Johann Sebastian Bach was a member of a family that had
for generations been occupied in music. His sons were
to continue the tradition, providing the foundation of
a new style of music that prevailed in the later part
of the eighteenth century. Johann Sebastian Bach
himself represented the end of an age, the culmination
of the Baroque in a magnificent synthesis of Italian
melodic invention, French rhythmic dance forms and
German contrapuntal mastery.
Born in Eisenach in 1685, Bach was ...(+)
Johann Sebastian Bach was a member of a family that had
for generations been occupied in music. His sons were
to continue the tradition, providing the foundation of
a new style of music that prevailed in the later part
of the eighteenth century. Johann Sebastian Bach
himself represented the end of an age, the culmination
of the Baroque in a magnificent synthesis of Italian
melodic invention, French rhythmic dance forms and
German contrapuntal mastery.
Born in Eisenach in 1685, Bach was educated largely by
his eldest brother, after the early death of his
parents. At the age of eighteen he embarked on his
career as a musician, serving first as a court musician
at Weimar, before appointment as organist at Arnstadt.
Four years later he moved to Mühlhausen as organist
and the following year became organist and chamber
musician to Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar. Securing his
release with difficulty, in 1717 he was appointed
Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen and
remained at Cöthen until 1723, when he moved to
Leipzig as Cantor at the School of St.Thomas, with
responsibility for the music of the five principal city
churches. Bach was to remain in Leipzig until his death
in 1750.
As a craftsman obliged to fulfil the terms of his
employment, Bach provided music suited to his various
appointments. It was natural that his earlier work as
an organist and something of an expert on the
construction of organs, should result in music for that
instrument. At Cöthen, where the Pietist leanings of
the court made church music unnecessary, he provided a
quantity of instrumental music for the court orchestra
and its players. In Leipzig he began by composing
series of cantatas for the church year, later turning
his attention to instrumental music for the Collegium
musicum of the University, and to the collection and
ordering of his own compositions.
The so-called Kirnberger Collection (BWV 690-713), a
title now generally ignored in recent editions, is a
collection of music by Bach copied by or for his pupil
Johann Philipp Kirnberger. The latter was born in
Saalfeld in 1721 and educated in Coburg and Cotha,
before, in 1739, travelling to Leipzig for lessons in
composition and performance with Bach. After a period
spent in Poland, he returned to Dresden, moving then to
Berlin as a violinist in the Prussian royal service. In
1754 he entered the service of Prince Heinrich of
Prussia and four years later that of Princess Anna
Amalia, remaining in this last position until his death
in Berlin in 1783. Kirnberger had the highest regard
for Bach, and did his utmost to bring about the
posthumous publication of the latter's four-part
chorale settings.
It is suggested that the Partite diverse, chorale
variations, date from about 1700, when Bach was at the
Michaelisschule in Lüneburg. The first of these, the
Partite diverse sopra Christ, du bist der helle Tag,
BWV 766, is based on a chorale that is a Lutheran
translation of the hymn Christe, qui lux es et dies,
used as an evening hymn. In Partita I the chorale is
harmonized, followed by Partita II, a bicinium. The
second variation, Partita III, brings a rhythmic change
in accompaniment figuration and Partita IV has further
embroidery of the melody. In Partita V the chorale
melody is in the tenor part, while in Partita VI the
metre is 12/8. Partita VII, con pedale se piace,
perhaps doubling the left hand, ends the set of
variations.
The first of the Kirnberger Chorales, Wit nur den
lieben Gott läßt walten, BWV 690, takes as its basis
the hymn by Georg Neumark, published in 1641 and
generally to be sung on the Fifth Sunday after Trinity.
It probably dates from the Weimar period, with the
simpler version, BWV 691, written out by Bach in his
note-book for his son Wilhelm Friedemann. The first,
more contrapuntal version, like the second, has its
chorale melody in the upper part. Ach Gott und Herr,
BWV 692 and BWV 693, although included in his
collection by Kimberger, are thought to be by Johann
Gottfried Walther, a cousin and friend of Bach, since
both versions seem to form part of Walther' s partita
on the same melody. Wo soll ich fliehen hin, BWV 694 is
dated to the period before Weimar and is for two
manuals and pedals. It is based on a penitential hymn
of 1630 by J. Heermaann. Here the chorale melody is
played by the pedals, while there is a suggestion of
the text (Whither shall I flee) in the running notes of
the music.
Although originally written for Pipe Organ, I created
this Interpretation of the Chorale Prelude (BWV 691)
"Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten" (Who only lets
dear God rule) for Double-Reed Trio (Oboe, English Horn
& Bassoon).
PARTITION