rssOne may know how to conquer without being able to do it. - Sun Tzu
2010, May 27
Bach's motets and motet style
In many cantatas, Dürr refers to a "motet style". What does this mean?
J.S. Bach and the German Motet by Daniel R. Melamed: Front matter pages
J.S. Bach and the German Motet by Daniel R. Melamed at Google Books
J.S. Bach and the German Motet by Daniel R. Melamed in the Cambridge catalog
J.S. Bach and the German Motet by Daniel R. Melamed at aLibris
Janette Tilley. Review of Melamed, Daniel R., J. S. Bach and the German Motet. H-German, H-Net Reviews. October, 2006. URL: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=12387
The word motet was applied to various styles of music, depending on time and locale. The German motet between 1700 and 1750 was characterized by specific types of text and music.
- Sacred vocal music for a four part choir, or for two choirs, each four parts
- If instruments were added, they followed the vocal lines, were not independent
- Music was contrapuntal, imitative, sometimes incorporating techniques of fugue
- Setting of a biblical text (Sprüche)
- A chorale was sometimes sung in counterpoint to the biblical text
- Not so dramatic as the oratorios and cantatas, no characters or roles
Important to writers of the motets was the well-regulated harmonic coherence (Melamed p 18, quoting Scheibe); the text was secondary (perhaps because it was familiar to the listeners) and clarity of the words was sacrificed to the flow of the harmony.
Melamed (p17 quoting Mattheson), writes: In this motet style, both the understanding of the words (that is, the sense of the text) and the proper, natural course of a pleasant melody suffer too much.
Melamed p 13, distinguishes between 'motets' and 'concertos' by the role of the instruments. In motets, the instruments doubled the voices; in concertos, instrumental parts were independent.
To recap, motets in Germany in Bach's time were written for voice, with instruments sometimes added to double the voice parts. The form is imitative, related to fugue, presents a biblical quote and sometimes incorporates a chorale melody (Choralmotette). They differed from the cantatas, which Bach called concertos.
Melamed's chronology of the motets: (p 102)
159a 1712/13 or older
228 1715
160 before 1725
225 1726/27
226 1729
227 1723-1735
229 before 1731
118 1736/37
118 1746/47
230 no date
Melamed lists some cantatas with chorales set in motet style:
4.5, 182.7, 2.1, 38.1, 121.1, 28.2, 14.1, 80.1.
He also lists cantatas with biblical texts set in motet style:
29.2, 64.1, 68.5, 71.3, 108.4, 144.1, 179.1.
Dürr refers to the motet style in other cantata sections, among them BWV 21.9, 28.2, 187.1, 2.1, 46.1, 14.1, 121.1. 144.1, 179.1, 63.1, 63.7 and 71.7.
It is impossible to convey the character of the motet style in words; I am just beginning to explore this area myself and I will discuss the motets in their chronological order, and the cantata sections as they arise. Listening to the music is the best way to develop an understanding.
My recordings of the Bach motets
BWV 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 159a, 118b
Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki
Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan
Release Date: 2/2/2010
Bis 1841
YouTube BIS Suzuki preview
BWV 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 118/231, Anh 165, 144, 38, 159a, deest BC C8
Conductor: Jörg Straube
Nord Deutscher Figural Chor, Baroque Brass of London, Bach-Orchester Hanover
Release Date: 9/30/2003
Thorofon CTH 2481/2
Nord Deutscher Figural Chor Website
Seven pages of more recordings of the Bach motets on Bach-Cantatas.com
Web References
Obviously it is possible to write forever about motet style, 16th century counterpoint and the Bach motets. Here are some resources I found. I will try to address some issues with each separate piece as it is posted.
by Carol Traupman-Carr on Bach 101
BWV 226
BWV 228
BWV 229
BWV 230
BWV 159a
Short article about the motet form, author unknown
Article on Bach-Cantatas.com
Article by Hoffmann on Bach-Cantatas.com
Steve Schwartz, very nice review and description
Article about Bach motets by Natalie Beck
The music
Hilliard ensemble on YouTube | ||
|
159a 225 1 225 2 225 3 226 1 226 2 226 3 |
227 1 227 2 227 3 227 4 227 5 227 6 227 7 227 8 227 9 227 10 227 11 |
228 1 228 2 228 3 229 1 229 2 229 3 229 4 230 |
John Eliot Gardiner on YouTube: Der Gerechte kommt um, a five part vocal piece, SSATB, originally an a cappella composition probably by Johann Kuhnau on the text "Tristis est anima mea", which was translated into German and instruments added, probably by Bach.
