|
Hänssler's
complete Bach edition continues apace with outstanding renditions
of these sacred cantatas. Bach's intention to modernize church music
planted seeds that yielded choice fruit with pieces like these,
which not only mirror the Scripture texts but also illustrate them
in musical ways recalling Richard Strauss over a century later.
These cantatas are frequently quite tuneful, with many of the arias
and chorales up to Bach's own high standard and fully deserving
of hearings outside of their present settings.
 Singers
and instrumentalists are uniformly excellent. Helmut Rilling's brisk
conducting keeps the proceedings moving, and the 1973-81 recorded
sound, clear and close-up, has just enough hall ambiance to give
some warmth and air around the notes. The notes by Dr. Andreas Bomba
give cultural and textual contexts especially helpful in works such
as these. The text translation Hanssler uses in the libretti differs
from the one from which Dr. Bomba quotes, which at times can prove
disconcerting. But even with this added effort, the good doctor's
comments prove extremely illuminating.
One
point that the editor considered a disappointment in his review
of Volume 25  is
that Rilling and company did not take the period instrument approach
in these recordings. Coming from the opposite viewpoint, I find
the music universal and outstanding enough to transcend any "old
world" or "authentic" performance labels. The bottom
line is, how dedicated are the performers and how fresh is their
approach?
In
the case of the performances here, the answer to both questions
is "Very." The actual performances are generally crisp,
well-phrased and not romanticized in the least. This does not mean
they lack for emotional depth - on the contrary, the players and
singers are sensitive to the tone Bach sets and the changes in mood
inherent in both texts and music. But for those who have personal
challenges with the sound of period instruments in Baroque music
(myself included), having these works played on modern instruments
allows us to concentrate more fully on the beauty and effectiveness
of Bach's compositions. In that sense, these recordings prove an
excellent compromise.
BWV
112 Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt ("The Lord is
now my shepherd true"). Written in Leipzig in 1724 for the
second Sunday after Easter, this cantata centers on the image of
the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep, symbolizing
a relationship of trust and care echoed in Scripture. Bach sets
Psalm 23 without any additions, rewordings or paraphrases, which
was unusual but not unprecedented. At only 13 minutes in length,
this cantata proves a worthwhile introduction to Bach's sacred cantatas,
as well as to the works on this disc.
The
opening chorus echoes the joy and contentment pointed up in the
psalm ("The Lord is now my shepherd true, / He holds me in
His shelter. / Wherein for nothing shall I want, / Possessing any
value"), with horns, oboes d'amore and strings adding a bucolic
air, and the leaping and crossing of contrapuntal lines bringing
to mind the image of lambs frolicking, carefree and happy.
Oboes
take the place of shepherd's pipes and the organ's registration
takes on an aqueous character as the alto reminds us, "To water
pure he leadeth me, / Which me refreshment bringeth." The tone
darkens, however, with lower strings and organ playing a "walking"
rhythm as the tenor sings, "And though I wander in darkness'
vale [the shadow of death], / I'll fear no evil fortune." This
dirge transforms into a regal victory march as soprano and tenor
celebrate, "Thou preparest a table for me / Midst the foes
which stand above me," and a chorale for full chorus caps the
cantata in an atmosphere of gladness, emphasizing that "His
goodness and mercy shall / Attend me through my life."
 BWV
113 Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut ("Lord Jesus
Christ, thou highest good") follows the parable where the Pharisee
prays to justify himself, but the Publician prays for mercy. After
presenting the parable, Jesus asks which of these men was more justified.
Setting the scene for the self-reflection that would accompany this
text, Bach wrote this work as a chorale cantata, drawing on the
text and melody of the chorale "Herr Jesu Christ, du hochstes
Gut" and bridging the gap between congregational music and
art music. The congregation would know the chorale from having sung
it in Sunday services, and could thus readily identify with both
the music and the message of the text therein.
The
first two sections are choral movements - the firsts for bases and
tenors, the second for sopranos and altos - with a somber tone and
near-operatic range of emotions evoked. An aria, accompanied by
oboes and harpsichord and more decoratively written, is literally
a ray of hope, the recitative coming after it reinforcing the theme
of restoration of divine fellowship through repentance. When the
strings enter in the minor, the tone again becomes serious, but
not as strongly as before, as though the actions that brought on
sorrow are now only a remembrance, a shadow of their former selves.
A second
aria, even more highly decorated than the first and gracefully scored
for flute and harpsichord, is blissful, light-hearted music that
lifts the cares of this world and our actions as surely as the tenors
words say that they can. Another recitative follows, in the form
of a chorale, illustrates where that help can come whenever we desire
it with pleading strings and earnest supplications from the tenor:
"He calls: Come unto me, / All ye who labor and are burdened."
A duet
for soprano and alto adds a measure of supplication, with the tight
four-part counterpoint underlining a sense of struggle much like
the sinner who wrestles with the weight of his offenses even as
he confesses the singers' words: "Ah Lord, my God, forgive
me still, / For all I've done to stir thine anger / … So that
my heart may rest contented." The final chorale brings reassurance
in the upward movement of its theme and resolution in the harmony
of the chorus as the chorale closes.
BWV 114 Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost ("Ah,
fellow Christians, be consoled"), completed only six weeks
after BWV 113, is also a chorale cantata, but perhaps due to the
general theme of solace, the music is less somber, more comforting
than in BWV 113. In the Gospel reading that accompanied this cantata
(Luke 14:1-11), Jesus had healed a man of dropsy and admonished
the Pharisees to be humble. Therefore, like BWV 113, that aspect
of humility within the text probably suggested to Bach that utilizing
a chorale for the cantata was only appropriate.
The
opening movement, for full chorus, makes much use of held notes,
repetition and other musical devices to highlight words in the text
such as "consoled," "despondent" and "sincerely."
This in turn makes the choral part writing more intricate than in
BWV 113, and heightens the beauty of the melodic line of the chorale.
It also allows Bach to let the instruments decorate in a lively
series of thirds and double fifth intervals that add to the uplifting
tone of the movement.
The
aria that follows is the musical highlight of this cantata. With
an extended solo role for flute, it alternates between great sensitivity
and a virtuoso concerto setting. As Dr. Bomba points out, this contrast
corresponds to the text - on earth the vale of sorrows, in heaven
the joyful, enraptured, "in Jesus' hands paternal." It
is also by far the longest movement of the cantata, at over nine
minutes, but such is the exquisiteness of Bach's handiwork that
it does not seem a note too long.
A sober
recitative is followed by a rapturous chorale for soprano, organ
and cello solo, then an equally uplifting aria where the alto sings,
"Thou shalt, O death, make me no longer anxious. / … My
Savior shall within the grave protect me / And summon me at last
transformed and pure." With graceful turns of an oboe obbligato,
this is music of assurance and understated triumph. Another recitative
leads to the closing chorale, where the choir proclaims, "Through
Adam to us cometh death, / But Christ frees us from all our need.
/ For this we praise the Master."
This
is one Bach-anal in which JONATHAN
YUNGKANS can definitely have a good time.
To
Add a Comment to this article, please post your comments to classical@inkpot.com.
782: 1.11.2000 ©Jonathan
Yungkans
All
original texts are copyrighted. Please seek permission from the
Classical Editor
if you wish to reproduce/quote Inkpot material.
|
