|
Thomas Braatz wrote (April 16, 2003):
The Autograph Score and Original Set of Parts:
C.P.E. Bach inherited both the autograph score and the original set of parts. After C.P.E. Bach’s death in 1790, they went to the Berliner Singakademie where they remained until 1855 when they were acquired by the BB [Deutsche Staatsbibliothek Berlin.]
The condition of these documents is described as relatively good.
The autograph title at the top of the 1st page of the score:
J.J Festo Reformationis. Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild.
The names of the instruments are designated next to the staffs to which they belong.
At the very end Bach wrote:
Fine | SDG.
A List of the Original Parts:
Soprano
Alto
Tenore
Basso
Corno 1
Corno 2do
Tamburi
Traversiere 1mo
Traversiere 2do
Hautbois 1mo
Hautbois 2do
Violino 1mo
Violino 1mo (Doublet)
Violino 2do
Violino 2do (Doublet)
Viola
Continuo
Continuo (Doublet)
Continuo (transposed, Mvt. 4 is figured)
Most of the parts were copied by Johann Andreas Kuhnau, some flute and oboe parts by C.P.E. Bach, also Anonymous IIh and IIIa, and Johann Heinrich Bach worked on the final two continuo parts listed above. J.S. Bach reviewed and made changes to the parts.
Parodies:
The “Gloria” of the Missa in G major (BWV 236) is a parody of Mvt. 1 of BWV 79. The 4th mvt. of this mass “Domine Deus” is a reworking of Mvt. 5 duet from BWV 79.
The 5th mvt. of the Missa in A major (BWV 234) is a reworking of Mvt. 2 aria of BWV 79.
Text:
The authorship of the libretto is still in doubt although some attempts had been made to link it to Christiane Mariane von Ziegler or Christian Weiß the Elder.
The text in Mvt. 1 relate to Psalm 84:12; Mvt. 3 is based upon the 1st verse of ‘Nun danket alle Gott” by Martin Rinckart (1636); and Mvt. 6 upon the 8th vs. of the chorale “Nun laßt uns Gott dem Herren” by Ludwig Helmbold (1575.)
1st Performance:
According to Dürr, this cantata was composed in the fall of 1725 and had its 1st performance on October 31, 1725 (without transverse flutes.) This conclusion was based more upon the copyists involved in copying the parts than upon the watermarks of the paper used.
There is no evidence that Bach had reused any earlier compositions for this cantata.
A later performance is documented as being most likely on October 31, 1730, at which time C.P.E. Bach’s handwriting is evident in copying and changing the oboe parts and substituting/adding flute parts instead. The 1st oboe part was given to the 1st flute, so that in Mvt. 2, the flute played the part instead of the oboe. Mvt. 1, Mvt. 3, Mvt. 6 were played with both oboes and flutes. Mvt. 3 and Mvt. 6 are not contained in the 2nd flute part, but this does not necessarily mean that the flute did not play at all in this mvts. but rather that the flautist played the soprano part from another part. |
