Johann Sebastian Bach (21 March 1685 ? 28 July 1750) was a German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity.[1] Although he introduced no new forms, he enriched the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal technique, an unrivalled control of harmonic and motivic organisation in composition for diverse instrumentation, and the adaptation of rhythms and textures from abroad, particularly Italy and France.
Revered for their intellectual depth, technical command and artistic beauty, Bach's works include the Brandenburg concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Partitas, the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Mass in B Minor, the St. Matthew Passion, the St. John Passion, the Magnificat, The Musical Offering, The Art of Fugue, the English Suites, the French Suites, the Sonatas and Partitas for violin solo, the Cello Suites, more than 200 surviving cantatas, and a similar number of organ works, including the celebrated Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.
While Bach's abilities as an organist were recognized and highly respected throughout Europe during his lifetime, he was not particularly well-known as a composer. His adherence to Baroque forms and contrapuntal style was considered "old-fashioned" by his contemporaries, especially late in his career when the musical fashion tended towards Rococo and later Classical styles. A revival of interest and performances of his music began early in the 19th century, and he is now widely considered to be one of the greatest composers in the Western tradition. (Collapse)...(Read more)
Mein Gott, wie lang, ach lange? (My God, how long, ah, how long), BWV 155, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He first performed it in Weim...
Mein Gott, wie lang, ach lange? (My God, how long, ah, how long), BWV 155, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He first performed it in Weimar on the second Sunday after Epiphany, on 19 January 1716.
On 2 March 1714 Bach was appointed concertmaster of the Weimar court capelle of the co-reigning dukes Wilhelm Ernst and Ernst August of Saxe-Weimar. As concertmaster, he assumed the principal responsibility for composing new works, specifically cantatas for the Schlosskirche (palace church), on a monthly schedule. He wrote this cantata for the second Sunday after Epiphany and first performed it on 19 January 1716 in the ducal chapel.
The prescribed readings for the Sunday were taken from the Epistle to the Romans, "We have several gifts" (Romans 12:6–16), and from the Gospel of John, the Marriage at Cana (John 2:1–11). The cantata text was written by the court poet Salomon Franck and published in 1715 in Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer. He expanded one thought from the gospel: Jesus is still hidden, but the "soul" may trust that he will appear at the right time. The poet uses images of wine to allude to the miracle at the marriage, such as "Der Tränen Maß wird stets voll eingeschenket, der Freuden Wein gebricht" (that the measure of tears is always fully granted, the wine of joy is lacking). The closing chorale is stanza 12 of Paul Speratus' "Es ist das Heil uns kommen her".
The opening recitative, speaking of longing and waiting, expands expressively on a throbbing pedal point of 11 measures, moving only on the words "der Freuden Wein gebricht" mentioning "joy" (the lack of joy, though), only to sink back for the final "Mir sinkt fast alle Zuversicht" (almost all my confidence has drained away). In the following duet, an unusual obbligato bassoon plays virtuoso figurations in a wide range of two and one half octaves (including a truly remarkable G0), whereas the voices sing together, for most of the time in homophony. Movement 3 speaks words of consolation. Bach chose the bass as the vox Christi (voice of Christ) to deliver them, almost as an arioso on the words "Damit sein Gnadenlicht dir desto lieblicher erscheine" (so that the light of His grace might shine on you all the more brightly). In the final aria, lively dotted rhythms in the strings and later in the voice illustrate "Wirf, mein Herze, wirf dich noch in des Höchsten Liebesarme" (Throw yourself, my heart, only throw yourself into the loving arms of the Highest), the rhythms even appear in the continuo several times, while the strings rest on long chords. The tune of an Easter chorale from the 15th century closes the cantata in a four-part setting.
Although this work was originally scored for soprano, alto, tenor and bass soloists, a four-part choir for the chorale only if at all, an obbligato bassoon, two violins, viola, and basso continuo, I created this arrangement for Bassoon & String Trio (Violin, Viola & Cello).
GUITAR
KEYBOARD
STUDIO
PA
LIGHT
DEEJAY
MIC
Browse without ads
