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Thomas Braatz wrote (May 29, 2003):
The Autograph Score:
The autograph score belonged to C.P.E. Bach. At the time of his death, the score is listed in his estate along with a few of the original parts (doublets.) Georg Pölchau was the next owner who acquired it in a way that is not documented. It is now located in the BB (Staatsbibliothek Berlin.)
The title on the 1st page reads:
J. J. Festo Ascensionis Xsti. Concerto, á 3 Trombe è Tamburi, 2 Violini, Viola, 4 Voci è Cont.
After the final choral: Fine SDG.
The Original Set of Parts:
These are now in the BB. Just how the Berliner Singakademie acquired them is unclear. They simply appeared in the catalog of the Singakademie in the middle of the 19th century. They were sold to the BB in 1854.
The parts are as follows:
1. Soprano: Copyist 1 (mvts. 1-5; mvt. 11); Copyist 2 text for 1 & 11); J. S. Bach (text for mvt. 4 & 5, all of mvts. 6-10)
2. Alto: Copyist 1 (1-11); J. S. Bach (text for 1-9); Copyist 2 (text for 11)
3. Tenore: Copyist 1 (1-11 not text); Bach (text for 1-3); Copyist 2 (text for 11)
4. Baßo: Copyist 1 (1-9, 11); Bach (text for 1-7); Copyist 2 (text 7-11)
5. Trombe 1: Copyist 1 (1-7 ms. 29); Copyist 2 (7 ms30 – 9);
6. Trombe 2: Copyist 1
7. Trombe 3: Copyist 1
8. Tamburi: Copyist 1
9. Hautbois 1: Copyist 3 (1-5 ms. 10a); Copyist 1 (5 ms.10b to end)
10. Hautbois 2: Copyist 4 (1-5 ms. 6); Copyist 2 (5 ms. 7 – 10); Copyist 1 (11)
11. Violino 1: Copyist 1 (1-11 not the obbligato part for mvt. 7); Bach (mvt. 7 obbligato part)
12. Violino 1 (Doublet): Copyist 5 (1-6); Copyist 1 (7-11 but not obbligato for mvt. 7); Bach (mvt. 7 obbligato part)(
13. Violino 2: Copyist 1
14. Violino 2 (Doublet): Copyist 6 (1-5); Copyist 7 (6-9); Copyist 1 (11 to ms. 4); Copyist 2 (11 from ms. 5 to end)
15. Viola: Copyist 1 (1-8); Copyist 2 (9-11)
16. Continuo: Copyist 1 (1-10); Bach (11)
17. Continuo (Doublet): Copyist 7 (1-9 ms. 23); Copyist 5 (9 ms. 24 -10); Copyist 1 (11)
18. Continuo (transposed whole tone lower, w/figured bass): Copyist 2
7 copyists participated in this project with Bach copying some portions as indicated and editing as well as revising.
Date of Composition:
This cantata was composed for its 1st performance on May 30, 1726.
The Text:
The librettist is unknown. Spitta thought that the texts for mvts. 5 through 10 originally formed a poem consisting of 6 vs. and might have been by Mariane von Ziegler. This can not be established with any firm evidence. It is simply speculation.
Mvts. 1 & 4 are biblical texts taken from Psalm 47, 6-7 and Mark 16:19 (the latter being a portion of the Gospel designated for Ascension.)
Mvts. 2 & 3 are in free verse. In these there are phrases that relate to Bible passages: “da die Gefängnisse er selbst gefangen führt” relates to Psalm 68:19 and the quotation from Ephesians 4:8 (“Du bist in die Höhe gefahren und hast das Gefängnis gefangen.”)
The 1st line of mvt. 3: “Ja tausendmal tausend begleiten den Wagen” is a reference to Daniel 7:10 (“….tausendmal tausend dienten ihm”)
The beginning of mvt. 7: “Er ists, der ganz allein die Kelter hat getreten” refers to Isaiah 63:3 (“Ich trete die Kelter allein.”)
Mvt. 11, the final chorale, is based on vs. 1 & 13 of the chorale “Du Lebensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ” by Johann Rist (1641). |
