Luogo e data di registrazione		Auditorium C. Pollini, Padova (Italy) - March 2007
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Recording Staff		Eckhard Steiger
	Prima Edizione CD		ACCENT - ACC 25306 - (1 CD) - durata 55' 36" - (p) 2007 (c) 2008 - DDD
	Note		-

COMMENTARY on the cantatas presented here Cantatas BWV 18 - 23 - 1 The Cantatas BWV 18 (As the rain and snow fall from heaven) and BWV 23 (Thou true God and David‘s Son) were intended for the two last Sundays before Lent, the “Sexagesima“ and “Estomihi“ Sundays (the last was known as „Quinquagesima“ in the Catholic calendar). In the following weeks, during actual Lent, no cantatas were performed in the Leipzig churches, apart from the Feast of the Annunciation of Mary on the 25th of March - even if this Feast fell within the period of Lent according to the calendar. The Cantata BWV 1 (How beautifully shines the morning star) was written for this Lady Day Feast on the 25th March, 1725. Thus, in a way, these three Cantatas belong to the same period in the liturgical year. "Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt" - BWV 18 This work comes from Bach‘s time in Weimar. Later, probably in 1724, the composer performed this Cantata again in a slightly altered form in Leipzig. It is the Leipzig version which is used in this recording. The text is taken from Erdmann Neumeister‘s third year-long series of cantata texts. Neumeister was the most important author of texts for this new, concertante style of composition. The structure of the text is a typical example of the kind of texts which combine different ‘layers‘ from different sources with each other. In this case there are fragments from the Old Testament, Lutheran texts (here a longer quotation from Luther, next to a chorale text from a contemporary of Luther, L. Spengler (1524)), and finally original poetry from Neumeister. The instrumentation of the piece is idiosyncratic. There are no violins here, but four violas, a violoncello (for us, of course, a violoncello “da spalla“), a bassoon and basso continuo. The Leipzig version recorded here doubles the two highest violas throughout with two recorders, sounding an octave higher. The five-part instrumental writing is not exceptional in Bach‘s Weimar cantatas, although four violas (instead of two violins and two violas) and basso continuo is not commonplace. The sound colour, produced by the recorder doubling in the Leipzig version, is absolutely unique and fascinating. The Weimar version was written in G minor. In the Weimar churches music at the time was played at a high choir-pitch (about a=465 Hz, the pitch at which the organ was tuned). In Leipzig, on the other hand, several years before Bach took up his appointment, instruments in general were already tuned a whole tone below the organ (this was tuned, as in Weimar, at a=c. 465 Hz - the other instruments at a=c. 415 Hz). Because of that, the Weimar cantatas, which Bach wished to repeat in Leipzig, were mostly written out anew by him and his copyists, and actually a tone higher, so that the resulting sound, qua absolute pitch, (above all because of the vocal parts) remains the same. As a rule Bach used such rewriting as an opportunity for a sometimes very intrusive revision of the composition in question. In the case of this cantata, however, he only added the two recorders and a violone, without altering the actual composition. In this adaptation, he certainly had in mind a musical idea, the coherence of which I would like to describe briefly (and purely hypothetically) thus. From the remaining original parts of this cantata one can conclude that, for the performance of this piece in Leipzig, the violas and the violoncello did not for once receive the new parts (transposed up), and played at the old Weimar pitch. They must also, as in Weimar earlier, have been tuned at the high choir pitch. Only in Leipzig the newly-introduced instruments (recorders, violone) played at the deeper Leipzig pitch, and therefore received the new ‚high notated‘ parts, in A minor instead of G minor. The sound of the stringed instruments changes but clearly belongs to the altered pitch - I assume that is why Bach deliberately retained the “more austere“ sound of the ‘465‘ pitch from Weimar with four violas and violoncello, and combined them with the added instruments (tuned to a lower pitch and sounding milder). The sound of the augmented instrumental ensemble thus becomes sharper and more concise, and, for example in the introduction, is very effective in the evocation of the rain and snow, which Bach sets to music. We tried out this original combination of the two voices, and found it worked very convincingly. It is with great pleasure, therefore, that we retained it in this performance. The piece begins with a lively instrumental introduction - a Sinfonia, from which one can very well understand that the thematic material has a descriptive meaning. The large intervals and the general picture from the unison opening motifs easily remind us of the snowfl akes falling from the sky. From that one can also understand that the more melodic horizontal lines of the two upper voices are themselves supposed to depict the sky from which the flakes are falling on the ground. Did Bach want to show this idea even more clearly in Leipzig through the addition of the recorders at the octave? I certainly think so. A recitativo secco for Bass follows – the real textual beginning of the Cantata. Erdmann Neumeister literally borrowed here a long fragment from the Old Testament, in fact Isaiah ch. 55 (v. 10 and 11), where God himself, in the fi rst person, explains to us how we must interpret his word. The choice of a recitative for bass solo here, as in other instances, is well understood to be an illustration of setting to music the “Vox Dei“, God‘s voice, which addresses us directly. No other polyphonic composition to the same text has ever had such a vivid effect as this extremely declamatory recitative. Note, for example, the descriptive madrigalism on the words ,,... feuchtet die Erde“ ( ... waters the earth). A descending line describes the rainfall. Then note how, suddenly, with the indication of a striding andante tempo, the words ,,und macht sie fruchtbar und wachsend, dass sie gibt Samen zu säen und Brot zu essen“ (and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater) are given a timeless weight. Also towards the end of the text Bach stipulates andante once more (... sondern tun, das mir gefället, etc.“) (... but it shall accomplish that which I please, etc.). Voice and basso continuo are very imitative here; no doubt a picture of continual obedience. After this solo recitative, there follows a complex accompanied recitative. Erdmann Neumeister writes a sequence of four prayers, and, each time, interrupts them with a quotation from Martin Luther‘s Litany, ,,Du wollest deinen Geist und Kraft zum Worte geben“ (Thou wouldst give Thy Spirit and Strength to Thy Word). The whole forms a kind of excorcism of the dangers, which threaten believers and can separate them from the true faith. Where Neumeister‘s verse was conceived in the usual accompanied recitative style (the tenor and bass taking over alternately, partly accompanied by long-held string notes, partly in a declamatory, arioso dialogue with the strings), Bach makes clear use of the Litany presentation of the Luther texts. Luther‘s words are quoted by the soprano, “recto tono“ (on a single note), with an accompaniment of nervous quavers in the basso continuo (organ and ‚violoncello‘, sic!). Finally the whole vocal ensemble with instrumental support answers the soprano with „erhör uns, lieber Herre Gott!“ (Hear us, dear Lord God!). Noteworthy and very effi cient are the dissonant harmonic phrases for „...des Teufels Trug“ (by the devil‘s deception), and to illustrate the word „berauben“ (to rob) in the first bass phrase (alternating movement in the instruments and voice) and also „Verfolgung“ (persecution); the latter was almost “painted“ (in the second tenor phrase, where the tenor voice seems to chase the instrumental bass away). In this text we are today struck by Luther‘s unequivocal and violent „Und uns für des Türken und des Papstes grausamen Mord und Lästerungen, Wüten und Toben väterlich behüte“ (And from the Turk‘s and the Pope‘s cruel murder and blasphemies, rage and fury, protect us like a father). Bach also supports these fighting words very effectively in the basso continuo, where the violoncello runs free with wild figures. Finally, „irregehen“ (to err) is illustrated by a long vocalise for the bass, which gives the impression of a plaintive search. After this astonishing accompanied recitative comes the only aria in this Cantata (most cantatas have several arias). Neumeister wrote: „Mein Seelenschatz ist Gottes Wort. / Außer dem sind alle Schätze / Solche Netze, / Welche Welt und Satan stricken / Schnöde Seelen zu berücken. / Fort mit allen, fort, nur fort ...“ (The treasure of my soul is God‘s word. / Apart from that, all treasures are / such nets / as the world and Satan weave / to enchant base souls ...). The upper instrumental voices, which, with the soprano and basso continuo, weave the three-part web of this aria, are undertaken by the four violas in unison and the two recorders at the octave. Bach intended this explicitly; this combination of sounds is extremely strange, and very surprising. Perhaps the sixfold doubling on the presentation of „Seelenschatz“ (treasure of my soul), therefore on the wealth, should be pointed out. The text „Fort mit allen, fort, nur fort“ (Away with them all, away, only away) Bach sets with a rising scale fragment, which, in a dense canon, is repeated in the three parts; the idea of driving away. Once again we can only be astonished how, with so many illustrations of the text which display a kind of ‘naïvety‘, the music does not descend to being anecdotal, but quietly develops its own unified course. L. Spengler‘s simple chorale „Ich bitt, O Herr...“ (I beg, O Lord...), harmonised in a simple way by Bach, concludes this particularly rich piece. "Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn" - BWV 23 Cantata for “Estomihi“ Sunday (Quinquagesima) - Leipzig, the 7th of February 1723. Bach performed this Cantata as his audition piece, when he applied for the post of Thomaskantor in Leipzig. Begun in Cöthen, it went through various stages before achieving its final form. In 1723 it rang out in Leipzig with the reinforcement of four trombones in the closing movement. For later revivals in 1728-31 these trombones were dropped. We have stayed with the later version. The unknown author used, in part, texts from two lessons. The Epistle for Estomihi Sunday was I. Corinthians, ch. 13, v. 1-13 (Paul the Apostle‘s famous text about love), and the Gospel was St. Luke, ch. 18, v. 31-42, in which Jesus announces that he is going to Jerusalem and that he will suffer there. St. Luke then tells the story of the blind man who, on the road to Jericho, recognised Jesus as “David’s son“, and was healed of his blindness. The writer pays no attention whatsoever to Paul‘s text, or to St. Luke’s story about Christ‘s intention of going to Jerusalem etc.. Nevertheless, how Bach makes room in his composition for the narrative of this prophecy, will be referred to below. The true poetry of this Cantata deals only with the story of the blind man, who immediately recognised Jesus as God‘s son, and was thereby healed. Thus ought the Christian be freed through his faith; the Christian begs God for mercy and strength. In the text we fi nd many quotations from Holy Scripture: from St. Mark ,,...du ...bist ja erschienen / Die Kranken und nicht die Gesunden zu bedienen“ (...Thou ...didst indeed appear/to serve the sick and not the healthy), and from Psalm 145 ,,...Aller Augen warten, Herr / Du allmächtger Gott, auf dich“ (All eyes wait, Lord / Thou Almighty God, for Thee). The text closes with the chorale from the “Agnus Dei“: ,,Christe, du Lamm Gottes“ (Christ, Thou Lamb of God). With the opening duet, which takes the place of an opening chorus, we are invited, by the poet and the composer, to become absorbed in the scene, in which the blind man recognises Jesus on the road to Jericho as “David’s son and the true God“. The movement is marked “Molt’ adagio“ (so to be played very slowly). It has the very slow gait of a (funeral) march, with the instruments (2 oboes and basso continuo) playing stately semiquaver triplets over marching quavers. Twice, for two bars, (see below) the instruments have a different theme from the two singers. The two oboes are densely intertwined in the swirl of their playing, as are the vocal parts (soprano and alto) in their way. The two ‘pairs‘ meet in their difference, like the blind man and Jesus. Only on the words ,,... mir gleichfalls Hülf und Trost geschehen“ (to me likewise may help and comfort be done) do the vocal parts take for a moment the same theme as the oboes (playing gleichfalls with the same motif - a picture of compassion? Without any doubt... !). When one of the singers in the duet sings ,,... mein Herzleid“ (my heart’s grief), it is always to a chromatic rising line. Does this not show that the heart‘s grief is ‘directed on high‘, worshipping God? On the other hand we are moved by the frequent sighing, sinking fi gure for ,,Erbarm dich“ (have mercy). It is clear from the speech in the Gospel, that the sad marching “molt’ adagio“ is intended to be a sign of the journey to the end (Jerusalem, the Crucifixion). We will meet later yet another wordless allusion to this, in part of the lesson not developed by the poet. The following recitative for tenor, two oboes, strings and basso continuo can be viewed as a kind of ‚close-up‘ of the blind man, as he explains his plea further. The melismas on “fasse“ and “lasse“ well illustrate his ‘turning back‘, his conversion to the faith as it were, after the recognition of Jesus. As mentioned, this fragment also contains a wordless allusion to the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem and to the tragic hidden end. The two oboes play, throughout this accompanied recitative, the chorale melody ,,O Christe, du Lamm Gottes“ (O Christ, Thou Lamb of God), which was certainly well-known to the Church authorities. It must surely be accepted that the praying listeners instantly recognised this melody, and therefore thought about the accompanying text. During this recitative the Crucifxion of Jesus in Jerusalem floats anew before our eyes. After this “double-layered“ accompanied recitative the full-voiced vocal quartet sing a highly calculated choral movement, which is structured as a free rondo. The quotation from Psalm 145 ,,Aller Augen warten, Herr / Du allmächtger Gott, auf dich“ (All eyes wait, Lord / Thou Almighty God, for Thee) Bach takes as a (four-part) ritornello, introduced by the instruments. This ritornello is never repeated in the same form, but always set differently, although using the same motif material. There is heard throughout, (mostly hidden in the bass), the start of the chorale ,,O Christ, du Lamm Gottes“, like a wordless reminder of the unused text of St. Luke. The poet very skilfully takes up in this section the picture of ‘eyes‘ from the psalm, in which he uses the eyes as the subject of his developing metaphor. Bach makes use of these ‚new‘ verses as the ‘couplets‘ of his rondo. They are always performed as horizontally contrapuntal duets for tenor and bass, in which the instrumental setting is for the most part reduced. The whole has a moving lyrical character, full of life. As the fourth and final movement of the Cantata there now comes, in a very refined form, a working of a chorale (marked “Adagio“ at the beginning), in which the chorale ,,Christ, du Lamm Gottes“, so often ‘hidden‘, finally sees the light of day. This movement was first performed in Leipzig (in 1723, although in B minor and reinforced with four trombones), after the composition of the first three movements had been finished. This German translation of the “Agnus Dei“, like the Latin version, has a three-part structure. Twice the plea ,,.. erbarm dich unser“ (have mercy on us) rings out, and then closes with ,,Gib uns dein‘ Frieden“ (grant us Thy peace). With the three sections of this fragment Bach leads the way every time. To start with, we find the sad “stride“ of the opening piece again (even “Molt‘ adagio“ is found there!) - the Lamb of God is brought to mind here, as it is led to the sacrifice. The two oboes clearly line up ‚on one side‘, as if they were privileged witnesses to the events, which will be suggested by the strings and basso continuo. The figure, which the two oboes present, is a repeated ‘questioning‘ and sorrowful, rising short motif (almost a “visualisation“ of those who do not understand, of the astonishment of those who are witnesses to the Crucifixion of Jesus?) The singers sing with that the four-part chorale, more homophonic, but with expressive harmonic changes, compared to the above-mentioned ‘questioning motif‘ which the two oboes scatter in the f rst part of the text, and then a plaintive, chromatic and sinking scale fragment in the combined material. In the second ,,Christe, O Lamm Gottes“ the tempo indication changes. Here Bach writes “Andante“, no longer “Adagio“ - a somewhat more flowing tempo comes in, though the emphasis on the “stride“ remains. This fragment of the well-known chorale melody is now repeated three times as a fugue (first by the soprano, then by the oboes in unison and then by the first violin), and, combined with a short head-motif, is soon extended to all the voices. Then the last section begins (,,Christe, du Lamm Gottes ... gib uns dein‘ Frieden“) (Christ, Thou Lamb of God ... grant us Thy peace), in which the chorale melody is performed by the soprano alone with the first violin, while the busy ‘solo-like‘ oboes make a syncopated contrast to the regular stride of the continuo. In this whole new material Bach hides additionally the figure of a scale spanning about an octave. This figure is imitated in turn by the first violin and the basso continuo. The image of peace, which comes down diffusely from heaven to earth? This elaborate meditative movement was used by Bach in 1725, in the second version of his St. John Passion, as a closing chorus in G minor (although without the trombones), but was later removed from this Passion. With the revival of Cantata BWV 23 in 1728-31 (beginning in C minor) this G minor version found a new use - as already mentioned, we present this version of this particularly impressive piece in our recording. "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" - BWV 1 (For the Feast of the Annunciation, the 25th of March 1725) This number 1 of the BWV (Bachs-Werke-Verzeichnis) (Catalogue of Bach‘s works) in no way means that this was Bach‘s first Cantata or perhaps his first composition. The BWV catalogue is not arranged chronologically at all. This Feast Day of the 25th March celebrates the remarkable story, in which the Angel Gabriel appears to the young Mary, in order to tell her that she will give birth to the Son of God. Nine months later, on the 25th of December, the church celebrates the birth of Jesus - Christmas. There are innumerable depictions in the visual arts of these two themes: the Annunciation to Mary and the birth of Jesus Christ (in which, more often than not, portrayals of the three Kings, their coming and their adoration of the Child are interwoven). In music we find far more works, which join together Christmas and the Annunciation. Cantata BWV 1 is a chorale cantata. Such a cantata is characterised by a single Lutheran hymn. This appears throughout, so that either the whole text of the hymn is used with all its verses, or, with the ‘new poet‘, the old hymn is only partly quoted word for word. Mostly (which applies to this Cantata) in this final form the first and last verses retain the original wording, and in the intervening verses they are combined in a paraphrase. Here the hymn „Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern“ (How brightly shines the morning star) by Philipp Nicolai (from 1599) is used word for word in the opening and closing verses, and the five middle verses are reworked by an author who is still unknown. In 1724 and 1725 Bach wrote this kind of cantata exclusively. Our BWV 1 is the last in this series. As noted above, cantata music was not to be indulged in during Lent in Leipzig. An exception was made for the Feast of the Annunciation. If the 25th of March fell during Lent, fl orid concertante music was allowed to take place during worship in the churches of St. Thomas and St. Nicolai. One can imagine that such an opportunity was very welcome! It must be added, as we have said, that the Feast of the Annunciation points towards Christmas - the Feast for which it is known that music plays a star role. This ‘Christmas connection‘ is quite clearly visible in Cantata BWV 1. From the beginning of the first movement a richness of sound holds sway, which strongly reminds us of Christmas ‘shepherd music‘. So Bach moves us immediately to the heart of the text. But he does so without any ‘triumphal‘ suggestion about the birth of Christ (for instance with drums and trumpets...) - we are really there at the Annunciation! It is more a question of portraying the inner joy. We will have a look at the text of this first movement (that is the first verse of Nicolai‘s original hymn of 1599). The whole (nine verses) are clearly in three groups, which are each divided into three verses. The first two groups are written in iambic and the last one in trochaic rhythm (Lieblich, freundlich etc.: long-short). The (iambic) opening verse is already expressive in its rhythmic tension. Although “Wie“ is placed on a weak beat, it is pronounced with emphasis just like the ,,leuchtet“, which is similarly placed ‘across‘ the iambic short-long scheme. Read through the next iambic verses in exact rhythm, and you will come across several such expressive ‘contortions‘ (Voll Gnad... Du, Sohn David). Also the sudden change over to trochaic, in verse 7, is very effective, and Bach gratefully exploits it in his composition. In the ninth verse there is again “... prächtig“ ‘across‘ the scheme. It is always helpful to recognise such ‘craftsmanlike‘ features. The same rhythmic shifts, when appropriate, profoundly heighten and colour the expression of the text! Bach‘s composition is full of enlightening details (thus the continual active illustrations of the solo violin, which undoubtedly portrays the sparkle of the morning star, as the Jesus child is described here). The sound of the wind instruments (horns, oboes da caccia), and the way the pairs engage in dialogue, has a strange beauty. The opening interval, rising a fifth, of the chief motif is reused frequently as a ‘signal‘ throughout the choir part, with quite a lot of entries of different voices. The six first (iambic) verses are all performed in dialogue with an instrumental intermezzo separating one from the other. The soprano (supported by the first horn) undertakes the well-known chorale melody with long note values, while the three lower voices use the opening instrumental motif as the foundation for their contrapuntal material. In the second and fifth verses Bach uses yet another deliberately contrapuntal trick, in that he brings forward the chorale melody in the tenor and the alto, twice in a row, faster and in canon at the fifth, before it is taken up by the soprano. With the seventh verse (beginning of the trochaic rhythm) ,,Lieblich, freundlich, etc.“ (Lovely, friendly etc.) the polyphony suddenly gives way to homophony. ,,Lieblich“ is sung by the four voices at the same time, which quite clearly emphasises the idea! Verses eight and nine, once again separated by an instrumental intermezzo, partly lean on new instrumental material (once again undertaken by the three lower voices!), without the typical iambic upbeat of the iambic part of the movement. Thus the groundwork remains more or less hidden. The instrumental introduction is finally repeated again ‘da capo‘, in a splendid symmetry (at the same time it must be mentioned that this introduction contains 14 bars; we come across this figure frequently in Bach as a kind of signature. For instance, 14 is the sum of the fi gures 2+1+3+8, which translates alphabetically to spell B-A-C-H, and the product of multiplying these figures is 48. This number, in all sorts of combinations of 14 and 48, is worked in often by Bach as a signature). The following recitativo secco (no. 2) for the tenor is also the beginning of the ‚reworking‘ of the original text by the anonymous poet from Bach‘s time. It points to Christmas, ,,nach dem die ersten Väter schon / So Jahr‘ als Tage zählten“ (from which the first fathers already / counted the years and days), and sings of the joy which Gabriel‘s Annunciation had promised. The following soprano aria develops this theme in a very lively fashion: ,,Erfüllet, ihr himmlischen göttlichen Flammen / Die nach euch verlangende gläubige Brust!“ (Fill, ye heavenly, divine flames / the faithful breast that longs for Thee!). The rhythm of the text is dactylic here. It is strictly used, but (a kind colleague has pointed out to me!) this verse is dominated by the metrical unit ‘short-long-short‘, which is known as an “amphibrach“. The repetition of this metrical unit finally surrenders to the binary dactylic feeling (long-short-short) though it starts with an ‘upbeat‘ at the beginning of the verse. The poetic beauty actually diminishes a little in the text of this aria, but the musical invention compensates for this weakness completely. The obbligato part for oboe da caccia (note again the ‘shepherd sound‘!) and the light-footed pizzicato of the bass instruments frame the voice in a charming way. After that, in a recitativo secco (no. 4), the bass emphasises particularly that this joy was not earthly, but came from the hand of God - which is why we ought to be thankful. Previously the soprano, in her aria (no. 3), had gone further into the preceding tenor recitative, and here the tenor aria (no. 5) develops a clarification of the idea of gratitude, which had just been expressed by the bass: „Unser Mund und Ton der Saiten / Sollen dir / Für und für / Dank und Opfer zubereiten“ etc. (Our mouth and the sound of our strings / ought to bring Thee / for ever and ever / our gratitude and our offerings etc.) (we should note in passing the rhyme of ‘dir‘ and ‘für‘, as it occurs many times in the poetry of that time). For the instrumentation of the aria Bach borrows from the content of the text. No wind instruments interfere here, only ‘mouth and strings‘ (voice and strings... )! The piece flows in a kind of minuet tempo, as in a dance-like ritornello. Rapid vocalises follow the words “Gesang“ and “König“ (‘song‘ and ‘King‘), in the B-part of the aria, with “König“ starting on a long-held unwavering note. This Cantata, which is particularly rich in colours, ends with the last verse of the original hymn of Nicolai from 1599 - without, on the other hand, a compositional process which ‘distills‘ the contents of the text. The text speaks of ‘A and O‘, of completeness therefore, and also „Klopf ich in die Hände“ (I clap my hands). Bach takes this idea literally (not without humour), giving the second horn a solo part - the first doubles the chorale melody - which seems to suggest ‘completeness‘ (with faster figures) as well as the hand clapping (with repeated notes). Although Bach‘s refinement and his frequently hidden devices arouse our admiration time and again, we must not ‘lose‘ ourselves in them. Bach‘s vision, which cannot be expressed in words, of the deeper levels transcend many times this extraordinary ‘craftsmanlike‘ talent. Sigiswald Kuijken Translation by Christopher Cartwright and Godwin Stewart