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Cantata BWV 56
Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen
Discussions - Part 4 |
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Continue from Part 3 |
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Discussions in the Week of May 27, 2012 (3rd round) |
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Ed Myskowski wrote (May 27, 2012):
Introduction to BWV 56 -- Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen
Weekly reminder:
This week we continue Trinity season cantatas with BWV 56, the last of three works for the 19th Sunday after Trinity. Details of text, commentary, recordings, and previous discussion for this week are accessible via: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV56.htm
The link to commentary by Julian [Mincham], music examples included, is especially recommended as an introduction to listening.
BWV 56 was recorded five times (from 1950 to1983) by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, whose recent death has been noted in BCML discussions. He is the soloist in both the Rilling and Richter series. Many other fine recordings are available for comparison. Max von Egmond did not perform this work in the H&L series, but he does have a recording available; see the laudatory review by Peter Watchorn at amazon.com. Thomas Quasthoff, who retired from concert and recording performance within the past year or so, was viewed by many as the inheritor of DFDs mantle. There are multiple OVPP (for the chorale) recordings available, including the original Rifkin series and the ongoing Kuijken series. I have been unable to access the third option by Carolina baroque, perhaps someone can help, or report on that?
The BWV 56 page has convenient access to notes from the Gardiner, Koopman (notes by Christoph Wolff), Suzuki, and Leusink (and more!) CD issues, via link beneath the cover photo.
The chorale text and melody are accessible via links at the BWV 56 page. Francis Browne has recently added new commentary on the cantata texts to his interlinear translations, linked via [English-3I]. We can expect these to continue, not necessarily weekly. Douglas Cowling and William L. Hoffman are also posting relevant to chorales and other music for the Lutheran Church Year, accessible via LCY pages.
I do not always take the time to check all links before posting. Special thanks to the folks who provide timely corrections. |
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Charles Francis wrote (May 27, 2012):
BWV 56 -- Ton Koopman
Ton Koopman discusses this cantata at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWzHdKNrAkM
A live performance can be found here (three parts):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgk6qUeZW2c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbkQLLWN5bg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCNP1qj26Qo
I was reminded of a public talk he gave on Bach some twenty years ago during an early music festival. |
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Douglas Cowling wrote (May 28, 2012):
Charles Francis wrote:
< Ton Koopman discusses this cantata at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWzHdKNrAkM >
Towards the end of the interview, Koopman's comments about Bach's ability to touch the emotions is a touching insight. |
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Ed Myskowski wrote (May 28, 2012):
Charles Francis wrote:
< Ton Koopman discusses this cantata at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWzHdKNrAkM >
It is very convenient to have these U-tube (chemists joke) links posted, thanks!
After listening again to CDs, I remain comfortable with the comments I posted in 2008 (BCW archives, Part 3), regarding the relative merits of DFD and Quasthoff recordings, except that I am unable to find the DFD LP I mentioned. I have only the later Richter and Rilling versions, on CD.
In the search for the LP, I did realize that I have the DFD/Forster performance of BWV 212, on EMI/Angel LP. The liner notes are primarily English translations of the texts, but include the following note:
<In 1742 the Chamberlain Carl Heinrich von Dieskau inherited the villages of Klein Zschocher and Knauthein. Picander, as a local government official, probably [!] suggested to Bach that he compaose a cantata in the Chamberlains honor. Picanders text, (in which he makes fun of his own tax collecting duties), was published in 1751.> (end quote) [redunant commas and parentheses sic]
I look forward to our discussion of this and other secular cantatas next year, for a peek at Bachs sense of humor.
There is no specific mention of the the connection between the two Dieskaus, 18th C. chamberlain and 20th C. singer. I do recall a radio broadcast from many years ago when this connection was mentioned by the announcer. My memory is that it was a lieder perfomance by DFD in his ancestors castle, but perhaps it was simply this recording of BWV 212, which I misunderstood, or misremebered with the passing years. |
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Ed Myskowski wrote (May 28, 2012):
Ed Myskowski wrote:
<Picander, as a local government official, probably [!] suggested to Bach that he compaose a cantata in the Chamberlains honor.>
(1) compaose is a typographic error, the result of my childhood habit of orienting myself to the QWERTY keyboard, by hooking my left little finger to the a key. I blame the teacher, and the absurdity of the keyboard layout. Imagine if the musical keyboard were laid out at random!
(2) The omitted apostrophe in Chamberlains is mine, not the original text. My choice, as an option to avoid the ongoing poor transmission, via internet, of single and double quotation marks.
(3) The bracketed emphasis on probably is probably [!] justified. |
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Bruce Simonson wrote (June 2, 2012):
Ed Myskowski wrote:
< Introduction to BWV 56 -- Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen >
I am interested in performing this cantata (56) next year. We have a very strong bass here in Juneau, and several accomplished cellists. The English horn part might be tricky, but we have a couple of very strong oboists who I think will be willing to take this on.
Anyone on the list have experience with this work, and be willing to share ideas on rehearsal and performance? Any pitfalls, or gems, that you have would be most welcome. |
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Ed Myskowski wrote (June 3, 2012):
Bruce Simonson wrote:
< Anyone on the list have experience with this work, and be willing to share ideas on rehearsal and performance? Any pitfalls, or gems, that you have would be most welcome. >
Coincidentally, my copy of the Max von Egmond/Franz Bruggen performance on CD arrived at the same time as Bruces query.
See the Peter Watchorn review at amazon.com. Certainly a gem to my ears, at initial hearing, with many unique details, not least the 2VPP effect of the chorale, with boy trebles and altos. Perhaps the ultimate in authentic performance accuracy? |
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Ed Myskowski wrote (June 12, 2012):
Ed Myskowski wrote:
< Many other fine recordings are available for comparison. Max von Egmond did not perform this work in the H&L series, but he does have a recording available; see the laudatory review by Peter Watchorn at amazon.com. [...] There are multiple OVPP (for the chorale) recordings available, including the original Rifkin series and the ongoing Kuijken series. >
I mentioned in passing, in response to Bruce Simonson, that the Max von Egmond recording is 2VPP. I believe this detail is worth noting for the record, and for others who may be interested in listening to the distinction with the OVPP recordings by Rifkin and Kuijken.
There is plenty of other monkey business (engineering?) going on between perfomance and listeners ear, but I find the OVPP versus 2VPP comparison relevant to the scholarly discussion of authentic performance practice. Which perhaps leans toward 2VPP at the moment? |
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Continue on Part 5 |
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