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Johann Sebastian Bach may have never physically left his native turf in eastern Germany, but his music provided a virtual vehicle to take him around Europe. His music not only captures the essence of French and Italian Baroque styles, but also integrates these with his German love of counterpoint so as to transcend earlier models. Grammy-nominated string ensemble AGAVE and soprano sensation Jennifer Paulino take you on a European tour, with music by French and Italian composers whose works were to be found in Bach’s library, as well as works by the master himself, including his only Italian cantata and an exceptional overture in the French style.
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Have you ever wondered how Bach came by his remarkable musical talents? He gave credit to his musical heritage: His family had been making music for nigh on 100 years before J.S. came upon the scene. In this concert we delve into the Altbachisches Archiv, a rich collection of music by Bach’s forebears, including his father’s cousins Johann Michael Bach and Johann Christoph Bach. We’ll also take a look at two important infuences from outside the family: Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706), a friend of Bach’s parents and teacher of his brother; and Dieterich Buxtehude (1637-1707), who the young Bach admired so much that he undertook a 500-mile journey--on foot--to meet and hear and work with the older composer.
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In 1734, Bach turned his powers in earnest to the Christmas story, revising earlier occasional music and adding new arias, choruses and recitatives to create the Weihnachtsoratorium. For Christmas with Bach, we carve out one of many possible alternatives, drawing from the master’s works of the mid-1720s, especially from his second annual cantata cycle. We’ve chosen to begin not with the Nativity but with the luminous Cantata 1: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, celebrating the Angel Gabriel and the startling news which he brings to the young Mary. We proceed with three additional cantatas--each featuring horns and oboes--which follow the tale through Advent, the Nativity, and a festive New Year.
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During Bach’s years in Weimar (1708-1717) he conceived and began work upon the Orgelbüchlein, an enormous collection of 164 brief organ preludes on Lutheran chorales for the entire church year. These would have been used to introduce congregational singing of the chorales, or perhaps as occasional music to accompany various sections of the liturgy. In the event, 46 of the settings were completed. Together they form a magical compendium of techniques and creative solutions which bring to vivid life these beloved melodies. Anne Laver will play many of the preludes, adding several from the modern ‘Orgelbüchlein Project’, which aims to complete the set; Circa 1600 will introduce the chorale melodies.
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Bach had access throughout his life—especially in Leipzig, where he moved in 1723—to many works of music by other composers, in both manuscript and print form. There is no question that he made use of this treasure trove, performing and arranging many pieces and studying and playing others to glean musical ideas. The Green Mountain Consort will explore this repertoire, known to us from lists, catalogs and surviving scores. We’ll perform pieces for up to eight voices from the Florilegium Portense (1618 and 1621), a compendium of polyphonic music; we’ll feature motets from Schütz’ Geistliche Chormusik; and we’ll include pieces by Bach’s predecessors as Thomascantor, such as Sethus Calvisius and J.H. Schein.
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People tend to think of Bach as a serious older man, as in the famous portrait of him on the cover of our brochure. But of course he wasn’t always older! At the dawn of his career, when he lived in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen, he was dashing, full of beans, constantly discovering, questing, pushing limits and even getting into trouble. And his music! There seem to have been no limits for the brilliant young cantor from Eisenach. We’ll perform four of his early cantatas, in which he experimented with styles and moods and orchestrations: The famous Cantata 4: Christ lag in Todesbanden; Cantata 131: Aus der Tiefe, based upon Psalm 130; Cantata 150: Nach dir, Herr; and the delightful wedding Cantata 196: Der Herr denket an uns.
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We wrap up ‘Bach’s World’ with a tour of the various epochs of Bach’s creative life, via a set of exciting works featuring trumpets and timpani. We open with Cantata 71: Gott ist mein König, premiered in Mühlhausen in 1708 at the inauguration of a new town council. We then offer a suite of ensemble movements from the stunning Cantata 21: Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, written in the teens of the 18th century, when Bach was working in Weimar. After intermission, we present the famous Magnificat, written in 1723 in Leipzig and revised a few years later. And we close with the thrilling Cantata 191: Gloria in excelsis Deo, a 1742 re-working of several movements from the 1733 Missa which eventually was expanded into the Mass in B Minor.
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