kugelmann 1540 Augsburg
Another use of the melody by Bach in BWV 29.8
Old hundredth tune from wikipedia
Personally, I think these melodies are very similar, though no one acknowledges a common ancestor.
Dürr states that this concluding song of praise is the true high point of the work...The instruments surround and accompany the choral texture with their own thematic material, which in the chorale passages is skilfully combined with the prescribed melody, with the result that the work is crowned with an unexpected radiance.
The music
by Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Aria and recitative
Aria duet soprano alto
Recitative and chorale
Instruments and voices for each part
| Instruments, voices | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Tenor aria, violin I,II, viola, continuo (NBA: organ) |
| 2 | Alto recitative, continuo (NBA: organ) |
| 3 | Soprano alto aria, oboe da caccia, continuo (NBA: organ) |
| 4 | Bass recitativ, continuo (NBA: organ) |
| 5 | Chorale SATB, clarino, violin I,II, viola, continuo (NBA: organ) |
Biblical references for each part
References for the text: King James Bible
| Scripture | Text | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Luke 1:68 | Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people |
| 1 | Luke 1:69 | And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David |
References for the text: Luther's German Bible
| Scripture | Text | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Luke 1:68 | Gelobet sei der HERR, der Gott Israels; denn er hat besucht und erlöset sein Volk |
| 1 | Luke 1:69 | und hat uns aufgerichtet ein Horn des Heils in dem Hause seines Dieners David |
References
Emmanuel Notes BWV 167.
Emmanuel Translation BWV 167.
Discussion from Bach Cantatas Website.
Recordingsfrom Bach Cantatas Website.
Classical.net discussion, Simon Crouch.
John Eliot Gardiner Cantatas Recording.
From Julian Mincham
2011, February 22
Cantata BWV 24
JS Bach Cantata BWV 24: Ein ungefärbt Gemüte von deutcher Treu und Gute
(An unstained mind of German truth and goodness)
Fourth Sunday after Trinity June 20 1723
Scoring: Clarino, Oboe/Oboe d'amore I,II, Violin I,II, Viola, Continuo
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
Bärenreiter vol 6; p 555
Reading: Epistle Romans 8:18-23
Reading: Gospel Luke 6:36-42
Words: Erdmann Neumeister
Bach Bibliography
Recordings
Discussion
Literature
Dürr p 418-422
Whittaker vol 1 p 553-558
Green p 57-59
Terry vol 2 p 190
Boyd (Alberto Basso) p 150-151
Bach's first week in Leipzig saw BWV 75, a "double" cantata, the second week saw BWV 76, likewise a cantata in two parts. The third week he presented BWV 21, an earlier cantata from Weimar with eleven sections.
This fourth week BWV 24 forms one half of the musical offering for this Sunday; the other half was the Leipzig version of Cantata BWV 185. Alberto Basso feels that the juxtaposition of these two texts, which differ greatly in structure, was surely not fortuitous; rather it seems to have been done purposely in order to compare two distinct compositional models.
Whittaker is very unhappy with this cantata, the text and the music. I cannot agree with his criticisms.
1 Alto aria: Ein ungefärbt Gemüte
The violins and viola in unison play an obbligato, assimilated to such an extent that strings, alto and continuo blend into a unified trio texture. - Dürr.
2 Tenor recitative: Die Redlichkeit
Starts out with straight declamation, ends with a melodic arioso starting halfway through measure 20.
3 Chorus: Alles nun, das ihr wollet
The centerpiece of the cantata, the entire text is first sung in a free choral setting, and then again as a fugue - a transference to the vocal domain, so to speak, of the instrumental form of prelude and fugue. - Dürr.
Green says the choral writing is very contrapuntal. Bach juxtaposes the chorus as a four-part texture combining passages of homophonic writing, and paired imitation in canon against the orchestra which follows with like textures a measure later. The second half of this chorus is a double fugue which begins with a solo quartet and gradually becomes full choir. He goes on to say that this is one of the two most challenging sections, the complex contrapuntal textures may require particular attention to acheive linear clarity from the ensemble.
Measure 1 to 37 is the prelude section, the fugue starts in measure 37 with voices only, instruments enter at measure 59 and double the voices, except for the clarino which has an independent line.
4 Bass recitative: Die Heuchelei
Once again, opens with strong assertions, then ends with melodic arioso starting at the end of measure 18.
5 Tenor aria: Treu und Wahrheit sei der Grund
Green states that the oboes d'amore have an exposed and sustained duet throughout.
6 Chorale: O Gott, du frommer Gott
Discussion of the chorale melody on Cantatas.com
PDF excerpt of chorale discussion by C.S. Terry
The orchestra is independent of the choir, making this the other of the two most challenging sections. - Green
The music
Ton Koopman, The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir
Cantata "Ein ungefärbt Gemüte von deutcher Treu und Gute" BWV 24
1. Aria alto
2. Recitativ tenor
3. Chorus
4. Recitativ bass Klaus Mertens
5. Aria tenor
6. Chorale
PDF of full score in old clefs
Instruments and voices for each part
| Instruments, voices | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Alto, violin I,II, and viola in unison, continuo (NBA: organ) |
| 2 | Tenor, continuo (NBA: organ) |
| 3 | SATB, clarino, oboe I,II, violin I,II, viola, continuo (NBA: organ) |
| 4 | Bass recitativ, violin I,II, viola, continuo (NBA: organ) |
| 5 | Tenor aria, oboe d'amore I,II, continuo (NBA: organ) |
| 6 | Chorale SATB, oboe I,II, violin I,II, viola, continuo (NBA: organ) |
Biblical references for each part
References for the text: King James Bible, Luther Bible 1545
| Scripture | Text | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Matthew 7:12 | Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. |
| 3 | Matthew 7:12 | Alles nun, was ihr wollet, daß euch die Leute tun sollen, das tut ihr ihnen; das ist das Gesetz und die Propheten. |
References
Emmanuel Notes BWV 24.
Emmanuel Translation BWV 24.
Discussion from Bach Cantatas Website.
Recordings from Bach Cantatas Website.
Classical.net discussion, Simon Crouch.
John Eliot Gardiner Cantatas Recording.
From Julian Mincham
