Cantata BWV 122 - Discussions

Cantata BWV 122
Das neugeborene Kindelein
Discussions - Part 2

Continue from Part 1

Discussions in the Week of December 17, 2006

Roar Myrheim wrote (December 16, 2006):
Introduction to BWV 122 - "Das neugeborene Kindelein"

Week of December 17, 2006

Cantata BWV 122, "Das neugeborene Kindelein", for 1^st Sunday after Christmas Day

Second Annual Cantata Cycle, Leipzig
Composed for 1st performance December 31, 1724 in Leipzig.

Main Cantata page: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV122.htm
Previous Discussion: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV122-D.htm

Provenance: (Origin & Owner history): http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Ref/BWV122-Ref.htm
Comentaries: (Robertson, Young, Finscher): http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Guide/BWV122-Guide.htm

Text:

German: http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/122.html
English: http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach/BWV122.html
English, interlinear: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV122-Eng3.htm
Other translations: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV122.htm

Score Vocal & Piano: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV122-V&P.pdf

Recordings: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV122.htm#RC
Listen to Leusink recording [5] (free streaming download): http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Stream/BWV122-Leusink.ram

Libretto: Unknown (Young assumes it could be Bach himself)
Based on the hymn of Cyriakus Schneegaß: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Schneegass.htm with the same name as the cantata (1597).
Chorale Text: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale123-Eng3.htm
Chorale Melody: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Das-neugeborne.htm

Readings: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Read/Christmas1.htm
Epistle: Galatians 4: 1-7 "Christ is sent to redeem those under the law"
Gospel: Luke 2: 33-40 "Christ is born for the redemption of Israel"

======================================

Structure:

1. Chorus SATB (1st verse of chorale)
Oboe I/II, Taille, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

2. Aria B (2nd verse of chorale paraphrased)
Continuo

3. Recitative (and instrumental Chorale) S (2nd verse of chorale paraphrased in 1^st part of recitative)
Flauto I-III, Continuo

4. Chorale A e Aria (Duetto) S, T (3rd verse of chorale quoted by alto, while soprano and tenor sing Tropus style interwoven commentaries)
Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

5. Recitative B (thematically related to 4th verse of chorale)
Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

6. Chorale SATB (4th verse of chorale)
Oboe I e Violino I col Soprano, Oboe II e Violino II coll'Alto, Taille e Viola col Tenore, Continuo

==================================================

Themes of the cantata:

The 1st verse of the hymn is quoted in Mvt. 1. Here the coming of Jesus is connected to a new year for the Christians. I think we can see a parallel here to the epistle text: Gal 4,3-5 ". we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons." These two conditions - before and after Christ - can perfectly well be called an "old" and a "new year/age".

In Mvt. 2, a paraphrase of the 2nd verse, we are told that even if we are sinners, we are the joy of the angels, because God is reconciled with us.

In the beginning of the recitative in Mvt. 3, the same is repeated, and in the second part, there is a reference to the old and new covenant. Again this compares well to the quotation above from the epistle reading.

In Mvt. 4, the alto quotes verse 3 of the hymn, explaining how the Devil has lost his power, because Jesus is our stronghold. Between each line of the hymn text, the soprano and tenor comments on the content of what the alto sings. This way of elucidating a fixed text, like a hymn text or liturgical text, is called Tropus, and came into use around the end of the Middle ages.

Mvt. 5 hints to Psalms 118,24 "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Dürr also finds parallels to verse 4 of the hymn.

Mvt. 6 quotes verse 4.

==================================================

Short introduction taken from the sleeve notes to Rilling's recording [2]:

"The cantus firmus of the hymn, which was very popular in Bach's day and used both for Christmas and New Year's Day, appears four times in the six movements. In the opening chorus, of course, and in the final chorale, with the soprano voices singing the melody. Then in recitative Mvt. 3, in a purely instrumental three-part recorder setting of the melody. In the following trio Mvt. 4, soprano and tenor are interspersed with the strings and alto voices performing the text and melody of the chorale. What strikes us about this composition is Bach's careful treatment of the instruments and internal design of the larger movements. In the opening chorus Bach gives the strings three oboes for support. The instruments first have a separate setting, interpolated line by line with the chorale. And with every line the music in the lower voices gradually departs from the cantus firmus. The same goes for the texture of the instruments that abandon the opening theme and finally merge with the vocals.

The following bass aria is accompanied by the continuo only; rather fervent in mood, it sounds like the vox Christi admonishing the sinner to mend his ways. Interestingly, Bach interprets the words "each day transgressing" and "gladness" or "joyful shout" with coloraturas, but separates them by major and minor keys, as befits the situation.

In sound and register, the recorders are the highest instruments of the orchestra. So the music of the following recitative, with the cantus firmus in the recorders, may be derived from the image in the lyrics, which speaks of the angels "swelling the air in that higher choir". The following piece adverts intricately to this and the previous movement. Bass aria Mvt. 2, which tells us of man's everyday sins, and soprano recitative Mvt. 3 with its talk of angels also constitute two different levels, which need some connection. Trio Mvt. 4 - a dialogue piece - takes up this structure. The dialogue takes place between different singers and different textual and musical levels. But it is brought to a dialectic head and resolved, with harmonies telling us of conciliation with God. So the last recitative (Mvt. 5) lets the string-accompanied bass, again evoking the vox Christi, tell us of fulfilment and joy."

New recordings since the last time this cantata was discussed are:

Suzuki [8]: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Performers/Suzuki-Rec2.htm#C26
Koopman[6]: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Performers/Koopman-Rec2.htm#C13

Peter Smaill wrote (December 17, 2006):
This Cantata was not much liked by Whittaker, who was disappointed by the Terzett and rates it as a minor work.

However, Dürr points out the special relationship between men and angels, indeed equivalence, suggested by the near-identical octave drop figure which vocally commences BWV 122/2 (Mvt. 2) and BWV 122/3 (Mvt. 3) , to the word "O menschen" and "Die Engel" respectively.

Pitch again is a device employed to emphasise the heavenly height, the high timbre of the three recorders as noted being particularly effective in BWV 122/2 (cf. BWV 46, for four recorders). However, as these parts are notated an octave lower Dürr suggests that violins may have been the original intention.

Finally, the archaic Chorale (if Reimenschneider is correct) requires the sopranos to hit a high G before the descent to the closing tierce where the major key in its affekt indicates that the reconciliation of man and angels has been accomplished and suffering cast out. Only once as far as I know does Bach ask the choristers to go higher, the momentary A flat in "Herzlich lieb hab' ich dich, O Herr" at the end of the first version of the SJP (BWV 245).

Far from being an afterthought to Christmas 1724, this Cantata has an especial orchestral register, distinctive word painting and pitch experimentation to commend it .

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 17, 2006):
Peter Smaill wrote:
< Finally, the archaic Chorale (if Reimenschneider is correct) requires the sopranos to hit a high G before the descent to the closing tierce where the major key in its affekt indicates that the reconciliation of man and angels has been accomplished and suffering cast out. Only once as far as I know does Bach ask the choristers to go higher, the momentary A flat in "Herzlich lieb hab' ich dich, O Herr" at the end of the first version of the SJP (BWV 245). >
Has anyone compared the key of the chorale in this cantata with its source in contemporary hymnbooks?. The extreme range of the soprano line in the cantatas (e.g. The high A flat in the closing chorale in "Wachet Auf") is an important argument against any congregational participation in Bach cantatas -- unless we are prepared to accept the musical nightmare that the congregants dropped the octave as they did in unison chorales. There is some evidence that congregations tried to sing along in earlier composers' settings, but the whole conception of the Bach Chorale (I consider it a genre to itself) with its complex harmonies and part-writing mitigates against congregational singing.

Thomas Braatz wrote (December 17, 2006):
Douglas Cowling asked:
>>Has anyone compared the key of the chorale in this cantata with its source in contemporary hymnbooks?.
Check out: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Das-neugeborne.htm

The Vulpius setting and BWV 122/4 lower on the page seem to be a very good indication of the original range for this CM (chorale melody).

The NBA KB I/3.2 has compared the Bach's chorale text with the Volpelius, 1682, Wagner, 1697, and the St. Georg, 1721 hymnals and has found no differences. Only the Volpelius has actual CMs and some settings, but nothing is reported about the key of the CM.

The CM (and Text) are no longer in the current German hymnal.

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 17, 2006):
Thomas Braatz wrote:
< The Vulpius setting and BWV 122/4 lower on the page seem to be a very good indication of the original range for this CM (chorale melody). >
Interestingly, the Vulpius congregational setting places the modal melody on D which, even taking into consideration a semitone or tone's difference depending on organ tuning, pitches the melody well for congregational singing. Bach's setting however is a fourth higher which carries it well above what is possible with untrained voices. Congregations regularly chose the most comfortable octave. It was not unusual to hear a chorale melody sung at three different octaves: that would have obliterated the harmonies. (McCreesh's "Epiphany Mass" admirably demonstrates the three methods of singing chorales in Bach's time) Does anyone know the source of the myth that Bach's chorales were singalong affairs?

Thomas Braatz wrote (December 17, 2006):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
>>Does anyone know the source of the myth that Bach's chorales were singalong affairs?<<
As far as I know now (I do not have the reference before me, but a good music dictionary with longer articles {Grove Music, MGG} on "Passions" would probably contain the specific answer), certain types of Passions as part of the liturgy were sung with the congregation singing the interspersed chorales. Of course, such Passions, compared to Bach's were on a much simpler scale with the Evangelist singing the basic Gospel text and the congregation responding at times with a chorale (no large choruses or arias on the scale of Bach's). This tradition was strong in certain areas and churches and persisted throughout the 17^th century into the early 18^th.

Peter Smaill wrote (December 17, 2006):
[To Douglas Cowling] My first suspicion was that Spitta might have held the view that congregations join in the Chorale; but not so:

"[Chorales] were conceived of as the keystone of the cantata, giving to it its full significance, and demanding, as such, the brilliancy and support given by the association of instruments. They are altogether too bold in the treatment of the parts for a capella singing, and sound forced and heavy.........." Life of Bach, p.500).

I think Thomas Braatz' association of the singalong practice with the Passions is likely correct when considering the very basic chorale harmonisations of the St Luke Passion of 1730. The desire of the Leipzig Council for congregational singing may also help explain the rejection of the SJP (BWV 245) by them in 1739, whose complex chorales are not suitable for this (though St Paul's Cathedral in London used to encourage just this practice every Holy Week for many years).

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 17, 2006):
Thomas Braatz wrote:
< This tradition was strong in certain areas and churches and persisted throughout the 17^th century into the early 18^th. >
The metrical Passions were certainly singalong affairs with the evangelist singing the narrative to a recitation tone such as was used every Sunday. The transitional phase was probably the addition of concerted poetic arias. But at some point, the congregational chorales would have been abandoned and the new elaborately-harmonized settings would have clearly been for choir alone (whatever "choir" meant).

I suspect that they were never sung by the congregation in the cantatas as that was a choir zone. During the liturgy, worshippers were alerted to the beginning of a congregational chorale by either a chorale-prelude or the choir "lining" the first line to signal both tune and text. By pitching his settings so high and using new poetry, Bach probably prevented any singalong attempt. Then again, the Thomas and Nicholas congregations were pretty sophisticated and it's unlikely that they would attempt such a gaucherie.

Yet we still see in the popular press and even in concert notes this notion that Bach's congregation sang along in the chorales of the cantatas and passions.

Neil Halliday wrote (December 19, 2006):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
>Does anyone know the source of the myth that Bach's chorales were singalong affairs?<
I notice Robertson, in the introduction to his book "The Church Cantatas of J.S. Bach, says: "Terry (C.S. Terry) considers there is conclusive evidence that the congregation took part in the chorales that were within their competence. They had hymnbooks and they were provided with sheets which included ffour to eight of the librettos".

[BTW, perhaps Gardiner considers the that last Sundays after Trinity (26^th and 27^th), which immediately precede Advent, might loosely be termed as such?]

Neil Halliday wrote (December 19, 2006):
Neil Halliday wrote:
>BTW, perhaps Gardiner considers the that last Sundays after Trinity (26^th and 27^th), which immediately precede Advent, might loosely be termed as such?<
This applies to BWV 70 and BWV 140.

But the Visitation (BWV 147), between the 6^th and 7^th Sunday after Trinity, is way before Advent, so Doug has a point.

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 19, 2006):
Neil Halliday wrote:
< I notice Robertson, in the introduction to his book "The Church Cantatas of J.S. Bach, says: "Terry (C.S. Terry) considers there is conclusive evidence that the congregation took part in the chorales that were within their competence. They had hymnbooks and they were provided with sheets which included from four to eight of the librettos". >
I think that sounds like wishful thinking. "Within their competence" indicates that Terry sees the pitch of the cantatas as a real barrier. Is there any other "conclusive evidence"? And more importantly why do people think it necessary to believe that there was populra participation when the congregational chorales were so specifically positioned in the service order?

Is this an unconscious attempt to de-elitize Bach and make him a democratic composer of the masses?

Neil Halliday wrote (December 19, 2006):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
>"Within their competence" indicates that Terry sees the pitch of the cantatas as a real barrier. Is there any other "conclusive evidence"?
I agree the evidence as quoted is slim. In a sense, Terry even argues against himself, in a way, since it implies congregations will decide beforehand which chorales are "within their competence".

I don't have Terry's books. For my part, I want to hear the 4-part harmonisations performed by professionals.

Neil Halliday wrote (December 19, 2006):
The ritornellos of Mvt. 1 are melodious and graceful. The choral writing, with c.f. in the sopranos, is rich, and once again knowledge of the CM is required for intelligent listening, not only because the c.f. is sometimes lower than the altos, but because certain syllables of text are set to varying numbers of notes of varying rhythmic shape.

(An interesting fact is the texts of the first, fourth and last movements have exactly eight syllables in each of the four lines of the chorale; but as noted some syllables have more than one note, and the actual setting of syllables is not always easily heard in the recordings).

This CM is relatively easy to learn (from the score); an interesting aspect is that three of the four lines (not the first line) end in a slow turn (of 4 notes), on the notes of the G minor triad (in the order D, Bflat, G).

Except for the fourth line, the incipits of the lower voices are not entirely independent of the c.f. - they are loose diminutions of the associated c.f. phrase - but since one of the lower voices always begins straightaway with the c.f., followed by the others in quick succession a bar later, the texture is very rich, which I suppose explains the lack of clarity of the lower vocal lines in most recordings.

In any case, this is an attractive movement.

Mvt. 2 is probably an example of the "strange" themes that CPE said (I think) sometimes characterised his father's writing.

Suzuki [8] comes closest to `making music' out of it, with clarity of continuo and vocal line, and a successful organ realisation (effective, yet not intrusive). Rilling [2] would be better without the jangling, shapeless (near pitch-less), continuous 1/16^th notes on the harpsichord.

The soprano recitative with recorders appears to suffer from the highest recorder line (with the CM) being masked by the lower recorder lines; I was not entirely happy with any of the recordings.

Rilling [2] transforms the Terzetto into quite a substantial piece of music. His version, except for the last line of text, it is more reasonably termed an ST duet with A chorale (which the piece actually is) with the alto line performed by choir altos doubled by upper strings. As a matter of fact, the single alto vocalist (carrying the CM) in the period performances is often inaudible behind the unison upper strings (including viola) that double the alto line. Rilling has great clarity of the solo S and T parts, with the contrasting timbre of a clear, flowing presentation of the CM from the choir altos reinforced (but not rendered inaudible) by the unison strings. This version (like the others) concludes with a true terzett, where the CM (and doubling upper strings) are silent, and the SAT soloists sing the last line of text in three part polyphony.

Rilling's bass recitative [2], accompanied by expressive modern strings, is an enraptured expression of thanks and joy in God's blessings.

Thomas Braatz wrote (December 16, 2006):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
>>I think that sounds like wishful thinking. "Within their competence" indicates that Terry sees the pitch of the cantatas as a real barrier. Is there any other "conclusive evidence"? And more importantly why do people think it necessary to believe that there was popular participation when the congregational chorales were so specifically positioned in the service order?
Is this an unconscious attempt to de-elitize Bach and make him a democratic composer of the masses?<<
I think that I have found part of the answer to this question: the main 'culprit' behind this deliberate attempt to integrate cantatas, passions, etc. fully into the church service was Rudolf Wustman (1872-1916). He was mainly a historian specialized in the history of Leipzig and Dresden. His main claim to fame in the area of musicology is his book on the history of music in Leipzig (or Leipzig with a special emphasis on the history of music which took place there) and a book containing all the texts for the Bach cantatas. In his comments on performance practices of Bach's music, Wustmann was very much against the attempt to 'concertize' Bach's sacred music making it become simply an 'aesthetic luxury'. He stated: "Der Genuß ist vielleicht da, aber die Demut fehlt«" ("Perhaps the pleasure/delight/enjoyment [of/in hearing Bach's music] is there [in a concert setting], but the [proper] humility is missing") Wustmann's goal was to integrate fully Bach's sacred music into the church service and to have the congregation participate in the singing of the chorales [that are part of Bach's music].

Go to my translation of the MGG article on congregational singing (almost near the bottom of this long page): http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Articles/Congregational-Singing.htm
and find the paragraph beginning with Wustmann.

Also from the MGG1 [Bärenreiter, 1986) Walter Blankenburg article on 'Passionen':

"Eine besondere, bisher jedoch keineswegs hinreichend geklärte Frage bezieht sich auf die Einführung von Gemeindeliedstrophen in die Historienkompositionen, insonderheit in Passionen sowie in Kantaten gegen Ende dieses Zeitabschnittes. Sie ist im ersten Jahrzehnt des 20. Jahrhunderts Gegenstand einer lebhaften wissenschaftlichen Auseinandersetzung, freilich ohne abschließende Klärung des Problems, gewesen (vgl. Wustmann). Daß bei Passionsaufführungen die Gemeinde manchenorts beteiligt wurde, ist verschiedentlich bezeugt; jedoch wird man daraus nicht schließen dürfen, daß das allgemein üblich war."

("A specific question which, however, has not yet until now been sufficiently clarified is related to the introduction into the Historien [these could be the story of Christ's birth as well as the Pa] compositions of chorales sung by the congregation, in particular during the Passions and cantatas at the end of this period [late 17^th and early 18^th century]. It became the subject of a very lively musicological dispute at the beginning of the 20th century without, however, bringing about a clear resolution of this problem (cf. Wustmann). There is evidence from various locations [in Germany] that congregations did participate in this fashion; however, from this one cannot conclude that this was generally the case everywhere else.")

The evidence which Wustmann presented refers to the inclusion in the Vopelius hymnal of 1782 (Leipzig) of what Wustmann interpreted as special markings that indicated that the congregation would be singing at that point in the Passion. In this hymnal, one of the few available during Bach's time where melodies and even settings of hymns were included, there was also a Passion with words and music (single line chant) and some division of roles. But this is a part of an almost ancient tradtion from the Middle Ages which under Luther was converted into German text and was performed mainly before the altar. Wustmann thought that he had found a marking in one original copy that indicated that at a certain point the congregation would sing. A century later, Bach experts look back at Wustmann's explanation and find that it has little or no merit. The little proof he had offered has not been substantiated/corroborated through any independent source since the time he had advanced this theory.

In retrospect, we can be thankful that Wustmann pointed to the possibility that Bach's sacred works should also be performed as part of the church service for which they were composed. It appears that Wustmann stretched his point too far beyond the available evidence to achieve an even greater integration of congregational singing and Bach's music.

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 19, 2006):
Thomas Braatz wrote:
< The evidence which Wustmann presented refers to the inclusion in the Vopelius hymnal of 1782 (Leipzig) of what Wustmann interpreted as special markings that indicated that the congregation would be singing at that point in the Passion. >
This is interesting. Do we know how the Passion was sung in the other Leipzig churches which didn't have the concerted setting on Good Friday?

Thomas Braatz wrote (December 19, 2006):
[To Douglas Cowling] My guess would be that it would be the type of Passion found in the Vopelius hymnal (Leipzig, 1682). The Passion reprinted there is the one by Johann Walther (the Walther/Walter associated with Luther almost a century and a half earlier!). There is a photocopy of one section (the hymnal open and displaying two pages from this Passion (music and all). I will ask Aryeh to post this example on the BCW. Bach, most certainly would have had a copy of this hymnal in his library in Leipzig since it is one of the few hymnals printed in Leipzig that show chorale melodies and even occasionally 4-pt. settings. Does this mean that the congregation sang 4-pt. settings wherever they were available/given in the hymnal? Most likely not. The hymnal contained circa 1000 pages. This was certainly not the type of hymnal that you would bring with you to church for each service, nor would hymnals of this size be available in the pews for every parishoner to use. This hymnal must have been quite expensive because of its size and the additional printing/engraving costs for the music.

The Passion by Walther (this was one of the last hymnals to include this Passion) shows the individual parts taken by the Evangelist, and a few other key figures in the drama, but at one point all four voices of a 'chorus' sing together, a very, very simple setting, much more like a harmonized chant with little movement in the lines. The question would be whether the soloists were standing together near the altar or to one side of the altar where they could read/sing their parts from one or two hymnals at most. My guess is that Wustmann interpreted the 'chorus' parts to be sung by the congregation without considering just how this would be accomplished when the books were very expensive and rather scarce. Did the prefect turn to the congregation and attempt to lead them as was often done when the congregation would sing a hymn (remember, most of the parishoners, if they had a hymnal, saw only words (not even the melody was printed out for them)? If this was the case, what would happen to the other three voices that were singing the harmonizing parts? Could they even be heard by the congregation? If not, why would the music for these parts be printed in the hymnal in the first place? There are so many unanswered questions here!

One additional point to remember here: the Enlightenment which was certainly represented quite strongly in Leipzig with its university population had a negative effect upon congregational singing. The interest in learning/memorizing the texts and music for chorales was waning. This meant that the usual energetic participation of the members of the congregation could no longer be relied upon. More and more individuals, particularly those connected to the university, would simply sit and stare forward without really singing along when the congregation should have been singing the chorales. The galante style favored by the Enlightenment essentially simplified chorales (simple melody line with bc accompaniment) so that the inner voices became unimportant. Assuming that some individuals (not those who participated as musicians under Bach's direction) connected with the university might also attend services in the two main churches of Leipzig, how would they contend with singing even a simple Bach chorale setting at the end of a cantata? They (and probably most of the rest of the congregation) were probably barely able to keep up with chorale melody itself, much less attempt to sing one of the non-cantus-firmus parts. If a large congregation did sing only the chorale melody lines in octaves (of the chorales included in Passions and cantatas), would this not drown out completely the other voice parts (even supported by a few instruments and more so if we ascribe to the OVPP theory). This does not even bring in the observation about the high range settings of a chorale melody such as the one in the presently discussed cantata.

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 20, 2006):
Thomas Braatz wrote:
< One additional point to remember here: the Enlightenment which was certainly represented quite strongly in Leipzig with its university population had a negative effect upon congregational singing. >
I think this is an important point to make. Probably the golden age of congregational singing had passed in sophisticated city churches like St. Thomas and St. Nicholas in Leipzig where the liturgy was dominated by professional musicians and had an extremely high level of music and followed Luther's Latin "Missae Formulae".

Contemporary acconts suggest that direct participation by the congregation was strongest in small village churches which used Luther's "German Mass" and which for the most part had no professional musicians.

Certainly within twenty years of Bach's death, there is a precipitous decline both in endowed musical establishments and in the level of congregational singing.

It is unsettling to think of Bach as both the crown and the last great moment of the classic Lutheran musical tradition. Was he looking to the Catholics of Dresden at the end of his life because he already saw imminent decline ahead?

Just speculation.

Thomas Braatz wrote (December 21, 2006):
From aresponsorial SMP (Vopelius, Leipzig, 1682)

Aryeh Oron has kindly placed an excerpt from a simple SMP on the BCW at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/SMP-Walter-Sco.htm
[remember to click again to enlarge the image if necessary]

Although there is no hard evidence to confirm this, this type of SMP may well have been performed in other Leipzig churches where Bach's figural Passions were not performed at Good Friday Vespers (possibly even at St. Thomas Church in those years when Bach's Passion music was performed at St. Nicholas Church). This is what Wustmann used as evidence for the participation of the congregation in this liturgical form of a Passion drama which most likely was performed near the altar (probably on both sides) by the prefect and a few other singers.

Without being able to recover the books or documents in which Wustmann makes this claim, I think that his arguments may have centered on one or both of the following points:

1. the turbae, such as the one shown in the example, could have been sung by the congregation because of their relative simplicity.

2. a special mark, possibly like the one (a round dot) found on the second page (p. 19&) over the beginning of the 3rd staff (above: "Evang."). It was Wustmann's conjecture that something like this indicated where the congregation would sing a chorale.

re: #1: How could Wustmann expect most church-goers to own a copy of this compendious hymnal or the church to supply these as hymnals available to almost everyone when these books (as large as this one is with almost 1000 pages) were very expensive indeed? Another very dubious assumption: everyone attending church could read music. What about the butcher's wife who never did or the rejects from Bach's choirs (some of them were practically tone-deaf)?

re: #2: A suspicious mark (like the dot which does not appear to be an ink spot left by the printer) could mean a number of things. Unfortunately the meaning of such a mark was not given in the Vopelius hymnal. This allowed Wustmann to speculate that here was an indication of the point where the congregation would participate in this type of 'sing-along' Passion. Wustmann came up with this theory almost a century ago and until now no other expert has been able to confirm the meaning of these dots or other markings that Wustmann used as ammunition to support the idea that the congregation would sing along with the chorales Bach had embedded in his Passions (and, as he hoped to prove thereby, also during or at the end of the cantatas where the 4-pt. chorale settings appear).

Reasonably we can assume that Bach would have owned a copy of this important hymnal, important because it was one of the very few printed with the actual melodies and settings of the chorales that were sung in the churches where Bach held positions. The bulk of the hymnals printed in Leipzig during Bach's tenure did not contain even the simple chorale melodies.

Evidence gleaned from other sources (those that cannot be related to Bach or congregational singing in Bach's churches in Leipzig) do show sporadically, and stretched over a wide area of German-speaking lands at that time, the performances of Passion music where the congregation did participate in singing at certain points during the Passion some chorales. But this type of singing almost as an antiphonal response to whatever was being presented at the altar (not the place where Bach performed his Passions) is restricted to Passions and did not mean that the same congregation that participated in this fashion would also enter into the performance of figural music which emanated from an entirely different area of the church. Perhaps this explains why Wustmann pinned all of his hopes on trying to prove the participation of some Leipzig congregation in the Passion presentation during Bach's tenure there. Based on this evidence, he would then be able to generalize to include the usual cantata performances as well. He could, however, find no evidence that the Leipzig congregations would also participate directly in the presentation of figural music such as the cantatas and oratorios which were more frequent as they appeared throughout the year on almost all Sundays (except the quiet times during Advent and Lent) and all holidays.

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 21, 2006):
Thomas Braatz wrote:
< Although there is no hard evidence to confirm this, this type of SMP may well have been performed in other Leipzig churches where Bach's figural Passions were not performed at Good Friday Vespers (possibly even at St. Thomas Church in those years when Bach's Passion music was performed at St. Nicholas Church). This is what Wustmann used as evidence for the participation of the congregation in this liturgical form of a Passion drama which most likely was performed near the altar (probably on both sides) by the prefect and a few other singers.
Without being able to recover the books or documents in which Wustmann makes this claim, I think that his arguments may have centered on one or both of the following points:
1. the turbae, such as the one shown in the example, could have been sung by the congregation because of their relative simplicity. >
The Walther Passion choruses are almost identical to the 16^th century Latin Passions of Lassus and Victoria. Even the recitation tone is the old Roman melody. This type of music was always sung by choirs not congregations before the Reformation. Its apparent simplicity is deceptive: the rhythms are quite complex even if the harmonies make it look like a hymn. This would certainly be the kind of music which was in the "motet" repertoire of Bach's junior choirs. This form of the Passion was probably intended for those urban churches which had choir schools or endowed choirs attached and followed Luther's "Formula Missae"

If I recall, there is another type of passion which is either totally versified or which is intended to interrupt the recitation with chorale commentaries. This is the type of Passion which would have been used in small churches which used Luther's "German Mass" and didn't have professional musicians.

The interesting thing about Bach is that he seems to incorporate elements of both traditions without congregational participation.

Bradley Lehman wrote (December 21, 2006):
Thomas Braatz wrote:
< Although there is no hard evidence to confirm this, this type of SMP may well have been performed in other Leipzig churches where Bach's figural Passions were not performed at Good Friday Vespers (possibly even at St. Thomas Church in those years when Bach's Passion music was performed at St. Nicholas Church). This is what Wustmann used as evidence for the participation of the congregation in this liturgical form of a Passion drama which most likely was performed near the altar (probably on both sides) by the prefect and a few other singers.
Without being able to recover the books or documents in which Wustmann makes this claim, I think that his arguments may have centered on one or both of the following points:
1. the turbae, such as the one shown in the example, could have been sung by the congregation because of their relative simplicity. >
Seeing this in isolation, I'm curious (and disturbed) about the demonstrated reasoning process. Without being able to look at X, how is there anything but nearly-random (i.e. not particularly useful or credible) speculation as to what X actually says, or the construction of X's argument on whatever evidence? It's hearsay, compounded by guesswork and served up with chips.

Worse, the assertion here was apparently that "no" hard evidence is available, stated from a perspective that presumes to bsomehow more comprehensive than sources available to Wustmann. Given that Wustmann's work itself has not been consulted but merely guessed against, where does this assertion come from that "no" evidence exists...as distinct from a more straightforward statement such as: "I personally don't know of any evidence, having not researched this topic seriously..."?

This isn't about Wustmann being allegedly right or wrong about anything; it's about taking a foregone conclusion (improperly) that Wustmann was wrong, and recycling it to assert that he made it all up on no evidence, alleging that he didn't do his scholarship properly or draw reasonable conclusions himself. Wustmann's work and methodology get chucked into the rubbish bin without even being allowed to speak for themselves.

Hypothetically: what if Wustmann in fact had plenty of evidence for his claims, and presented it clearly, but now the rumor-mill against him (hearsay plus wishful thinking) is ready to take the place of actually looking at his work? How could we possibly know, short of looking at it? No matter what follows "I think that his arguments may have centered on...", that right there is the setup of a straw man: misrepresenting Wustmann's work (whatever it may have entailed) by guessing at it, on the way to knocking it down as faulty.

Why not just say something straightforward non-fallacious, like the following? "Without being able to recover the books or documents in which Wustmann makes this claim, I have no further comment at this point." And then go look it up, and report what he really said, instead of guessing prematurely at the points of his reasoning or his alleged non-evidence?

Thomas Braatz wrote (December 21, 2006):
Bradley Lehman wrote:
>>Why not just say something straightforward and non-fallacious, like the following? "Without being able to recover the books or documents in which Wustmann makes this claim, I have no further comment at this point." And then go look it up, and report what he really said, instead of guessing prematurely at the points of his reasoning or his alleged non-evidence?<<
It is reasonable to look at the historical record and make certain judgments such as the following:

1. At the beginning of the 20^th century, a non-musicologist historian, Wustmann, whose only other credit in the field of Bach studies was that he got printed a book that contained all of the texts for the Bach cantatas (which already appeared in the BGA), made an assertion based upon his prejudicial view that Bach's sacred works should be performed only in churches as part of a church service and demanded that congregations were meant to sing along in the 4-pt. chorale settings that were found in figural music, all of this based upon his 'proof' relating to special, unexplained markings found in the Vopelius Hymanl of 1682, Leipzig.

2. The historical record shows that this issue, at that time, met with firm resistance on the part of musicologists specialized in the study of Bach's music.

3. Since Wustmann's presentation of his highly speculative theory which amounts to attributing specific actions/directions to markings which have not been defined; no one, neither Wustmann nor his opponents then and even up until now, have been able to uncover even an inkling of further supporting evidence to confirm Wustmann's notion which would change radically how Bach's sacred vocal music would be performed.

4. An incorrect, unreasonable judgment would be: Beginning from the time when this theory was first presented and continuing until the present time, little interest in this subject has ever been presented; hence now would be the time to go back and resurrect all the specific details (which amount to a random interpretation/opinion/speculation since no firm definition of the markings in Vopelius or other similar hymnals has ever been found in the interim).

5. It is reasonable to assume that, if 'hard evidence' to support Wustmann's claim were available, opposition to his ideas would not have been as strong as it was back then. In the meantime, since no corroborating evidence has been found to support Wustmann's wild speculation, the matter no longer receives much attention in Bach musicology nor do we find many examples of performances presented in the manner proposed by Wustmann with congregational sing-alongs in the midst or at the end of any Bach cantata performances.

6. The experiential argument: ask anyone like Doug Cowling, how well Wustmann's theory works in a present-day application and the answer will be that evidence from Bach's cantatas, oratorios, and Passions makes the performance of the 'simple' 4-pt. settings of chorales with a congregational sing-along unfeasible. This week's cantata is a case in point which has already been discussed.

Bradley Lehman wrote (December 21, 2006):
< 6. The experiential argument: ask anyone like Doug Cowling, how well Wustmann's theory works in a present-day application and the answer will be that evidence from Bach's cantatas, oratorios, and Passions makes the performance of the 'simple' 4-pt. settings of chorales with a congregational sing-along unfeasible. This week's cantata is a case in point which has already been discussed. >
I suspect that congregational participation (as in "singing along") in Bach's cantatas/oratorios/passions was rather unlikely.

Still, such an "experiential argument" in my case would be considerably more equivocal than that. I'm a regular attender and performer in a Bach festival here in Virginia, where they usually do have the congregation sing along with all the chorales...not only in cantatas, but we did a whole St Matthew Passion that way. They printed up all the chorales in the program booklet, in four-part harmony, and the congregation sang it that way, in parts. Not just for concerts, but for the Sunday morning "Leipzig service" where they put a cantata into a reasonable liturgical setting. I also attend (and lead singing in) a church where almost all the congregational singing is done unaccompanied and in four parts.

Bradley Lehman wrote (December 21, 2006):
>>Why not just say something straightforward and non-fallacious, like the following? "Without being able to recover the books or documents in which Wustmann makes this claim, I have no further comment at this point." And then go look it up, and report what he really said, instead of guessing prematurely at the points of his reasoning or his alleged non-evidence?<<
< It is reasonable to look at the historical record and make certain judgments such as the following: >
[Six rationalizations then follow, numbered point by point, all to self-excuse not bothering to go look at Wustmann...]

And therefore, the main point has been missed or whiffed off entirely. The point was about not making such rationalizations in the first place, as a string of conjectures and excuses, but rather studying sources before guess-pseudo-reporting about them in public.

Thomas Braatz wrote (December 21, 2006):
Bradley Lehman wrote:
>>And therefore, the main point has been missed or whiffed off entirely. The point was about not making such rationalizations in the first place, as a string of conjectures and excuses, but rather studying sources before guess-pseudo-reporting about them in public.<<
Isn't it strange that Christoph Wolff, Alfred Dürr and the like have not bothered even mentioning Wustmann by name let alone making a reference to Wustmann's crack-pot theory?

Here is a statement about this matter from the Oxford Composer Companions: J. S. Bach:

"Even though a good many of the four-part chorales are to be found in modern hymnals, they were not composed for congregational use. Most were originally included in cantatas and Passions, to be sung by the choir, and can be identified with specific works. Presumably a significant proportion of the remainder were written for the 100 or so cantatas no longer extant."

Robin A Leaver, article on "Chorale" in the OCC, Oxford University Press, 1999.

When C.P.E. Bach took over the editing and printing his father's 4-pt. chorales, he changed the keys and even modified certain musical lines of the original without even documenting the changes he made to make them more singable for most voices. In this way he had wanted to make his father's chorales more accessible. [This serves as indirect proof that his father never intended them to be sung by the congregation. Following in C.P.E. Bach's footsteps, as it were, Wustmann probably would have advised the performers to transpose many of the original 4-pt. chorales to lower keys so that the congregation could sing along more easily.]

How does the Thomanerchor present the Bach cantatas? Do they allow the congregation to join in on the 4-pt. chorales? The situation in a small church in America is irrelevant to what musicologists have or have not uncovered and agreed upon, since such a church with the practice of singing along with these chorales from the cantatas, oratorios, Passions, is not truly representative of what is a well-founded consensus among most respected Bach specialists and musicians who have been performing cantatas following a well-established and documented tradition.

Bradley Lehman wrote (December 21, 2006):
>>And therefore, the main point has been missed or whiffed off entirely. The point was about not making such rationalizations in the first place, as a string of conjectures and excuses, but rather studying sources before guess-pseudo-reporting about them in public.<<
< Isn't it strange that Christoph Wolff, Alfred Dürr and the like have not bothered even mentioning Wustmann by name let alone making a reference to Wustmann's crack-pot theory? (...) >
<> yet again making excuses to offer speculative judgment of work INSTEAD OF reading it; and taking yet more gratuitous potshots at poor Rudolf Wustmann! The point is still not being grasped and/or heeded.

As was said explicitly in my first comment on this thread: this is not about Wustmann being allegedly either right or wrong.

It is about the responsible process of actually studying material before offering a public assessment of its worth. Speculation from what other people said about it (or conclusions guessed at when they didn't mention it at all, as offered this time!), doesn't count as research. Neither does hearsay made up fresh, like the self-serving step of calling it a "crack-pot theory" here.

Nor should we neglect the fact that Wustmann actually wrote published books and articles concerned with Bach's music. Go to: http://www.npj.com/bach/bb-simple.html and put "wustmann" into the author box; 10 items come up for him, and it's not merely an isolated book about cantata texts either (as was also alleged). Ten published musicological pieces about Bach. Wustmann evidently had enough evidence and background in Leipzig church music practices pre-Bach to fashion a 507-page book out of his material! There's also listed there a 22-page article that's explicitly about Bach's congregations possibly singing along!

That's more than can be said (total of 0 items) for the person whiffing his work off--UNREAD!--as "crack-pot theory".

Besides, one can't know if it's "crack-pot theory" at all, or not, without at least:
- (1) actually engaging the material; and
- (2) having the skills and related content knowledge to make well-reasoned value judgments, having engaged the material.

Pretenses at (2) along with a truckload of bluster can go a decent distance, as is demonstrated here daily, but without (1) there's just no reasonable credibility to any such "conclusions".

Some 15-year-old students are able to grasp this abstract concept. So are some 12-year-olds. My 4-year-old doesn't get it yet, as she still declares food yucky instead of tasting it or even looking at it, but we'll get there.

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 21, 2006):
Bradley Lehman wrote:
< Still, such an "experiential argument" in my case would be considerably more equivocal than that. I'm a regular attender and performer in a Bach festival here in Virginia, where they usually do have the congregation sing along with all the chorales...not only in cantatas, but we did a whole St Matthew Passion that way. They printed up all the chorales in the program booklet, in four-part harmony, and the congregation sang it that way, in parts. Not just for concerts, but for the Sunday morning "Leipzig service" where they put a cantata into a reasonable liturgical setting. I also attend (and lead singing in) a church where almost all the congregational singing is done unaccompanied and in four parts. >
I would still argue that this singalong notion is a myth which is an attempt to democratize Bach and make his music the music of the "Volk" (I'll bet there is a dark side to this myth from the 1920s and 30s in Germany.) There's very little evidence to suggest that congregations in the 16^th - 18^th centuries sang in harmony at any time -- unaccompanied chorale singing was still pretty much the norm. The organ was a solo instrument not a support for congregational singing even with Bach in the choir loft.

I also have to say that I don't want to hear modern audiences singing the chorales even if they have the music. I think the chorales in the Passions are a tough sing -- choirs really have to be on their mettle to pull them off. They're not hymns, they're mini chorale-fantasies. I

That's not to say I don't think that congregations can't sing in harmony: the Welsh Methodists and American Moravians sang spectacularly well and unaccompanied as well! I suspect that in Bach's time, small villages with their amateur choirs probably sang plain harmonies quite spontaneously and rather roughly. But the closing chorale of the SJP is the work of sophisticated professional musicians.

On a somewhat related note ...

The Lutheran Church in Norway is in the process of disetablishing itself as the state church of the country. As in many other North European countries, people have long been able to direct their "church tax" to support the church of their choice or to philanthropic organizations. With greater freedom and a general seculariziation society, Lutheran churches are now anticipating that state income will not be sufficient to meet operating costs. At the moment, every parish or district is served by a professional organist/choirmaster who is essentially a civil servant -- just as Bach served the city of Leipzig. Musicians foresee a calamitous decline in local music-making.

Many echoes of Bach's financial constraints ...

Thomas Braatz wrote (December 22, 2006):
Bradley Lehman wrote:
>>Some 15-year-old students are able to grasp this abstract concept. So are some 12-year-olds. My 4-year-old doesn't get it yet, as she still declares food yucky instead of tasting it or even looking at it, but we'll get there.<<
>>It is about the responsible process of actually studying material before offering a public assessment of its worth.<<
<>
The fact that key Bach scholars have taken a stand against congregational participation in Bach's figural compositions where 'simple' 4-pt chorales are involved is a clear indication that Wustmann's theory, at the time it was advanced as well as now, is no longer regarded as viable. Today it no longer deserves being mentioned in scholarly articles because it has not successfully withstood strong criticism in the past when it became public. If this theoretical speculation had any support at all by today's Bach scholars, it certainly would have prompted recognition of Wustmann's intuition and foresight in making a great discovery that affects how Bach would be performed in churches today. As it is, Wustmann's role in spearheading a movement toward changing performance practices is best left unmentioned. Note Robin A Leaver's comment on this matter in 1999!

The question now remains: what fate awaits the theory on 'Bach's temperament', a theory presented in similar fashion and one lacking sufficient historical veracity in that it claimed much more than it coulddeliver?

Discussions in the Week of June 28, 2009

Evan Cortens wrote (June 29, 2009):
Week of June 28, 2009: BWV 122 "Das neugeborne Kindelein"

Liturgical Designation:
Sunday after Christmas

Background and Discography: http://bach-cantatas.com/BWV122.htm

Past Discussions: http://bach-cantatas.com/BWV122-D.htm

Performance History:
First: December 31, 1724

Neue Bach-Ausgabe:
Vol. I/3.2 (Klaus Hofmann, 2000)

Readings for the Sunday after Christmas:
Epistle: Galatians 4: 1-7 (Christ is sent to redeem those under the law)
Gospel: Luke 2: 33-40 (The words of Simeon and Anna to Mary)

Sources:
Autograph score: D-Bsb Mus. ms. Bach P 868.
Original performance parts: principal parts in the Bach-Archiv Leipzig (formerly at the Thomasschule), dublettes at the D-Bsb (St 391).

Libretto:
This chorale cantata draws not only its melodic material from the chorale of the same name, but its text as well. Most commentators are quick to mention that this comes at the exclusion of any emphasis on the specific gospel readings for the Sunday. It does however, as Duerr notes, celebrate both Christmas and New Year at the same time, in keeping with an old tradition. The chorale text by Cyriakus Schneegaß dates from 1597 and is only four four-line stanzas in length, atypically short for a Lutheran chorale. (The chorale text, with an excellent translation by Francis Browne, is available here: http://bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale123-Eng3.htm ) The exact author of the melody is unknown, but most presume Schneegaß to be its composer as well. (Robertson gives Melchior Vulpius, author of the 1604 setting, this credit.)

The text for the cantata is as follows:
Mvt. 1 -> Chorale verse 1
Mvt. 2 -> Paraphrase of chorale verse 2
Mvt. 3 -> Refers to chorale verse 2
Mvt. 4 -> Chorale verse 3 with interpolated tropes
Mvt. 5 -> "Free insertion"
Mvt. 6 -> Chorale verse 4

The actual librettist for this cantata, meaning in this case the arranger of the chorale texts and the author of the paraphrases and tropes, is unknown. Presumably it is the same person who wrote the texts for the other Jahrgang 2 chorale cantatas, though this can't be said with absolute certainty. For this, Wolff proposes the conrector emeritus of the St. Thomas School Andreas Stuebel. His sudden death on January 27, 1725 also explains the sudden stoppage in chorale cantata composition, Wolff argues. (Wolff 2000, 278)

Scoring:
Unlike BWV 152 discussed last week, this cantata uses a full string section. In the opening and closing choruses, the strings are doubled as well by two oboes and taille. (Perhaps a mere coincidence, the cantata on the docket for next week, BWV 28, also uses two oboes, taille and strings in the opening and closing choruses.) Very interesting is Mvt. 3 of this cantata. In the autograph score, Bach wrote the three instrumental lines out for strings (two violins and viola), but when it came time for the parts to be prepared, he directed the copyist (Johann Andreas Kuhnau, nephew of the composer of the same name) to instead write these lines for three recorders. Incidentally, these parts are written into the two oboe and taille parts, strongly suggesting that the oboists would have switched instruments for this movement. The high pitched recorders certainly are effective at depicting the angels mentioned in the first line of the text, and the "lofty choir" of the third line.

Compositional Genesis:
The scribal and paper evidence make it clear that this cantata dates from 1724. As there are no modifications to the parts or score of the type that suggest reperformance, whether (and if so when) this happened cannot be ascertained. However, as we discussed last week, there were many other Sundays After Christmas during Bach's Leipzig tenure, so either Bach reperformed this cantata (or BWV 152 or BWV 28) or we are missing another cantata.

W. Murray Young's Commentary:
In preparing the introduction for this week, I consulted W. Murray Young's The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: An Analytical Guide (Jefferson NC, 1989). I was dismayed to run across a number of errors in it. First, the cantata is given a composition date of "c. 1742", causing me difficulty in even locating the cantata, as the works are listed
chronologically in this book. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest this date as far as I can tell, and 1989 is recent enough for Young to have had access to Dürr's chronology and the Bach Compendium, as well as the New Grove works list, all of which give 1724 as the date of composition. Perhaps this is a simple transposition of the digits?

Next, Young says that "the unknown librettist was probably Bach himself." Much like the Exhausted Choir Hypothesis, this is one of those theories that crops up from time to time in the literature and is virtually unverifiable. This theory most seems to come up when there is a pre-existing text which requires little modification for use in the cantata. Off the top of my head, I know that it's been suggested as well that Bach made the changes for the Leipzig version of BWV 70, which is, the Weimar cantata BWV 70 with added recitatives. I myself am not convinced.

Finally, Young says that the instruments include "three transverse flutes" and an "oboe da caccia." However, neither instrument is present in this cantata. Virtually all scholars are in agreement that when Bach specifies "Flauto", as he does here, he is writing for the flauto dolce or recorder (or, if you prefer, the Blockfloete); when he writes for the transverse flute, he instead designates the part "[Flauto] Traverso". Secondly, the oboe da caccia is a curved instrument, often covered in leather, with a flared brass bell. The taille, on the other hand, is a tenor oboe with a straight shaft. Bach seems to use the instruments fairly consistently: oboe da caccia are given obbligato parts (e.g., the fourth cantata of the Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248)) and taille typically play the role of "third oboe", as we see here and, for example, BWV 140.

Recordings:
Again I listened this week to Koopman [6] and Suzuki [8]. For the most part, I found the recordings to be on equal footing. However, I noticed, especially in Mvt. 2, the rather conspicuous absence of a sixteen-foot string bass instrument (i.e., a Violone) in the Koopman recording. It would seem to be the case in the cantatas that if a continuo instrument plays in one movement, it plays in all. This would seem to be the case here, the three continuo parts (two untransposed and unfigured, i.e. for string instruments, one transposed and
figured, i.e. for organ) contain music for all six movements and no "tacet" markings. After a listen to Mvt. 1 in the Koopman recording, I could not detect a sixteen-foot instrument there either. Personally, I prefer the depth of sound given by this octave doubling, though the historical sources seem not to be unequivocal on whether or not such an instrument was always used. (For that matter, it seems that what exactly a "violone" was varied from place to place and time to time.)

Movements:
list here all the movements for your convenience.

Mvt. 1. [Chorale] - "Das neugeborne Kindelein"

Mvt. 2. Aria (B) - "O Menschen, die ihr taeglich suendigt"

Mvt. 3. Recitativo (S) - "Die Engel, welche sich zuvor"

Mvt. 4. Aria [+ Chorale] (SAT) - "Ist Gott versoehnt und unser Freund"

Mvt. 5. Recitativo (B) - "Dies ist ein Tag"

Mvt. 6. Choral - "Es bringt das rechte Jubeljahr"

Again, here's hoping for a lively discussion! I really enjoyed last week,

Douglas Cowling wrote (June 29, 2009):
Evan Cortens wrote:
< However, as we discussed last week, there were many other Sundays After Christmas during Bach's Leipzig tenure, so either Bach reperformed this cantata (or BWV 152 or BWV 28) or we are missing another cantata. >
Just a final comment on the Exhausted Choir Hypothesis. In 1724, this cantata was performed on Sunday, Jan 31. The next day, Monday, January 1, 1725, Bach premiered the massive Cantata BWV 40, "Jesu, nun sei gepreiset." Both are vocally challenging for the choir. Remarkable recovery by the debilitated musicians.

I only had the Leusink recording [5] and thought that the tempo of the opening chorus was awfully slow, even though I've never heard the cantata before. What tempi do other conductors use?

Evan Cortens wrote (June 29, 2009):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
< Just a final comment on the Exhausted Choir Hypothesis. In 1724, this cantata was performed on Sunday, Jan 31. The next day, Monday, January 1, 1725, Bach premiered the massive Cantata BWV 40, "Jesu, nun sei gepreiset." Both are vocally challenging for the choir. Remarkable recovery by the debilitated musicians. >
Agreed, and well stated!

< I only had the Leusink recording [5] and thought that the tempo of the opening chorus was awfully slow, even though I've never heard the cantata before. What tempi do other conductors use? >
For Mvt. 1:

Koopman [6]: 123 bpm
Suzuki [8]: 138 bpm
Harnoncourt [3]: 116 bpm

I too am a fan of the faster tempos here. This is joyful music after all!

Julian Mincham wrote (June 29, 2009):
[To Evan Cortens] Within a contextual overview I cannot let this pass without drawing attention to the fact that this cantata contains one of only three trios in the 53 works of the second cycle (the others being BWV 38 and BWV 116). However in those cantatas the three voices have roles of equal significance. In this the trio (Mvt. 4) might well be thought of as a duet between sop and tenor with the alto doubling the upper strings in an unadorned statement of the chorale melody. This is a layout possibly unique in the output. A further interesting point of detail is that the alto (the traditional voice of the spiritual) joins the other two voices as an 'equal' partner only in the final section which links the end of the chorale to the closing ritornello. Is Bach using the very musical structure here to encapsulate a symbol of unity? The chorale has finished, the angels are absent but Christians remain united under the shield of Baby Jesus and the protection of God.

It may also be worth drawing attention to the powerful Mvt. 2, the bass aria (if only because of the possibility of it being overlooked by some who have expressed disinterest in such continuo arias in previous postings). This is one of those movements in which Bach seems to have been inspired by a single word of text seizing the listener's attention from the very first line----'sündigt'---sinning. The melodic contours remind us of other of Bach's arias concerned with sin and Satan (see for example the tenor aria from BWV 107). The octave20drop followed by the three repeated notes (taken directly from the chorale) form the strongest of possible rhetorical statements---the warning voice of the preacher---or possibly that of God Himself!

(Also note the copious use of Schweitzer's three note 'joy' motive (!!) which, if it has any such associations becomes here a grinning mockery of itself).

The conciseness of the opening fantasia (Mvt. 1) (unusually, although not uniquely containing only four choral phrases) should not distract us from noting the different choral writing for the three lower voices, the first three directly derived from motives in the chorale phrases they support and the last rising more optimistically and with continuous semiquavers suggesting the Christian throng.

And finally has anyone noticed the similarities in the opening motives of this with the fantasia of BWV 93 presented some months earlier? Accidental?--or a deliberate reference?

Short and compact though it may be this cantata is packed full of fascinating musical detail. I have just touched upon the surface of it.

Douglas Cowling wrote (June 29, 2009):
Julian Mincham wrote:
< In this the trio might well be thought of as a duet between sop and tenor with the alto doubling the upper strings in an unadorned statement of the chorale melody. >
The Gospel for the Sunday after Christmas recounts part of the Purification narrative of Mary and Joseph presenting the infant Jesus in the Temple with Simeon and Anna. The passage emphasizes the words of Anna: "And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."

I wonder if there is not allegorical aspect to the trio with the soprano and tenor as Mary and Joseph and the alto as the aged Anna. There is certainly plenty of other examples in the cantatas of allusions to Mary and beyond to the Soul (e.g. MWV 54, "Mein liebster Jesus ist verloren")

Peter Smaill wrote (June 30, 2009):
[To Julian Mincham] One of the fascinations of this beautiful work is the relatively rare use of triple rythmn for most of the Cantata (I write from memory) which together with the occurence of the trio (if such it be) may suggest an allusion to the operation of the Trinity. Sometimes the use of triple rythmn at Christmas is perhaps more linked to the need for pastoral effect, such as the compound rendering of "Von Himmel Hoch" at the end of the second part of the Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248), a chorale normally in simple time.

If my recollection of this phenomenon is not faulty then any other observations of this technique in other Cantatas would be welcome and perhaps add to a picture of the (occasional) hermeneutic use of time signatures in Bach.

Ed Myskowski wrote (July 2, 2009):
Julian Mincham wrote:
< Apologies for two similar postings about this cantata. >
For what it is worth, I found the content stimulating, the language of the rewrite significantly improved.

Re the content, and responses, I find the interpretation of Bach as continual, lifelong, musical innovator much easier to absorb than Bach as careful creator of Christian (specifically Lutheran?) allegories. Re the parallel discussion of the Brandenburgs on BRML, see the Siepmann commentary on Brandenburg No. 5 as one of the great musical advances of all time. It seems reasonable and satisfying to interpret that the same quest for musical innovation applies to the sacred choral works, whatever the specific theologic underpinnings of the texts (not demonstrably selected by Bach, in most instances). Not to belittle the often lovely (sometimes profound) interaction of text and music, but I remain struck (not to say stricken) by Francis Brownes description of the task of translation as penitential.

If triple meter represents the Trinity, can the interpretation that quadruple meter represents thCross be far behind? What else is available? 11/8? 7/16? Bach as closet crapshooter?

Neil Halliday wrote (July 2, 2009):
Julian Mincham wrote:
>It may also be worth drawing attention to the powerful second movement, the bass aria<
Hi Julian, I wonder why this movement is marked 'cut C' in the BGA? Listening to Suzuki's rousing performance [8], I feel that the strong 4/4 rhythm is most evident; also notice the interesting quasi-triple time rhythm that emerges with the melisma on "Freude". I like the change from C minor to F minor (briefly) at the end of bar three in the ritornello - and of course the changing accidentals in bars two and three are striking.

As always, I appreciate an effective organ realisation in this type of movement; both Suzuki's [8] and Harnoncourt's [3] organists do a fine job, with Harnoncourt perhaps having the better instrument. For suitability of voice I choose Kooy (Herreweghe [4] and Suzuki) and Mertens (Koopman [6]).

I agree with the comments from others regarding the tempo of the opening chorus (Mvt. 1); Rilling, Harnoncourt [3], Leusink [5] and Koopman [6] seem a bit slow, while Herreweghe [4] has the 'Goldilocks' setting. Interesting comparison with the opening of BWV 93; the graceful initial triple time motives are indeed similar. Herreweghe has attractive tempi in the other movements as well; I find Suzuki's [8] terzette (Mvt. 4) too fast.

IMO, choir altos ought to be used on the chorale line in the terzette (with a solo alto emerging at the end); and there is some beautiful writing for the solo ST lines in this movement.

For some reason, in the third movement the three recorders don't seem to produce the magical effect one would expect, IMO, though I would be happy if others disagree. In the second recitative, there is typically vivid changing harmony on "Trübsal".

Julian Mincham wrote (July 2, 2009):
Neil Halliday wrote:
< Hi Julian, I wonder why this movement is marked 'cut C' in the BGA? Listening to Suzuki's rousing performance, I feel that the strong 4/4 rhythm is most evident; >
Neil, that's an interesting and finely observed point. I can see that it might lead to a greater sense of flow in bars 2 and 3---and possibly also in the middle section from bar 42. But when the voice enters, the octave drop followed by the three repeated notes has a strong sense of 4 in the bar. Maybe it implies a pretty fast ocerall tempo which would seem right in the context of the urgency of the warnings to the sinners?

William Hoffman wrote (July 2, 2009):
BWV 122: Pivot Time: Chorales & Dances

Bach's uses of the chorale during the pivot time, or turn of the year from Christmas to Epiphany.

1. Bach's imaginative use of the chorale in his vocal music.
In chorale Cantata BWV 122 for the Sunday After Christmas, Bach composes four varied uses of the canto: Mvt. 1. chorale chorus, Mvt. 3 recitative with soprano canto, Mvt. 4. chorale adaptation (trio, soprano-tenor duet with alto canto), Mvt. 6. Plain four-part canto harmony. Not to be outdone, Bach adds a bass continuo aria with chorale text paraphrase and its opposite, (Mvt. 2) a bass accompanied recitative (Mvt. 5) set to Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the Lord himself has made." To wit I would add: "This is the cantata which only Bach himself could have made," with texts from a versatile librettist both biblically and musically quite literate, plus ?a movement scheme or template from Bach.

SUN. AFTER CHRISTMAS: BWV 122, Das neugeborne Kindelein [chorale]
12/31/24 (Cycle 2); hymn text with additions (Mvt. 4, Mvt. 5).
Sources: (1) score (SPK P.868, WFB, Nacke, Hauser); (2) parts set (Thom.); (2) 3 duplicate parts (SPK St.391, WFB, Nacke-Penzel).
Literature: BGXXVI (Dörffel 1878); NBA I/3 (K.Hoffmann 2000); Whittaker I:259-63, Robertson 29 f, Young 231 ff., Dürr 137-141.
Text: #1, 4, 6, Schneegas chorale; #2-5, unknown paraphraser; Canto , #1, 3, 4, 6.
Forces: SATB, 4 vv, 3 rec, 3 ob (tai), str, bc).
Movements: chorus, 2 arias (B, SAT), 2 recits. (S, B), chorale.
1. Chs. (tutti): The new-born child brings a new year (S.1, ex. cle.).
2. Aria (B, bc): O men, ye who daily sin, ye shall the angels' joy be (S. 2).
3. Rec. S, recs): The angels...fill now the air in high chorus (S.2).
4. Aria (SAT, vns.): Is God reconciled (S.3 with commentary).
5. Rec. (B, str): This is the day which the Lord himself has made (Ps. 118:24).
6. Cle. (tutti): There comes the rightful jubilee-year (S.4).

Further, Bach makes special placement or utilization of chorales during this time of the year, most notably in the Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248).

2. Blending or overlapping of chorales from one season to the next. Since Bach was allowed to present Christmas chorales through the Feast of Purification, February 2, he made affective use of two Christmas chorales, "Ich steh an deiner Kripen hier" and Ihr gestrin, ihr höhlen Lufte," in the Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248) for New Year's Day and the Feast of the Epiphany. He also used the Christmas chorale. "Das neugeborne Kindelein" as the basis for his chorale Cantata BWV 122 for the Sunday After Christmas, and the Christmas chorale, "Peur natus in Bethlehem" in Cantata BWV 65 for the Feast of Epiphany.

3. During the pivotal time or turn of the year, Bach was able to use general use chorales for penitential services (Du Friedefurst, Jesu meine Freude, and Befiel du deine Wege) and praise and thanksgiving , "Herr Gott, dich loben wir (Luther's Te Deum), as well as the Passion chorale melody, "Herlich tut, much verlangen" closing the Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248).

These mixed-usages are pointed out in Günter Stiller's <JSB and Liturgical Life in Leipzig> (pp. 236f). Eric Chafe emphasizes in "Aspects of the Liturgical Year" (pp. 11-23) in <Analyzing Bach Cantatas>, Bach's varied use of chorales in a dualistic sense: blending birth and death, apocalypse and paradise, the church year divided into the time of Christ (de tempore) and the time of the church (omnes tempore), and what I suggest, to weep and laugh and to mourn and dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4) in the three Passion closing choruses, and to deal with both the in-between times and the end-times (escatology).

The chorales specified for the services between New Year' Day and the Lenten season are not always listed in Lutheran hymn books Bach used to compose cantatas. Nor does the Hänssler complete Bach recordings edition provide chorales for this period in the church season volumes, 78-80. Instead, the Epiphany Season chorales are found mostly under the thematic volume, 84, including "Jesuslieder" or "Jesus Hymns." This is where the four key Epiphany season chorales are found in the hymnbooks under various themes, after the de tempore chorales (Advent to Trinity Sunday). The chorales (Stiller, p. 249) are "Liebster Immanuel, Herzog des Frommen," 123 "Jesu, meine Freude" 81 ; Meinen Jesus, laß ich nicht," 124 and 154 "Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne" (Werde munter, mein Gemüte) 154. The last two are also used in the St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244).

Chorales for the turn of the year (Sundays After Christmas and New Years and the Feasts of New Year's Day and Epiphany)
Key: 3/6(18) = 18^th stanza, + or * = other liturgical use

Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid (Eph.+2, SaNY) BWV 3/6(18), BWV 58/1(1), BWV 153/9(11,12)
Befiel du deine Wege (SaNY +) BWV 153/5(1)
Das alte Jahr vergangen ist (NY) BWV 288(6), BWV 289 (1, 2), BWV 614, BWV 1091
Das neugeborne Kindelein (Ch.-NY BWV 122/1,2,4,6(1-4)
Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ (NY +) BWV 143/2(1),7(3),
Helft mir Gott's Gute preisen (NY, SaCh.) BWV 16/6(6), BWV 28/6(6)
Herr Gott, dich loben wir (Te Deum) (NY, TC*) BWV 16/1, BWV 190(a)/1,2 BWV 119/9*, BWV 120/6*
Hilf, Herr Jesu, laß gelingen (mel. ?JSB) (SaNY) BWV 248IV/7(15), BWV 343, BWV 344
Ich steh an deiner Kripen hier (Ch.-Eph.) BWV 248VI/6(1)
Ihr gestrin, ihr höhlen Lufte (Ch.-Eph. BWV 248V/11(5)
Peur natus in Bethlehem (Ch.-Eph.) BWV 65/2(3)
Jesu du mein liebstes Leben (mel. ?JSB (SaNY) BWV 248IV/3,5(1), BWV 356
Jesu, meine Freude (SaNY +) BWV 358=?P10(2)
Jesu, nun sei gepreiset (NY) BWV 41/1, BWV 171/6(3)= BWV 41/6(6), BWV 190/7(2); 362(1)
Nun, liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit (Eph.) BWV 248V/4(5)
Nun lob mein Seel, den herren (NY +*) BWV 28/2, 167/5(5)*, BWV 225/2(3), BWV 389, BWV 390
Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind BWV 153/1(1)

Dance: Virtually all of these church pieces for this period include at least one dance-style movement, primarily passepied-gigue, according to Finke-Hecklinger in <Tanzcharaktere in Vokalmusik>: BWV 152/6, SB aria, passepied; 122/4, SAT aria, passepied; BWV 143/7, tutti chorale, gigue-passapied; BWV 190/3, A aria, polonaise; BWV 190/5, TB aria, passepied-minuett; BWV 41/2, pastorale; BWV 171/4, S aria, pastorale-giga; BWV 248/36, chorus, passepied-minuett; BWV 248/39, A aria, pastorale-gigue; BWV 153, /3, B aria, passepied; BWV 153/8, sarabande; BWV 65/1, chorus, pastorale-giga; BWV 65/6, T aria, gigue-menuett; BWV 123/1, chorus, pastorale-gigue; BWV 248/54, chorus, passepied-minuet. The works with no dance-style movements are: BWV 16, BWV 58, and BWV 248/V.

SUN. AFTER CHRISTMAS: BWV 28, Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende [SATB solo]
12/30/25 (Cycle 3); original text with additions.
Sources: (1) score (DS P.92, CPEB, Pölchau, Berlin Sing.); (2) parts set (SPK St. 37, CPEB).
Literature: BG V (Rust 1855); NBA KB I/3 (2000, K.Hoffmann); Whittaker II:190-4, Robertson 30 f, Young 174 ff.
Text: #1-5, Neumeister (1714); #2 Gramann cle. "Nun lob mein Seel" ("Now praise, my soul") (S.1); #6, Eber cle. "Helft mir Gotts Gute preisen" ("Help Me Praise God's Goodness") (S. 6).
Forces: SATB, 4 vv, cor., 3 tb, 2 ob, tai, str, bc.
Movements: 2 arias (S, AT), chorus, arioso (B), recit. (T), chorale.
1. Aria (S, tutti orch.): God praised! now goes the year to its end.
2. Chs. (tutti): Now praise, my soul, the Lord our God (orig. BWV 231, Sei lob, motet, C1723-25, and BWV Anh. 160/2, Jauchzet dem Herrn, motet, 1706-20, both ?Telemann.
3. Aso. (B): ...I to them goodness shall do (Jer. 32:41).
4. Rec. (T, str): God is a spring where only goodness flows.
5. Aria (AT): God has usin the present year blessed.
6. Cle. (tutti): All such of Thy goodness we praise

Jean Laaninen wrote (July 3, 2009):
Julian Mincham wrote:
< Within a contextual overview I cannot let this pass without drawing attention to the fact that this cantata contains one of only three trios in the 53 works of the second cycle (the others being BWV 38 and BWV 116). However in those cantatas the three voices have roles of equal significance. In this the trio (Mvt. 4) might well be thought of as a duet between sop and tenor with the alto doubling the upper strings in an unadorned statement of the chorale melody. This is a layout possibly unique in the output. >
I found this movement (Mvt. 4) to be simply remarkable, and of this cantata's offering the highlight to my mind and ears. It seemed unique to me, but thanks Julian for pointing out the features and thereby supporting my impression.

Julian Mincham wrote (July 3, 2009):
[To Jean Laaninen] Jean simply as an exercise in getting to know Bach and his imaginative range a bit better it's a great exercise to extrapolate all three trios from the cycle and compare them. All have individual and slightly quirky continuo lines, two in the minor and one in the major. All quite individual in character and utterly beautiful making one wish that he had written more of them

Continue of this part of the discussion, see: Trios in Bach's Vocal Works [General Topics]

Aryeh Oron wrote (July 14, 2009):
Article on Bach's use of the cut-time time signature

In a recent cantata discussion a question was raised about the reason for the conflict or contradiction between the BG edition and the NBA regarding the use of a cut-time or C time signature. This article: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Articles/Cut-time.pdf by Thomas Braatz should help to shed some light on this matter.

Cantata BWV 122: Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2

Back to the Top

Last update: ýJuly 30, 2009 ý22:51:20