Cantata BWV 28 - Discussions

Cantata BWV 28
Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende
Discussions - Part 2

Continue from Part 1

Discussions in the Week of August 26, 2007

Russell Telfer wrote (August 25, 2007):
Introduction to BWV 28

Discussion for the week beginning 26^th August 2007

Introduction to Cantata BWV 28
Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende
Praise God! For now the year is ending

The cantata was composed for the first Sunday after Christmas, December 30, 1725.

The text was from Erdmann Neumeister. In this introduction I have relied on the translation (from the website) by Z Philip Ambrose.

It is also useful to remind ourselves that we have discussed in sequence the cantatas for Christmas Day, St Stephen's Day and the 3^rd day of Christmas for 1725. Now we are at the last celebration of the old year with the New Year's Day cantata yet to come.

It was last discussed by us at the end of 2002. That exchange of information is well worth reading.

The movements:

Mvt. 1. Praise God! For now the year is ending
The cantata starts with a soprano aria accompanied by two oboes, taille, strings and continuo. I would describe this 3/4 dal segno aria as a precise, sober dance with intricate passage work. At times there are seven independent parts in operation and on top of that the soprano floats a lovely mournful melody - all features for which we love Bach.

Mvt. 2. Now praise, my soul, the Master,
There follows an alla breve Choral, in which cornetto and three trombones join the assembled forces for another characteristic Bach sound, a fugal masterpiece in which choir and trombones share prominence. Don't ever miss a cathedral performance, if it comes up.

Mvt. 3. Thus saith the Lord: It shall to me bring pleasure that I unto them give favor, and them
This (after a bar of recit) is marked 'arioso ma un poco allegro'. It is a lengthy, tuneful movement for bass accompanied only by continuo. The mood is one of quiet reflection, about which, more below.

Mvt. 4. God is a spring, where nought but kindness wells;

The tenor follows with an earnest recitative fully accompanied by strings. I always think that when the composer gives us the full string treatment, it is a way of signifying that this is a 'high' day - higher than most days, at any rate. And indeed, it is the last Sunday at the end of the year, 1725, and what a year it was.

Mvt. 5. God hath us in this very year brought such blessing,
Next follows a duet in canon for alto and tenor accompanied by continuo. Despite the minimal forces, this is a vigorous and tuneful dance-type movement with a continuous pulsing energy.

Mvt. 6. We praise all thy compassion Father, on heaven's throne
We return to A minor for the final Choral. I would describe the tone as reflective but intense. This is a lovely choral to sing. (Most of them are.)

The mood of the cantata as determined by its text has as a whole been uplifting. The music has remained reflective, more internalised. The recent debate between Julian Mincham, myself and others is very much to the point.

As Julian put it when discussing BWV 110:

"Bach.. differentiates between the communal extrovert expression of faith, joy in salvation, praise of God etc and the personal individual expression of the same aspects which are often gentler, more introverted and more reflective."

I think he would agree that those words apply to cantata 28 as well, whose performance followed cantata 110 by four or five days.

My personal conviction is that the 'communal extrovert expression' is the more authentic musical experience, but I may be in the minority.

A final word: when I first put this cantata under close scrutiny for discussion-leading, I did not quickly pick up on some its special features. Gradually I came to realise that this was not a run-of-the-mill creation from the weekly grind, but something special, something for a high day. But that was what the 2002 posters had said already.

Douglas Cowling wrote (August 25, 2007):
Russell Telfer wrote:
< It is also useful to remind ourselves that we have discussed in sequence the cantatas for Christmas Day, St Stephen's Day and the 3rd day of Christmas for 1725. Now we are at the last celebration of the old year with the New Year's Day cantata yet to come. >
The Christmas season of 1725-26 is a rather interesting glimpse into Bach's horrifically demanding workload:

Sunday, Dec 23 - Advent 4 - no cantata but a full service with motets
Monday, Dec 24 - (mercifully Lutherans did not celebrate Christmas Eve)
Tuesday, Dec 25 - Christmas Day - full cantata and mass setting
Wednesday, Dec 26 - Second Day - full cantata and mass setting
Thursday, Dec 27 - Third Day - full cantata and mass setting
Friday, Dec 28 - daily service with chorales
Saturday, Dec 29 - daily service with chorales
Sunday, Dec 30 - Sunday after Christmas - full cantata and mass setting
Monday, Dec 31 - daily service with chorales
Tuesday, Jan 1 - New Year's Day - full cantata and mass setting

That's five cantatas in one week with concerted mass settings on the three days of Christmas. The only relief provided by the calendar was the fact that Epiphany (Jan 6) fell on a Sunday that year. The worst years must have been those when Christmas fell on a Monday and Epiphany on a Saturday.

There was certainly no vacation "down" time for Bach. In fact, the Christmas fortnight was the busiest time in Bach's year, busier even than Holy Week when the passion music was performed. The sense of obligation for this season is shown by the fact that Bach interrupted his "sabbatical" of composing cantatas to write new works for Christmas.

Now I'm curious about which domestic celebrations the Bach family had to fit into this schedule.

Jean Laaninen wrote (August 26, 2007):
[To Russell Telfer] Of particular interest to my ear in this cantata is the tenor aria, fresh and beautiful in its simplicity, and the the expansion into a duet in cannon with the alto using only the continuo to undergird the message. Particularly charming to me is the rhyming of ending words. The first eight lines in the tenor aria all have words ending with a 't' and then the last two lines an 'en'. In the duet the rhyming pattern continues, as both provide a clear and grateful perspective. The return to the minor key in the final chorale seems so traditional to me in my Lutheran experience. Russell, Julian and I have been sharing some perpectives as to community in the musical context, and introspection in the setting of the cantatas. In my experience of Lutheranism the introspective aspect in the communal setting was kind of a matter of over-all guidance about how one looks at life and lives in the light of what God has given. There can be joy in the seriousness, but what is serious is never placed in preaching, teaching and music far from the joy. The desired result, be one orthodox or very pious, was an understanding of the importance of commitment in my view.

In the previous discussion Thomas has covered all the major texts, including everything I could find in Dürr and Chafe. What I have not seen in previous discussions, though it probably gets too complex for a general understanding of the work is detailed discussion of the motives. I am quite fascinated by the manner in which short patterns are used and reused in innumerable ways, to create textures that fit with the text, and the manner in which certain instruments are selected for the use of such motifs. A Bach cantata is simply a very deep work, and I was also appreciative of Russell's comment as to the high day aspect of this individual piece.

Julian Mincham wrote (August 26, 2007):
I've just got back from a few days in France and am not yet up to date with postings.I did manage to catch most of a performance (by a young group from Paris) of the A maj and G min short masses in Rouen Cathedral which was very good although slightly marred by the over raccoustics. I wonder if Monet would have approved?

Re BWV 28, a couple of off the cuff thoughts. I am always a bit surprised that the opening movements turns out to be an aria rather than a chorus----there are a number of these rather energetic A min first movements dominated by oboes and strings that turn out to be choruses or chorale fantasia (let BWV 178 and BWV 33 from the second cycle serve as examples) Also, taking up the recent theme that Russell has alluded to, the first movement of BWV 28 seems to serve the purpose of individual expression -----consider this MY soul----but it also calls for all to come together and sing a song of praise to Him--which explains the chorus coming next--a movement which is really a chorale fantasia-cum-motet although the chorale used is not that which closes the work. It's also worth looking at the ways in which the writing for the lower voices paints individual lines of text in this movement as is often to be found in the second cycle fantasias.

Not all of Bach’s cantata texts are as neatly constructed as this. Neumeister begins with the recognition of the passing of the year and the need to acknowledge God’s part in providing all that is good. It goes on to recognise the need to praise God for his great powers and continuing beneficence. It then comes to the specific entreaty, placed in the penultimate verse just where Bach would have considered it to be best situated for maximum effect----we now beseech Him explicitly to provide us with another happy and fruitful New Year. By the way, might the oboes reinforced by the strings (a process later reversed) symbolise the coming together of all mankind in order to offer praises (sop aria)? And does anyone have any thoughts as to the symbolic significance of the showers of falling semiqauavers in the duet? continuo line?

Finally a question--not loaded but for information only--I'm not sure what you meant by 'authentic' in the sentence below, Russell--could you explain it?

Russell Telfer wrote:
< My personal conviction is that the 'communal extrovert expression' is the more authentic musical experience, but I may be in the minority. >

Alain Bruguières wrote (August 26, 2007):
[To Julian Mincham] Welcome back on the list.

It is a paradox of our times that by leaving the country where I live you're getting closer!

Julian Mincham wrote:
< Re BWV 28, a couple of off the cuff thoughts. I am always a bit surprised that the opening movements turns out to be an aria rather than a chorus----there are a number of these rather energetic A min first movements dominated by oboes and strings that turn out to be choruses or chorale fantasia (let BWV 178 and BWV 33 from the second cycle serve as examples) I felt somehow disappointed, too..Also, taking up the recent theme that Russell has alluded to, the first movement of BWV 28 seems to serve the purpose of individual expression -----consider this MY soul----but it also calls for all to come together and sing a song of praise to Him--which explains the chorus coming next--a movement which is really a chorale fantasia-cum-motet although the chorale used is not that which closes the work. It's also worth looking at the ways in which the writing for the lower voices paints individual lines of text in this movement as is often to be found in the second cycle fantasias. >
... but then the second movement is such a treat that I forgot about my disappointment! The sense of freedom in the way the 'accompanying' voices are conduced is incredible. This piece could probably be classified among the motet-style chorale fantasias (such as the opening movement of BWV 2, BWV 14, BWV 80, and a few more which have been listed here) but it feels different to me. In these other pieces there is a sense of inexorable progression of the chorale melody, the accompanying voices reinforcing the hieratic aspect of the CM (often due to Luther; by the way who's the author of that one?). The effect is all but fearsome...Here I find that there's a sense of great freedom of expression which makes you almost forget that the cantus firmus is a pre-existing melody, and the four voices sound entrancing both as a whole and individually. [Perhaps this is telling us that there is no contradiction between the 'collective' and the 'individual' point of view?]

Julian Mincham wrote (August 26, 2007):
Alain Bruguières wrote:
< [Perhaps this is telling us that there is no contradiction between the 'collective' and the 'individual' point of view?] >
A profound point. I would agree that there is no contradiction and that they are just different perspectives of the same ideas/principles/tenents.

The important thing from the aesthetic (Bach's??) point of view is that this distinction allows light and shade and various manners of contrast between---and sometimes even within---movements of a given work.

Jean Laaninen wrote (August 26, 2007):
Julian Mincham wrote:
< By the way, might the oboes reinforced by the strings (a process later reversed) symbolise the coming together of all mankind in order to offer praises (sop aria)? And does anyone have any thoughts as to the symbolic significance of the showers of falling semiqauavers in the duet? continuo line? >
Thanks for pointing out those falling patterns, Julian. Biblically, and culturally throughout history the need for rain, or rain being a symbol of God's providence might have played into Bach's thinking. Provisionally, all life depends on water, so if the patterns are indicative of rain, or blessings falling from heaven in a general way, an awareness of the pattern would serve to enrich textual understanding, and might also provide emotional conveyance. I cannot say that I have ever heard of anyone writing on the matter of psychology in the works of Bach, but retrospectively of course many explorations have been made from the discipline of Psychology into the personalities and work of many historical figures. This is just another one of those somewhat random thoughts that come to my attention, while not really wanting to go too far from central and critical material.

Alain Bruguières wrote (August 26, 2007):
Julian Mincham wrote:
< The important thing from the aesthetic (Bach's??) point of view is that this distinction allows light and shade and various manners of contrast between---and sometimes even within---movements of a given work. >
I entirely agree with you. The fact that in this particular cantata JS surprizes us by having the Aria in 1^st position and the Chorale Fantasia in 2^nd position (and, as you noticed, the introductory ritornello preserves the surprize effect) may be significant. Apparently here Bach is playing, not only with the opposition individual/collective, but also on our expectationsregarding this opposition. I wonder whether there's any reason in the text, or related to the significance of this particular Sunday in the Lutheran religion (it certainly is a particular Sunday in the yearly cycle), which justifies such treatment.

Somehow that movement 2 reminds me of the chorale 'Vor deinem Thron tret' ich hiemit' which reportedly JS dictated on his death bed.

You may find it executed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtzDyxRD3lE
Some people have no respect...

Julian Mincham wrote (August 27, 2007):
Jean Laaninen wrote
< Biblically, and culturally throughout history the need for rain, or rain being a symbol of God's providence might have played into Bach's thinking. Provisionally, all life depends on water, so if the patterns are indicative of rain, or blessings falling from heaven in a general way, an awareness of the pattern would serve to enrich textual understanding, and might also provide emotional conveyance. >
Thanks for this thought. Certainly there are many examples of this sort of figuration in Bach and the general interpretation would seem to bethat it represents a showering down of God's blessings. However the general idea of 'life giving water' may also be relevant--certainly the specific idea of the showering of the waters of baptism are represented on occasions---BWV 7 is an excellent example of this.

Jean Laaninen wrote (August 27, 2007):
[To Julian Mincham] Great additional point, Julian. Thanks.

Julian Mincham wrote (August 27, 2007):
Authentic

Russell Telfer wrote:
< My personal conviction is that the 'communal extrovert expression' is the more authentic musical experience, but I may be in the minority. >
I don't want to push you but I am intrigued by whay you may have meant by the above--particularly the use of the word authentic. I got the feeling that we may have beem moving together to some extent on the idea of Bach's public/private depictions of the text--but I wasn't sure what you meant here.

Sheer curiosity on my part but its been bugging me!

Neil Halliday wrote (August 28, 2007):
It's amazing what a difference the right continuo realisation makes, in the continuo only movements. Rilling [5] and Werner [1] spoil the bass arioso (Mvt. 3) and the AT duet (Mvt. 5), with thick, unpleasant, un-phrased bass strings and nondescript organ (or harpsichord) parts. Even McDaniel's superb voice (with Werner) can't save the situation. OTOH, Richter [2] works wonders with a lovely ethereal organ realisation in the arioso, attractive continuo strings, and superb singing by DFD; and Richter's AT duet has an imaginative, bright organ realisation with most enjoyable singing from Töpper and Schreier. (This must be one of the rare occasions when Töpper can be heard singing, at least in the 16^th note passages, without vibrato, and the combination with Schreier is most successful).

From the BCW samples of the period recordings, Harnoncourt's organist [4] brings the same imaginative treatment to that part as Richter's organist [2], and with his good vocalists, succeeds for the same reasons. I found Leusink [6] also easy to listen to. Koopman [8] is quite good in the arioso (Mvt. 3) with an expressive vocalist and intimate continuo with lute (but why is the timbre of the very first organ chord so dull?). Koopman's duet (Mvt. 5), though with lovely AT voices, suffers from his typical miniaturisation of the continuo.

I like the wide-ranging `melodious' nature of the continuo line in the ritornellos and elsewhere, in this duet (Mvt. 5).
----------
Speaking of Richter [2] and Koopman [8], they both have the same quick tempo in the opening movement (Mvt. 1) (and fastest of all the recordings), but Richter's performance is spoilt by inappropriate 20^th century operatic style of singing, whereas Koopman's performance with attractive singing is a lively song of thanks. Harnoncourt [4], in a performance featuring a boy soprano, shows that the aria works well at a slower tempo. Auger (Rilling [5]) is sometimes too forceful to my ears. Werner [1] is laboured.

The long and varied melisma on "gedenken" is most attractive, in this aria.

------------

The very fine motet-style chorale is a contrapuntal `tour de force'. Particularly memorable are the chromatic passages in the lower voices accompanying the 5^th line of text, and the rich harmonies over the long pedal point accompanying the last (12^th) line of text. (None of the performances fully realises the potential, IMO, though most are satisfactory. I'd like to hear more vivid trombones in Werner's recording [1]).
----------

My picks (currently):
S aria (Mvt. 1): Harnoncourt [4], Koopman [8], Rilling [5], Leusink [6].
Chorale (Mvt. 2): undecided.
Bass arioso (Mvt. 3): Richter [2]; DFD sounds like the Lord himself!
Accompanied recitative (Mvt. 4): Richter [2], who makes it sound like an enraptured 20^th century symphonic adagio. (Harnoncourt [4] spoils it with `dying' tone on every note in the strings).
Duet (Mvt. 5): Richter [2], Harnoncourt [4], Leusink [6].
Chorale (Mvt. 6): undecided.

Nessie Russell wrote (August 28, 2007):
Neil Halliday wrote:
< It's amazing what a difference the right continuo realisation makes, >
It's really great to hear that people notice this.

Russell Telfer wrote (August 28, 2007):
Julian Mincham wrote:
< I don't want to push you but I am intrigued by what you may have meant by the above--particularly the use of the word authentic. I got the feeling that we may have beem moving together to some extent on the idea of Bach's public/private depictions of the text--but I wasn't sure what you meant here.
Sheer curiosity on my part but its been bugging me! >
I'm afraid this question reminds me of a lengthy joke in which a janitor engaged in a debate with the Pope, until the Pope gave up and admitted defeat. Just prior to that the Pope, in his final attempt to win the debate, had waved an apple in the air, whereupon the janitor brandished a piece of flat bread.

The Pope 's explanation, as I recall, was that he had attempted to explain in a philosophical way, the many heresies to which mankind was prone, and the worst of these was the insane possibility that the earth might be round; but the janitor had trumped that by pointing out that everyone knew that the world was flat.

The janitor's explanation was different. 'The Pope was waving his arms around a lot, but then he got out his lunch. So I got out mine.'

In this case, I am cast as the janitor.

I found it difficult to answer to your question so I just listened to cantata 110 again. I still felt the mismatch of words and music in movements 2 and for 5 for example.

I can take back the word 'authentic' - 'straightforward' would be better.

I'd say there is a lot of mainstream music which tries to match words and text closely - what we might agree was the extrovert approach.

Then there are such compositions as "Meditations on a Theme by Sweelinck'' by A. N Other, in which the composer can do what he likes in the ensuing development and may end up with a devotional possibly very introverted piece of music. These are surely much less common.

That's the best way I can express my understanding of the issue. Hope it helps!

Julian Mincham wrote (August 28, 2007):
Russell Telfer wrote:
< In this case, I am cast as the janitor. >
So long as I am not cast as the Pope!!

Thanks Russell. Yes 'straightforward'---or even 'direct' makes sense. Or even extrovert??

But it is the introverted, personal, 'deep' Bach movements that I find myself always coming back to and finding myself increasingly unable to account for their' spiritual' power.

Neil Halliday wrote (August 30, 2007):
Russell Telfer wrote (of Mvt. 2)>
>"There follows an alla breve Choral, in which cornetto and three trombones join the assembled forces for another characteristic Bach sound, a fugal masterpiece in which choir and trombones share prominence. Don't ever miss a cathedral performance, if it comes up".<
An unusual aspect of this chorale fantasia is that, aside from the first note, the tenors often present thechorale melody (CM) in the same note values as the CM phrase that is eventually sung by the sopranos. (This occurs in lines 1,3,5, 8,9,10,11, and 12). In lines 1, 3, and 5, the altos and basses have motifs in quarter notes that are not imitative of the CM. In lines 2, 4 and 6, the lower voice parts are not imitative of the CM. In line 7, we have initial `pre-imitation' (in the lower voices) which has the CM in note-lengths of half value. (Surprisingly, this is the only line where `pre-imitation` in the lower voices occurs in note lengths of *half value relative to the CM in the sopranos). There are stretti in all three lower voice incipits in lines 7 to 11 inclusive, with note lengths (apart from the first note) same as the CM (except line 7 as noted above). Line 12 has the CM - over the long pedal point - initially in the altos, then the tenors and finally the sopranos.

The counterpoint in the lower voices in lines 5 ("Sünd") and 6 ("Schwachheit") is particularly chromatic, as is usual with Bach's treatment of such words, while the harmony over the pedal point in line 12 ("Reich") is particularly rich and attractive.

Bach manages to ensure that the relentless and complex vocal counterpoint is nevertheless surprisingly transparent, so that a listener can often identify the words that are being sung by each of the four vocal lines.

As usual with such complex movements, it's worth studying the score in order to engage more completely in the listening experience. (The BCW vocal piano reduction score is adequate, because the instruments - apart from the continuo - double the SATB parts).

Russell Telfer wrote (August 30, 2007):
Neil Halliday wrote:
< It's amazing what a difference the right continuo realisation makes, in the continuo only movements. Rilling [5] and Werner [1] spoil the bass arioso (Mvt. 3) and the AT duet (Mvt. 5), with thick, unpleasant, un-phrased bass strings and nondescript organ (or harpsichord) parts. >
Thanks, Neil, for your recent posts on this cantata. As often happens, it caused me to go back to the drawing board and listen to the only accredited recordings I have of BWV 28 - Rilling [5] and Leusink [6].

Until you pointed it out, I didn't realise that Rilling [5] (I use my words) could have made much more of the Arioso (Mvt. 3) than he did. I preferred Leusink's [6] more fluid style.

I have always had, I confess, a prejudice towards saying that the score contains the kernel of the musical idea, and that a performance will be an ephemeral event. This isn't true now where a 1000 mb recording can be preserved for all time. As well as that, in figured bass situations, there is potentially enormous scope for realisation. The creative performer has a wonderful opportunity.

I also looked at your analysis of Mvt. 2. I haven't had a chance yet to road test it, but I can guess that when JSB is at his best, as here, the work is formally perfect as well as sound-perfect. You appear to have proved the former, and we're all agreed on the latter.

Julian Mincham wrote (September 1, 2007):
[To Neil Halliday] Thank you Neil for this well-written articulation of the Choral. My training has only allowed me two similar writing experiences related to Bach's work, but I learned enough from those events to thoroughly appreciate what you have done in this case. It took me a matter of months to write out what I did as I studied several scores, and I hope other members on this list will appreciate the kind of detail to the music that you have been able to provide in a rather terse and quick manner. This addition to the study of the cantata is a serious piece of academic writing, but most of all informative to the listener.

Ed Myskowski wrote (September 4, 2007):
Neil Halliday wrote:
< As usual with such complex movements, it's worth studying the score in order to engage more completely in the listening experience. (The BCW vocal piano reduction score is adequate, because the instruments ? apart from the continuo - double the SATB parts). >
For some reason (techno glitch?) I did not receive Julian's response to this post. I only happened to notice it today while reviewing the discussion archives. It begins:

Julian Mincham wrote (September 1, 2007):
[To Neil Halliday] < Thank you Neil for this well-written articulation of the Choral. >

And thanks to you both for stimulating commentary. I believe I said that just about a year ago, as well. I will try to make it an annual event, if you keep writing.

Discussions in the Week of August 26, 2007

Evan Cortens wrote (July 6, 2009):
Week of July 5, 2008: BWV 28 "Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende"

Liturgical Designation:
Sunday after Christmas

Background and Discography: http://bach-cantatas.com/BWV28.htm

Past Discussions: http://bach-cantatas.com/BWV28-D.htm

Performance History:
First: December 30, 1725

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 92
Original performance parts: D-Bsb Mus. ms. Bach St 37
(Thomas Braatz provides a commentary on these: http://bach-cantatas.com/Ref/BWV28-Ref.htm )

Figures:
As I plan to discuss the sources a little bit in this introduction,
I'd like to link here to the facsimiles printed in the NBA volume:
Figure 1: http://evancortens.com/28/fig1.jpg
Figure 2: http://evancortens.com/28/fig2.jpg

Libretto:

The text for this cantata is drawn from the fourth cycle of librettos by the Hamburg poet Erdmann Neumeister, first published in 1714. It is interesting to note that, just like BWV 152 and BWV 122, this cantata has only a tenuous connection to the readings for the day. Instead, as we see right in the first line, Bach focuses on the end of the calendar year. Not surprising, given that this cantata was first performed on the day before New Year's Eve. The end of the year can often serve as theological symbol for the end of time, the coming of the final judgment. Not so in this cantata, instead we see the congregation exhorted to praise and give thanks for the old year and hope and optimism for the new one. The text and chorale melody for the second movement come from the hymn "Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren" (1530) by Johann Gramann and Bach sets the whole text unaltered. (Francis Browne's translation available here: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale136-Eng3.htm ) The third movement, a bass recitative and arioso, draws upon Jeremiah 32:41.

Scoring:

The second movement is worthy of comment here especially, as the colla parte use of brass instruments is not the most common occurrence in Bach's choruses. First, as to the brass instruments themselves. The score itself does not actually designate the names of any doubling instruments. (See Figure 2, linked above.) As you can see in the figure, we have three undesignated staff lines--colla parte with the soprano, alto and tenor parts respectively--followed by the four vocal parts and finally the (unfigured) continuo. From the clefs though, one can reasonably assume the doubling instruments to be two violins (treble clefs) and viola (alto clef) and/or two oboes (treble clefs) and taille(alto clef). If only the score itself had survived, we would have no idea of any brass doublings.

Fortunately though, we have two further sources to draw upon: the title page and the original performance parts. The text of the title page is for the most part in the hand of Johann Andreas Kuhnau, Bach's principle copyist. However, Bach himself has added the lines referring to the brass instruments, as follows (I've given the scribe's name in square brackets): "[JAK:] Domin: post Nativit: Christi | Gottlob! Nun geht das Jahr etc. | a 4 Voc: | 3 Hautbois | 2 Violini | Viola | [JSB:] 1 Cornetto e 3 Tromboni | [JAK:] e | Continuo | di Sign: | J S Bach".

It is of course the parts that clarify the situation entirely: the movement is given in the string parts, wind parts and brass parts. [Note 1] We have four brass parts which double the vocal parts in movements two and six, the "motet" and the closing chorale. Intriguing is the fact that the cornetto part (NBA B 5) is entirely in Bach's hand and the "trombona" parts (NBA B 6 to 8) are partially in his hand. Furthermore, the other trombone copyist, Christian Gottlob Meissner, is not seen in any of the other parts.

This leads us to the conclusion, then, that the brass parts were added later. How much later cannot be said, but I would be inclined to believe, on the basis of scribal and watermark evidence, that they were added in time for the first performance. [Note 2] One can imaginethat Bach, after hearing the first rehearsal of the cantata, decided that something was missing. Either wanting to strengthen the vocalparts, or just to change their colour, Bach decided to add the brass.

Compositional Genesis:

The paper and scribal evidence all point to a first performance on December 30, 1725. As with BWV 122, there is no evidence in the sources to suggest any later performances, though for the reasons I outlined last week, there likely was at least one. Robert Marshall, in his seminal study The Compositional Process of J. S. Bach (Princeton, 1972), has raised an interesting possibility for the second movement, namely that it is based on an earlier, now-lost compositional model. He draws this conclusion on the basis of Bach's script in the autograph score. If you take a quick glance at the two figures I've given above, respectively the first page of the first movement and the first page of the second movement, you can see a striking difference. The first movement is in Bach's "Gebrauchsschrift" (literally, use-script, better, composing script) and the second is in Bach's "Reinschrift" (literally, pure-script, better, fair hand). Needless to say, there's much written on the difference between these two script types. For a good primer, I direct the reader to the NBA volume on Bach's script, Vol. 9, book 2, by Yoshitake Kobayashi.

The editor of the NBA volume, Klaus Hofmann, rightly advises caution regarding Marshall's conclusion however. In the critical report, he argues that Bach need not be copying from a pre-existing piece, but he could simply be copying from a now-lost composing score, or from a sketch. Either way, the script difference is striking, and it is certainly not only random.

The second movement is later reused in BWV Anh. 160, a three movement motet whose outer movements are by Telemann. This piece however does not survive in any contemporary sources, its earliest copies date from the second half of the eighteenth century. That said, this need not necessarily mean Bach wasn't involved in its preparation.

Recordings:

I listened again to Koopman, Suzuki and Harnoncourt. I confess I found Harnoncourt's tempo in the first movement a little slow for my taste. I especially enjoyed the oboes in the Suzuki recording.

Movements:

I list here all the movements for your convenience.

Mvt. 1. Aria (S) - "Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende"

I'd have to say that this is my favourite movement in this cantata because I think it cleverly combines a number of generic functions. First, it starts out as a sinfonia, in the concerto grosso style with choirs of instruments pitted against each other: winds vs. strings in this case. It is then, of course an aria. Finally, I believe (as does Duerr) that it functions as a call to action for the congregation, who then respond in the next movement.

Mvt. 2. Chorus - "Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren"

I've remarked on the scoring of this movement above. As to the form, this movement is really a "chorale motet". The chorale melody forms the motivic basis for all the musical material here, and it is played out in full in the soprano (and doubling instruments), in augmentation. The movement of Bach's that it initially called to mind for me was the opening chorus of BWV 140, "Wachet auf", in its similar treatment of the chorale material. (It's a neat little coincidence that in BWV 140/1 as in BWV 28/1, Bach treats the winds and strings as choirs in opposition.) However, the piece this movement really called to mind for me was a chorale motet by Brahms, "Nun ist das Heil uns kommen her", composed well over a century later. In my humble opinion, the resemblance is uncanny! Perhaps it is from this cantata movement that Brahms drew his inspiration. (Again, perhaps a neat coincidence here is that both chorales are on Christmas/New Year themes.)

Mvt. 3. Recitativo ed Arioso (B) - "So spricht der Herr"

Mvt. 4. Recitativo (T) - "Gott is ein Quell, wo lauter Guete fleusst"

Mvt. 5. Aria Duetto (AT) - "Gott hat uns im heurigen Jahre gesegnet"

Mvt. 6. Chorale - "All solch dein Guet wir preisen"

Unlike second cycle chorale cantatas, we actually get a different chorale melody in the closing chorale than in the second movement.

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It is of course my hope for another interesting and lively discussion; the last two weeks have been most enlightening! I must say also that I feel some trepidation about the upcoming two weeks... discussing one cantata in a week is tricky enough, I don't know how we're going to cover all the chorales and sacred songs. I'm sure we'll find a way!

Footnotes:

1. I note here that there's a typo in the NBA Kritischer Bericht. On page 67, it says that the "Cornetto" part "Enthaelt die Saetze 1, 6 und Tacet-Vermerke fuer die uebrigen Saetze". This should, of course, say "Saetze 2, 6".

2. As it happens, paper evidence alone may not be sufficient to settle this question. See Joshua Rifkin's article in the latest Bach-Jahrbuch (2008) in which he discusses the viola da gamba part from BWV 76 and the corno part from BWV 68, concluding that Bach wrote and/or modified a part on old paper. That said, in this case, scribal evidence argues in favor of the brass parts for BWV 28 being basically contemporary with the other parts. That Meissner's hand is not found in any of the other parts is interesting, but not altogether uncommon. He gets his nickname, the "continuo scribe", from the fact that his hand is often found in that part alone.

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 6, 2009):
Evan Cortens wrote:
< However, the piece this movement really called to mind for me was a chorale motet by Brahms, "Nun ist das Heil uns kommen her", composed well over a century later. In my humble opinion, the resemblance is uncanny! Perhaps it is from this cantata movement that Brahms drew his inspiration. (Again, perhaps a neat coincidence here is that both chorales are on Christmas/New Year themes.) >
Brahms certainly knew the Bach motet movements through his work with a Viennese choral society.

What I find intriguing in this cantata is the juxtposition of the "modern" style in the opening aria and the "antique" style in the second movement. One wonders if the two styles were meant to symbolize the new and old years respectively. A somewhat similar juxtaposition can be found in the Magnificat (BWV 243) where the "Sicut Locutus Est Ad Patres" is written in the old fugal motet style (symbolic of Bach's old-fashioned "fathers" in music?) while the following "Gloria Patri" is cast in a massive free modern style (the eternal paternity of God the Father?)

It's worth noting that the chorale melody was one of the few Lutheran tunes to enter English hymn books before the Bach revival of the 1870's. It sneaked in through a version the Geneva Psalter. It became ubiquitous in English hymnbooks as "All People That On earth Do Dwell".

Julian Mincham wrote (July 6, 2009):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
< What I find intriguing in this cantata is the juxtposition of the "modern" style in the opening aria and the "antique" style in the second movement. One wonders if the two styles were meant to symbolize the new and old years respectively. A somewhat similar juxtaposition can be found in the Magnificat (BWV 243) where the "Sicut Locutus Est Ad Patres" is written in the old fugal motet style (symbolic of Bach's old-fashioned "fathers" in music?) while the following "Gloria Patri" is cast in a massive free modern style (the eternal paternity of God the Father?)
It's worth noting that the chorale melody was one of the few Lutheran tunes to enter English hymn books before the Bach revival of the 1870's. It sneaked in through a version the Geneva Psalter. It became ubiquitous in English hymnbooks as "All People That On earth Do Dwell". >
The placing of the one choral movement (Mvt. 2) following the soprano aria (Mvt. 1) may be explained through an observance of the text. The soprano has emphasised the obligation placed upon the individual to celebrate----reflect upon this, my soul----. But then comes the appropriate time for all good people to gather together in order to express these sentiments communally----Praise the Lord who has given you good things and forgiven your sins----He saves the wretched, makes strong the young and protects those who continue to endure earthly tribulations. The modern Italianate ritornello soprano aria is directly contrasted with the more archaic motet perhaps suggesting that this is a message for all everyone. The one conveys individual, the other communal expressions of praise and reverence.

It seems to me that Bach quite frequently seems to go out of his way to remind us that both 'modern' and archaic styles are suitable vehicles for religious expression. Looking at the first three chorale cantatas of the second cycle (BWV 20, BWV 2 and BWV 7) the opening fantasias are 1 a French overture 2 an archaic motet (but with quite 'modern' harmony) and 3 an italian-cum-ritornello structure.

Jean Laaninen wrote (July 7, 2009):
Evan Cortens wrote:
< I list here all the movements for your convenience.
Mvt. 1. Aria (S) - "Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende"
I'd have to say that this is my favourite movement in this cantata >
The elegance of the first movement (I liked this best, also) and texture provides quite a contrast to Mvt. 2, and I appreciated your elaboration on the double use of the chorale, as it appears again in the simplified form in Mvt. 6.

I'm curious to know if this pattern of doubling the chorale use appears in other cantatas in a similar manner?

Jean Laaninen wrote (July 7, 2009):
Week of July 5, 2008: BWV 28 Chorale Symbolism

Julian Mincham wrote:
< It seems to me that Bach quite frequently seems to go out of his way to remind us that both 'modern' and archaic styles are suitable vehicles for religious expression. Looking at the first three chorale cantatas of the second cycle (BWV 20, BWV 2 and BWV 7) the opening fantasias are 1 a French overture 2 an archaic motet (but with quite 'modern' harmony) and 3 an italian-cum-ritornello structure. >
I find your comments here quite interesting, in that in the writing or assembling of modern church cantatas, there have been times when I felt the assembling of movements to be a bit odd, or a bit of a strange mix. No one really compares to Bach, IMO, but if Bach could mix his styles freely perhaps it isn't so awful when one finds modern compositions doing the same thing. Even when Bach is mixing and matching his styles, there is a sound that is characteristic of Bach in its complexity that makes the works beautiful.

Francis Browne wrote (July 7, 2009):
BWV 28 Chorale

For information: Aryeh has kindly added to the website my translation of the complete text of the chorale used in the last movement of this week's cantata: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale082-Eng3.htm

Ed Myskowski wrote (July 7, 2009):
BWV 20 [was: BWV 28 Chorale symbolism]

Julian Mincham wrote:
>>It seems to me that Bach quite frequently seems to go out of his way to remind us that both >>'modern' and archaic styles are suitable vehicles for religious expression. Looking at the first three chorale cantatas of the second cycle (BWV 20, BWV 2 and BWV 7)... <<
Jean Laaninen concluded her reply:
>Even when Bach is mixing and matching his styles, there is a sound that is characteristic of Bach in its complexity that makes the works beautiful. <
I wonder if these mixed styles which which we now accept as characteristic of Bach, a few centuries later, were not in fact quite startling to his contemporary listeners? See for example, the wonderful notes by the late Craig Smith to his (Emmanuel Music) recording of BWV 20:

<The chorale setting which ends the first half of this cantata is almost banal in its plainness. It is as if Bach feels the need to present the most unadulterated version of the chorale. ...

After [end of second half] such terrifying music the brutality of the same plain harmonization of the chorale is almost more than the listener can bear. Almost all of Bachs cantatas have redemption as their denouement. Here the unrelenting starkness of the vision has no relief. It is impossible to know what the parishioners of Leipzig thought of this astonishing vision.> (end quote)

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 7, 2009):
Ed Myskowski wrote:
< I wonder if these mixed styles which which we now accept as characteristic of Bach, a few centuries later, were not in fact quite startling to his contemporary listeners? >
The "old style" repertoire was still a living body of work to Bach: his choirs sang motets by Schütz, Gabrieli and Lassus every Sunday. And he appears to have specially arranged a motet by a cousin for his own projected funeral.

At the same time, Bach often appears to use chorale and motet style in a very self-conscious and symbolic way. The Epiphany cantata, "Sie Werden Aus Saba Alle Kommen" opens with a huge chorus in concerto style with virtuoso solo parts. Surprisingly, Bach follows this chorus immediately with a chorale as a second movement. Such a juxtaposition only makes sense when we note that the chorale is the prescribed introit for the Christmas season and covered the entry of the clergy. Is Bach intending to represent the opening movement as the journey of the Three Kings and the chorale as their entry into the house of the Holy Family?

Allegorical allusion may also be at play in Cantata BWV 25, "Es ist nicht Gesund" which opens with a chorus based on the chorale, "Befiehl du deine Wege" (the Passion Chorale). The hymn melody appears not as a single sustained line in the voices but as a normally-paced hymn harfor the old-fashioned instrumental ensemble of three recorders, cornetto and trombone. The cantata is stark exploration of human mortality (it has the delightfully morbid recitative, "Die ganze Welt ist nur ein Hospital"). It is hard not to interpret the textless brass ensemble as a tone poem of a passing funeral band.

The older motet style might be also symbolic in Cantata BWV 80, "Ein feste Burg". Is it a tribute to the Renaissance musician, Martin Luther, on the self-consciously commemoration of Reformation Sunday, or an allusion to the struggle with Satan, the "alte Böse Feind"? Interesting that W.F. Bach decided to tart up the movement with modern trumpets and timpani.

Ed Myskowski wrote (July 8, 2009):
I wrote:
<< I wonder if these mixed styles which which we now accept as characteristic of Bach, a few centuries later, were not in fact quite startling to his contemporary listeners? >>
Doug Cowling replied, beginning:
< The "old style" repertoire was still a living body of work to Bach: his choirs sang motets by Schütz, Gabrieli and Lassus every Sunday. And he appears to have specially arranged a motet by a cousin for his own projected funeral. >
I always appreciate Dougs reminders of the musical tradition that continued as a living body of work for Bach, and presumably for the listeners amongst his audience. I find a comment by Jeremy Siepmann relevant, as a supplement rather than contradiction to Dougs thoughts. It is from the CD set Introduction to Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 (recommended by Francis Browne in BRML discussion of the works):

<Bach is often said [not necessarily by Doug, I hasten to point out] to have been the culmination of past traditions. An ending rather than a beginning. But what we are finding in both the concertos we have been exploring is far from backward-looking. It leaps over the generation that followed Bach and anticipates the great concertos of Mozart and Beethoven.> (end quote, from the spoken text to No. 5, reproduced in booklet notes, p. 76)

Analogous thinking applies to the choral compositions. To put the innovations of the cantatas in the context of tradition does not in any way diminish those innovations; indeed, it makes them all the more remarkable. In fact, Craig Smiths idea re BWV 20 (which I misapplied a bit), is that Bach achieved dramatic effect by using a traditional chorale form, in an unexpected and startling manner. An innovation, one might say, by refraining from an expected novel form.

Julian Mincham wrote (July 8, 2009):
[To Ed Myskowski] It is fascinating to conjecture about Bach's, and his audiences' attitudes towards different styles and how they may have differed from contemporary attitudes. Certainly, by practice, Bach seems to have established as a fact or axiom that all styles might be perfectly appropriate for purpose and would not be rejected simply op the grounds of being archaic. Certainly there was sensitivity to matters of stylistic development in his lifetime as he was strongly critised himself for 'not keeping abreast' of changing style and practice. I have read reports, discussions and theses of Matheson and others on this matter of stylistic differentiation but I don't have the references to hand. Maybe someone else does.

It It is fascinating to conjecture about the attitudes that Bach and his contemporaries had towards music of different styles and eras and how they might differ from contemporary.

Neil Halliday wrote (July 9, 2009):
Evan Cortens wrote:
< Mvt. 1. Aria (S) - "Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende"
I'd have to say that this is my favourite movement in this cantata because I think it cleverly combines a number of generic functions. First, it starts out as a sinfonia, in the concerto grosso style with choirs of instruments pitted against each other: winds vs. strings <
Notice that the first ritornello is repeated after the 5^th line of text(in E minor instead of A minor) with the arrangement of the upper strings and oboes reversed.

With the introduction of the 7^th line of text, the upper instrumentation is reduced to 1st oboe and 1st violin with charming effect, which leads into (with the 3^rd exposition of this same of line of text) the typically lovely segment of a 'circle of 5ths' (the aria's 'denouement'?), accompanied by non-overlapping alternation of the oboe and upper- string 'choirs', with the strings low in their compass (eg, 2^nd violins down to low G#), during the long melisma on "gedenken".

[All lovely in Rilling's recording [5] (tempo a little slow)].

Thanks for the facsimiles of the original score from the master's hand. Fancy being a printer who has to make an accurate copy of these scores? BTW, the BGA has some interesting detail in the second movement (of interest only to performers, no doubt) such as indications where oboes and strings play the notes in unison (shown with stems up) while the trombone involved stays with the vocalists; and trills at certain places for violas alone, etc.

Cantata BWV 28: Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2

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Last update: ýJuly 30, 2009 ý22:49:56