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Cantata BWV 122
Das neugeborene Kindelein
Discussions - Part 3 |
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Continue from Part 2 |
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Discussions in the Week of June 28, 2009 (3rd round) |
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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 sourseem 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:
I 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, |
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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? |
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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! |
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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. |
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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") |
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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. |
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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 (sprofound) 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 the Cross be far behind? What else is available? 11/8? 7/16? Bach as closet crapshooter? |
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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". |
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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? |
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William L. 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 tuof the year (Sundays After Christmas and New Years and the Feasts of New Year's Day and Epiphany)
Key: 3/6(18) = 18th 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 |
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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. |
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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 |
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Continue of this part of the discussion, see: Trios in Bach's Vocal Works [General Topics] |
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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. |
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Continue on Part 4 |
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