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diff --git a/59085-0.txt b/59085-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..544f881 --- /dev/null +++ b/59085-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5802 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59085 *** + + + + + + + + + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: Obvious printer errors have been corrected +without note. In the index, a caret character followed by a number +(e.g., ^2) represents a superscript in the original, which denotes +a footnote on the cited page. Helmholtz musical pitch notation is +represented by single quotation marks (e.g., c''), and other musical +symbols are represented by their names in brackets (e.g., [sharp].] + + + + +JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH + +_THE ORGANIST_ + +_AND HIS WORKS FOR THE ORGAN_ + + + BY + A. PIRRO + + + WITH A PREFACE BY + CH.-M. WIDOR + + + TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY + WALLACE GOODRICH + + + NEW YORK + G. SCHIRMER + 1902 + + +AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION + + COPYRIGHT, 1902, BY + G. SCHIRMER + +16219 + +[Illustration] + + + + +Table of Contents + + + PAGE + + PREFACE v + + INTRODUCTION xxi + + THE PRECURSORS OF BACH.--FRESCOBALDI--FROBERGER--PACHELBEL-- + BUXTEHUDE 1 + + THE PRELUDES AND FUGUES OF J.S. BACH.--TOCCATAS--FANTASIES-- + PASSACAGLIA--SONATAS 25 + + THE CHORALE.--PRELUDES--TRIOS--FANTASIES--FUGUES 58 + + THE REGISTRATION AND THE ORNAMENTS OF THE ORGAN WORKS OF + J.S. BACH 69 + + APPENDIX. A SUCCINCT BIOGRAPHY OF J.S. BACH 93 + + THE CATALOGUE OF HIS COMPLETE WORKS 101 + + INDEX OF REFERENCES TO WORKS OF J.S. BACH 114 + + + + +Preface + + +"If Beethoven appears to our generation as a Greek statue, Bach, on +the contrary, impresses us as one of those Sphinxes of Egypt whose +towering head commands the wide expanse of the desert." + +The comparison is imaginative, but seems to me only partially just. + +Sphinx in vastness of proportions, I admit; but the image is +destroyed when character is taken into consideration. Bach is +indisputably the mightiest of musicians; one is seized with awe in +perusing the extraordinary catalogue of his works, so seemingly +impossible are its dimensions; in casually looking over those forty +and more folio volumes; in pausing for an instant to examine more +closely any one of the pages, where the smallest detail seems to have +been long considered and predetermined, while over all soars the +essential thought, always profound and original. But was there ever a +thinker less enigmatical? + +Surely this majestic figure dominates his surroundings; but that +frank look, those luminous, kindly eyes, are hardly those of a +Sphinx. It is rather the heroic statue of Common Sense. + +An eminent virtuoso recently declared to me that he should be more or +less uncomfortable in dining alone with Beethoven; "but with 'Father +Bach,' how different! With him I see myself perfectly at home, pipe +in mouth, elbows upon the table; chatting informally about a thousand +and one interesting things, over a big stein of beer, as in the good +old days." How true! + +Bach was a good citizen, an admirable father, as M. Prudhomme would +say, a devoted friend; socially affable, and possessed of a rare +artistic modesty. Were he asked how he had attained such heights, he +would answer: "I was obliged to work; whoever will strive as I did, +will succeed as well." He availed himself of every opportunity to +become familiar with the works of other composers; Händel he esteemed +highly, Couperin interested him; when accorded three weeks' leave +that he might hear Buxtehude, Bach so far forgot himself as to allow +three months to go by while listening, from a secluded corner of the +church, to the justly celebrated organist of St. Mary's in Lübeck. + +Bach was a great and good man; never did a more marvellous mechanism +perform the functions of a human brain; never has been known a mind +that was sounder, better balanced, contained in a more robust body; +never were a musician's nerves better controlled. + +It required the atrocious harmonizations of Görner to cause Bach +one day to turn upon him and hurl his wig at the face of the poor +accompanist: "_Sie sind ein Schuster_" (You are a bungler)! + +These fits of anger were, however, rare, despite the astonishing +vitality of his constitution; for Bach was naturally patient and +kind-hearted. + +Note him with his pupils; during the first year nothing but +exercises--trills, scales, passages in thirds and sixths, practice +in changing fingers--work of every description to insure the +equability of the hand. He supervised everything, devoting the +minutest attention to the clearness and precision of the touch. If +one pupil or the other became discouraged, he good-naturedly wrote +little pieces containing in a disguised form the difficulties to be +surmounted. + +When Bach became organist of the New Church in Arnstadt--he was very +young, but eighteen years of age--he had studied the compositions and +methods of the following celebrated clavecinists of his time: + +FROBERGER (1615[?]-1667), a _protégé_ of Emperor Ferdinand +III., by whom he had been sent, in early life, to study with +Frescobaldi in Rome. + +FISCHER, _Capellmeister_ to the Margrave of Baden. + +JOHANNES CASPAR KERL, a rival of Froberger, also under the +protection of Ferdinand III., and entrusted to the care of Carissimi +in Rome. + +PACHELBEL (1653-1706), formerly assistant organist of St. +Stephen's in Vienna, then successively organist at Eisenach, Erfurt, +Stuttgart, and Nuremberg. + +BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707), the celebrated organist at Lübeck. + +BRUHNS, his pupil. + +BÖHM, organist of St. John's Church in Lüneburg. + +It was through Froberger and Kerl that Bach became acquainted with +Frescobaldi's works, and the Italian school; the sonata form was +revealed to him by the French "suites" played by the orchestra of the +ducal court at Celle, an organization which greatly interested him; +but the greatest influence upon his youth was exercised by Buxtehude. +It was from him that Bach learned in their integrity the old German +traditions. + +When, at Hamburg, the aged Reinken heard Bach improvise for more than +a half-hour upon the chorale _An Wasserflüssen Babylons_, he cried +out, embracing him, "I thought that this art were dead; but I see +that in you it still lives."[1] + +[Footnote 1: "_Ich dachte, diese Kunst wäre ausgestorben; ich sehe +aber, dass sie in Ihnen noch lebt._"] + +These traditions he handed down later to his two oldest sons, Wilhelm +Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel--two musicians whose merit is +universally recognized,--and to a whole galaxy of brilliant pupils: + +JOHANNES CASPAR VOGLER, a musician whom Mattheson considered +more able than Bach himself. Vogler was organist at Weimar. Some +preludes of his are published and written in the form of chorales for +two manuals and pedal. + +HOMILIUS, of Dresden, a composer of church music. + +TRANSCHEL, of Dresden, a distinguished clavecinist. + +GOLDBERG, of Königsberg, composer of pieces called +"_Bagatelles pour dames_," which no one could play, such was their +difficulty. (He frequently found amusement in playing music of every +variety from the inverted score.) + +KREBS, organist at Altenburg; not only a performer of the +first rank, but a prolific composer. For nine years he enjoyed the +invaluable supervision of Bach. + +ALTNIKOL, organist at Naumburg; Bach's son-in-law. + +AGRICOLA, composer to the King of Prussia, known through his +theoretical works. + +MÜTHEL, of Riga. + +KIRNBERGER, court musician at Berlin. "He loved his art +with a fervor at once enthusiastic and sincere," says Forkel. "Not +only has he informed us in detail as to Bach's methods of teaching +composition, but the musical world is still his debtor for the first +logical system of harmony, founded upon the works of his master. The +first of these sources of information is his book, _Die Kunst des +reinen Satzes_; the second, _Grundsätze zum Gebrauch der Harmonie_. +He furthered the interests of musical art by other treatises as well +as by his compositions. Particularly charming are his works for the +clavecin. Princess Amelia of Prussia was one of his pupils." + +KITTEL, organist at Erfurt. He was the only one of Bach's +pupils still living at the time Forkel, himself an organist and the +director of music at the University of Göttingen, wrote his _Ueber +J.S. Bach's Leben, Kunst und Kunstwerke_ (Leipzig, 1802). [The Life, +Art, and Works of J.S. Bach.] + +Forkel was intimately associated with Wilhelm Friedemann and +Philipp Emanuel Bach, and with Agricola, Kirnberger, and several +others of Sebastian Bach's illustrious pupils. He collaborated with +Schicht, a man of education and a distinguished harmonist, who later +became Cantor of St. Thomas's Church. With him Forkel undertook +the publication of works by Bach for organ and for clavecin, an +enterprise to which frequent allusion is made in his book. Forkel +had accumulated a fine musical library; with the aid of this and +of that of the University of Göttingen he was enabled to procure +a considerable amount of material for his _Geschichte der Musik_ +[History of Music], which was to comprise six volumes; of which, +however, only the first two appeared. + +Forkel reserved for the last volume of this compilation the memoranda +concerning Bach and his works; but "foreseeing the impossibility of +completing during his life this veritable encyclopædia of music, he +appears, at least in his book upon the life and works of Bach, to +have been desirous of losing no time in rendering to that great man a +sincere and merited tribute of homage and gratitude...." + +Kittel (1732-1802) was Rinck's teacher; the latter relates that his +master invariably ended his conversations upon Bach with the words +_Ein sehr frommer Mann_, "a very good man." + +Dr. Fétis, of Brussels, while teaching me the principles of +counterpoint and fugue, often spoke of Rinck, whom he had visited; +of Kittel, his musical father, and of their great common ancestor, +Sebastian Bach. Rinck, when asked the cause of his neglect of the +fugue form, would reply: "Bach is a Colossus, dominating the musical +world; one can hope to follow him in his domain only at a distance, +for he has exhausted all resources, and is inimitable in what he has +done. I have always considered that if one is to succeed in composing +something worthy of being heard and approved, one's attention must be +turned in another direction." + +Poor Rinck! + + * * * * * + +We are to study in this work only the organist Bach. Since M. +André Pirro has so conscientiously analyzed the specific work of +the master, I have to concern myself only with his technique as a +virtuoso. + +Bach played the clavecin in the following manner: "The five fingers +so curved that their tips fell perpendicularly upon the keys, over +which they formed a parallel line, ever ready to obey. The finger +was not raised vertically upon leaving the key, but was drawn back, +almost gliding toward the palm of the hand; in the passage from one +key to another this sliding motion seemed to impart to the succeeding +finger exactly the same degree of pressure, thereby ensuring perfect +equality; a touch neither 'heavy,' nor yet dry (_sec_)." This we +learn from Philipp Emanuel. + +Bach's hand was comparatively small; the movement of his fingers was +hardly perceptible, extending only to the first joints. His hand +preserved its rounded shape even in the most difficult passages, +Forkel tells us; the fingers were raised very little above the +keyboard, hardly more than in a trill; as soon as a finger was no +longer needed, he took pains to replace it in its normal position.... +"The other parts of his body took no part in the performance, +contrary to the habit of many people whose hands are incapable of +sufficient agility." + +To-day we no longer play the harpsichord; and the pianoforte, which +has happily replaced it, makes demands never dreamed of in those days. + +As to the character of organ touch, no change has taken place in +two centuries. Possibly at the time of Bach the keys of the pedals +were slightly different from those of our day; undoubtedly in his +youth he made much less use of the heel than of the toe, since the +pedal-keys were extremely short. But he soon recognized the necessity +of perfecting the bass keyboard of the organ both by extending its +compass and by lengthening the pedal-keys to their present dimensions. + +He played with the body inclined slightly forward, and motionless; +with an admirable sense of rhythm, with an absolutely perfect +polyphonic ensemble, with extraordinary clearness, avoiding extremely +rapid _tempi_; in short, master of himself, and, so to speak, of the +beat, producing an effect of incomparable grandeur. + +His contemporaries speak enthusiastically of his exquisite taste in +the combination of registers, and of his manner of treating them, at +once so unexpected and original. + +Nothing could escape him which was related to his art, adds Forkel. +He observed with the most minute attention the acoustic properties +of the room where he was to play. On his visit to Berlin in 1747, he +was conducted to the auditorium of the new opera house. He recognized +at a glance the advantages and defects of this monumental edifice, +in its relation to music. He was shown the _grand foyer_ adjacent. +Standing in the mezzanine gallery, he glanced up toward the ceiling +and remarked immediately, without giving himself the trouble of +further examination, that in it the architect had constructed "a work +of great merit," perhaps unawares. + +The _foyer_ was in the form of a parallelogram; if a person standing +in a corner of it, face toward the wall, spoke a few words, another +person standing in the same position in the corner diagonally +opposite could distinctly hear them, while the public, scattered here +and there through the hall, would be unable to catch anything of this +dialogue. + +When distinguished strangers asked to hear Bach at the organ, at +times other than during services, he usually selected some theme +and amused himself by treating it in various ways, perhaps playing +without interruption for over an hour. First he made use of the +subject for a prelude and fugue, upon the foundation stops of the +chief manual, thereafter deftly varying his registration through a +series of episodes in two, three, or four parts. Then came a chorale, +the melody of which was interrupted here and there by fragments of +the original subject; and he finally concluded with a fugue for full +organ,[2] in which "he contented himself with treating the subject +either alone, or in combination with other themes derived from it." + +[Footnote 2: See _organo pleno_, p. 70.] + +And if he tried a new organ? He first drew all the registers and +played upon the principal manual (with all couplers), "in order to +test the lung-power of the instrument," as he laughingly expressed +it. Then he proceeded to a detailed inspection of every part of the +organ. This expert examination once over, he gave free rein to his +fancy. And now he showed himself truly "the prince of all _virtuosi_ +of the universe, upon the harpsichord and organ," as he was one day +hailed by his amazed colleague, the organist Sorge, of Lobenstein, in +an outburst of enthusiasm. + +No, the art of organ playing has not changed since Johann Sebastian +Bach; but, on the other hand, our organs are growing distinctly +better. Go and listen to those of Saint-Sulpice, of Notre-Dame, in +Paris; hear the instrument of Saint-Ouen, at Rouen! + +In the organs of Bach's time the reeds were scarcely used except in +the capacity of basses, reinforcing the pedal; or as solo registers, +for instance, _hautbois_ and _cromornes_; our profusion of sonorous +clarions, trumpets, and _bombardes_ was totally unknown. _Organo +pleno_ did not signify a full battery of 4, 8, 16, and 32-foot stops, +but simply the combination of some _prestants_ and mixtures with a +diapason or a bourdon.[3] As for a means of varying the intensity of +the same tone, such a thing was never thought of. + +[Footnote 3: The French are accustomed to group registers of +similar quality, but varying in pitch, under a single name; as +_bourdons_ (stopped wood pipes), _montres_ (diapasons), _anches_ +(reeds), qualifying them by the pitch; _e.g._, _bourdons_ of 16' +and 8' would be equivalent to our bourdon and stopped diapason, or +_gedackt_.--TR.] + +As I have said elsewhere, it is hardly farther back than to the end +of the last century that we trace the invention of the "swell-box," +the English contrivance which the aged Händel pronounced admirable, +and which Abbé Vogler recommended to the German builders some years +later. + +To-day, to non-professionals, our instruments appear to have become +capable of nearly as much expression as the orchestra. + +But this is a serious error. I repeat here: that expression which +is a characteristic of the modern organ can but be subjective; it +is born of mechanical means and possesses nothing of spontaneity. +While the stringed and wind instruments of the orchestra, the +pianoforte, and the voice, hold sway only by their instantaneity of +accent, by the unexpectedness of their attack, the organ, limited +to the confines of its own inherent majesty, speaks with the voice +of philosophy. Of all instruments, it is the only one which can +indefinitely prolong the same volume of sound, and thus create the +religious impression of the infinite. + +A serious organist will never avail himself of these means of +expression, unless _architecturally_; that is to say, by _straight +lines_ and by _designs_. By _lines_, when he passes slowly from +_piano_ into _forte_, by a gradient almost imperceptible, and in +constant progression, without break or jolt. By _designs_, when +he takes advantage of a second of silence to close the swell-box +abruptly between a _forte_ and a _piano_. + +Seek to reproduce the expressive quality of an E-string, or of the +human voice, and we shall no longer hear an organ; it will have +become an accordeon. + +The most striking characteristic of the organ is grandeur; that is +to say, determination and power. Every illogical variation in the +intensity of the sound, every nuance which, graphically, cannot be +represented by a right line, is a crime, the offence of artistic +_lèse-majesté_. + +In fact, we should declare to be criminals, and hold up to the +contempt of the public, those who make an accordeon of the organ; +those who arpeggiate, who do not play legato, whose rhythm is but +passable. + +With the organ, as in the orchestra, precision must rule; the +perfect ensemble of feet and hands is absolutely necessary, whether +in attacking or leaving the keyboard. All notes placed in the same +perpendicular by the composer must be made to speak and to cease +speaking at the same time, obedient to the _bâton_ of a single +conductor. Here and there are still seen unfortunates who suffer +their feet to trail along the pedals, and who forget them and leave +them there, although the piece is long since finished. It reminds us +of the old viola player at the Opéra, who regularly went to sleep +during the fourth act, to be charitably wakened by his comrades at +the end of the evening. It was a tradition. But one fine day the +management changed hands; tradition had to change, too, and it was +forbidden to waken the sleeper. They were giving "The Prophet." +Neither the crash of the introduction, the collapse of the Palace +blown up with dynamite, the din of the orchestra, nor the tumult of +players and audience leaving the theatre, could cut short his dreams. +When he finally opened his eyes in the profound darkness, he believed +himself, like Orpheus, in the infernal regions, and on attempting +to make his exit pitched head-foremost into the kettledrums, which +collapsed. The next day his eligibility to retirement was recognized. + +I should like to know what an orchestral conductor would say, after +having given the last stroke of his _bâton_, if his third trombone +player should permit himself tranquilly to continue to prolong his +note? From what savage cave can such a barbarous custom have emerged? +Yet some years ago it was a generally prevailing fashion, a veritable +epidemic. + +Culpable are the organists who do not play the four parts of the +polyphony with a rigorous _legato_, tenor as well as soprano, the +alto like the bass. Examine Bach's gigantic series of works; in +them all you will find but two or three passages, but two or three +measures exceeding the limitations of the hand. But admire the skill +of the great man; an instant before, a second after, pauses are +cleverly inserted; that is, opportunities to withdraw and then again +to add the 16-foot registers of the pedal, in order that in the +interim the notes which cannot be played smoothly by the hands may +be performed by the pedals, coupled to the manuals. Save for these +two or three exceptions, which themselves are fully justified by the +progression of the parts, all of Bach's works are admirably written, +from this point of view as well as from others. + + * * * * * + +Here begins a parenthesis; it concerns the Phrasing. + +A pianoforte hammer may strike a string ten times per second, and our +ear will still easily perceive the ten attacks, the sound immediately +decreasing in intensity; with the organ, that we may clearly hear the +repetitions of a note in a quick movement, or even in moderate tempo, +there must intervene between the repetitions periods of silence equal +to the duration of the sound; from which we may formulate this law: +_every repeated note loses one-half of its value_. + +Example: [Music] + +Execution: [Music] + +The periods of silence have a time-value exactly equal to that of the +sixteenth-notes. + +With regard to notes of larger value, in slow movements, it is clear +that the spirit rather than the letter of our law is to be regarded. + +In the following example: + +[Music] + +it would obviously be absurd to shorten the first dotted note by +one-half; this rendering seems to me the proper one: + +[Music] + +taking great pains to allow to rests of equal value uniform duration. + +The free staccato is not admissible upon the organ. Here every +detached note becomes a staccato one, as in the case of instruments +played with a bow; that is to say, a series of equal tones separated +from each other by rests of like duration. The staccato is executed +by holding the fingers as near as possible to the keys, the wrist +slightly depressed. + +Example: [Music] + +Execution: [Music] + +When one part succeeds another upon the same note, the note is held +and not repeated. + +Example: [Music] Execution: [Music] + +A moment ago, in my category of crimes against Art, I included that +of indifference to rhythm. + +What is rhythm? + +_The constant manifestation of determination, or will, upon the +periodical recurrence of the accented beats._ It is only by +rhythm that one wins attention. Particularly with the organ, all +accents, all effects are dependent upon it. You may bear upon the +keyboard with the weight of pounds, with all the strength of your +shoulders--you will gain nothing by it. But delay by a tenth of a +second the attack of a chord, or prolong this same chord the very +least, and judge of the effect produced! Upon a manual not provided +with a swell-box one may obtain a crescendo without the aid of a +mechanism of any kind: by the simple augmentation of the duration +allowed successive chords or detached phrases. + +To play upon an organ is to deal with chronometric values. + +Woe be unto you if your tempo is not absolutely regular, if your will +does not manifest itself at every breathing-point of the phrase, at +every "lift"; if you unconsciously permit yourself to "hurry"! + +Would you like a lesson in rhythm? Listen to those immense +locomotives dragging behind them tons of merchandise; admire the +formidable piston stroke which marks every recurrence of the accent, +slowly but relentlessly; well may you believe that you hear the march +of Fate itself. It causes one to shudder. + +To be master of one's self it is necessary to abstain from every +superfluous movement, from any displacement of the body. A good +organist sits firmly, well-balanced upon his bench, inclining +slightly towards the manuals, never permitting his feet to rest upon +the frame which surrounds the pedals, but letting them glide lightly +along over the keys; heels and knees riveted, so to speak, together. + +Nature has vouchsafed us two guides of the greatest value; with the +heels pressed one against the other, the maximum separation of the +other extremities of the feet gives us a _fifth_; with the knees held +similarly together, the maximum interval obtainable should be an +_octave_. + +Precision and confidence will never be obtained except by adopting +this method; holding the two limbs as if bound together, the two feet +unceasingly in contact with each other. + +The foot should not attack the pedal vertically, but from well to +the rear towards the front, as close to the key as possible; gliding +slightly, or "skating," the toe to within a half-inch of the black +keys. + +Considering the degree of perfection attained in our contemporary +manufacture, we must be careful not to become dazzled in the midst of +the wealth of resources thereby offered us, and thus led far astray +from the right path. Let us not forget that upon the organ, as in the +orchestra or chorus, all music is based upon the _quartet_. It is +the true foundation of the language. With the organ, our quartet is +embodied in the noble and flowing sonority of the 8-foot foundation +stops. The _basso continuo_ of certain organists, who have fallen +asleep over their pedals, soon becomes an intolerable nuisance for +the audience. We should go wild at a performance of a symphony in +which the double-basses played uninterruptedly from the first note to +the last. Plain-song itself, thus interpreted, loses its eloquence; +although the apparent monotony of its design, closely confined within +the limits of an octave, would, above all, seem to be better adapted +than any other form of music to a continuous bass. + +But not at all! This apparent monotony exists in reality only for +those who see not with their eyes, neither hear with their ears. + +Plain-song is of a complex species; it has two faces, like Janus.[4] +To be understood, it must be listened to at once from a literary and +a musical standpoint. It is this synthesis which the "decadent" poets +or musicians have, in late years, striven to revive. + +[Footnote 4: Take the most beautiful type of the Plain-chant, for +instance: the Te Deum. Simply vocalize it, sing it without words; +rhythm, beauty, grandeur, all disappear. Translate it, and sing the +same music with either French or German text, it becomes absurd. If +the Roman Church had not prescribed Latin as the language of its +liturgy, we should have no Plain-chant to-day.] + +The superb rhythm of the pedal when the organ responds to the +choir[5] should emphasize the text, sustain it in outbursts of +exaltation, and not vulgarize it by a continual and unintelligent +abuse. + +[Footnote 5: In the larger churches in Paris (and in that city the +greatest attention is given to the perpetuation and cultivation of +Plain-chant) are usually found two organs; the larger one located +in a gallery, or _tribune_, at the west end of the church; the +smaller one, with the choir (invariably of men and boys), being +placed behind the altar, between it and the ambulatory. This +smaller instrument, often augmented by one or more double-basses, +serves only to accompany the choir, while the larger organ, called +the _Grand-orgue_, is treated only as a solo instrument, either +antiphonally with the choir and small organ, as in the _Kyrie_, or +in solo selections, often improvisations of great merit, as at the +Offertory.--TR.] + +The organ is a wind instrument; it requires opportunity to take +breath. Like the literary sentence, the musical phrase has its +commas, its periods, its paragraphs. As a speaker changes his +intonation, so must the organ vary its "designs." Is anything more +exasperating than an improvisation in four parts, wandering now here, +now there--monotonous in color, devoid of determination, repose, +contrast, or purpose, having neither beginning, middle, nor end? A +veritable _macaroni au fromage_! + +_Cornets_ and _mixtures_, and the other registers of the organ of +Bach's time--these furnish the proper tone-material for Plain-song, +assimilating perfectly with the polyphony of the masters of the +sixteenth century. + +Distributed to a certain extent over all lands, coming originally +from Athens, Jerusalem, and Rome, Plain-chant is our heritage from +the Middle Ages, assiduously cultivated within that sunny domain of +counterpoint, of which Palestrina was the last custodian. As it has +been bequeathed to us by the old masters, so must we preserve it for +our descendants. The teachings of the Paris Conservatory during the +past fifty years will always be perpetuated; the treatment in florid +counterpoint, be the melody in soprano or bass, or the accompaniment +in strict counterpoint, note against note, as in the Church. + +Some of our contemporary organ builders in France have made a serious +mistake in regarding as a foregone conclusion the undesirability of +perpetuating the characteristics of registration of earlier days, and +in thus considering them hardly worthy of further notice. What a pity! + +In July of this year at Notre-Dame, whose superb instrument has just +been restored by Cavaillé-Coll, we admired the effect produced by +different specimens of those mutation stops, producing in the Pedal +a fundamental of 32, upon the _Bombarde_ one of 16, and upon the +_Grand-Choeur_ one of 8-foot pitch. Indescribable is the effect +of the Chorales of the great Sebastian Bach, reverberating with +crystalline sonority under those wonderful arches. + +The days of "deluges" upon the organ are over; of thunder and +tremulants, of choruses of goats called the _vox humana_, and all +such childish trifles. "At the opening of the organ in X, Mr. Z. +contributed to the programme a tempest, which he really should have +prefaced by a few flashes of genius!..." + +For the great advancement achieved by French workmanship in our day, +we are indebted to Cavaillé-Coll and his masterpieces, which lend +themselves to the perfect expression of any idea, be it of the past +or of the present. + +Since Cavaillé-Coll, the study of Bach has begun. Will you believe +that sixty years ago one would have searched Paris in vain to find +two organists who knew the fugue in B minor? I know of none but +conscientious Boëly, of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois; the published +compositions bear witness to the ideal of those times, an ideal +without a name. + +Finally becoming disgusted with this state of affairs, a few young +men, more curious than their elders, began to inquire into the +contents of the dusty volumes of the great Sebastian; they seemed +to them at first somewhat dry, although interesting, at least in +point of execution. One might learn something in that direction! And +soon they were greatly surprised to find their souls touched, while +working with their fingers. And when, acquiring a taste for further +search, they went through the volumes of Chorales, and finally +arrived at the Cantatas...! + +I shall never forget the hours devoted by the _Concordia_, whose +conductor I was, to the study and performance, at the Conservatoire, +of that splendid series of lyric works, which we crowned with the +"Passion according to Saint Matthew...." + +In justice to our elders it must be said that in Germany as well Bach +had been long neglected. All honor to Mendelssohn, who conducted this +prodigious work at the _Singakademie_ in Berlin, March 29, 1829; it +had been sleeping in the depths of a library for just one hundred +years, the first performance of the work having been on Good Friday, +1729, in Leipzig. + +In 1840 Mendelssohn gave an organ concert in St. Thomas's Church upon +the instrument which so long before had been played by the great +Bach himself; the object of the concert was the augmentation of the +subscription for a monument to his memory. + +The following was the programme: + + Fugue in E flat. + Improvisation upon themes from Bach. + Prelude and Fugue in A minor. + Passacaglia. + Pastorale. Toccata. + Fantasia upon some of the chorales. + +April 4th of the following year, in the same church, Mendelssohn +conducted the St. Matthew Passion, from the same spot where Bach +himself had directed it, 112 years before. + +Finally, on March 23, 1843, a great symphony concert was given: + + 1. Orchestral Suite (overture, arioso, gavotte, trio, bourrée, + and gigue). + 2. Motet for double chorus _a cappella_. + 3. Concerto for harpsichord (the solo part of which Mendelssohn + himself played). + 4. Aria from the St. Matthew Passion (_Ich will bei meinem Jesu + wachen_). + 5. Fantasia upon a theme by Bach (performed by Mendelssohn). + 6. Cantata (for the election of the _Stadtrath_ [council] of the + city of Leipzig). + 7. Prelude for violin (played by Ferdinand David). + 8. Sanctus (from the Mass in B minor). + +The subscription had resulted successfully, and the monument had been +erected. + +Following the concert, the draperies were withdrawn which concealed +the bust of the master of masters. + +CH.-M. WIDOR. + + + + +Introduction + + +The author of this study does not assume to have discovered Bach, of +whom the world has already heard; but of such men there is always +something to be learned; many new facts of interest concerning the +great Cantor of Leipzig will be brought out by others after us. What +we here wish to consider is the compositions of Bach for the organ. + +If, perhaps, we have confined ourselves to æsthetic considerations of +a nature which may appear general, we trust that we may be pardoned; +a perusal of this little book will demonstrate that it is not the +fault of the man who suddenly surpassed all that had been done before +him, while at the same time anticipating all that was to be written +in the future. + +Bach was not without predecessors; we may not ascribe to him the +honor of having invented an alphabet, but it must be recognized that +he was the author of a grammar. This conclusion is apparent upon a +study of "Johann Sebastian Bach, the Organist"; it would undoubtedly +be no less convincing upon the consideration of all his works as a +whole. + +Since we must confine ourselves to observation from a particular +point of view, we shall indeed be happy if our labor, based entirely +upon recognized authorities, shall make easier to the student the +task of playing Bach "in the Bach spirit." + +A. PIRRO. + +WÜSTWEILER, September 27, 1894. + + + + +ERRATA IN MUSICAL EXAMPLES. + + +Page 6, second brace, meas. 2, upper part: First half-note _d''_ +should be _c''_. + +Page 8, meas. 3, upper part: Add tie between third and fourth notes +from end. + +Page 16, second brace, meas. 2, upper part: Third 16th-note _a'_ +should be _c''_[sharp]. + +Page 18, second brace, meas. 1: Add tie between last note (_f_) in +third part and the following note. + +Page 32, Example 2, last meas. _et seq._ should read thus: + +[Music] + +Page 43, Example 2, meas. 2, upper part: The sixth note (_g'_[sharp]) +should be an _eighth_-note. + +Page 44, Example 1, meas. 2, second part: Last note should be +_g_[natural]. + +Page 47, Example 1, meas. 2, upper part: First note, _e''_, should be +_f''_. + +Page 47, Example 1, meas. 2: Add tie between last note in third part +and the following note. + +Page 91, Example 2, second part: Third note from end should be +_f'_[sharp]. + + + + +Johann Sebastian Bach, The Organist + + + + +THE PRECURSORS OF BACH + +FRESCOBALDI--FROBERGER--PACHELBEL--BUXTEHUDE + + +Frescobaldi was born at Ferrara in 1583, and the same year at his +baptism in the Cathedral received the Christian names _Girolamo_ and +_Alessandro_. + +His first teacher was his father, who was organist at one of the +churches in Ferrara. According to his own testimony he afterward +studied under the direction of Luzzasco Luzzaschi,[6] to whom Claudio +Merulo, himself an excellent organist and thus a competent judge, +accorded the title of the "first organist in Italy"; Vincenzo Galilei +ranked Luzzaschi among the four greatest musicians of his day. To +the instruction given by this master, well known for the clear and +thoughtful conception of his works, were added the counsels of +Francesco Milleville,[7] likewise an organist at Ferrara. Milleville +was of French descent, brought up upon the old traditions of the +Flemish contrapuntists, and the part which he played in the musical +development of young Girolamo is worthy of emphasis; for this +interchange or commerce of ideas between the northern countries and +Italy produced the greatest musicians of the sixteenth century. +Josquin de Près,[8] born at Cambrai in 1445, and a pupil of Ockeghem, +completed his education at Rome while he was a member of the papal +choir. Willaert, born in Flanders, studied in Rome, and in Venice +became the head of the Flemish school. Finally, Palestrina was a +pupil of Goudimel, a Frenchman. + +[Footnote 6: Born about 1545 at Ferrara, organist and choirmaster in +his native city. The "_Transilvano_" of Girolamo Diruta contains of +his composition a Toccata in the fourth mode, and two _Ricercare_; +one in the first, the other in the second mode.] + +[Footnote 7: His father, Alexandre Milleville, was born in Paris +about 1509, and died September 7, 1589, in Ferrara, where he was +choirmaster. His most distinguished pupil was Ercole Pasquini, the +predecessor of Frescobaldi at St. Peter's in Rome.] + +[Footnote 8: He died in 1521, in the service of the Emperor of +Austria. Luther said of him: "This man is truly a master of notes; +they must subject themselves to his will, while other composers +are compelled to obey them." And again, "His works express perfect +contentment, like the song of finches."] + +Frescobaldi was not destined to depart from the footsteps of such +illustrious predecessors; desiring to pursue further the studies for +which he had acquired a taste from Milleville, he, too, set out for +Flanders while still young.[9] The exact date of that journey has +never been determined; it seems probable that it was in the year +1607. For in that year Cardinal Guido Bentivoglio, archbishop of +Rhodes and legate of Pope Paul V., was sent to the Netherlands (Guido +Bentivoglio was born at Ferrara in 1579); and, moreover, on January +10, 1608, Frescobaldi dedicated to him one of his finest works, a +collection of five-part madrigals, which was published by Peter +Phalesius in Antwerp. Again, it would not be strange if Frescobaldi, +in 1607, had followed to another country a compatriot whom he +regarded as his protector. According to Fétis (preface to _Trésor +des Pianistes_, by Farrenc), Frescobaldi occupied from this time the +position of organist at the Church of St.-Rombaut, in Malines. + +[Footnote 9: Peter Phillipps and Peter Cornet were the best-known +organists in the Netherlands. One may judge of their works by the +excerpts in G.A. Ritter's _Geschichte des Orgelspiels_ (Leipzig, +1884), Nos. 28, 30, 31, and 32 (2d part).] + +But he did not retain this position long, for in 1608 we find him +again in Milan. From this time the events of his life are unknown +until 1614, when upon the death of Ercole Pasquini, organist of St. +Peter's in Rome, Frescobaldi became his successor. If we may believe +Abbé Baini, the fame of Frescobaldi was already so widespread that +upon the day when he assumed his new duties he played to thirty +thousand people. + +Musical criticism at the time, represented by Della Valle and Lelio +Guidiccioni, records that while his style was less profound, it was +more elastic and agreeable than that of his predecessors. Such a +criticism, especially coming from Guidiccioni, who was most exacting +upon the subject of technique,[10] would indicate that Frescobaldi +possessed a genuine advantage over his contemporaries. At the present +day one would say that he played the organ with a pianist's touch; +if one replace this criticism in its historic frame, one may imagine +the continuous use of trills, scales, mordents and appoggiaturas: an +inheritance from the German "colorists." While perhaps a mistaken +usage, how else could one have made one's self heard throughout the +immense nave of St. Peter's, upon an organ of fourteen registers, +with but one manual and an incomplete pedal? Boldness and dash, that +which we understand by _brio_, had to compensate for paucity of tone. + +[Footnote 10: Luzzasco Luzzaschi, whose compositions were for that +time of great value, was charged by Guidiccioni with inability +to play trills and to bring out in relief the details of the +counterpoint, which were blurred under a hard, heavy touch.] + +Although he was comparatively sparing of ornaments in his +compositions, particularly those destined especially for +religious services, he never departed from a florid style in his +improvisations, which bristled with feats of skill and agility of +technique. Abbé Maugars, who knew him at Rome in 1639, still praised +the ornamentation and the marvellous cleverness of his improvised +Toccatas. + +In 1643 Frescobaldi retired, having already enjoyed leave of absence +from 1628 to 1633; these years he spent at Florence, in the service +of Ferdinand II., Grand Duke of Tuscany. + +He did not long survive his retirement in 1643, which, however, was +not absolute, for he took up the position of organist at the little +Church of St. Lawrence _in montibus_. He died March 2, 1644; and was +buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles. + +Frescobaldi's works--which cover the entire period of his life--are +very numerous;[11] they were written, as a rule, for organ or +harpsichord indifferently; one of his compositions, published at +Rome in 1638, even bears the following title, "_Canzoni a 1, 2, +3, 4 voci_, written to be sung or to be played by all varieties +of instruments." In some of his works a certain predetermination +is nevertheless evident, recognizable either through their +appropriateness for religious service, or by their obbligato pedal +part, as in the Toccatas. + +[Footnote 11: We will not enumerate here all of Frescobaldi's works; +we must be content to mention or analyze only those which from the +point of view of our present study are most significant.] + +The collection of _Fiori musicali_[12] belongs to this category, +for, with the exception of such pieces as the _Bergamasca_ or the +_Girolameta_, it contains only selections designed for performance +during church service. + +[Footnote 12: The following is the complete title: _Fiori musicali di +diverse compositione, Toccate, Kyrie, Canzoni, Cappricci, e Ricercare +in partitura a 4 utili per sonatori. Autore Girolamo Frescobaldi, +organista di San Pietro di Roma. Opera duodecima. Con Privilegio. +In Venetia. Apresso Alessandro Vicenti_, 1635. The volume bears +the arms of Cardinal Ant. Barberino, to whom the work is inscribed +(the dedication is dated August 20, 1635). The music is written in +score, on four staves, each part with its proper clef; the rests are +carefully written out.] + +Apart from their intrinsic value, these compositions comprising the +_Fiori musicali_ bear for us this very potent interest: they are, +without exception, copied entirely by the hand of Bach;[13] which +shows the importance he attached to them and the pains he took to +study them. + +[Footnote 13: This precious copy, of 104 pages (like the original), +is dated 1714, and preserved in the library of the _Kgl. Institut für +Kirchenmusik_, at Berlin.] + +This collection includes three masses: the _Missa della Domenica_, +_delli_ (sic) _Apostoli_, and _della Madonna_, each one consisting of +a Toccata for a prelude, of the versets of the Kyrie, and of pieces +written to correspond to the various portions of the office, suitably +designated; thus (p. 49), _Recercar cromaticho post il Credo_, or (p. +77), _Canzon dopo la pistola_ (sic). + +The versets of the Kyrie, in the three masses, are for the greater +part more properly "Ecclesiastical songs without words," as Ambrose +said, than compositions of a purely instrumental character; in fact, +they are written strictly within the compass of the voice, and only +the long duration of single notes (as in the alto on page 7, or in +the soprano on page 8) precludes the possibility of their being sung. + +Curious is the effect of the pedal notes, sustained from the +beginning to the end of a verse; and we find remarkable examples of a +polyphonic accompaniment to the text, doubly interesting because of +the continual reappearance of the theme, either in its integrity or +slightly modified. + +Further, while making use of the accidentals required by the +modulation of the parts in the counterpoint, and especially in +cadences, Frescobaldi respects as much as possible the diatonic +character of the Gregorian scale; he adheres to it with as little +variation as possible, particularly when he brings it into +prominence. The mode, the Dorian, remains uppermost in the mind of +the auditor, and the counterpoint is most often derived from the same +tone, sometimes in imitation, at others in ingenious inversions of +the melody which it accompanies. One of the more elaborate of these +versets, the _Kyrie ultimo_ of the _Missa della domenica_, ends with +an allegro, a veritable _alla breve_.[14] + +[Footnote 14: With Frescobaldi we find no final cadence other than +a perfect major; at his time the idea of a major or minor tonality +was still to be conceived, and even for a long time after this +distinction was finally made the custom prevailed of ending a piece +written in a minor key by a major chord. Thus, in a collection of 371 +chorales by J.S. Bach, of which 113 are in the minor mode, 108 of the +latter end with a major chord.] + +If in nature these versets partake somewhat of the character of +compositions for voices, we find in other numbers of the _Fiori +musicali_ a very close affiliation with vocal music. We refer to +that grace and flexibility of proportion which prompts us to say of +this theme, of that counterpoint, "It is musical!" Especially in the +_canzoni_ do we find these expressive qualities. + +It is well known that the instrumental fugue was born of this +species of composition, which was also called _canzon francese_; the +responses to a subject, sometimes of popular origin, and most often +in this rhythm (a traditional one): [Music] became answers, and the +alternation of double with triple rhythm gave rise to the fugue in +several movements, such as Buxtehude, in particular, often wrote. + +The steps of this transformation may be traced in the _canzoni_ of +Frescobaldi: the _canzone_ in the fourth mode of the _Fiori musicali_ +(p. 66) is an instance of an altered answer to a subject, and the +_Canzone IV_ (p. 53) of the second book (Toccatas, _Canzoni_, +etc.[15]) begins like a veritable fugue: + +[Music] + +[Footnote 15: _Il secondo libro di Toccate, Canzoni, Versi d'hinni, +Magnificat, Gagliarde, Correnti e altre Partite d'Intavolatura di +cembalo e organo di Girolamo Frescobaldi. Con Privilegio. In Roma, +con licenza de' Superiori. 1627. Da Nicolo Borbone._] + +For us the _recercare_ possess an interest of another kind; +Frescobaldi had introduced an innovation in creating the initial form +of the fugue, unconsciously guided by the necessity of establishing +the modern tonality which forced itself upon his senses; particularly +in the Ricercatas and in certain of the Toccatas he contrives to +become master of a new resource, which had suggested this tonality to +him: the chromatic scale. + +This enables him to discover new harmonies, although he is sometimes +led astray, and to modulate with endless freedom. The dissonance is +no longer a "necessary evil" to him; it is an important factor in +new effects. With his absolute command of the instrument and his +marvellous facility of improvisation, this ability to distance his +contemporaries in a field which up to this time no one had had the +courage to explore, places the organist of St. Peter's in a position +closely allied to that occupied by the Cantor of Leipzig; at least +considering what Frescobaldi was able to accomplish in his time, +obliged to create a new language for himself, as it were; and he +sometimes lost his way, in propounding to himself problems which were +insoluble in the existing stage of musical advancement. + +Possibly Frescobaldi realized this impossibility of a personal +participation in something which he foresaw, as yet only in a +confused way, but whose advent he regarded as a certainty. For since +he could neither ordain a "music of the future," to use an expression +already more or less familiar, nor define its fundamental principles, +he was often obliged to deny himself any part in even the development +of his art, confined as he was to the limits of obsolete rules; did +he also conclude that his too fertile imagination would lead him into +extravagances, and did he voluntarily restrain this creative faculty, +confining it to the laborious construction of too subtle enigmas? +Certain of his compositions suggest such a condition of mind; above +all, the _Recercar con obligo di cantare la Quinta Parte senza +toccarla_ (_Fiori musicali_, p. 84).[16] + +[Footnote 16: Ricercata, of which the fifth part must be sung, +without being played.] + +At the head of this composition stands the following motive, like a +motto: + +[Music] + +upon which, moreover, is based the entire Ricercata. + +But this piece is in duple time, and this fifth part is in 3/1, the +_tempus perfectum_ of mensurable music, indicated by a circle.[17] +Where could the entrances be effected? This the performer must decide +for himself, for Frescobaldi never did anything to assist him in +his decision; "_intenda mi chi può, che m'intend' io_" ("let him +comprehend me who can, I understand myself"), he tells us. We find +the same challenge at the beginning of one of his caprices, the tenth +in the first book[18] (pp. 77-86). + +[Footnote 17: The circle, possessing neither beginning nor end, +conveys the impression of the infinite, of perfection. This +perfection is attributed to the number _three_; according to Franco +of Cologne, the chief number, because of the Trinity, "_vera et summa +perfectio_." (_Musica et cantus mensurabilis_, Chap. IV.)] + +[Footnote 18: _Il primo libro di capricci, canzoni francese e +ricercari fatti sopra diversi soggetti et arie in partitura. Di +Girolamo Frescobaldi, organista in San Pietro di Roma. Novamente +ristampati. Con privilegio. In Venezia, appresso Alessandro Vicenti_, +1642. An earlier edition dates from 1626, and is only the collection +in a single volume of the works published in 1615 and 1624.] + +This same volume contains a Ricercata upon the hexachord (pp. 1-14), +remarkably developed, and exhibiting a determination suggestive of +scholastic restraint; and a _recercar_ with four subjects (p. 137). + +In the _Canzoni_, grace and interest of movement particularly are +revealed; in some pieces expressive themes of a chromatic character +lend a certain sentimental charm, while others, for instance those +of which mention has already been made, serve chiefly as examples of +ingenuity and cleverness. But the _Toccatas_ of Frescobaldi combine +all these characteristics, sometimes contrasted with or dominated +by, in addition, a stately dignity, an incomparable breadth. And, +moreover, they were conceived expressly for the organ, in their more +lofty character, and written upon the staff then in use for that +instrument.[19] They display all its resources, within a legitimate +compass, although limited by the ability of the executants and by +the deficiencies of the Italian organ manufacture of the period; +the performers being little accustomed to the use of the pedal, and +the Italian manufacture less advanced than that of the Germans. In +fact, little could be demanded of the organist beyond long-sustained +pedal-notes; and never do these works indicate that organs with +several manuals were at that time constructed in Italy. + +[Footnote 19: The following is a facsimile of this tablature, taken +from the beginning of the sixth Toccata in the second book (pp. +16-20), _per l'organo sopra i pedali e senza_: + +[Music]] + +While in the Toccatas[20] the themes are developed noticeably in +what we may term sections or plans, these are strictly contrasts of +movement rather than of intensity of sound. + +[Footnote 20: According to Michael Praetorius (_Syntagma musicum_, +1619) the Toccata was a prelude, a trial of the keyboard, as +it were; a fantasia wholly devoid of form, where the organist +improvised, alternating long-sustained chords with rapid passages. +It was something entirely spontaneous in nature, in which every +imperfection was pardoned, provided the performance was characterized +by sufficient dash. The Toccatas of Frescobaldi, by virtue of their +steadiness and of the balance of their parts, rise far above such a +definition, which is justly applicable to the Toccatas of Claudio +Merulo and of Gabrielli.] + +Frescobaldi placed more confidence in the finger dexterity of his +pupils than in their facility with the pedals. To the more apt ones +among them were addressed these words: "_Chi questa Bergamasca +sonerà, non pocho imparerà_," written at the beginning of his +variations upon the popular melody of the "Bergamasca";[21] and, +again, at the end of the ninth Toccata in the second book: "_Non +senza fatiga si giunge al fine_." + +[Footnote 21: This theme was again used by G.B. Fasolo (1645) and Fr. +A. Scherer. Fasolo's version reminds us of the fugue in _A_ major of +J.S. Bach; it runs: + +[Music]] + +As examples of another style must also be mentioned the _Pastorale_, +or rather the _Capriccio fatto sopra la Pastorale_, the themes of +which were borrowed later by Händel from the same popular source from +which Frescobaldi obtained them; this caprice has a pedal part, which +proves it to have been expressly designed for the organ.[22] + +[Footnote 22: The Pastorale belongs to the "_Toccate d'intavolatura +di Cembalo et organo. Partite di diverse Arie e Correnti, Balletti, +Ciacone, Passacagli di Girolamo Frescobaldi. Libro Primo. Stampate +l'anno 1637 per Nicolo Borbone in Roma_." It is a reprint of works +already published in different volumes.] + +The picturesque quality reappears in the imitative trumpet-calls in +the _Battaglia_, while in the numerous _partite_, or suites upon the +_Romanesca_, the _Frescobalda_, the _Aria di Monicha_,[23] the _Aria +di Ruggiero_, _Frà Jacopino_,[24] Frescobaldi acceded to the demands +of the times for transcriptions and variations upon popular tunes.[25] + +[Footnote 23: Compare _Soeur Monique_, by F. Couperin.] + +[Footnote 24: _Frère Jacques_, a popular French tune.] + +[Footnote 25: This taste was prevalent at the time; Frescobaldi's +rival, S. Scheidt, organist at Halle, gives us numerous examples of +it: in the first part of the _Tabulatura nova_ (Hamburg, 1624), two +Belgian melodies with variations, and the French song, _Es ce Mars_; +in the second part, the English tune _de Fortuna_. The _Tabulatura +nova_ has been reprinted (_Denkmäler der Tonkunst_).] + +In several cases Frescobaldi gives us hints as to the execution +of his works: "music in this style is not to be performed with +invariable strictness of tempo...." he says in the preface to the +second volume of toccatas, etc.[26] (1637). "It should be played +slowly at the beginning, and in an arpeggiated manner, the tempo then +being gradually accelerated. The end of a trill or phrase should be +marked by the prolongation of the last note, that one phrase may be +separated from the other. Cadences, even though written in short +notes, should be retarded more and more toward the end.... If it +be necessary to play a trill in one hand against a phrase in the +other, the trill should be performed not note against note with the +passage in the other hand, but independently; the phrase being played +with repose and expression. Passages in eighth- or sixteenth-notes +written for both hands must not be taken at a too rapid tempo; of +two sixteenth-notes the second should always be slightly dwelt upon. +In quick passages for two hands, hold back a little upon the next to +the last beat; then finish brilliantly, displaying the agility of +the hand. For the Partitas, which are characterized by expressive +subjects, it will be well to adopt a broad tempo, as well as for the +Toccatas; such of the latter as are not too exacting in their demands +upon technique maybe taken faster; here the choice of tempi is left +to the ready discernment and good taste of the performer...." + +[Footnote 26: Previous editions are dated 1614 and 1616. Each of +these directions, addressed "al lettore," is preceded by its number, +according to order; there are no less than nine of them.] + +We perceive that Frescobaldi demanded the same qualities of +imagination for the performance of his works that he exercised in +their composition. They are, in fact, an example of a continual +_rubato_. In the preface to the first book of caprices he gives us +similar directions; adding: "movements in 3/1 and 6/2 should be taken +_adagio_ (he wrote _adasio_); those in 3/2 a little faster, those +in 3/4 _allegro_." He also charges the performer to conform to the +style of his works; serious in the Ricercatas, more brilliant in the +Caprices. + +"Frescobaldi marks one of the turning-points in the evolution of +Music, and is himself the personification of the successful and +unsuccessful endeavors, of the victories and defeats, of these +periods of transition. His works, upon which is imprinted the stamp +of genius, appear as classics in comparison with the inefficient +products of that reign of Monody.... That with one hand they point +backward to a great Art-epoch just terminated, while with the other +they point forward to the hopeful future of a new Musical Art, lends +to them an individual and wondrous charm." + +This judgment of Ambros[27] sums up in a remarkable manner the _rôle_ +which Frescobaldi fills in the history of music. In the history +of organ music, taken alone, he more than represents a period of +transition; he stands as a creator, who brought into view, although +framed in obsolete mannerisms, a whole hereafter; his inability to +partake of which is the cause of the melancholy regret which he +often unsuccessfully attempts to cloak under a certain amount of +affectation. + +[Footnote 27: _Geschichte der Musik_, vol. iv, p. 438.] + + +II + +Johann Jakob Froberger, the son of a cantor in Halle, was born in +that city; the exact date of his birth is uncertain, but may perhaps +be fixed at between 1610 and 1620.[28] + +[Footnote 28: The records of the city of Halle, from the year +1620 on, do not contain the name Froberger. It is thus useless to +entertain the date 1635, given by some historians.] + +A Swedish ambassador, temporarily in Halle, took Froberger with him +to Vienna, says Walther (_Lexicon_, Leipzig, 1732); he was charmed +with the fine voice of the youth--who was fifteen years of age--and +astonished at his rare musical talent. Soon Froberger became a member +of the imperial choir. In the treasury records of the _Hofburg_ we +find him designated as organist of the palace from January 1, 1637, +to September 30 of the same year.[29] After this he left Vienna for +Rome to study with Frescobaldi. This move had previously been decided +upon; the records above mentioned contain the following entry upon +the subject: "J.J. Froberger requests that he be sent to Rome, to +Frescobaldi, as he was promised. The sum of 200 florins is granted +him." After four years of study he resumed his service at court, +April 1, 1641. In 1645 he obtained leave of absence. Where did he +pass this time? Perhaps he remained in Vienna, where his ability as +a clavecinist was highly appreciated; at any rate he was there in +1649. William Swann, _chevalier lettré et grand amateur de musique_, +wrote from Vienna, September 15, 1649, to Constantin Huygens,[30] a +councillor to the Prince of Orange, that he was sending him "some +pieces given me by a Monsieur Froberger, who has great talent for the +spinet."[31] + +[Footnote 29: At first he received twenty-five florins a month. Later +his salary was raised to sixty florins, in addition to gratuities and +money for clothing, beginning at twenty florins per year. + +Two organists were usually in service.] + +[Footnote 30: He was the father of the astronomer, Christian Huygens. +Himself a composer, he was much interested in music. Curious facts +concerning musicians of his time will be found in the work of W. +Jonckenbloet and Land: _Correspondance et oeuvres musicales de +Constantin Huygens_, Leyden, 1882.] + +[Footnote 31: "des pieces que un nommé Mons. Froberger ma donnez, et +qui est un homme tres rare sur les Espinettes."] + +Still further, the manuscript of the second volume of Froberger's +compositions is dated "Vienna, li 29 Settembre 1649."[32] This book +he dedicated to Emperor Ferdinand III.,[33] his patron; this act of +homage perhaps gave him an opportunity to beg for the extension of +his leave.[34] + +[Footnote 32: This manuscript, carefully and finely written and +embellished with pen-designs, is divided into four volumes, +splendidly bound; they are preserved in the library of the _Hofburg_ +(the palace of the Emperor of Austria) in Vienna. A large number of +the pieces are autographs; Froberger distinguishes these by the words +_Manu propria_.] + +[Footnote 33: Ferdinand III. was a musician; still extant are an aria +of his composition with thirty-six variations, published by Ebner +(Gerber), and some litanies in Kircher's _Musurgia_.] + +[Footnote 34: It is worthy of notice that, save for the few months +which preceded his journey to Rome, Froberger appears and departs, +alternately, every four years; with the exception of the leave he +obtained from 1645 to 1653--undoubtedly one of four years which he +had renewed in 1649. The fulfilment of the duties of the position +was assumed by rotation among several organists; like the custom +established at the court of Louis XIV., where the four titular +organists succeeded each other every three months, or every +"quarter."] + +Froberger took this occasion to go to Brussels; witness to his +presence there is borne by the following record, found upon one of +the Toccatas: "_fatto a Bruxellis, anno 1650_." This toccata is +included in a manuscript collection preserved in Paris, together +with other pieces, one of which[35] indicates that he went to Paris +at about the same period. His stay there brought him into touch +with Galot and Gautier, whose style of playing the harpsichord he +acquired, Mattheson tells us. Thus he endowed the German school with +that profusion of ornaments which characterized the performance of +these _virtuosi_, renowned for their skill in playing the lute.[36] + +[Footnote 35: "_Allemande de M. Froberger, fait à Paris._" It is No. +12 of the manuscript in the _Bibliothèque Nationale_, Vol. 7, 1862. +This volume is ornamented with the arms of Bassyn d'Angervilliers +and of N. Mothefelon. The title upon the binding reads: _Préludes +de M. Couperin_. Besides these preludes and the Froberger pieces +are contained works of Frescobaldi, Labarre, and Richard de +Saint-Jacques.] + +[Footnote 36: From this vacation seems also to date a journey to +Dresden, where he was accorded a magnificent reception by the Elector +of Saxony, to whom the Emperor had sent him.] + +April 1, 1653, Froberger again assumed his duties as organist, +retaining his position until June 30, 1657. It is said that he was +obliged to retire, having fallen into disgrace; the death of his +patron, Ferdinand III., which occurred the same year, may also have +led him to decide to leave the court, where he no longer enjoyed the +favor which he had been accustomed to receive from the Emperor. + +Several years were devoted to travels; he visited Mayence and +England, being in the latter country at the time of the marriage of +Charles II. in 1662. + +This journey to England has inspired a certain romance, very free in +its details. It may be admitted that Froberger was shipwrecked on +the way; but something which passes the bounds of probability and +becomes but an absurd fable is the representation that, having been +relieved of his money by pirates, he was forced to apply for the +position of organ-blower at Westminster--he, who had been organist +to the Imperial Court in Vienna! Moreover, Froberger did not fail +to establish certain relations in England, particularly through the +intermediation of Chevalier Swann, of whom we have already spoken. + +His last years were spent with the Dowager Princess Sibylle de +Montbéliard,[37] born Duchess of Württemberg. An attack of apoplexy +ended his life May 7, 1667, at Héricourt; he was buried at Bavilliers +(Department of Belfort). + +[Footnote 37: In two autograph letters, of June 25 and October 23, +1667, addressed to Christian Huygens, the Princesse de Montbéliard +gives details of Froberger's death, expressing her grief at the +decease of the "Chevalier," a true "Patron of noble music." These +letters, which were discovered in 1874 by Dr. E. Schebeck, have been +published by him, somewhat revised, and by Jonckenbloet and Land in +their original form.] + +In his compositions Froberger was the lineal descendant of +Frescobaldi; but his conception of his art was not that of his +master. Despite his more elaborate style and his more fully developed +technique, especially in the fugue form, he never attained the +classic beauty, the impressive repose, which characterized the works +of the latter. Froberger was essentially a court musician; as such, +he strove to please. Furthermore, his musical character was wholly +superficial. What he feared above all things was that his music +should be tedious, a judgment which has since often been passed upon +it. Under his touch the rhythm would become more flexible; he would +delight the listener, holding his attention by cleverly combined +modulations; but his labors were devoted to the development only of +forms already established--at least, upon the organ. The literature +of the harpsichord is naturally more indebted to him, considering +his temperament. He was one of the first to give to this instrument +an individual style, by writing the Suites; an inheritance from the +Partitas of Frescobaldi, it is true, but more closely forerunners of +the sonata. In general, these suites[38] consist of an _Allemande_, +a _Courante_, a _Sarabande_, and a _Gigue_, sometimes all upon a +single theme, and often, as is noteworthy from the standpoint of +the development of this style of music, connected simply by their +tonality. + +[Footnote 38: These suites are found in the Vienna manuscript and +in one of the Spitta collection. (See Franz Beier: _Ueber J.J. +Froberger's Leben und Bedeutung für die Klaviersuite_.)] + +From a general point of view, Froberger's importance is due to +his having brought into South Germany the style of Frescobaldi, +as well as something of French music. And his works are worthy of +perpetuation less because of their intrinsic value than for the +influence they exercised. + +This influence did not make itself felt until long after his death. +Save for a few manuscripts (among them those in Vienna and Paris, +which were little used, and a few pieces published separately; for +example, the caprice upon the hexachord[39] brought out in 1650 by +P. Athanasius Kircher in the _Musurgia universalis_), the "_Diverse +Ingegniosissime, Rarissime et non may più viste Couriose Partite, di +Toccate, Canzoni, Ricercate, Alemande, Correnti, Sarabande et Gigue +di Cembali, Organi et Instromenti_" were not published until 1693, by +Louis Burgeat, in Frankfort. + +[Footnote 39: _Unam exhibemus quam D. Io. Jac. Frobergerus +organoedus Caesarius celeberrimus olim organoedi Hieron. Frescobaldi +discipulus supra_ UT RE MI FA SOL LA _exhibuit._ (_Musurgia +universalis_, Vol. i, p. 466.)] + +Of chief interest to us are the Toccatas in this volume, since they +were written more specifically for the organ. Froberger here recalls +his master only in certain details; it is more the work of a great +virtuoso who, when he writes, always keeps in view the display of his +own facility of execution. + +His ingenious chatter, interesting combinations, and novelty of +rhythm and of cadences,[40] attracted even Bach, Adlung[41] tells +us: "Bach, of Leipzig, now deceased, always admired the compositions +of J.J. Froberger, although they are somewhat antiquated."[42] + +[Footnote 40: He excelled in movements in triplets.] + +[Footnote 41: _Anleitung zur musikalischen Gelahrtheit._] + +[Footnote 42: J.S. Bach is already foreshadowed in Froberger's +compositions. Thus, in this _double_ of an _Allemande_: + +[Music]] + + +III + +We have remarked that Froberger's importance is derived especially +from his introduction of the traditions of Frescobaldi, although +he impressed upon them the stamp of his own individuality and less +exalted ambitions. + +Johann Pachelbel was also destined to absorb some of the reflected +genius of the great organist, two generations later; but he availed +himself of it in a wholly individual manner, imbuing it with his own +keen sense of the religious. Caspar Kerl,[43] who had studied in Rome +at a time when the influence of Frescobaldi was still potent, gave +Pachelbel his first insight into the characteristics of the master's +work. + +[Footnote 43: Kerl was sent to Rome by Emperor Ferdinand III. about +1649; he received some lessons from Carissimi.] + +They became acquainted in Vienna; Kerl was organist at St. Stephen's, +and Pachelbel was sufficiently advanced in his art to warrant +his engagement as substitute for the former. Excepting his stay +in Vienna, Pachelbel led a somewhat restless life, although in a +smaller circle than that traversed by Froberger. Born at Nuremberg +(September 1, 1653), he learned the elements of composition from +Prentz, at Regensburg, after which he occupied several positions +as organist, the succession of which is not accurately known, as +regards dates; we know, however, that he was at Eisenach from 1675 +to 1678. The other years were divided between Erfurt, Stuttgart, and +Gotha; finally, upon the death of the organist Wecker, he settled in +Nuremberg, in 1695. He died there March 3, 1706. + +Despite this apparent restlessness, Pachelbel's life was quiet, full +of that peace of mind which is characteristic of a profoundly pious +nature. + +His works betray the influence of such a sentiment, although he +did not force upon his compositions that religious tone which a +more studied method of procedure would have imparted to them. Their +inherent character is purely emotional. To his chorale-preludes he +lends a mystical significance, a devotional intimacy which was then +unparalleled. While following the example of Scheidt in announcing +or accompanying every melodic phrase by a counterpoint based upon +a fragment of the phrase itself, he greatly improved the whole by +making the movement more flowing; again, by a more intelligent choice +of themes he attained the unity of expression demanded by the true +sentiment of the chorale. These counterpoints are often symbolic in +nature, as is so often the case with Bach; and the harmony is most +expressive of that calm and plenitude which suggests the infinite, +the essence of all religious music. + +Pachelbel rarely varied the melody of the chorale. Heralded by the +figuration of the accompanying parts, the _cantus_ establishes itself +over all, intensifying in its progression in even notes (for the most +part diatonic) the exalted seriousness of the sacred text. + +The Chorale is charged with having accustomed the German people, +for the past three hundred years, to express their sorrows and +their rejoicings in the same tone;[44] especially is ascribed to it +that heavy rhythm, which has been likened to a "parade step." But +precisely from this contrast between a melody which moves, wholly +impersonally, ever onward upon its dignified course, while the +sentiments of joy, of sadness are expressed in the embellishing +counterpoint, is the inherent grandeur of such compositions derived. + +[Footnote 44: See Ed. Hanslick: _Aus meinem Leben_. (_Deutsche +Rundschau_, July, 1894, p. 54.)] + +The versets of Frescobaldi alone succeeded in suggesting to Pachelbel +the idea of this form; up to this time none of the German organists +had understood how to give such importance to a liturgical melody, +despite the resources of their instruments with several manuals; +the chorale-preludes of S. Scheidt (1587-1654) were of an analogous +character, it is true; but they lacked the serenity of Pachelbel's +compositions in this form, and most of the other musicians were still +under the influence of the bad taste of the "colorists," seeking to +impart to the melody, by means of diminutions and florid ornaments, +the very expressiveness which they were incapable of taking away from +it. + +The following is an example of the manner in which Pachelbel wrote +his chorales; it is the beginning of the first verse of "_Vater unser +im Himmelreich_,"[45] the melody of which was used by Mendelssohn +as the subject of his sixth organ sonata. Each verse is similarly +introduced by a few measures in fugued style, the subject of which +was borrowed from the corresponding portion of the melody. + +[Footnote 45: "Our Father, who art in heaven." This chorale was +one of eight published for Pachelbel by Johann Christoph Weigel at +Nuremberg about 1693.] + +When, in connection with Bach, we speak of Chorales conceived in the +style of Pachelbel, it is to this type that we refer: + +[Music] + +For the last verse: + +[Music] + +Pachelbel preludizes in this manner: + +[Music] + +In addition to numerous chorales we have quite a number of fugues by +Pachelbel. + +Here is noticeable this great advance step: the majority are _tonal_. +Their subjects are broader, and of a melodic character which +distinguishes them from the themes of their contemporaries, which +were simple phrases, or parts of a progression, with no "respiration." + +Thus, while in the sixth Toccata of Muffat,[46] one of the most +remarkable composers of his time, we find this scanty theme (we have +chosen it from among the better developed ones of that epoch), + +[Music] + +we encounter this in Pachelbel: + +[Music] + +or this: + +[Music] + +[Footnote 46: Georg Muffat, born about 1635, was a pupil of Lully, +and studied also in Rome and Vienna. For some time he was organist +in Strassburg, and about 1667 entered the service of the Bishop of +Salzburg. About 1687 he became organist and master of the pages at +the court in Passau. He died there February 23, 1714. He published in +1690, at Augsburg, the "_Apparatus musico-organisticus_" (re-edited +by S. de Lange, Leipzig, 1888), which contains twelve Toccatas, one +in each of the Gregorian modes, and some pieces of lesser importance. + +These Toccatas are a development of the older form of the same name, +where brilliant passages, harmonic progressions, or fugal imitations, +succeeded each other. From each of these elements Muffat made a +whole, developed separately; a similar method suggested in certain +_Canzoni_ of Frescobaldi was extended in some of the _Capricci_ of +Froberger. Nothing but the too sparing use of the pedal prevents +these works from being ranked among the most important.] + +The developments, too, are more consistently polyphonic in nature; +they are more extended, by the simple logic of musical speech, +without having recourse to foreign devices. + +In his Toccatas, Pachelbel generally presents to us passages in +sixths or tenths for the hands, firmly sustained by pedal notes of +long duration, sometimes with changes of rhythm of extremely happy +effect. One among others[47] contains a pastoral theme; and this is +not an isolated example, for Pachelbel seems to have been fond of +popular melodies. Some of these subjects, with their 12/8 rhythm, +express the good-nature and simplicity of rustic tunes. + +[Footnote 47: J. Commer. _Musica sacra_, vol. i, No. 132.] + +The greater part of Pachelbel's compositions may be found in the +first volume of the _Musica sacra_. Others are published in various +collections; we would mention in particular a Toccata and a Ciaccona, +until now never published, which G.A. Ritter presents in his work +_Zur Geschichte des Orgelspiels_. + +Thanks to these publications, we may form an opinion of Pachelbel's +music, always conservative and markedly religious in character. + +Pachelbel had many pupils; so great was his fame that many organists, +desirous of making a name for themselves, claimed to have been under +his tutelage; but "every one cannot have been a pupil of Pachelbel," +said Mattheson in the course of a celebrated discussion with one of +them, the organist Buttstedt.[48] + +[Footnote 48: Following the publication of the "_neu eröffnetes +Orchester_" of Mattheson, Buttstedt had written an essay entitled: + + _Ut mi sol + re fa la + Tota musica_ (Erfurt, 1717), + +in which he defended the old solmisation, or system of changes, the +_si_, a changeable note, being disregarded. Mattheson answered it the +same year by the "_neu beschütztes Orchester_" (defense of the new +orchestra), with the epigraph: + + _Ut mi sol + re fa la + Todte (nicht tota) Musica_, + +a bad pun on the words _tota_, the whole, and _todte_, dead.] + +This honor (of so much importance to us is this fact) did fall to the +lot of Christoph Bach, elder brother of Johann Sebastian, and from +whom the latter received his first lessons. + + +IV + +In bringing to a close this study of the precursors of Bach, it +remains for us to speak of Buxtehude, the master of his choice. + +Dietrich Buxtehude was a Dane. He was born in 1637, at Helsingör, +where his father was organist to the Church of St. Olaf, and also +was probably his only teacher. At about the age of thirty years the +younger Buxtehude went to Lübeck, where he succeeded Tunder, organist +of the _Marienkirche_.[49] + +[Footnote 49: He was installed in this position April 11, 1668, and +upon the third of the following August married Anna Margaretha, +daughter of his deceased predecessor.] + +The organ of St. Mary's was one of the most famous of that time; its +specification comprised fifty-four stops, divided among three manuals +and the pedals, and the position was lucrative. And Buxtehude did not +seek to exchange for another place a post so favorable; he retained +it until his death, the 9th of May, 1707. + +Thanks to the edition of Philipp Spitta,[50] Buxtehude's works have +been brought within the reach of all; it is thus possible for every +one to consult them at leisure, and to make one's own technical +analysis of them. But meanwhile I shall endeavor to establish the +affiliation between Buxtehude and Bach through a study of certain +characteristics of their works. + +[Footnote 50: _Dietrich Buxtehude's Orgelcompositionen, herausgegeben +von P. Spitta._ (The first volume contains the preludes, fugues, +etc.; the second the chorales.) Leipzig, 1876.] + +And this we will not attempt to achieve through the medium of a +general comparison from all points of view, which at best is but +vague and indefinite. That Bach was richer in inspiration, that his +work in point of breadth and imagination stands upon a relatively +higher plane, are facts universally recognized, even though they are +difficult to define, to prove specifically; we will concern ourselves +only with the matter of structure. Take, for instance, the second +chaconne of Buxtehude. + +From the very first measures polyphonic interest asserts itself; +the pedal, although impassive, so to speak, with its half- and +quarter-notes, progresses in the dignified manner peculiar to the +chaconne, the upper parts accompanying it in a timid figuration; +sometimes leading it, sometimes characterized by clever retardations +in dotted notes, unobtrusive and thoughtful in their imitative +response, ... and that the theme may be well established in its +progression and in the general plan, the sixty-four measures, less +one note, transposed with such charm, are repeated like an echo, +in the exquisite puerility of a design at once simple and devoid +of affectation. Later on, toward the end of this little poem, the +continuity of this angular theme is broken; it appears in fragments +in the upper parts, affecting cleverness, and always easily +recognized by an ear ever so little attentive, ... but, before he +allows himself to indulge in such boldness--for boldness it was at +that time--Buxtehude exhausts to a certain degree in the other parts +every resource of movement and of melody; and it is when their voices +subside to little more than whispers or subdued murmurs that the bass +makes itself heard, forgetful of the quiet hitherto enjoined upon it, +and becomes more free and animated, almost to the point of becoming +divided into sixteenth-notes; striking tones which are repeated, and +are no longer sustained, as if this sudden power were the product of +its long restraint or the force of a malicious will.... + +We can hardly justify ourselves in designating as variations the +changes undergone by the chaconne after this new exposition of the +fundamental theme; the tie which binds its different portions is too +inflexible. Try to take one of them away, attempt an interpolation, +and you will be unsuccessful. While the various sections are distinct +from each other, it is like a gradation of colors whose harmony +arises only from the order of their selection. This series of strokes +produces something more than the feeling of continuity, it frees +itself of an intensity of expression which is increased at every +measure; but the climax is attained with stately chords, in five real +parts, the bass emphasizing them by a quarter-note upon each beat.[51] + +[Footnote 51: It is curious to notice, even in these surroundings, +an example of what was in the middle ages called the "_proportio +hemiolia_," the immediate passage from triple to duple time, which we +find as late as in the works of Bach and Händel. (See _The Messiah_, +third chorus, thirty-fifth measure.) + +In endeavoring to accentuate the rhythm, Buxtehude unconsciously +breaks it. In reality, the pedal brings an accent upon the third +beat; and we obtain, by taking as the first beats of measures the +chords marked with a sign: + +[Music]] + +The following page contains rapid and brilliant passages of many +notes, which the pedal, at present omitted, could not follow, until +finally the pace is slackened, and the movement becomes quiet; a +plaintive harmonic progression is welcomed as a peaceful, serious +word, when suddenly the movement is again quickened, even involving +the pedal, then abandoning it, only to take it up again just before +the cadence in major, which is now awaited. + +By the side of a study of this little lyric, for such the chaconne +is, together with the Passacaglia, we must point out the exuberant +imagination displayed in the preludes and fugues. These compositions, +moreover, partake of a definite design, evolved from the _canzone_ +in so far as that the same subject serves for various developments, +clothed in different rhythms. Often even the various themes succeed +each other, leaving to the ensemble only unity of tonality. Thus the +fugue in E minor has successively three themes:[52] + +[Music] + +then: + +[Music] + +and finally + +[Music] + +[Footnote 52: See Merkel (Johann): "_Betrachtungen über die deutsche +Tonkunst im 18. Jahrhundert_." _Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung +der Doktorwürde_ (School of Philosophy of Leipzig University, 1886).] + +Each of these fugues is connected with the others by those +brilliantly florid interludes for which Bach derived a taste, at +least in his earlier years, from the influence of his studies of +Buxtehude. + +In the chorale, Buxtehude does not interest us in so great a degree +as does Pachelbel; he is another of the "colorists." Furthermore, he +was always more worldly than religious, even transforming St. Mary's +Church into a concert-hall--for sacred concerts, if you will. But +churches are not temples erected to the Fine Arts; while it may be +true that the latter approach most closely the divine spirit, yet it +must be recognized that pantheism, a philosophic teaching, has never +been followed as a religion.[53] + +[Footnote 53: These concerts were inaugurated in 1673; undoubtedly +for one of these, to which the name _Abendmusik_, evening music, was +applied, the Chaconnes and the Passacaglia were written.] + + + + +THE PRELUDES AND FUGUES OF J.S. BACH + +TOCCATAS--FANTASIAS--THE PASSACAGLIA--THE SONATAS + + +The organ compositions of J.S. Bach (especially such of them as are +free in style, and in which he made no use of the chorale) may be +classified under three chronological periods, according to their +structural characteristics. + +It is of great interest to note the continued conquests which +Bach placed to his credit; his first productions saying little +that had not been said by others, but establishing, as it were, +the specification of _actual_ resources of which he might avail +himself. The latest works, on the other hand, complete and final in +their authority, demonstrate the prodigious career based upon that +beginning, and thus define the exact measure of all that properly may +be attributed to the author of _Die Kunst der Fuge_. + +It would be puerile to ask one's self if Bach proposed to create, +or even to reform; these chronological periods, which prescribe +for us the limits of an historical and æsthetic analysis, are but +the expression of our own conception. Although in the beginning +Bach imitated his contemporaries or his precursors, he was unable +to produce at once positive results in a branch of art in which +technique alone holds so important a place. Besides, let us +suppose that he had retained in his own possession these first +attempts, permitting us to become acquainted only with his greater +compositions, in which he could appear in his full strength--the +earlier works being regarded as mere studies or sketches--then +undoubtedly we should behold a spectacle which would astound the +historians: the sudden production of such works in a state of +perfection. Bach did not gratify his _amour propre_ in this manner, +he never dreamed of doing so; we realize that this little German +organist, who was content modestly to produce a chorale or a fugue +each Sunday, simply did the best he knew, always happy and interested +in his work; and one day we see his genius fully established, as +the result of all this previous and conscientious labor, together +with something which he added to it--something of himself. With this +element, which is characteristic of genius, we wish to become more +intimately acquainted; but alas! as in every analysis, we cannot +penetrate its being, and we must be satisfied to regard it from an +objective point of view. + +During the first period Bach assembled his resources; of his +fellow-countrymen he acquired, from Buxtehude some characteristics +of movement, his picturesqueness of rhythm, from Pachelbel that +personal quality which is not unlike what we describe as "German" in +speaking of certain popular _Lieder_. From the French he borrowed the +ornaments, more artificial than spontaneous, and that splendor, often +majestic, which recalls, in this case as well, the "_Grand Roi_"; +from the Italians, gracefulness and perfection of proportions: the +invaluable inheritance from antiquity, never cut off. + +We repeat that these first productions are in nature a sort of +assembling of resources; it matters little whether they be considered +as _pasticcii_ or as _centoni_;[54] as little, perhaps, as to know +that the child Michael Angelo often copied this or that antique +statue; although with this difference, that the latter may have +despaired of attaining such heights, while Bach, for aught we know, +may have considered that what had already been achieved in his art +was, after all, little more than so many sketches. + +[Footnote 54: _Centone_ (_It._): a composition made up of excerpts +from other works.] + +To Buxtehude, Pachelbel, Froberger, F. Couperin, Frescobaldi, and +still others--why name them all here?--belongs the proud distinction +of having provided a _medium_ for Bach; and still their importance +is not lessened by such a fact any more than is Bach's; in any case, +it is very difficult to judge a man of genius without reference to +chronological succession. Neither in the domain of art nor of science +is furnished an example of a man creating a standard, of which his +original conception has not been aided by one influence or another. +Did Aristotle invent the syllogism, or did he not merely gather from +about him some fragments of rudimentary procedure? And is not Bach +the Aristotle of music, the master of musical reasoning, giving +speech to his syllogisms in a form beautiful in itself, without +taking into consideration the thought which it clothes? And is a +fugue anything but a syllogism? Jenner (and we voluntarily take as +examples fame become _banale_) did not intuitively discover vaccine. +By a happy chance he established the fact that certain herds were +immune from small-pox; accidentally hit on the truth, by following +his conclusion to its cause. The man of genius is undeniably Pasteur, +who generalizes a century later, assisted by the addition to the +literature upon the subject of a mass of treatises, those of Davaine, +of Villemain.... To cite Jenner in connection with our subject is +more than amusing; but consider Frescobaldi--is he not the Jenner of +the Fugue?... + +But let us avoid the necessity of classifying great men in the order +of their merit; it is the evolution of Bach's genius which we wish +to study. There is in this field an aspect of psychological analysis +which we trust will prove of interest; but it is by no means our wish +that any inference shall be drawn from the foregoing which could lead +to an undervaluation of the originality of Johann Sebastian Bach. + +Now as to the first period. Bach studied daily the technical methods +of Buxtehude, or those of Pachelbel. He availed himself of these +methods, he copied Pachelbel, he copied Buxtehude; furthermore, he +imitated their pupils, and even those of lesser ability among them. +He did not yet generalize. If at this moment he should disappear, +should cease to write, his work would present no other characteristic +than the decided manifestation of a temperament remarkably capable of +assimilation. This interest will become augmented, if we scrutinize +what comes later; therefore we may legitimately consider as embryonic +that which, at this epoch, proceeds from his individuality. + +The second period is one of formation; Bach begins to generalize. +One of the compositions of this epoch, taken by itself, will not +so strongly recall the work of his forerunners. Imitative in nature +as they are, drawn from such various sources, and so composite, +containing in one mosaic nuances of such different character, yet the +whole is moulded by a hand whose touch is already characteristic, +and over which skill is dominant. What Bach has dissected, he now +reconstructs after a diathesis of his own. As an artist exhumes +the fragments of an ancient reredos, primitive in sculpture, his +personality betrays itself in the new connection which he establishes +between these relics of a past age, which dictate to him no +relationship incapable of alteration. And thus with Bach.... Still +more, as the painter who would wrest from every form of human beauty +whatever it possesses of the superhuman, seeking absolute beauty as +his aim in the selection of a type. + +Was Apelles able to portray a divine image, working upon human lines? +His contemporaries claim that he was; and we know nothing about +it, so subjective is history, reduced to testimonies from various +sources. We have to go but a step further, and we find in the works +of Bach, particularly in those of the last period, the evidence that +from all these sources he evolved at least that which no one else +could wrest from him, for since his time no one has been able even to +follow him in his own domain, I will not say to equal him. As with +the symphonies of Beethoven, he himself closed that particular way, +and forced his disciples who would be masters in their particular +realms to develop other lines. + +We will proceed by chronological analysis, as far as it is possible +to fix the succession, to demonstrate to the reader the ground for +the classification of Bach's works which we are now to study; it +being fully understood that these limits are in no way absolute, +serving rather as dividing points in our work. + + +I + +While the first period apparently ends during the early years at +Weimar, about 1712--later we will explain why--it is difficult to +fix definitely the date of its commencement, which perhaps takes us +back to the years of study at Lüneburg. To this witness is borne by +a prelude and fugue in C minor.[55] + +[Footnote 55: Peters Edition, edited by Griepenkerl and Roitzsch, +vol. iv, No. 5.] + +The inexperience of the young composer betrays itself in every +measure; the timidity with which he availed himself of the resources +of the organ indicates even more the fear of venturing beyond the +limits of a virtuosity which, while perhaps precocious, was not +yet master of the instrument. Observe the treatment of the pedal, +the touchstone of an organist; in the prelude it serves only as a +foundation for the harmony, often doubling the notes given to the +left hand. And truly is it not a weak artifice, this recitative +upon which reliance is placed from the beginning, as if to attract +notice to a certain technical dexterity which is suddenly forced to +labor strenuously, as soon as the attention is distracted by the +entrance of the other parts? And likewise in the fugue; the pedal +does not take up the theme (truly one of a funeral march, with its +doleful recurrence of the same figure, now interrupted, now repeated +in different positions) until after the entire polyphony is at an +end; it seems to appear only as an indication of the conclusion, +which is, moreover, retarded by a sort of ill-timed coda. As to the +workmanship of the fugue, it is far from perfect; the parts are built +up one upon the other, the subject always being allotted to the +higher part, thinly accompanied by the others; without being long, it +is wearisome, and interest is awakened only by the entrance of the +pedal, when the fugal character is no longer predominant. + +The tonality of C minor, expressive of profound sadness, was +apparently a favorite one with Bach at that time; another fugue in +the same key[56] appears to be contemporaneous with the foregoing. + +[Footnote 56: Peters Edition, vol. iv, No. 9.] + +The same general characteristics are noticeable; the pedal is even +more insignificant; but in the poetical conception of the piece, even +in its incompleteness, there is a world of meaning. + +While leaving to Schubert the "Signification of Tonalities," and +not without distrusting this hobby--so absurd at times are the +results of the analysis of every piece of music by reducing it to +its exterior characteristics--still we cannot deny that to a certain +extent this fugue is the reflex of everything of indecision in the +life of Bach up to this time. The rhythm of the theme is established +only at the end of the third measure, and each of its fragments +serves to mark the close of a harmonic progression, despite the fact +that the general tonality does not make itself plainly felt. This +twofold ambiguity lends to the whole a touch of undefined regret, of +a desire whose very existence is not suspected. Is this not wholly +characteristic of the temperament of a youth? + +We are reminded of Pachelbel by these two works, in their general +lines, through this same exaggeration of an innate emotion into a +condition of melancholy, a tendency peculiar to Bach. In point of +technique the works sustain this reminiscence: the counterpoint is +not yet fully developed. Further, compare them (particularly the +second fugue) with certain of Pachelbel's compositions, especially +with the fugue in E minor, whose theme we cited in our chapter upon +this musician. + +Other similarities appear in the variations in tempo with which these +works are brought to a close; these new forms were of the North +German school, whose illustrious representatives were Reinken and +Buxtehude. + +Bach had obtained of Boehm the key to their style; no composition of +Pachelbel did he ever imitate with the zeal with which he set out to +copy the preludes and fugues of Buxtehude; perhaps because he was +already more like the former in point of natural qualities. + +Even before his journey to Lübeck Bach began to write pieces in this +style of several movements. We will examine a prelude in G major,[57] +and a fugue in A minor accompanied by a prelude in the same key.[58] + +[Footnote 57: P. viii, 11.] + +[Footnote 58: P. iii, 9.] + +The prelude in G major seems to us to date further back than Bach's +study of Buxtehude, from the fact of its evident inspiration by a +prelude of Bruhns, written in the same key.[59] + +[Footnote 59: Bruhns was born at Schwabstädt (Schleswig) in 1666, +and died at Husum in 1697; he was organist there, and had formerly +occupied for some time a similar position in Copenhagen.] + +It is true that Bruhns was one of Buxtehude's best pupils, but he was +nothing more; it would seem as if Bach, appreciating the value of the +master, did not gauge with sufficient accuracy the capabilities of +the pupils. + +We find the same spirit, the same cheerfulness as in Bruhns's +compositions; but the piece is less abrupt, and, by way of contrast, +is interrupted by moments of sadness. In the expression of joy, was +it Bach's intention to remind us that happiness is never complete, +that it is always accompanied by mourning? + +These few measures, in a minor and not even the relative tonality, +in syncopated rhythm, come suddenly upon us in the midst of all this +joyfulness, like a _memento mori_; and they suffice to alter the +effect of the second part of this work, to the benefit of a more +lofty ideal. When the joyous motive reappears, it is no longer with +the same worldly bearing; restricted to a series of imitations which +only render it indefinite, moderating the swiftness of movement in +favor of breadth of tone, it seems rather to be proclaiming a peace +which will know no end. + +This prelude is already of much importance from an artistic +standpoint; but we cannot say as much of the prelude and fugue in A +minor which we mentioned at the same time. There is no doubt that +it also dates back further than the journey in 1705; Bach must have +sadly misconstrued the true significance of Buxtehude's works to have +indulged in plagiarism so unskilfully. + +He reproduced only the faults of his model; he followed him only +into the by-ways, augmenting his mistakes by the awkwardness with +which he set about his task. In fact, the work is little more than an +_omnium-gatherum_ of ideas picked up at random and strung together +upon the mere excuse of a tonality. After a short prelude devoid of +interest, we find the theme of the fugue to be of peculiar dryness, +supported by equally barren counterpoint. The interlude which follows +is a succession of incorrect harmonic progressions, peculiarly +disagreeable in effect;--even as he thought to imitate Buxtehude's +freedom of movement[60] in the restlessness of the prelude and +fugue, so Bach hoped to acquire the expressiveness of his harmonic +progressions, so audacious for their time[61]--and introduces a new +treatment of the fugue, monotonous, but finally coming to a close in +a more interesting fashion. + +[Footnote 60: It will be interesting to compare this piece with the +prelude in F sharp minor by Buxtehude, particularly with this excerpt +from it (ed. Spitta, xii, p. 68): + +[Music]] + +[Footnote 61: For instance, in the Chaconne (iii, p. 15, from the 8th +measure), which we have already analyzed: + +[Music]] + +More happily inspired in his emulations, or better served by his +talents, we behold Bach in a composition in three movements, little +known up to this time: a "Fantasie" in G major.[62] + +[Footnote 62: P. ix, 6. In this edition, this work bears the title of +_concerto_, undoubtedly because of its form in several movements; at +least, it was so designated in Griepenkerl's collection. A manuscript +which has come down from the organist Westphal, in Hamburg, gives it +this title: "_Fantasia, clamat in G[natural], di J.S. Bach_."] + +The first two movements are still rather weak, perhaps influenced by +the Italian music heard and played during the few months preceding, +when Bach was a violinist in the orchestra of Prince Ernest of Weimar. + +The third movement is remarkable, at least with regard to its depth +of thought, and to its adoption of all that was most to be desired +in Buxtehude's style. The upper parts cross each other upon the +scale given out by the bass, as in a Chaconne; it is the resistance +of surging waves to the slow rising of the stream, expressed by the +implacable repose of the fundamental theme, whose intensity, with its +own imperturbable repetitions, overcomes all resistance. + +In many of Bach's works we encounter these ascending and descending +scales, but they are of varying significance. We find them again +in a piece closely allied to the foregoing: a Fantasia,[63] also +in G major, where the diatonic scale serves as the foundation of +harmonies, whose interest, cleverly held in check, is augmented by +the uninterrupted progression of five real parts. + +[Footnote 63: P. iv, 11.] + +These works are no longer mere plagiarisms; a glimmer of +individuality discloses itself. For example, let us look at the +prelude and fugue in E minor.[64] If Buxtehude is here brought in +mind, it is because of that quality of his which is most neutral, and +no longer through his peculiar originality, his personal resources; +in trying to avoid which a mere imitator must always come to grief. +Many a detail in construction is derived from the Lübeck organist; +for instance, those detached chords, which so successfully set off +that plaintive syncopated progression, the sobbing of whose notes is +thereby rendered always more intense; the last sections repeating the +first, now broken into two still more earnest entreaties. + +[Footnote 64: P. iii, 10. _Bach-Gesellschaft-Ausgabe_ (W. Rust), year +XV, p. 100.] + +And of this fugal theme, beginning in two separate fragments upon +the dominant, we have seen examples in Buxtehude; but there this +repetition of the subject expressed in its intensity a joyous +declaration.[65] + +[Footnote 65: For example, this theme: + +[Music]] + +It is here a tremulous, hesitating interrogation, which seems to +dread its answer; the prelude is full of lonely sadness, as deep as +it is despairing; in the fugue it converses in dialogue with itself, +one might say in accents which proclaim a public misfortune. + +But if one may not seek "in a musical work the expression of +any condition of the soul, or the narration of any story of the +heart,"[66] one can hardly deny that music expresses "the being, even +the personal will"[67] of psychological phenomena, at least in the +sense that the interest of certain works of art, aside from every +æsthetic consideration, is correlative to the mental condition in +which one receives them. This may explain the position occupied among +the works of Bach by this piece, whose many weaknesses are revealed +to us by a technical analysis. + +[Footnote 66: Hanslick: _Vom Musikalisch-Schönen_.] + +[Footnote 67: Schopenhauer: _Lichtstrahlen aus seinen Werken_ (J. +Frauenstädt, Leipzig, 1874, p. 128).] + +This intimate nature finds an antithesis in the Toccata and Fugue in +D minor,[68] which belongs chronologically to the same period; it +is still Buxtehude, but it is conceived throughout in a picturesque +style. It lacks only an argument to establish by every right its +character as "program music." The two rapid and dazzling flashes, a +peal of thunder, rumbling heavily in the reverberations of a chord +slowly broken, and above the vibration of the deep pedal, augmented +in intensity by its duration; wind, then hail;--we are in the midst +of the classic tempest. Entirely a thing of virtuosity, appreciated +even by those who take account of nothing in the arts but the +illusion gained, the Toccata earned brilliant success for Bach upon +his journey to the smaller German courts, and contributed in large +measure toward the extension of his fame. + +[Footnote 68: P. iv, 4; B.-G. xv.] + +This composition belongs to a whole series of virtuosic works, as +well as the prelude and fugue,[69] in E major in the edition of W. +Rust (_Bach-Gesellschaft_), and in C in Griepenkerl's (Peters); and, +above all, the celebrated fugue in D major.[70] + +[Footnote 69: P. iii, 7; B.-G. xv, p. 276. This work also bears the +title of Toccata. It presents the peculiarity of being divided into +four movements, whence, possibly, this designation, _concertato_, +which accompanies it in one of the MSS. It is essentially an +imitation of Buxtehude's compositions in several movements.] + +[Footnote 70: P. iv, 3; B.-G. xv, p. 88.] + +Despite the advance in technique, this prelude and fugue are still +in the earlier manner; certain characteristics, such as the division +into several movements, indicate that the early influences which +governed Bach are still potent. Nevertheless, there is in the stately +prelude something of the dignity of the French overture; in the _Alla +Breve_[71] a recollection of the Italian compositions of the same +name is natural. Thus later studies betray themselves more in certain +details than in the work as a whole; the subject of the fugue reveals +its similarity to Buxtehude in its general style, and in its movement +(see the theme in F quoted previously). + +[Footnote 71: "It is not necessary," says Mattheson, "to indicate +the degree of rapidity of an _alla breve_; these words suffice to +animate the most sluggish brain, to make supple the heaviest of +hands. For example, it is like 'clucking' to a horse."--_Grosse +Generalbass-Schule_, Hamburg, 1732.] + +Another inheritance from Buxtehude is the prelude and fugue in G +minor;[72] especially the prelude, with its wealth of harmonies +suddenly broken off, hardly to be employed again; the fugue, with +the repeated notes in its subject. An advance over all the fugues of +which we have thus far spoken, this one is notable for its strict +maintenance of four-part polyphony; the facility and the spirit which +we observe in the counterpoint, especially at the entrances of the +subject, and the flexibility of the imitations, indicate the presence +of a new wealth of resource, and a surety of technique which is +master of itself. + +[Footnote 72: P. iii, 5; B.-G. xv, p. 112.] + +We must also include in the product of this period a set of eight +preludes and fugues,[73] which, although very simple, are already the +work of a fine hand. They are undoubtedly compositions which Bach +destined for his pupils. + +[Footnote 73: P. viii, 5. These works are part of the collection of +G. Pölchau, a well-known musician of Hamburg in the last century.] + +Bach is now about to cast himself free from the restrictions placed +about him by the study of his first masters; finally in possession +of all their resources, he will acquire those of others, enlarging +his field of vision, already marvelously well-prepared by his earlier +labors to make room for the results of his search after new conquests. + + +II + +During Bach's first years in Weimar a new factor enters into his +evolution, or rather forces itself upon it, quite without seeking on +his part; it is simply the result of the experience gained in the +fulfilment of his new duties. + +Ever since this epoch Weimar has been distinguished among the German +courts by a more refined culture, a taste for art which up to the +present time has never diminished. + +In this instance the impetus did not emanate from the reigning +prince. Wilhelm Ernst was a man of education, it is true, and in his +service were good artists; but, absorbed in a solitary life[74] of +exceeding piety, and occupied with good works, the duke entrusted to +his nephew, Johann Ernst,[75] the duty of encouraging his musicians. +Johann Ernst was skilled in music, playing the harpsichord and +the violin; he had even studied the elements of composition with +Walther;[76] music was made to cater to his sickly constitution, +especially the Italian chamber music, for solo instruments and +orchestra, whose subtle charm was well suited to this invalid; for he +himself could take part in its performance. + +[Footnote 74: Born in 1663, Duke Wilhelm Ernst reigned from 1683. +Early becoming a widower, and left without children, he adopted +a somewhat retired mode of life, as we may judge. At the palace, +"Wilhelmsburg," everyone had to retire at nine o'clock in summer +and eight in winter. He evinced a marked taste for theological +studies and discussions; in 1710 he brought together in a synod one +hundred pastors, and he built or repaired a number of churches and +seminaries. He was also interested in numismatics. This austerity was +in some degree tempered by concerts, whose programs were performed +(J.O. Köhler tells us, _Historische Münzbelustigung_, Nuremberg, +1730) by sixteen picked musicians, dressed in Hungarian costume +(Bach _en tzigane_!). Further, the duke built a theatre in 1696; the +patronage accorded to the troupe of Gabriel Möller, "Hofcomödiant" +(court comedian), was not of long duration; it had already ceased in +1709.] + +[Footnote 75: Prince Johann Ernst was of a weak constitution; he died +in 1715, at the age of nineteen years, and the only way he could +make his insomnia bearable was to keep with him in his room during +entire nights Walther, his music teacher, who would play for him his +favorite pieces.] + +[Footnote 76: Johann Gottfried Walther was born in 1684, and +from 1707 held the position of town organist in Weimar. Not only +was he a good musician, but he was also a theoretician of merit; +while he learned from his friend Bach the principles of the old +school of Sweelinck, the traditions of which had descended through +the teachings of Reinken and Buxtehude (see _J.G. Walther als +Theoretiker_.--Study by Gehrmann in the _Vierteljahrschrift für +Musikwissenschaft_, 1891), Bach, on the other hand, was able to +obtain other advantages from this interchange; Walther was remarkably +well-schooled in harmony, and from his thorough knowledge, of long +standing, of Italian chamber music, he undoubtedly was not indirectly +connected with these new studies of Bach's.] + +Bach's temperament, so entirely different, was certain to draw its +lesson from association with such works; the precise moment has now +arrived when, by his own determination, he shall profit by it; he +is master of his own virtuosity; and both his manual dexterity and +his present position make it possible for him to choose what he +will retain of the ideas which crowd upon his imagination in such +profusion. To succeed in such a choice were already to produce a work +of art; but to bring these ideas into their proper relative order, +the selection once made, is the achievement of a great artist. + +The Italians had for a long time possessed precisely this sense of +correct succession; this architectural aspect of the art could not +fail to attract, by its harmony of proportions, those who had always +displayed so much taste in works of sculpture. + +It is particularly to be noted that what the Germans were able +to acquire from these composers, they derived from the concerted +music for stringed instruments. In fact, it may be said without +exaggeration that, while the Germans were well-informed, not only +upon organ composition, but upon vocal writing as well, still they +possessed no violinists,[77] in the sense that among them there was +no one who wrote for that instrument with the clearness or sentiment +which it demanded. The Italians brought them something more, if +not something essentially different: the interesting and varied +movements, the perfect balance between the musical phrases, the +elaboration and refinement of design for which they always strove; +for it was with them that monody first dawned, and was afterwards +developed. It is easy to conceive that with instruments the +conditions are varied; although that is not saying that a manner of +writing suited to one instrument may not also be fitted to another; +in writing for strings the same style recommended itself to the +Italians as that which had enriched the school of organ composition. +We refer particularly to the sonatas and concertos. + +[Footnote 77: I am not speaking of virtuosos. We know with what +astonishment Corelli, the great Italian violinist, listened to the +playing of Nikolaus Strungk of Celle: "I call myself _arcangelo_," +said he to the latter, "but you deserve the title of _arcidiavolo_." +And we must not forget the old musician, J. Franz Biber, who was born +in 1638 and died at Salzburg in 1698, and who exerted a perceptible +influence upon the creation of the violin sonata. + +But what the Germans sought was not, let me repeat, within the domain +of that expressive instrument; they could not be content with simple +melody, they must have complete harmony. And so we learn that Bruhns +(the remarkable organ-pupil of Buxtehude, and an exceptionally +talented violinist) would seat himself before the pedal of an organ, +violin in hand, and would play in four parts--the bass with his feet, +the other parts upon his violin.] + +While the sonata still lacked that unity resulting from the +development and ingenious combination of two themes of necessary +co-relationship, which P.E. Bach was to impart to it later, it +already possessed three well-defined divisions at least, as is +indicated by the variety of the movements: the first one rapid in +tempo, assertive; the second slow, full of sentiment; while the third +finished gaily, often recalling the rhythms of popular dances. + +As to the concerto, it was on the whole nothing more than a sonata +for one, sometimes for more than one solo instrument, accompanied +by the orchestra, whose interludes produced new effects through the +contrast between the _soli_ and the _tutti_. + +The facilities offered by the organ, with its several keyboards, +for the delineation of these designs, rendered it particularly +appropriate that they should be transcribed for that instrument. +This Bach did. In addition to sixteen transcriptions for the +harpsichord, he left us arrangements for the organ of three of +Vivaldi's[78] concertos, and the first movement of a fourth.[79] They +are arrangements, rather than integral reproductions; and if we take +a certain interest in this transcription for the organ, by special +methods, of works not originally intended for that instrument, it is +an interest like that inspired by a well-made translation. + +[Footnote 78: P. viii, 1-4. Vivaldi was born toward the end of the +seventeenth century; in 1713 he was appointed _maestro di cappella_ +at _l'Ospitale della Pietà_, at Venice; later he was for some time in +the service of the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. He died in 1743.] + +[Footnote 79: The title of this last transcription gives us a clue to +its date; it reads as follows: "_Concerto dell'illustrissimo Principe +Giovanni Ernesto Duca di Sassonia appropriato all'Organo a 2 clav. e +pedale da Giovanni Sebastiano Bach_." So it must have been written +before 1715, the date of the Duke's death. Bach was not the only one +to make these transcriptions; Mattheson tells us (_Das beschützte +Orchester_): "Compositions of this order (_concerti grossi_, +_sinfonie in specie_, overtures) may also be played upon a polyphonic +instrument, for instance upon the organ or harpsichord; a few years +ago the celebrated S. de Graue, the blind organist of the new Dunes +Church in Amsterdam, played from memory and with remarkable clearness +in my presence, upon the excellent organ in his church, the latest +Italian sonatas and concertos in three and four parts."] + +Possibly Bach regarded it in another light; for him it may have been +a means of penetrating to the core of such compositions, of analyzing +their inherent qualities. + +We now see him quite preoccupied with this three-movement form; take, +for instance, the Toccata in _C_ major.[80] + +[Footnote 80: P. iii, 8. B.-G. xv, p. 253.] + +The Prelude itself is subdivided. First we find an introduction,[81] +free in style; then an Allegro, built, as is very important to +notice, upon two different and well-defined themes.[82] + +[Footnote 81: This work, perhaps, dates from the journey which +Bach made to Cassel in 1714 to examine a recently restored organ. +At least the pedal passage in the prelude reminds us of that pedal +solo executed during this tour before the Hereditary Prince of Hesse +with such virtuosity that the latter drew from his finger a valuable +ring and presented it to Bach. "One might have believed," says +Adlung (_Anleitung an der Musikgelahrtheit_), "that his feet were +winged, with such agility did they move over the keys which caused +the powerful basses to resound. If the dexterity of his feet drew +from the Prince so rich a present, what should he have given him in +recognition of the genius of his hands?"] + +[Footnote 82: It will be interesting to compare one of these themes +with the following from the counterpoint of a fugue in A major by +Albinoni: + +[Music] + +especially if we remember this first transformation which it +underwent at the hands of Bach in a fugue for harpsichord: + +[Music]] + +An Adagio follows; a sort of instrumental solo sustained by a +homophonic accompaniment, examples of which are comparatively rare +in Bach; and accentuated by a _continuo_, like the _pizzicato_ of +the orchestra. A short succession of chords _à la_ Buxtehude and +_quasi-recitativo_[83] separates this Adagio from the fugue; the +rapid tempo of this latter is still of the earlier period, and +recalls, in its progressions in thirds, various subjects of Buxtehude. + +[Footnote 83: Here are noticeable the pauses Bach contrives to +introduce for one of the hands, that it might effect the changes in +registration necessary to play the fugue _coll'organo pleno_.] + +Bach was not content with writing in the Italian forms. In the fugue +in _B_ minor[84] he borrowed themes from the Corelli[85] sonatas, and +in the one in _C_ minor[86] he levied tribute upon works of Legrenzi; +upon which one of the latter is not definitely known. + +[Footnote 84: P. iv, 8.] + +[Footnote 85: Corelli was born in 1653, and died in 1713. The +theme mentioned is found in Joachim's edition of Corelli's works +(_Denkmäler der Tonkunst_, vol. iii. Bergedorf, near Hamburg, 1871). +It is the theme of a fugue, the second part of a "church sonata," +opus 3; the fugue is marked _vivace_, and is but thirty-nine measures +in length.] + +[Footnote 86: The manuscript of this fugue, coming down from Andreas +Bach, bears the following qualification: "_Thema Legrenzianum +elaboratum cum subjecto pedaliter_."] + +In this connection we see what further profit Bach derived from +his study of Italian chamber music, not only in the _logic_ +of composition in general, but in certain species of writing, +particularly in that in three parts. + +But all this did not satisfy him; he wished to know the organ works +of Italian composers. We have seen that he copied with his own hand +the _Fiori musicali_ of Frescobaldi. + +This copy is dated 1714; it thus belongs to the Weimar period. The +_canzona_ in _D_ minor[87] must have been written shortly after the +completion of this task; at any rate, it is interesting to trace the +characteristics of this piece to that source. + +[Footnote 87: P. iv, 10.] + +Notice first of all the theme; it is found in the _Canzon Dopo la +Pistola_ (sic), on page 77 of the _Fiori musicali_ (edition of 1635), +where it appears as the answer to the principal subject. Frescobaldi +presents it in this form: + +[Music] + +The chromatic countersubject is also found in the _Fiori musicali_, +in the fifth verse of the _Kyrie delli Apostoli_ (Christe, p. 38). + +[Music] + +Further, in comparing the sixth measure of this _Christe_ with the +tenth part of the _Canzona_ of Bach, we see why these two themes, +although quite in the style of Bach, still are obviously the +result of his study of Frescobaldi; in fact, this measure contains +a fragment of the theme just quoted, with the very alteration +afterwards made by Bach. + +In this present case of the employment of a chromatic countersubject +Bach evidently had Frescobaldi in mind; considering, and rightly, +the frequent use of motives of this kind to be characteristic of the +latter. But while Bach believed himself in so far indebted to an +Italian master, he was in reality only following the traditions of +Sweelinck,[88] who had already furnished him noteworthy examples of +this style. + +[Footnote 88: Sweelinck, who was born at Deventer about 1560, studied +with Zarlino at Venice, and upon his return home in 1580 occupied +(until his death in 1620) the position of organist to the old +Protestant Church in Amsterdam (see Max Seiffert: _J. Peter Sweelinck +und seine directen deutschen Schüler_).] + +In fact, Frescobaldi acquired these resources during his stay in +Flanders; perhaps he obtained them from Sweelinck himself, whom he +undoubtedly knew in Amsterdam. A Fantasie by Sweelinck, edited by R. +Eitner,[89] is written wholly upon this form of the Ionic tetrachord: + +[Music] + +[Footnote 89: It is the third number in the volume entitled, _Drei +Phantasien, drei Toccaten und vier Variationen, nach einem Manuscript +des grauen Klosters zu Berlin aus der Orgeltabulatur übersetzt und +herausgegeben von Rob. Eitner_ (Berlin, 1870).] + +We may compare the counterpoint which accompanies it with those of +Frescobaldi and of Bach: + +[Music] + +These characteristics of treatment found great favor with Flemish +organists, by whom they were introduced. Peter Philipps, an organist +of Soignies, makes use of them in a "_Gagliarda_," and in the +"_Pavana dolorosa_"; composed in prison, according to an addition in +a strange hand in the manuscript. S. Scheidt, a pupil of Sweelinck, +avails himself of them in various instances (_Fantaisie super "Io son +ferito casso_," "_Fuga quadruplici_," etc.). + +This mannerism prevailed for some years; we again find it in the +works of Froberger (_Toccata fatto a Bruxellis Anno 1650_) and in a +fugue in _E_ flat by Christopher Bach, of which the following is the +subject: + +[Music] + +Finally, to illustrate the employment of this sort of theme, we will +quote the beginning of a "_Point d'orgue sur les Grands Jeux_," by +Grigny.[90] + +[Footnote 90: _Livre d'orgue_ (1701).] + +[Music] + +In secular music composers exhibited the same fondness for this +chromatic style of progression, employed to express sorrow or dread +(it is interesting to note that at every musical epoch this or that +motive or chord, later certain instruments, express certain definite +emotions). + +Thus, in the following example from G. Andrea Bontempi, taken from +the opera "_Paride_" produced at Dresden in 1662: + +[Music: ERMILLO. + + Già trafitto ha il mesto seno, + chi soccorso, o ciel, mi da?] + +In the second _Sonate à Programme_ of Kuhnau this phrase must impress +one with the depth of Saul's melancholy:[91] + +[Music] + +[Footnote 91: Let it be remembered that Bach, imitating these same +Sonatas in composing the _Lamento_ of the "Capriccio upon the +departure of his most beloved brother" (1704), employs this motif +as a _basso quasi ostinato_, and that in the Easter Cantata written +in the same year the viola sorrowfully gives expression to the same +theme.] + +Purcell,[92] in the "_Orpheus brittanicus_" (London, 1706) gives us +still further examples of this character. Among others, "O let me +weep" (Book I, p. 171), + +[Music] + +and "Here the Deities approve" (Book I, p. 206): + +[Music] + +[Footnote 92: His compatriot, John Bull, who died in Antwerp in 1628, +had already written a series of variations upon this subject. (See "A +General History of Music," by Charles Burney. London, 1789, p. 115.)] + +We repeat, it is undoubtedly in intentional recollection of the +"_Fiori musicali_" that Bach here makes use of a mannerism which, +moreover, was so familiar to him; it is through details of this sort +that one is able to gain the mastery of a style which one desires +to imitate. As for that, we must not forget that Bach wrote after +nearly a century had elapsed. If you will, it is like an ancient +painting copied by a modern master, who, although able to correct +the perspective, would cause the picture to lose none of its archaic +charm, while he would impart to it a certain quality of warmth. Thus, +in the _canzona_, notice that progression of the soprano (beginning +at the 48th measure) which ascends like the broad sweep of violins, +then falls gracefully back upon a well-rounded line--a contrast +expressing great tenderness, compared with the austere rigidity of +the scholastic rhythm with which the countersubject at the same time +pursues its heavy course, in an obsolete style of counterpoint. + +Here is truly the _cantable_,[93] as Bach called it, never hesitating +to coin French words; the second part of the _Canzona_ which follows +this species of march is written in 3/2 time, after the established +rule; it is more abstract, and not without prolixity. + +[Footnote 93: This is the term which Bach employs in the preface to +his _Inventionen und Sinfonien_ compiled in 1723, that his pupils +might, through their study, acquire _un jeu cantable_.] + +If all the grace, the melodic freedom of the _Canzone_ of Frescobaldi +are surpassed in this work, an _Alla Breve_[94] in _D_ major reminds +us more of the studied style, of the continuous movement of the +_Ricercare_, with some reminiscence of a piece which Pachelbel wrote +under the same title and in the same key.[95] + +[Footnote 94: P. viii, 6.] + +[Footnote 95: Commer. _Musica Sacra_ (Vol. I, No. 123, p. 137).] + +The _Passacaglia_[96] again exemplifies the discreet cleverness which +Bach henceforth displays in his imitations; he realizes that he has +risen above his models, and he now chooses his colors with a critical +eye. In this instance he takes us back to Buxtehude. + +[Footnote 96: P. i, 2. B.-G. xv, p. 289. [M. Pirro writes me: "You +may state that the theme of the Passacaglia was the composition of +the French organist André Raison." To which M. Widor adds: "André +Raison, organist of St.-Étienne du Mont in Paris at the time of +Louis XIV, left a volume of organ works, now very rare, which I have +presented to the library of the Conservatoire. Raison's collection +is interesting, in that it gives indications of the registration of +his time; the chorale is usually found in the pedal, treated as the +tenor, the real bass being played by the left hand. The melody of the +chorale is performed upon a reed stop in the pedal, while upon the +manuals only mixtures are drawn." Tr.]] + +Among the works of the latter are various pieces of this same order, +Passacaglias or Chaconnes, written over an _ostinato_; which is not +necessarily confined to the bass in its original form, but which +modulates here and there into closely related keys, or appears in +other parts. + +The seriousness of the beginning of the Bach _Passacaglia_ cannot +cause us to forget that calm entrance, in its very reserve so sad, of +the Passacaglio (_sic_) of Buxtehude (ed. Spitta, No. I, p. 1): + +[Music] + +or the profound melancholy of the commencement of the _Ciacona_ +(ibid., No. II, p. 6): + +[Music] + +The majority of the details of the Passacaglia, moreover, establish +its relationship to the two works which we have just cited. + +For example, the broken chords (beginning with the 113th measure), +which remind us of the following (_Ciacona_, p. 10): + +[Music] + +Also the rapid progressions accompanied by solid chords (_Ciacona_, +p. 11): + +[Music] + +finally the sixteenth-notes in triplets (_Passacaglio_, p. 4). + +The idea of joining a fugue to the Passacaglias was also derived from +Buxtehude, who united a _chaconne_ and a fugue (_ibid._, No. V). + +All this is only incidental, it is true; and we recognize Bach in +the length of the work (293 measures) and especially in the skilful +counterpoint of the fugue. + +From our point of view, the _Passacaglio_ and the _Canzone_ express +the whole philosophy of this second period. Bach attains, in these +two works, the highest point which it was then possible for him to +reach; he comes into his first maturity in treating, it is true, +established forms, through which he acquires the necessary mastership +for the exploration of new fields. + +From this moment progress is manifest. Take the prelude and fugue in +_F_ minor;[97] no more superfluous ornaments in the prelude, and, +what is especially noteworthy, it is founded entirely, not yet upon +a clearly defined subject, but still upon a figure which affects the +whole ensemble, imparting to it added coherency. + +[Footnote 97: P. ii, 5. B.-G. xv, p. 104.] + +Up to this time Bach had not achieved such unity, such directness of +meaning; and the rapid, stormy passage at the end is more than a mere +brilliant cadence: it bears the musical distinction of adding to the +dignity of the peroration by emphasizing the tonality, the threads of +which are thus united. + +In the two preludes in _C_ minor which bear the title of +_Fantaisies_[98] these characteristics are still more pronounced; it +is from a veritable subject that they derive the somewhat elegiac +character common to both, as well as certain details and even the +general outlines; the one is, nevertheless, somewhat more individual +because of the use of two themes. Less varied, the character of the +other is more intimate, although more uniform. + +[Footnote 98: P. iii, 6. B.-G. xv, p. 129, and P. iv, 12 (_a 5 +voci_). Accompanying the latter Fantasia is a fugue of which, +unfortunately, only the first twenty-seven measures are extant.] + +To the three fugues which we have mentioned must undoubtedly be +added two others, from a chronological point of view, belonging to +preludes of a later date; they are the fugues of the Toccata in _F_ +major,[99] and of a prelude in _C_ minor.[100] There is truly a +remarkable analogy between these five fugues, both in the character +of their themes--no longer agitated in movement, but approaching in +a slight degree the melodious seriousness of the chorale--and in +their treatment. In each of them the interest increases with the +development, and the introduction of an accessory subject toward the +middle portion (afterwards related to the principal theme), either as +a countersubject or for the purpose of preparing the reëntrance of +the principal theme, is common to them all. + +[Footnote 99: P. iii, 2. B.-G. xv, p. 155.] + +[Footnote 100: P. ii, 6. B.-G. xv, p. 218.] + +The Toccata[101] in the Dorian mode and the accompanying fugue +are perhaps contemporary; this imposing composition still partakes +of that character of studied virtuosity which Bach was destined +completely to abandon in his later years. + +[Footnote 101: P. iii, 3. B.-G. xv, p. 136. + +[At the time of Bach it was a frequent usage to omit an accidental +from the signature; in the above case the omission of the only flat +undoubtedly suggested the appellation frequently given "_in modo +dorico_," although otherwise the composition bears hardly a trace of +the Dorian mode. Tr.]] + + +III + +After resigning his post at the palace in Weimar, Bach never again +occupied an official position as organist. Not that he renounced the +instrument which he so loved to play, but he was no longer obliged to +fulfil the requirements of regular service; his earlier compositions +he could gather together and correct at his ease, and finally bring +out no new ones that were not thoroughly in accordance with his +ideals. + +The number of these new organ compositions also diminished in an +extraordinary degree; for from all the thirty-three years embraced in +this last period, but about twenty works exist for our study. + +Although Bach no longer bore the title of organist while at Cöthen, +it must not be inferred that access to the organs of the town was +denied him; for instance, to the instrument in the _St. Agnuskirche_, +the pedal of which was unusually extended in compass. We learn, in +fact, from a work of C.F. Hartmann's,[102] published at the beginning +of this century, that the pedal of this organ was two and a half +octaves in range, extending up to _f'_[sharp][103] inclusive, while +the organs of that period usually possessed but two octaves in the +pedal, from _C_ to _c'_, with sometimes _c'_[sharp] and _d'_ in +addition. + +[Footnote 102: _Geschichte der evangelisch-lutherischen St. +Agnuskirche in Köthen. Herausgegeben von C.F. Hartmann, Köthen, +in der Commission der Huschen Buchhandlung_ (1802). The organ is +described on pages 19 and 20.] + +[Footnote 103: [The pedal, even of modern organs, extends upwards +only to _f'_. Since the middle of the last decade, the house of +Cavaillé-Coll in Paris, has applied to the larger instruments +constructed by it the compass of _C_ to _g'_. This range was +recommended by the translator and adopted for an organ now in process +of construction in Boston; it is also a feature of the large organ +for Yale University, recently contracted for.]] + +This instrument, although of modest dimensions, responded to the +touch with remarkable precision and promptness. And we have good +reason for believing that Bach had it in mind when he wrote the +Toccata in _F_ major;[104] this piece has always been played, +traditionally, at a very rapid tempo; and one encounters at various +points high _f's_ and _e's_ in the pedal part. If Bach, who was +continually seeking new instruments or improvements hitherto ignored, +had not had at his disposition a _pedalier_ upon which he could play +this pedal part, he undoubtedly would have so written it as to make +it generally practicable for performance. It seems evident, on the +contrary, that he composed this work only in order to take advantage +of a resource which he had not encountered before; thus the date +of this Toccata appears to be between the years 1717 and 1723, the +period of Bach's residence in Cöthen. + +[Footnote 104: P. iii, 2. B.-G. xv, p. 155.] + +While remarkably brilliant, this work bears the stamp of a certain +dryness; it is somewhat too much of a "show-piece,"[105] perhaps +the best one of this type which Bach wrote; quite different, in so +far, from the fugue in _A_ major joined to the prelude in the same +key.[106] + +[Footnote 105: The beginning, at least; while the conclusion is +characterized by repetitions, this part of the work is not its least +imposing portion.] + +[Footnote 106: P. ii, 3. B.-G. xv, p. 120.] + +This fugue (also from the Cöthen period, as well as the prelude, +to judge them by the pedal, which extends to _e'_) occupies an +entirely individual position among the works of Bach--one which is +shared by no other work. One would say that in writing this fugue he +had relaxed from the severity which the grandeur of the instrument +inspired in him, lending to the work the intimate charm of a somewhat +effeminate grace of movement. + +The elusive rhythm of the subject, and even the theme in its entirety +(though a different way), bear a strange resemblance to this fugue +subject: + +[Music] + +given out by the oboe, repeated first by the flute, then by the +_viola d'amore_, and finally by the _viola da gamba_, above the +_continuo_ in the cantata "_Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn_."[107] + +[Footnote 107: This cantata, written for soloists, was first +performed December 29, 1715. B.-G. xxx, 2.] + +Certain portions of the fugue in _A_ major, further, produce the +effect of concerted music, conceived for different tone-colors, +rather than that of a polyphony of like sounds, especially where +broken chords occur in the counterpoint. At other times, when the +pedal is silent, a trio-sonata is suggested. This does not surprise +us; Bach was still preoccupied with the forms of Italian chamber +music. We have noted the transformation which his preludes underwent +under this influence, they now being constructed upon distinct +subjects; and we have seen in the Toccata in _C_ how Bach sought to +write a work in three movements, each one of a different character +and tempo, in imitation of the concertos and sonatas. Here and there +again, as in this instance, we find attempts at three-part writing +clearly defined;[108] not merely because the pedal remains silent, +but by reason of a plainly indicated design. + +[Footnote 108: For example, in the fugue in _G_ minor (P. iv, 7).] + +Bach aligned these endeavors in definite order, classified their +essentials, and embodied them in the sonatas, or rather trios, for +two manuals and pedal.[109] + +[Footnote 109: P. i, 1. B.-G. xv.] + +Play these trios upon the organ, and you will divert them from their +original destination. Bach composed them for the clavecin with two +manuals and pedal, between the years 1722 and 1727,[110] for the +purpose, Forkel tells us, of instructing his eldest son, Wilhelm +Friedemann, in organ-playing, through their use in home practice. + +[Footnote 110: The first part of the sonata in _D_ minor undoubtedly +dates from the year 1722; the _adagio_ and _vivace_ of the sonata +in _E_ minor are transcribed from the cantata _Die Himmel erzählen_ +(1723), B.-G. xviii. The last movement of this sonata was originally +intended to serve as an interlude between the prelude and the fugue +in _G_ major (P. ii, 2. B.-G. xv, p. 169. The theme of the fugue +is, in major, that of the first chorus in the cantata _Ich hatte +viel Bekümmerniss_, performed in 1714), composed, according to the +water-mark of the autograph, in 1724 or 1725.] + +The structure of these sonatas is analogous to that of the six +violin sonatas of Bach with clavecin accompaniment; they still lack +the definite form of the modern sonata;[111] they are more, as has +been said, "lyric pieces." + +[Footnote 111: See S. Bagge: _Die geschichtliche Entwickelung der +Sonate_.] + +If Bach wrote these trios to accustom his son to the technical +difficulties of the organ, perchance considering them only a set +of studies, and for himself an interesting occupation by which he +might profit, his motives in writing the Fantasie and Fugue in _G_ +minor[112] were, apparently, very different, and may be definitely +connected with the journey which he made to Hamburg in 1720. This is +an hypothesis which is sustained by a whole chain of circumstances. + +[Footnote 112: P. ii, 4. B.-G. xv, p. 177.] + +First of all, Mattheson, in his treatise upon thorough-bass,[113] +furnishes the ground for our premise; he cites the following fugue +subject as having been given to a candidate who was undergoing an +examination for an organ position: + +[Music] + +with this countersubject: + +[Music] + +[Footnote 113: _Grosse General-Bass-Schule, oder Exemplarische +Organistenprobe_ (Hamburg, 1731), p. 34. "The subject of this fugue +was produced by a facile pen, and, in 1725, presented to a candidate +for the position of organist."] + +He adds that this theme was well known, and that it had been chosen +to assist the candidate in his task, since he would already have had +an opportunity of hearing it treated; he says, further, that its +origin was not unknown, and that it was well known who had been the +first to make use of it with success. + +Mattheson, who wrote this about 1725, seems to be speaking of +a theme unusually familiar. Was it not from Bach himself--the +examination took place at Hamburg--that the candidate, who was from +that city or a neighboring locality, would probably have heard a +fugue composed upon this same subject? + +Moreover, an examination of the prelude will confirm this opinion. +Through his study of the works of Buxtehude and of Reinken, the +venerable organist, Bach had possessed himself of all their secrets. +The opportunity had come for him to demonstrate to the organists of +Hamburg how, in imitating them, he could surpass them on their own +ground. + +For the characteristics of the prelude resemble those of the works +of these men; recitatives, rapid passages which cover the entire +compass of the manuals; chord progressions with bold, unforeseen +modulations; subjects treated in imitation. But the recitatives +are of an expressive, declamatory character which was then unheard +of; the rapid passages are the forerunners of "those scales, those +tremendous ascending and descending scales which rise and fall like +the waves of the sea in a storm,"[114] which Mozart wrote in the +overture to _Don Giovanni_; the chord progressions, with a daring +which had never been exceeded, leading to that gigantic passage +(measures 31 to 40), a veritable orchestral crescendo, where all +resources of sonority deploy themselves in radiation, taking on new +force with each strong beat; it serves also as an example of the +crescendo which may be obtained upon the organ without recourse to +modern appliances. Finally, the motive treated in imitation (measures +9 to 13) vouchsafes us a period of repose, corresponding to a point +of temporary rest in the midst of chaotic agitation; it is the +calm supplication of prayer which alternates with the power of the +elements freed from their fetters. + +[Footnote 114: Charles Gounod: _Le Don Juan de Mozart_, p. 5.] + +The opposition of these varied means of expression imparts to this +piece a value which the works of Buxtehude, despite their valuable +qualities, will never possess. I refer to those designs, in the +absence of which music stifles, giving the impression of a drawing +without perspective; such qualities are essential, especially in +music composed for the organ, whose manuals, of different intensity, +so easily accomplish the display of the various phases, emphasizing +one subject while leaving another in the background. + +Pölchau, in the 18th century, declared that the fugue accompanying +this prelude was the "best work with pedal ever written by Bach." It +is rarely allowable to pronounce such absolute judgments, or even to +subscribe to them; that it is one of the best, however, there can be +no doubt; still greater through that unity of opposition, through the +effect of continuity which it produces, like the uninterrupted course +of a great river, contrasted with the boiling torrent which terrifies +our imagination. + +It now remains for us to speak only of the prelude and fugue in +_E_ flat major, and of the six preludes and fugues which have been +surnamed "the great." These latter, which are found together in the +manuscript, were, perhaps, assembled by Bach for publication; that +was not, however, accomplished. + +Of all the compositions which we have cited thus far, only the +prelude and fugue in _E_ flat were published during the composer's +life. + +The prelude stands at the head of the third part of the +_Clavierübung_[115] and the fugue ends that volume. In any case, +there is no doubt that these two pieces belong together. Griepenkerl, +who in his edition[116] united them for the first time, declares that +he did not do so arbitrarily, but that he was justified by Forkel, +who in turn derived his authority from Bach's sons. + +[Footnote 115: _Clavierübung.--Dritter Theil der Clavierübung +bestehend in verschiedenen Vorspielen über den Catechismus und +andere Gesänge vor die Orgel: denen Liebhabern und besonders denen +Kennern von dergleichen Arbeit, zur Gemüths-Ergötzung verfertiget +von J.S. Bach, königl. Pohlnischen, und Churfürstlich Sächsischen +Hof-Compositeur, Capellmeister, und Directore Chori Musici in +Leipzig. In Verlegung des Authoris._] + +[Footnote 116: P. iii, 1. B.-G. iii, pp. 173 and 254.] + +Moreover, a comparison of these two pieces will show their +similarity; while the prelude is more grandiose, the character of +the fugued portions is quite the same in the one as in the other; +moreover, the polyphony, in each case in five parts, indicates an +evident unity of composition.[117] + +[Footnote 117: It is worthy of note that the fugue, a last +reminiscence of Buxtehude, is in three movements of different +rhythms.] + +The publication of the _Clavierübung_ may be fixed at about the year +1739. The prelude and fugue in _E_ minor[118] are probably anterior +to this work; a minute study of the autographs has given Ph. Spitta +reason to place the composition between 1727 and 1736. + +[Footnote 118: P. ii, 9. B.-G. xv, p. 236.] + +In the strict succession broadly established by a prelude developed +at length (137 measures), follows the fugue, of still greater +dimensions (231). It is the longest of all the Bach fugues, but, +despite its proportions, the interest does not flag for a moment. +Here again Bach constructed his subject upon that same chromatic +progression to which he already owed so many expressive combinations; +but the theme soon retires into the background of this fugue; it is +but the excuse for a counter-theme of singular pathos, which assumes +the importance of a symphonic subject, freely treated. + +We should place by the side of this masterpiece the prelude and +fugue in _B_ minor.[119] The beauties of this composition are of a +character quite as lofty, to which no analysis can do justice. It is +a sort of soul-language, of which Hegel says, in his _Aesthetik_: +"If we consider all intercourse of the soul with the beautiful as a +deliverance, as a release from all trouble, it is in music that we +must seek the completeness of that liberation." + +[Footnote 119: P. ii, 10. B.-G. xv, p. 199.] + +Undoubtedly it is also "that internal harmony which lifts us for an +instant out of the infinite depths of longing, which delivers the +soul from the oppression of the will, which diverts our attention +from all that is importunate, showing us things divested of all the +influences of anticipation, of every personal interest, becoming +objects of disinterested contemplation, and not of covetousness; +thus this repose, vainly sought along the open paths of desire, but +which has always eluded us, appears to us, as it were, of its own +volition, and vouchsafes the realization of peace in plenty. This +free condition of sadness Epicurus pronounced the chief of all good, +the happiness of the gods."[120] + +[Footnote 120: Schopenhauer. _Lichtstrahlen aus seinen Werken._ J. +Frauenstädt, Leipzig, 1874.] + +To the six greater preludes and fugues also belong the prelude in +_C_ major[121]--which, reproduced in an altered form by Bach himself +upon another occasion, recalls in both its forms the beginning of +the Concerto in _C_ major for two clavecins--and the prelude in _C_ +minor,[122] the fugue of which (as we have already seen) must be +earlier in date. Otherwise the great fugue in _A_ minor,[123] the +prelude of which, included with the fugue in this series, is still +replete with souvenirs of Buxtehude, and would thus revert to the +Weimar period. + +[Footnote 121: P. ii, 1.] + +[Footnote 122: P. ii, 6. B.-G. xv, p. 218. Here are noticeable +reminiscences from the _Recordare_ in the _Dies Irae_ of Legrenzi, +for eight-part chorus, three _violes_ and organ.] + +[Footnote 123: P. ii, 8. B.-G. xv.] + +Finally, we would mention the prelude in _C_ major in 9-8 time[124]; +it recalls in its movement a fantasia by Froberger. + +[Footnote 124: P. ii, 7. B.-G. xv, p. 228.] + +It is curious to observe that the fugue which follows it played a +part in the inspiration of _Die Meistersinger_, in its analogous +figures, and in resuming the subject at the close, this time in +augmentation, like a chorale melody. + +Is it not of some interest to see brought together, in a work of +Bach's, these extremes in music? Froberger, with all his inheritance +of past centuries; Wagner, proclaiming the dawn of a new art? + + + + +THE CHORALE + +PRELUDES (_VORSPIELE_)--TRIOS--FANTASIAS--FUGUES + + +We have seen to what an early period of Bach's life his first free +compositions revert; perhaps of still earlier origin are the works +which the Chorales inspired in him. + +Liturgical in character, and thus all the more closely identified +with the popular sources from which he sometimes drew his own +inspirations in order to idealize them mystically in a sort of +"_procession en Dieu_," the chorale is the soul of Lutheran religious +music. Far more; this universal prayer, the spiritualized communion +of the faithful (their sole participation, really, in a dogma freely +interpreted), passed from the inner temple to the outer court, like +the reading of Holy Writ; the Bible was the book of the family, the +volume of chorales its musical breviary. + +The very first arrangements of chorales made by Bach convey a little +of that intimate charm, of that impression of "home" and its domestic +circle, where in the evening the hymns are sung between the reading +of two chapters from the Evangelists; it would seem as though the +young man, an orphan, in imparting to them their expression of quiet +sympathy, desired that they should take the place of those same +intimate pleasures which had been denied him. + +In fact, the "_Partite_," these two sets of variations upon "_Christ, +der Du bist der helle Tag_" and "_Gott, Du frommer Gott_,"[125] lend +themselves but poorly to the somewhat formal solemnity of a public +service. + +[Footnote 125: These variations are contained in the fifth volume of +the Peters edition (Part ii, 1 and 2).] + +The influence of the style of G. Böhm, which betrays itself from +one end to the other of these compositions, and their resemblance +to clavecin pieces, would seem to indicate that they belong to the +Lüneburg period, when Bach had but rarely, at best, an organ at his +disposal. Here we find heavy, solid chords, undoubtedly intended to +augment the tone of the weak instrument, as the profuse ornaments +were to prolong it. They are written without pedal, or, at most, in +one variation, for the pedal of a clavecin; for the pedal part of +this last variation of _Christ, der Du bist der helle Tag_ cannot +be played upon the organ as it is written; the whole design of +the sixteenth-notes in the left hand would be covered up. On the +contrary, entrusted to the basses of the clavecin, which do not +prolong the tone, they merely serve to accentuate the rhythm. + +The chorale _Christ lag in Todesbanden_[126] is analogous in +character, and doubtless belongs to the same period.[127] + +[Footnote 126: P. vi, 15.] + +[Footnote 127: This also must have been written for the clavecin; the +right hand passing over the left in order to strike the bass note +_e_, held meanwhile by the pedal, clearly indicates the intention of +thereby prolonging the sound.] + +Among the chorales of the earlier years should be included a prelude +in _G_ major upon _Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern_.[128] This +work dates, perhaps, from Arnstadt; three other chorales, published +by Commer,[129] and similar to those of Christopher Bach, are of +still earlier origin. + +[Footnote 128: Published by Ritter: _Geschichte des Orgelspiels_, +part ii, p. 181.] + +[Footnote 129: _Musica Sacra_, vol. i, p. 5.] + +Aside from these chorales, which are separate, and a few others +equally isolated, of which we shall speak in their proper place, +the greater part of the Bach chorales have been brought together in +various collections, although some have been published separately. + + +I + +In chronological order, the first of these collections is the +_Orgelbüchlein_.[130] + +[Footnote 130: _Orgelbüchlein Worinne einem anfahenden Organisten +Anleitung gegeben wird, auff allerhand Arth einen Choral +durchzuführen, anbey auch sich im Pedal Studio zu habilitiren, indem +in solchen darinne befindlichen Choralen das Pedal gantz obligat +tractiret wird. Dem Höchsten Gott allein zu ehren, Dem Nechsten, +draus sich zu belehren. Autore Joanne Sebast. Bach p.t. Capellae +Magistro S.P.R. Anhaltini-Cotheniensis._ + +The chorales of the _Orgelbüchlein_ are published in the fifth +volume of the Peters, and in the twenty-fifth year of the +_Bach-Gesellschaft_ edition. W. Rust, in the latter volume, has +preserved the order adopted by Bach in the succession of these +chorales, which is according to the church year.] + +Because this collection was made at Cöthen, it must not be supposed +that the chorales which it comprises were composed only during the +period of Bach's service to Prince Leopold of Anhalt; Bach rather +made a practical arrangement of them, whereby they might serve as a +useful work for his pupils. + +It comprises forty-five chorales, of which a goodly portion +undoubtedly belong to the years in Weimar--perhaps to a still earlier +period. + +These chorales are generally written after the models furnished by +Pachelbel; but where Pachelbel is merely calmly devout, or placidly +harmonious, Bach, with a more exalted piety and distinctly more +poetic, lends to them whatever of mystic character he could derive +from the text of the hymns; in addition, he imbues them with all the +picturesqueness suggested by the sense of the words. + +And what variety in the choice of means to be employed! Sometimes +there are progressions which fairly chill us, simply the result of +a note purposely prolonged, or a succession of chords strikingly +disjointed, which seem to clash with incompatible harmonies, as at +the close of _Alle Menschen müssen sterben_; or a false relation +seems fraught with fatality, as well as with complete desolation, +as in _O Mensch, bewein' dein' Sünde gross_. At other times will be +found motives whose symbolic character is not the result of chance; +for example, all the irreparability of the primeval fall of man[131] +is symbolized by diminished sevenths, pitching obliquely downwards, +as if in a veritable vertigo; or the gliding of scales in opposite +directions depicts the balancing of a flying object hovering in +space--skimming over the earth, and already out of range, while, in +the repetitions, the flapping of wings emphasizes the rhythm. + +[Footnote 131: _Durch Adam's Fall ist ganz verderbt._ Buxtehude +employed fifths to symbolize this descent.] + +Certain rhythms also assist Bach in his task; to express the fulness +of joy in the chorale _In Dir ist Freude_, Bach constructed his +prelude upon a _chaconne_ movement, a _carillon_ theme, repeated +unceasingly by the bass; the sole subject perceptible, of which the +other parts are but an indistinct reflection; even the melody of +the chorale is lost sight of in the vibrations of the bass, but, +nevertheless, it presents itself in the voices, which repeat it +in fragments, sometimes with elaboration, like the hum of a great +people celebrating a festival, who emerge in vast throngs from the +church whence the final reverberations of the organ still voice its +rhythm,[132] and who betake themselves, thenceforth busy with their +pleasures, to the sunny square now invaded by the sound of the bells +ringing their full peals. + +[Footnote 132: Organists often played the _sortie_ (postlude) +in the form of a _chaconne_, with full organ (see Mattheson: +"_Der vollkommene Capellmeister_," and Becker, "_Rathgeber für +Organisten_"). The prelude to the chorale "_Heut' triumphiret Gottes +Sohn_" is conceived in the same manner.] + +Certain chorales are expressive enough to pass as paraphrases; +Bach did not err in judgment, and reserved for them a discreet +accompaniment, which is sustained very softly, asserting itself only +to provide for the melody a "breathing space," as it were, after +which it may reappear with increased breadth. + +This is exemplified in _Herzlich thut mich verlangen_, a favorite +chorale with Bach, with its gloomily suspensive ending, expressive +of desire or of doubt in its employment of the Phrygian mode, which +supports the harmonies, delicately ambiguous in the irresolution of a +petition. + +This mystical fervor, intensified by Bach, was foreign to the +conception of the composer of this melody; Hans Leo Hassler, as he +wrote it, saw in it nothing of a chorale, still less of a hymn, but +designed it simply for the words of a five-part madrigal:[133] _Mein +G'müth ist mir verwirret_, a poem dedicated to a certain "Maria," the +initial letters of the five verses forming the acrostic of her name. + +[Footnote 133: In the collection _Lustgarten neuer teutscher Gesänge, +Balletti, Galliarden und Intraden mit 4, 5, 6, 7, und 8 Stimmen. +1601, Nürnberg, bei Kaufmann_.] + +Meanwhile, the producers of religious songs soon laid hold of this +one; to this secular music was adapted, in 1613, the translation +made by Paul Gerhardt of the _Salve caput cruentatum_,[134] written +by St. Bernard; it thus became the hymn of Holy Week. During the +century, certain publishers (Rhamba-Görlitz) still further distorted +its meaning; it was henceforth heard at funerals, expressing the +longing to leave the earth, whereas formerly it had served to salute +the bloodstained face of the Saviour, while, in the by-ways, amorous +lute-players languished to its tones in "courtly diminutions." + +[Footnote 134: _O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden._--_Cf._ chorale in St. +Matthew Passion.] + +But had not Luther said, "Why should the Devil have all the best +tunes?" + +The canon form inspired Bach to compose some curious arrangements of +chorales. He commanded so many artifices, could devise such ingenious +counterpoints with which to create interest, to overcome the rigidity +of scholastic practices, and in addition could clothe the composition +in so rich an "orchestration," that it becomes a pleasure to play +something so erudite, so natural does it sound to the ear. This +double interest offered to the mind and to the ear is exemplified +in a canon upon _Hilf Gott, dass mir gelinge_, where, interlacing +itself amid the imitations in the fifth, a sustained movement in +triplets runs through the entire compass of the keyboard. In _In +Dulci Jubilo_, similar triplets, liquidly intangible, imperceptibly +disintegrate the rhythm, soften its somewhat harsh character. This +chorale recalls Bach's stay in Cöthen by the unusual compass of its +pedal part, which extends upward to _F_ sharp; so, for the same +reason, does the chorale _Gottes Sohn ist kommen_, also written in +canon. + +Of the other chorales in the _Orgelbüchlein_, a small number, it is +true, recall chorales by the organists of the North German school; +as examples of this style we would cite _Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen +sein_ and _Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten_, both, in the +ornamentation of their melodies, characteristic of the Reinkens and +Buxtehudes. + +Finally, we would call attention, in _Ich ruf' zu Dir, Herr Jesu +Christ_, to a form of writing truly instrumental, at the same time as +analogous to the style of the _Adagio_ (in _A_ minor) of the Toccata +in _C_ major, as the repetitions of notes are characteristic of G. +Böhm.[135] + +[Footnote 135: Compare that chorale with this fragment of a chorale +by Böhm, _Vater unser im Himmelreich_: + +[Music]] + + +II + +The chorales of the Orgelbüchlein were compiled by Bach for +purposes of instruction, as we have seen. It is not known +whether it was his intention to publish them, or the eighteen +_Choralvorspiele_[136]--sixteen autographs and two copies in +Altnikol's hand--the MSS. of which are preserved in Berlin. In any +case, these latter would have been rather for personal use than to +serve as exercises for his pupils. + +[Footnote 136: P. vi, and vii. B.-G. xxv, vol. ii, 3rd part.] + +In this collection a form of chorale arrangement is found which we +did not encounter in the _Orgelbüchlein_, the _trio_.[137] From a +subject taken from a chorale melody, Bach forms a figure, which +he develops in three parts in the style of the sonatas for two +manuals and pedal; fragments of the _cantus firmus_ recur in these +arabesques, sometimes repeated upon one after another of the manual +keyboards, as an echo; or perhaps the pedal finally lays hold of +them, entirely reconstructing the chorale--a stately cadence. +What Bach calls a "Fantasia"[138] is of analogous character; the +difference being, that the parts are more numerous, and no longer +confined to a strictly continuous design. + +[Footnote 137: For example, upon the melodies "_Allein Gott in der +Höh' sei Ehr'_" (several versions), "_Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland_" +and "_Herr Jesus Christ, dich zu uns wend_."] + +[Footnote 138: _Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland._] + +A fusion of Pachelbel's style with that of the organists of the +North, although modified, furnishes a new type: the melody is +figured, it is true, but very discreetly; and the phrases of which +it is composed are treated separately, each being preceded by a +counterpoint derived from itself. The chorale _An Wasserflüssen +Babylons_[139] (_super flumina Babylonis_), for example, is thus +written. The _cantus firmus_ is sustained by the tenor, almost +without elaboration, supported by rich polyphonic imitations of these +various motives. + +[Footnote 139: Various arrangements by Bach of this chorale are in +existence; we would cite in particular the one which he made with +double pedal, upon the same harmonic bass as the one already referred +to. It was probably composed for the journey to Hamburg (in 1720), +when Bach drew from old Reinken the avowal of an admiration which +the latter was not wont to lavish, for his improvisations upon this +theme. Reinken had also composed a prelude upon it. It is interesting +to compare the profusion of ornaments by which he renders the melody +almost unrecognizable, with the elegant design in which Bach clothes +it. Reinken thus distorts the beginning: + +[Music] + +With a Toccata and another _Choralvorspiel_, this arrangement is all +that remains to us of Reinken's works.] + +In the same style of composition, born of a poetic imagination, is +the chorale-prelude _Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele_. + +"_Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele!_" Adorn thyself, O dear soul; be +full of virtue, to please God; yet, however pure, may thy virtue +be natural and effortless! Be full of grace, and may thy virtue be +a very beautiful thing; doubtless thou hast never sinned, and thus +there is no question of repentance ... that would evoke some feeling +of sadness, and no sadness whatsoever can exist here; thou art +already very noble, and thou must become still more noble; already +very limpid, thou must become still more limpid; although far from +the earth, arise now towards the heavens.... Sublime as thou art, +thou must become divine. Let thy virtue be a very beautiful thing! + +"_Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele!_" Adorn thyself, O dear soul! And +Johann Sebastian treats a single line of the very calm and too +austere chorale. Its robes of sackcloth being somewhat too severe, he +bedecks it with simple and suave ornaments, like lilies which would +live on a plain and naked altar. So might a learned and holy priest +speak those words which at once charm and sanctify; and his hands do +not remain crossed upon his breast, but his gesture mounts upwards +towards God, scarcely saddened by a separation which soon will cease +... virtue is a joyful thing! + +"_Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele!_" Adorn thyself, O dear soul. And +now, suddenly, upon a distant manual, the calm and less severe +chorale is heard. Do those voices mount towards God, or do they call +from heaven? Is it a prayer which rises, or the dew of a grace which +softly falls like the rain? And the suave ornaments of a simple +melody thus live like lilies, and breathe no sadness. For virtue +is beautiful and joyous.... "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele!" Adorn +thyself, O dear soul! + + * * * * * + +Bach wrote this chorale on a Sunday, as a pious man conceives in his +heart a beautiful and childlike prayer, for the heavens are very pure +on that day, and one's soul is wholly sincere.[140] + +[Footnote 140: Schumann said of this prelude, by which he himself was +influenced in certain compositions (Cologne): "Thou didst play, Felix +Meritis (Mendelssohn), a prelude upon one of those figured chorales: +'_Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele_,' was the text; the melody seemed +interlaced with garlands of gold, and the work breathed forth such +happiness that you inspired in me this avowal: 'Were life deprived +of all trust, of all faith, this simple chorale would restore all +to me.' I fell into a revery; then, almost unconsciously, I found +myself in the cemetery, and I felt poignant grief at not being able +to cover with flowers the grave of the great Bach."--Letters, vol. +i. Mendelssohn had played this chorale at a concert given, in St. +Thomas' Church, to further the erection of a monument to the memory +of J.S. Bach. + +The melody of this chorale is found in choral-books since 1649.] + +At the end of this volume are the variations in canon form upon +the Christmas hymn _Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her_.[141] The +combinations in which Bach involves this chorale melody, already +often treated by him, might well dismay a contrapuntist; we wish +to note here only that original melodic richness, often touching, +under which is concealed such arduous labor leading to inconceivable +results. Fatigued in following their intricacy, powerless to unravel +the inextricable network, the mind clings to these threads, though +still indefinite--music now superhuman in the swishing of invisible +wings as they fold, or rustle like silk in their contact;--or +gliding, rather, without conjuring up any special sound, but leaving +to the fancy the whole halo of harmonies; or like an echo, as if +fragments caught here and there repeated the song which spirit-voices +pray--the white souls of the pure in heart--these voices in peaceful +chords, strangely sustained, or so gently persistent that the saints +must hear them, in ecstasies which one feels as in a dream; the song +which the stars revealed, murmured to the Child, who was lulled by +the incommensurable rhythm of the universal concert emanating from +God.[142] + +[Footnote 141: Einige kanonische Veränderungen über das +Weihnachtslied: _Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her_.] + +[Footnote 142: These variations were published separately. Bach had +them engraved about 1746 by Balthasar Schmidt in Nuremberg, in order +to present them as the work for admission which the "Society for +Musical Sciences" founded by Mizler in 1738 imposed upon each of its +candidates. Bach was elected in 1747. He must have composed them, +however, some years previously. The MS. and the engraved edition +present numerous differences of editing.] + + +III + +The Third Part of the _Clavierübung_ contains twenty-one arrangements +of chorales.[143] The "Hymns of the Catechism" and the Creed furnish +twelve of them, each melody treated twice, with or without pedal. +These chorales may be cited as examples of certain well-defined +types; it is unnecessary to identify each one of them separately, +rather will we leave to the reader the task of such a classification. +Some of them, however, are deserving of special mention; the +_Vater unser im Himmelreich_ (treated in canon), for its extended +proportions, for the fulness of its harmony; the _Aus tiefer Noth_ +(_de Profundis_) in six parts, with double pedal, noteworthy in that +it appears to have been written for two pedal-keyboards of different +intensity, the melody dominating by its power, crying out amidst the +symbolical chaos of this gigantic polyphony. + +[Footnote 143: P. vi, and vii. B.-G. iii.] + +We shall not again touch on that faculty which Bach possessed +of translating into music the words of the chorales, whether in +their most obscure meaning, or in their most obviously picturesque +significance. _Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott_, "A mighty fortress +is our God," sings Luther, and Bach emphasizes the suggestion of +impregnability by supporting the melody upon the deepest basses of +the organ; but this firmness reveals itself only after the repulse of +an attack, after the warring of the counterpoints below the ramparts. + +It is the same procedure as in the Reformation Cantata _Und wenn +die Welt voll Teufel wär'_, "And were the world of devils full," as +Luther's song runs; "on a sudden, figures of infernal aspect, issuing +from unknown depths, rush to the assault upon the noble melody of the +chorale."[144] + +[Footnote 144: Cart. _Un maître deux fois centenaire._] + +But such agencies partake rather of an instrumental style, +interesting in an organ prelude, where they are more in place; in +the cantata these counterpoints are entrusted to a bass voice; while +putting the singer out of breath, they impress upon the audience a +sort of wearisome anxiety; "without doubt," says Hanslick, "Bach +obeys a fine symbolic instinct in entrusting the calm and steadfast +melody of the chorale to one voice, while the other, in elaborate +design, creeps about it; but not everything of symbolic significance +must, for that reason, be beautiful in itself." + +It is known that the last work of Bach was a chorale-prelude upon +the melody of _Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sein_, or _Vor deinen +Thron trete ich_,[145] which he dictated upon his deathbed to his +son-in-law, Altnikol. This composition was added to the plates of +_Die Kunst der Fuge_ (the Art of Fugue), unfortunately lost, which +Bach had had prepared at the time. + +[Footnote 145: P. vii, 58. B.-G. xxv.] + +"To replace the unfinished portion of the last fugue, the work has +for a supplement a four-part chorale, _Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen +sein_, which Bach dedicated some days before his death to his +son-in-law, Altnikol. I will not dwell on the art which he displays +here, for the profound science of music had been so mastered by the +author that he could exercise it even in illness; but the expression +of pious resignation and devotion with which it overflows has touched +me deeply every time I have played it; and I cannot say which I would +rather do without, this chorale, or the ending of the fugue."[146] + +[Footnote 146: Forkel.] + +The text of this chorale was, moreover, singularly appropriate to +Bach's condition when he composed it, viewed as a lament amid the +terrors of death, or as a declaration of readiness to appear before +the throne of that God whose aid he invoked at the head of his +compositions.[147] + +[Footnote 147: At the commencement of his compositions he wrote the +initials J.J. (_Jesu Juva_) or S.D.G. (_Soli Deo Gloria_).] + +This chorale has been called the "Swan-song." + +In completing this study we must mention the chorale-accompaniments +which Bach wrote to sustain the singing of the congregation, which +are found in a manuscript of Kittel (P. v, Appendix, Nos. 1, 3, 6, 7, +and last) and in a copy by Forkel (P. vi, 26). + +They are quite different from those which he wrote in 1706, upon his +return from Lübeck, and which so scandalized the parish, confusing +the congregation by their ornamentation. + + + + +REGISTRATION AND ORNAMENTS OF BACH'S ORGAN WORKS + + +It is well known how important is the _rôle_ played in the execution +of organ music by the registration, and the skilful combination of +the keyboards. + +Bach left but few directions upon this subject; but with their +aid, and the assistance of other hints derived from tradition or +found in works of that period, and by placing before the reader the +specifications of the principal organs which Bach may have had at his +disposal during his long career, we will try to form an idea of what +Forkel calls "the exquisite art with which he combined the various +registers of the organ, and his manner of treating them."[148] + +[Footnote 148: _Ueber J.S. Bach's Leben, Kunst und Kunstwerke._ +Leipzig, 1802.] + +And our task is now the more delicate, because we cannot draw +our conclusions from expressions which bore, at Bach's time, a +significance quite different from that which we ascribe to them +to-day. Furthermore, we would not lay down any absolute rules in +the matter, which in truth is, above all, subjective, the artistic +province of the executant. We shall simply point out what Bach +indicated in certain definite instances; and, on the other hand, that +which was customary at his time. In fact, in authoritative works of +the centuries just past, veritable methods of registration exist; and +without reverting to the documentary evidence (valuable, though too +concise), inserted _ad hoc_ by Scheidt at the end of his _Tabulatura +nova_ (Hamburg, 1624), we often find, at the head of pieces written +at the end of the seventeenth, or during the eighteenth century, +indications of the registration to be employed; given by composers +less discreet than Bach. Among the number are not a few Frenchmen, +and those men not to be despised; on the contrary, we shall prove +how Bach frequently borrowed from their highly picturesque art of +registration. No wonder if he provoked a renewed interest in their +original "mélanges." + +He copied a suite in _A_ major by Nicolas de Grigny, organist at +Rheims, and a suite in _F_ minor by Dieupart,[149] and added to them +a table of twenty-nine ornaments, with their interpretation. And he +was acquainted with the works of Marchand, Nivers, d'Anglebert, and +particularly of François Couperin. I doubt whether the intrinsic +value of these compositions, despite their entertaining nature in +some cases (for instance, Couperin's descriptive pieces), succeeded +in holding his attention for any length of time; Bach could learn +nothing from their technique, so often elementary; but he knew how to +draw profit from their accessory qualities. Certain combinations of +registers seem to us, in fact, to have been directly inspired by the +study of their _livres d'orgues_, just as certain ornaments appear to +have been borrowed from the "_Agrémens_" of their clavecin pieces. + +[Footnote 149: Dieupart, born in France during the last third of the +seventeenth century, was a remarkable violinist and clavecinist. He +went to England early in the eighteenth century, and, associated with +Clayton, introduced Italian opera at Drury Lane. After disasters +similar to those which later befell Händel, he renounced the theatre +and busied himself no longer with instrumental music. He died in 1740. + +Of his compositions are extant: Six suites for the clavecin, divided +into Overtures, Allemandes, Courantes, Sarabandes, Gavottes, Minuets, +Rondos, and Gigues, composed and arranged for concert performance by +a Violin and a Flute, with a Bass Viol and an Archilute. (See Grove's +"Dictionary of Music and Musicians.") The prelude of Bach's first +English Suite was inspired by a passage in the _A_ major suite of +Dieupart.] + + +I + +We have said that one must not invariably interpret, by their present +meaning, certain expressions whose significance is no longer the same +as when Bach wrote. + +First of all, the term _Organo pleno_, sometimes the sole indication +given by Bach for preludes, fugues, or fantasies; one is often +tempted to interpret it, on modern organs, by calling into +requisition the uproar of all the registers combined, to whatever +family they may belong. + +Let us see what was understood in Bach's time by _organo pleno_, or +_volles Werk_. "The _volles Werk_," says Mattheson,[150] "consists of +principals, Sordunen (the bourdons of to-day), salicionals, octaves, +quints, mixtures, _Scharffen_ (small-scale mixtures of three ranks), +of the quintadena, cymbale, nazard,[151] twelfth, sesquialtera,[152] +and of super-octaves; with the _Posaunen_ in the pedal, but not upon +the manual; for the _Posaunen_ are reeds, which are not drawn upon +the manual with full organ, where, on account of the higher pitch, +they would be too rasping; in the pedal, on the contrary, through the +sonority of their tones, they produce a majestic effect, especially +if the mouths of the pipes are covered, as is desirable." + +[Footnote 150: _Der Vollkommene Kapellmeister_, Hamburg, 1739, §69, +p. 467.] + +[Footnote 151: Mattheson says, _à propos_ of this stop: "The French +have given to the _Nachsatz_ (thus named on account of its high +pitch, in contrast to the _Untersatz_ of thirty-two feet) of the +Netherlanders, the designation _Nasard_ or _Nasarde_, 'a vulgar +expression, of which use is made in comedy or burlesque,' says +Boyer's dictionary."] + +[Footnote 152: This register, composed of two ranks of pipes of tin +or of composition, is a compound stop. The longer pipe gives the +fifth of the octave, the shorter the third of the fifteenth; there is +thus the interval of a major sixth between the two ranks.] + +In a former work, Mattheson had laid down the following rule for +omitting the reeds from the _ensemble_ of the registers:[153] "A +reed-stop may not be drawn with the flutes upon the same keyboard, +unless it be in the pedal." He makes an exception only in case the +organ is not sufficiently powerful to keep a choir from wandering +from the pitch and into chaos, when advantage must be taken of all +resources. + +[Footnote 153: In _Das neu eröffnete Orchester_ (1717). Mattheson was +born in Hamburg in 1681; aside from his critical works on music he +was an organist of ability; he knew Buxtehude, becoming acquainted +with him in 1703. He even expected to succeed him, but renounced his +aspirations in this direction upon learning that in accepting the +position of the father he would be obliged to marry the daughter, +Anna Margaretha, born in 1669, and therefore much too old for him; +this was one of the conditions of the place, which also deterred +Händel from presenting himself as a candidate.] + +The combination indicated above was, moreover, in accordance with +general usage;[154] it corresponded to what the French called the +_plein-jeu_. Nivers,[155] for instance, wrote: "The _plein-jeu_ is +composed of the Prestant, the Bourdon, the Doublette, the Cymbale, +and the Fourniture; to those may be added the other sixteen- and +eight-foot stops, if any there be; if there be no Prestant, the Flute +may be drawn." + +[Footnote 154: Certain organists abused this powerful combination; +Adlung says, "There are many who, in playing the chorale or music in +general, know only the noise of the _plein-jeu_. One may be content +to continually wear the same clothes, but an organist who produces +the same sounds every day will render himself insupportable by his +monotony. In the chorale, in the last verse, one may play a little +louder, to remind the minister to prepare for the resumption of his +duties; especially in towns where it is no longer customary (as is +still the honored usage in some villages) to rap with a _bâton_ for +this purpose, as though one by force would arouse him from slumber." +_Anleitung zur musikalischen Gelahrtheit_, 1758.] + +[Footnote 155: _Premier livre d'orgue_, 1665.] + +The same combinations are found in Le Bègue, Clairembault, André +Raison. The last-named presents a curious example of the contrast of +the _plein-jeu_ to the reeds, in the "Kyrie in the first mode for the +_plein-jeu_ accompanied on the pedal by a _Trompette en taille_."[156] + +[Footnote 156: _Livre d'orgue_, 1688.] + +This absence of the reeds from the _volles Werk_, to which other +writers also bear witness, is, from a practical point of view, worthy +of perpetuation, especially if we consider the very considerable +place in certain modern organs occupied by this family, and the +intensity of _timbre_ due to their harmonic construction. + +These registers were not numerous in organs of that time, at least in +Germany, and, it must be added, badly voiced; they were often nothing +but antiquated imitations of the thin and shrill _Regal_. + +Andreas Werckmeister, known through his works upon the temperament of +tones as applied to the organ, wrote (_Orgelprobe_, 1681): + + _Schnarrwerk + Ist unterweilen Narrwerk; + Ist es aber frisch und guth, + So erfrischt es Herz und Muth._[157] + +[Footnote 157: "Reed-stops are often Fool-stops; but if they be clear +and bright, they are refreshing to heart and soul."] + +In old-fashioned proverbial guise Werckmeister shows us quite +well what was expected from this class of stops; slow of speech, +of a sharp, cutting timbre, they would not have blended with the +foundation stops combined with the mixtures--an _ensemble_ which +lends extraordinary harmonic fulness to the polyphony when the +combinations are judiciously made. The reeds were fitted rather +to voice a serious and quiet melody, as a solo. Thanks to their +sometimes strange tones, which seem, as Goethe said, to herald the +advent of past centuries, echoes of supernatural voices, where the +human voice, with its individual character, would lose the power of +expression--the antique chorale-melody is illuminated, detached from +the accompaniment, and comes as from on high; it is the gold and +scarlet illumination of the missals, whereon the sacred words are +brought into relief, themselves devoid of ornament, in their regular +lines, but interlaced by ingenious arabesques of a softer tone, +almost effaced by the brightness of the whole. + +One direction of Bach's proves that he adopted this usage: in No. +2 of the _Orgelbüchlein_ (_Gottes Sohn ist kommen_) the chorale is +played upon the eight-foot trumpet in the pedal; the chorale _In +Dulci Jubilo_, composed about the same time, undoubtedly demands the +same registration. + +It is well known that these two chorales possess a pedal-part +extending unusually high (_F_ and _F_ sharp); this was the Cöthen +pedal. In playing them upon an ordinary instrument, Bach undoubtedly +played the pedal an octave lower, with a four-foot register. The +organs of that period usually contained a four-foot reed-stop on +the pedal, called a Cornet (which must not be confounded with the +mixture of that name), or a _Chalumeau_ (_Schalmey_), sometimes +even of two feet. This use of stops of a higher pitch in the pedal +was an old tradition; Samuel Scheidt availed himself of them in +playing the chorale, and we find them expressly called for in several +of six chorales published at Zella by Schübler, with the Bach +annotations.[158] + +[Footnote 158: _Sechs Choräle von verschiedener Art auf einer Orgel +mit 2 Clavieren und Pedal vorzuspielen, verfertiget von Johann +Sebastian Bach, königl. Pohln. und Churf. Sächs. Hoff-Compositeur, +Capellm. und Direct. Chor. Mus. Lips. In Verlegung Joh. Georg +Schüblers zu Zella am Thüringer Wald._ + +These chorales are taken from the cantatas composed at Leipzig. They +are, however, only transcriptions; it is interesting in registrating +them to know their orchestration. In the chorale _Ach bleib' bei +uns!_ (B.-G. xxv, P. vi, 2) the melody is sung by the soprano, +accompanied by a _violoncello piccolo_, the _continuo_ sustaining the +harmony. In _Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn_ (_Magnificat_, P. vii, +42), the _continuo_ is played by the pedal, the parts entrusted to +the left hand corresponding to the duet between tenor and alto, while +the chorale (_dextra forte_) is executed in the score by the first +and second oboes and the trumpet.] + +Besides the reeds--trumpet, _chalumeau_, clarion, or _vox +humana_--other combinations were permitted for the execution upon +one manual of an accompanied solo. Mattheson (_Der vollkommene +Kapellmeister_) gives us some examples; among others, the _viola da +gamba_ played alone, the eight-foot principal, and the cornet, the +Flauto traverso, the eight-foot bourdon, and a two-foot _Waldflöte_. + +By their particular qualities, these different combinations of +registers, now in higher, now in lower relief, were suited to the +performance even of the chorales. In fact, it may be said that +without doubt the reeds were reserved, within the limits which +we have defined, for the joyous chorales of the feast-days; the +organists were governed by the necessity of adapting their manner +of playing to the joyful or mournful solemnities of the liturgical +year. "One plays much stronger at Easter," says Adlung,[159] "than +for the funeral service; for Good Friday one must, if possible, use +still more discretion." The employment of softer registers for the +more serious chorales, and for funeral chants, is also recommended by +Christoph Raupach, of Stralsund.[160] + +[Footnote 159: _Musica mechanica organoedi_ (Langensalza, 1762).] + +[Footnote 160: _Der vollkommene Kapellmeister_, part ii, chap. xxv.] + +We know how Bach brought out the significance of these chorales, +interpreted with such supereminence, by the deft combination of the +parts. The execution of a design did not make him oblivious of the +interest attached to the coloring. We have already spoken of the +chorale _In dir ist Freude_; who knows whether Bach did not intend +still further to accentuate its joyous character by picturesque +registration? Adlung speaks of the _carillon_ (_Glockenspiel_) as +being particularly fitted to symbolize gladness; and says that +use was made of it only at the most joyous festivals. Mark the +spiritedness of this chorale; and, further, the repetition of the +_chaconne_ subject presented in the bass, singularly suggestive of +a chime of bells; and consider the period to which this composition +belongs, bearing in its form the distinct impress of the organists +of the North. Without serious error, could we not ascribe it to the +years 1708 or 1709, the time when Bach, occupied with the restoration +of the organ in Mühlhausen, wished to add, in the pedal, a _carillon_ +of his own invention? Would not the contrast of those metallic tones +of four-foot pitch[161] with the deep resonance of the _Untersatz_ of +thirty-two, which he also demanded, have produced all the harmonic +overtones of real bells?... But this is only an hypothesis, though a +plausible one, and one which it would be amusing to justify by trying +its effect in actual performance. + +[Footnote 161: It appears that this _carillon_ was not constructed; +it is possible, however, that Bach had it in mind when writing the +chorale. Moreover, it was to be found in other organs.] + +Gathered from the indications of J.G. Walther, the registration +of another chorale appears to bear the marks of more positive +authenticity. We refer to the Lutheran chorale, _Ein' feste Burg ist +unser Gott_, mentioned in a previous chapter. Walther thus annotates +it: "Für 3 clav."; for the left hand he directs "_Fagotto_"; for +the right, "_Sesquialtera_." First of all must we notice this +combination of a mutation stop with a reed; it is derived directly +from the French organists. In Grigny,[162] for instance--we cite +him especially because of Bach's study of his works--may be found +in various instances a Bass Trumpet, or _Cromorne en taille_, +accompanied by the _Tierce_ or Cornet.[163] To a certain extent +the _Fagotto_ corresponds to the _Cromorne_, whose tone appeared +somewhat veiled. This register, which Adlung tells us bore various +names--_Portunen_, _Dulcian_, or _Basson_, among others--was +sometimes added to the lower half of the great organ only, and was +"of good effect in playing the _basso continuo_." Moreover, it +was of small scale; even on the pedal it was not a noisy stop. As +for the _Sesquialtera_, composed of the fifth and the tenth, it +resembled more or less certain mutation stops of old French organs. +It is noteworthy that the employment of a reed with a mixture is +not mentioned by contemporary German writers; on the other hand, it +would seem from the context[164] that this piece was played at the +inauguration of the Mühlhausen organ, for whose restoration Bach had +prepared the plans. He had demanded, among other improvements, that +a _Tierce_ be added to one of the manuals, in order that, by drawing +it with a _Quint_, a good _Sesquialtera_ might be produced; this in +order to carry out all sorts of musical inventions of his own. + +[Footnote 162: _Livre d'orgue contenant une messe et quatre hymnes +pour les principales festes de l'année. Par Nicolas de Grigny, +organiste de l'église-cathédrale de Reims. À Paris, chez Christophe +Ballard, seul imprimeur du Roy pour la Musique. Rue Saint-Jean de +Beauvais, au Mont-Parnasse. 1701. Avec Privilège de Sa Majesté._] + +[Footnote 163: [The cornet here referred to is obviously a mixture, +not the reed of the same name already mentioned.--TR.]] + +[Footnote 164: This organ was the only one with three manuals which +Bach could have had in mind while he was in Weimar with Walther; +it is natural that in his compositions he should be preoccupied +with an organ whose restoration he had planned, and undoubtedly +supervised--Weimar being not far from Mühlhausen--and which in all +probability he looked forward to inaugurating. This remark, moreover, +may apply to the composition of the chorale _In dir ist Freude_, +although here Bach had been disappointed.] + +It is interesting to learn the details of this project, which, it is +true, was not realized in its integrity; and it furnishes us with the +most curious data upon the subject of Bach's ideas on registration +and organ-building, and his own tastes. + +Here it is in full: + +_Disposition_ of the new repairs upon the organ of St. Blasius. + +1. Three new bellows, carefully installed, should insure a +sufficiency of wind to feed the great organ, the choir, and the new +swell. + +2. The pressure should be increased in the four old bellows, to give +speech to the new Subbass of thirty-two feet, and to the lower pipes +of the other stops. + +3. The old soundboards of all the bass pipes to be renewed, and the +wind-supply so to be regulated that when playing with only a single +stop drawn all the remaining registers may be brought on suddenly +without producing unsteadiness, as has been the case up to the +present time; this being of the greatest importance. + +4. To be added is the Subbass of thirty-two feet, called the +_Untersatz_, which will be made of wood, to serve as the best +possible foundation for the weight of the _ensemble_. These pipes +should have a special soundboard. + +5. The _Bombarde_ is to be furnished with new and larger resonators, +and the mouths of the pipes shaped differently, in order to obtain +more roundness in the emission of the tone. + +6. As to the new features--the _Glockenspiel_ on the pedal, composed +of twenty-six bells of four-foot pitch, desired by the parishioners, +who will have them made at their own expense; while the manufacturer +must see that they are rendered playable. + +As to the great organ, the Trumpet, which is to be removed, will be +replaced by: + +7. A _Fagotto_ (Bassoon) of sixteen feet, which will permit of all +sorts of new combinations, and whose tone is to be very _délicat_ for +the _musique_.[165] + +[Footnote 165: That is, for playing the _basso continuo_ of the +orchestra.] + +In place of the _Gemshorn_ (Chamois horn) which will also be removed: + +8. A _Viol da Gamba_ of eight feet, which will blend admirably with +the four-foot Salicional in the choir. + +_Item_, if the Quint of three feet be removed, it may be replaced by + +9. A _Nassat_ of three feet. + +All the other stops of the great, and all those of the choir organ, +may be retained, provided they be revoiced. + +10. The new swell is to be arranged as follows: + + Three _Principalia en montre_[166] (_im Gesichte_). + + 1. Quint of three feet, } in good tin of 14 "loth" [_i.e._, + 2. Octave of two feet, } 14 parts pure tin to 2 parts + 3. _Chalumeau_ of eight feet, } alloy]. + 4. Mixture of three ranks, } + + [Footnote 166: [_En montre_ signifies literally "on show"; + that is, in front. The French designation for a diapason, + _Montre_, is derived from the custom of placing the pipes + of that register in an exposed position.--TR.]] + + 5. A _Tierce_, with which can be formed, by adding certain + other stops, a fine _Sesquialtera_. + + 6. Fleute douce (_sic_--a soft flute) of four feet; and, + finally, + + 7. _Stillgedackt_ (a species of Bourdon) of eight feet, + which will blend perfectly with the "music."[167] As it + will be made of good wood, it will be much more resonant + than if of metal. + +[Footnote 167: [The filling-out of the figured bass by the organ, +made necessary in music with orchestra by the paucity of the +instrumental numbers, was referred to as the "music."--TR.]] + +11. Between the swell[168] and the great organ a coupler shall be +constructed. Finally, the whole instrument shall be revoiced, and the +tremulant made to vibrate regularly. + +[Footnote 168: [The word _swell_ I have used in the foregoing merely +to designate the third manual; and it by no means implies that the +pipes belonging to that keyboard were enclosed in a swell-box. +Although this invention was applied to an English organ for the first +time in 1712 (St. Magnus Church, London Bridge), its adoption in +Germany has become general only within comparatively recent years, +and then only in newly-built instruments.--TR.]] + + +II + +The document just cited, which is preserved in the archives of +Mühlhausen, is full of interest; we will now make a further study of +two of its sections, which treat of the same subject. + +I refer to the combination of organ with orchestra in the performance +of the cantatas. + +First, Bach speaks of the _Fagotto_, whose tone so easily assimilated +with that of instruments; here he agrees with his contemporaries, who +recommended the use of a sixteen-foot stop of more definite _timbre_ +than the bourdons, although not stronger,--it was also called +_Dulcian_,--"_dolce suono_,"--in performing the _basso continuo_. +The employment of the _Stillgedackt_, the softest stop in the organ, +interests us in its use as a means of filling out this same figured +bass. Such a register evidently lacked power, but was sought for +that quality of indefiniteness, even of vacuity, which it possessed +(_still_, in German, means quiet); this produced more the effect of +diaphony, of a harmonic filling-in, like the _sostenuto_ of certain +of our wind-instruments, than of polyphony in real parts, which one +could not distinguish. + +These lines of J. Th. Mosewius[169] will give us, further, an idea +of the _rôle_ which the organ played in the orchestras of Bach and +Händel: "It is a widely prevailing impression, and one confirmed by +the new instrumentation which Mozart and Mosel made for the Händel +oratorios, that by their use of the organ these two masters (Bach and +Händel) supplied those features of our instrumentation which were +then lacking. Such an opinion is correct, if nothing more is meant +than that in concert rooms where no organ is available, it must be +replaced by other instruments.[170] It must not be inferred that this +new instrumentation maintains reciprocal relations with the original +accompaniment. In the former it is the string-quartet which serves as +the foundation of the harmony, and it is only the wind-instruments +which affect the color. With Händel (and Bach) the organ, which +fills out the figured bass, serves as a background for all the other +instruments; the color is added by all the other voices of the +orchestra, whether strings or wind." + +[Footnote 169: J. Th. Mosewius: _J.S. Bach in seinen Kirchencantaten +und Choralgesängen_ (Berlin, Trautwein, 1845), p. 25.] + +[Footnote 170: This is what was done by Robert Franz. See _Offener +Brief an Eduard Hanslick_ (Leipzig, 1873).] + +Nothing could be more just than this statement of Mosewius; the +organ serves to combine all the parts of the orchestra, unifying +them without betraying its agency by any too assertive quality; a +gray background, if you will, upon which some livelier colors are +displayed, as in paintings of the school of Panselinos. + +This testimony of Bach himself, specifying in his plans stops of a +very soft and well-rounded quality for the accompanying organ, is +corroborated by his contemporaries. + +Scheibe, Adlung, and others permitted in the accompaniment of arias +and recitatives but a single _bourdon_ of eight feet, called, from +its use for such purposes, _Musikgedackt_. A recitative, especially, +was to be sustained lightly, for fear of covering the voice of the +singer; a few prolonged notes to guide him, occasional soft chords, +and, curiously enough, if one believe in the strict treatment of the +organ, _arpeggios_, as upon a clavecin. + +The staccato was generally employed in playing the bass; but this +license stopped here, and for ordinary organ pieces Bach exacted from +his pupils the strictest legato. + +Even in playing in the choruses, and with full orchestra, the organ +had to be content with the "half-tone" tint; neither reeds nor +mixtures, said Schröter,[171] organist in Nordhausen; Petri[172] made +a similar recommendation. + +[Footnote 171: _Deutliche Anweisung zum Generalbass_ (Halberstadt, +1772), p. 137.] + +[Footnote 172: _Anleitung zur practischen Musik_ (Leipzig, 1782).] + +Moreover, the accompaniment, at least such of it as was contrapuntal +in nature or consisted of successive chords, was played usually upon +the _positif_ (choir), whose pipes were less powerful than those of +the great organ; the bass was executed upon the latter manual in +the manner already indicated, sometimes also _legato_. The pedal +itself might be added here; in certain passages it only marked the +accents with stops of more emphatic quality, when it was desirable to +emphasize the breadth of the rhythm, or to avoid confusion, when the +movement was too rapid. This is confirmed by Saint-Lambert (_Traité +d'accompagnement_, p. 58): "When the tempo is so rapid," says he, +"that the accompanist cannot conveniently play all the notes, it +will suffice if he play and accompany only the first notes of each +measure, leaving to the basses the task of performing all the notes, +which they will be able to accomplish much more easily, having no +accompaniment to play in addition. Very rapid tempi are not suited +to accompanying instruments; on this account, if particularly quick +passages are encountered, even in a slow movement, the _accompagneur_ +(sic) may leave them to the other instruments; or, if he play them +himself, he may so modify them as to play only the principal notes +of such passages; that is to say, the notes which fall upon the +principal beats of the measure." + +Again, the organist was obliged to take into consideration the small +number of orchestral players and of voices. Bach, in a memorandum +of August 23, 1730, enumerates twelve singers and eighteen players, +besides the organist; the _Kapelle_ over which Gerlach held sway in +the new Protestant church at Leipzig, was still smaller: four singers +and ten players. + +It is true that Bach, first of all an organist himself, did not +always bequeath such an ungrateful task to the organ; besides the +organ of accompaniment, he gives us examples of what he calls _organo +obligato_. Numerous cantatas furnish such instances; we find one in +the Passion according to St. Matthew, with the added interest of an +indication of the registration. It is where the chorus, in unison, +sings the chorales, _O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig_, and _O Mensch, +bewein' dein' Sünde gross_.[173] The register which Bach prescribes +here is the _Sesquialtera_, undoubtedly in combination with some +foundation stops. The character of this register, thus particularly +selected, seems to call for the _tasto solo_; without doubt Bach +demanded it because of its decisive quality, for the purpose of +bringing out the chorale sung by the _ripieno_ against the other two +choruses and the two orchestras, which he treated independently. The +brightness of the _Sesquialtera_ would seem to recommend it also +for the _sinfonie_, or prelude, of the cantata composed for the +election of the Council[174] (August, 1731). This idea is supported +by the fact that a _Sesquialtera_ was undoubtedly added to the +_positif_ of the organ in St. Thomas' Church in 1730 or 1731, by the +organ-builder, J. Scheibe. + +[Footnote 173: B.-G. iv. [The first and last numbers, respectively, +of Part I. In the first the chorale is sung by a special chorus of +sopranos, usually boys, while the two mixed choruses and the two +orchestras are treated contrapuntally. In the other instance the +two choruses are united in one, as are also the two orchestras, and +the chorale is sung by all the sopranos, the counterpoint being +assigned to the remaining three vocal parts, supported by the +orchestra.--TR.]] + +[Footnote 174: B.-G. v.] + +A register of quite opposite effect was used to support the whole +orchestra in the Reformation Cantata[175] (1717). The Luther +chorale-melody is here entrusted to the sixteen-foot _Bombarde_ on +the pedal, accompanied in the orchestra by the violoncello and the +violone, a similar instrument. + +[Footnote 175: B.-G. xviii, 10.] + +In these particular instances we see that Bach departed from the +general custom of omitting the reeds and mutation stops;[176] but +here the organ derived from its own resources sonorities most +individual in character, the accompaniment being furnished by +a second instrument (the orchestra). Moreover, as W. Rust, the +authorized editor of the Bach cantatas, says, "When the organ is +_obbligato_ it does not present itself in a polyphonic capacity, for +then it would cover up all the other instruments; but it should be +treated as a solo part, like a flute or an oboe."[177] + +[Footnote 176: The _organo obbligato_ was sometimes written with more +delicate intentions; for example, in the alto aria with accompaniment +of an _oboe da caccia_, from the cantata _Wer weiss, wie nahe mir +mein Ende?_ (B.-G. v.).] + +[Footnote 177: We should add here, that the organs were not of +the same pitch as the other instruments, for they were tuned to +chorus-pitch, a whole tone lower than the normal diapason. The organ +at Weimar, on the contrary, was a minor third higher.] + +With regard to Bach's orchestra, we should remember that the cantata +_Die Himmel erzählen_ ("The heavens declare the glory of God") +suggests the registration for the first movement of the sonata in +_E_ minor. True, it will be said that Bach wrote these trios for +pedal-clavecin; but their performance upon the organ, too, should +not be neglected. Certain adagios, by reason of their long-sustained +notes, demand an instrument capable of prolonging the tone. This +first movement, in fact, is but a transcription of the _Sinfonie_ +(_adagio_ and _vivace_) which serves as an overture to the cantata +just mentioned. The instrumentation: _Oboe d'amore_, _Viola da gamba_, +and _continuo_. These are _timbres_ to be found in all organs; we may +add that the _Viola da gamba_ of the organ was one of Bach's favorite +stops. It is not unwarranted to consider that in many chorales the +_cantus_, placed in the tenor, was played with this register upon a +separate manual, just as Bach would have given it to the violoncellos +in the orchestra. + +For we must take into consideration this practice of Bach's +of transferring to the organ resources of the orchestra, to +the orchestra those of the organ. Thus, in the Pastorale +(_Hirtengesang_) of the Christmas Oratorio, Bach produces the effect +of an organ whose manuals respond to each other, the one with +foundation stops contrasted with the chorus of oboes upon another. + +This passing from one manual to another Bach seldom indicates in his +organ compositions; one piece, however, furnishes us with directions +which are authentic beyond question, and extremely interesting. It +is the great prelude in _E_ flat major, published in Part III of +the _Clavierübung_. On comparing these indications with others, +particularly with those in the _D_ minor (Doric) Toccata, one may +decide to play upon the great manual (_Oberwerk_)[178] all that is +written with pedal; where the pedal is silent, one may change to the +choir (_Rückpositif_). In carrying this deduction to its limits, one +might even formulate the rule that when the parts are reduced to two, +they should be played upon the swell (_Brustwerk_). + +[Footnote 178: _Oberwerk_ means literally the higher manual; in +two-manual organs the stronger was, at that time, found above the +other. The name _Rückpositif_ came from the custom of placing the +pipes behind the back (_Rücken_) of the organist. Finally, the swell +bore the name _Brustwerk_, the pipes being placed facing the breast +(_Brust_) of the player. In a three-manual organ the great keyboard +was situated between the swell, which was above, and the choir, which +was below it.] + + +III + +In connection with the foregoing it will be interesting to learn the +specifications of the principal organs of which Bach was able to +avail himself during his long career. We find details concerning them +in various works, notably in Adlung (_Musica mechanica organoedi_), +or in the supplement which J.F. Agricola, an esteemed pupil of Bach, +added to this work, published after the death of its author; and in +the contemporary writings of local historians. + +The organ at Arnstadt, the first at which Bach held the position of +organist, possessed twenty-four registers, divided among two manuals +and the pedal:[179] + +[Footnote 179: This instrument was constructed in 1701, by J.F. +Wender, an organ-builder of Mühlhausen. [The specification as +compiled from the existing stop-handles by Mr. C.F.A. Williams +("Bach": J.M. Dent & Co.: London), differs slightly from the above, +which is given by Spitta.--TR.]] + +_Great Organ._ + + 1. Principal, 8' + 2. Viola da Gamba, 8' + 3. Quintatön, 16' + 4. Gedackt (Bourdon), 8' + 5. Quinte, 6' + 6. Octave, 4' + 7. Mixtur, 4 ranks + 8. Gemshorn, 8' + 9. Cymbel, 2 ranks + 10. Trompete, 8' + 11. Tremulant + 12. Cymbelstern[180] + +[Footnote 180: A sort of Glockenspiel, which produced _l'accord +parfait_ [undoubtedly the major triad].] + +_Choir Organ._ + + 1. Principal, 4' + 2. Lieblich Gedackt, 8' + 3. Spitzflöte, 4' + 4. Quinte, 3' + 5. Sesquialter + 6. Nachthorn (night horn), 4' + 7. Mixtur, 2 ranks + +_Pedal Organ._ + + 1. Principalbass, 8' + 2. Subbass, 16' + 3. Posaunenbass (trombone), 16' + 4. Flötenbass 4' + 5. Cornetbass, 2'[181] + +[Footnote 181: This was a reed stop.] + +The organ in the palace at Weimar contained the following stops, +according to A. Wette:[182] + +[Footnote 182: _Historische Nachrichten von der berühmten +Residenzstadt Weimar._ Weimar, 1737, p. 175, 176.] + +_Great._ + + 1. Principal, 8' + 2. Quintatön, 16' + 3. Gemshorn, 8' + 4. Gedackt, 8' + 5. Quintatön, 4' + 6. Octave, 4' + 7. Mixture, 6 ranks + 8. Cymbel, 3 ranks + 9. Glockenspiel + +_Choir._ + + 1. Principal, 8' + 2. Violdigamba, 8' + 3. Gedackt, 8' + 4. Trompete, 8' + 5. Kleingedackt + (small bourdon), 4' + 6. Octave, 4' + 7. Waldflöte 2' + 8. Sesquialtera + +_Pedal._ + + 1. Gross-Untersatz, 32' + 2. Subbass, 16' + 3. Posaun-Bass, 16' + 4. Violon-Bass, 16' + 5. Principal-Bass, 8' + 6. Trompeten-Bass, 8' + 7. Cornett-Bass, 4' + +We have mentioned the special feature of the organ in Cöthen: a +pedal which boasted of two octaves and a half, from great _C_ to +_f'_ sharp; we should further emphasize in this organ, otherwise not +especially noteworthy, the quality of the _Principal_[183] in the +great organ, and of the eight-foot Trumpet in the pedal. + +[Footnote 183: [The _Principal_ here referred to is undoubtedly the +eight-foot Diapason.--TR.]] + +The organ in the University church in Leipzig, of which Bach made an +expert examination December 17, 1717, was a remarkable instrument, +which he was very fond of playing. It was one of the masterworks of +the manufacturer Scheibe. It had the following registers: + +_Great._ + + 1. Gross Principal + (of pure tin), 16' + 2. Gross Quintatön, 16' + 3. Klein Principal, 8' + 4. Schalmei, 8' + 5. Flûte allemande, 8' + 6. Gemshorn, 8' + 7. Octave, 4' + 8. Quinte, 3' + 9. Quint-Nasat, 3' + 10. Octavina, 2' + 11. Waldflöte, 2' + 12. Grosse Mixtur, + of 5 and 6 ranks + 13. Cornetti, of 3 ranks + 14. Zink (a species of + _cornett_), of + 2 ranks + +_Echo._ + + 1. Principal (in front), 8' + 2. Viola di Gamba naturelle, 8' + 3. Grobgedackt + (large scale bourdon) 8' + 4. Octave, 4' + 5. Rohrflöte, 4' + 6. Octave, 2' + 7. Nasat, 3' + 8. Sedecima, 1' + 9. Schweizerpfeife, 1' + 10. Largo.[184] + 11. Mixtur, of 3 ranks + 12. Helle (bright) Cymbel, + of 2 ranks + +[Footnote 184: Undoubtedly _larigot_.] + +_Choir._ + + 1. Leiblich gedackt, 8' + 2. Quintatön, 8' + 3. Flûte douce, 4' + 4. Quinta decima, 4' + 5. Decima nona, 3' + 6. Hohlflöte, 2' + 7. Viola, 2' + 8. Vigesima nona, 1-1/2' + 9. Weitpfeife, 1' + 10. Mixtur, of 3 ranks + 11. Helle Cymbel, of 2 ranks + 12. Sertin (serpent?), 8' + +_Pedal._ + + 1. Gross Principal, 16' + 2. Gross Quintatön, 16' + 3. Octave, 8' + 4. Octave, 4' + 5. Quinte, 3' + 6. Mixtur, of 5 and 6 ranks + 7. Grosse Quintenbass, 6' + 8. Jubal (open flute), 8' + 9. Nachthorn, 4' + 10. Octave, 2' + 11. Second Principal, 16' + 12. Subbass, 16' + 13. Posaune, 16' + 14. Trompete, 8' + 15. Hohflöte, 1' + 16. Mixtur, of 4 ranks + +Finally, the specification of the principal organ in the +_Thomaskirche_ in Leipzig, installed in 1525, twice rebuilt during +the seventeenth century, enlarged in 1670; and considerably repaired, +in 1721, by Johann Scheibe:[185] + +[Footnote 185: Vogel, _Leipziger Chronicke_. Vol. iii, chap. vi, p. +110.] + +_Great._ + + 1. Principal, 16' + 2. Principal, 8' + 3. Quintatön, 16' + 4. Octave, 4' + 5. Quinte, 3' + 6. Superoctave, 2' + 7. Spielpfeife + (a species of flute), 8' + 8. Sesquialtera + 9. Mixtur, of 6, 8, and + 10 ranks + +_Echo (Brustwerk)._ + + 1. Grobgedackt, 8' + 2. Principal, 4' + 3. Nachthorn, 4' + 4. Nasat, 3' + 5. Gemshorn, 2' + 6. Cymbel, of 2 ranks + 7. Sesquialtera + 8. Regal, 8' + 9. Geigenregal[186] + (Violin-regal), 4' + +[Footnote 186: In combination with the _Quintatön_ of eight feet, +says Adlung, the _Geigenregal_ sounds almost like a stringed +instrument.] + +_Choir._ + + 1. Principal 8' + 2. Quintatön, 8' + 3. Lieblich Gedackt, 8' + 4. Kleingedackt, 4' + 5. Querflöte + (_Flauto traverso_), 4' + 6. Violine, 2' + 7. Rauschquinte doppelt + 8. Mixtur, of 4 ranks + 9. Sesquialtera + 10. Spitzflöte, 4' + 11. Schallflöte, 1' + 12. Krummhorn,[187] 16' + 13. Trompete, 8' + +[Footnote 187: _Cromorne._ Also called _lituus_ (clarion) by +Praetorius (_Syntagma musicum_), Tome ii, chap. xv, p. 40. Adlung +suggests this simple derivation: _cor_ and _morne_ (sad, reserved).] + +_Pedal._ + + 1. Subbass (of metal), 16' + 2. Posaune, 16' + 3. Trompete, 8' + 4. Schalmei, 4' + 5. Cornett, 3' + +The St. Thomas church possessed in addition a small organ. This +instrument, at one time abandoned, and later again brought into +service, stood at Bach's time in a gallery, opposite the large organ. +It possessed a stop called _Trichter-Regal_, a sort of _Vox humana_. +This organ was used in performance of the St. Matthew Passion music, +in coöperation with the other. + +When Bach played for strangers, he was fond of astonishing them by +his originality in registration. "After having first of all censured +as ill-advised the combination of certain stops," says Forkel,[188] +"the listeners were greatly surprised upon hearing the admirable +effect produced by these very combinations, suddenly drawing from the +organ a sonority at once original and varied, whose attainment might +have been vainly sought by following older methods.... + +[Footnote 188: _Ueber J.S. Bach's Leben, Kunst und Kunstwerke._] + +"In trying an unfamiliar organ, his first step was to draw all the +registers and to play upon the great manual with all couplers. He was +in the habit of saying, jestingly, that he wished at the outset to +know if the instrument possessed good lungs." + +With this art in registration was combined the greatest facility in +improvisation. + +"It was often the case," writes Kirnberger,[189] "that friends asked +Bach to play to them at times other than during religious service. +Then he would choose some theme and treat it in every form of organ +composition, playing without interruption for two hours or more, yet +without exhausting his resources. Perhaps he made use of his subject +first in a prelude and fugue for all the foundation stops. Then his +genius in registration was displayed in a movement in three, or in +four, parts, always upon the same theme. Now followed a chorale, +and the subject served as a counterpoint to the chorale-melody, in +ingenious imitations in three or four voices. Finally he concluded by +a fugue for _organo pleno_, based upon the same subject, interweaving +the previous variations of it he had made." + +[Footnote 189: _Die wahren Grundsätze zum Gebrauch der Harmonie_ +(Berlin, 1773) p. 53. See also Mizler (_Necrolog_, p. 171) and Forkel +(p. 22).] + + +IV + +In a technical work compiled for his son Friedemann, Bach left us +an explanation of the signs employed by him to indicate the various +ornaments which he calls _Manieren_. They are thus illustrated: + +[Music: + +Trillo. Mordant. Trillo u. Mordant. Cadence. Doppelcadence. + +idem. Doppelcadence und Mordant. idem. Accent steigend. (rising.) + +Accent fallend. (falling.) Accent u. Mordant. Accent u. Trillo. idem.] + +The greater number of these ornaments,[190] as we see by the table, +do not begin upon the given note. However, if a turn occur at the +beginning of a piece, or if it ornament a characteristic interval +(as, for example, in the fugue in _F_ minor), the essential note +should be struck first; even if such a rendering produce a discord +with the other parts. + +[Footnote 190: _Clavierbüchlein, vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach +angefangen in Cöthen den 22. Januar, anno 1720._] + +The mordent--it is the _pincé simple_ or the "pluck" of +Chambonnières, Couperin, and Le Bègue, who had borrowed it from +lute-players[191]--is generally diatonic, although with this +exception: if the note which it affects be marked with an accidental +in the same measure, the accidental must be observed in executing the +mordent. + +[Footnote 191: See A. Méreaux: _Les Clavecinistes de 1637 à 1790. +Tableau synoptique et comparatif de tous les agréments avec leur +signes et leur effet_. Heugel, Paris.] + +These ornaments should be played "with regard for their value and +upon the beat";[192] however, an excessive rigor in this respect +should not be affected; Bach did not exact such precision, and did +not attach to these figures such great importance that he did not +feel at liberty to substitute for them, in copies of these same +pieces made by himself, other and practically equivalent ones. +Certain of them are, moreover, quite rare; for example, the _accent_. +We find it employed, at least in the organ compositions, only in +an arrangement of the chorale _Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Ehr'_ +(_Gloria in excelsis_). No piece could be more elaborated than this +one; and in it are introduced a majority of the signs employed by +Bach; we borrow from Mr. E. Dannreuther's interesting work, "Musical +Ornamentation,"[193] the transcription of the first six measures +of this chorale, fully written out. Such an example will be more +instructive than all we could say upon this subject, if the reader +will take pains to compare this interpretation with the musical text +as found in the well-known editions:[194] + +[Music] + +[Footnote 192: L. Diémer: _Les Clavecinistes français du XVIIIe +siècle_ (Durand and Schönewerk).] + +[Footnote 193: This work contains, with numerous examples, a study of +ornamentation, from G. Diruta to J.S. Bach in the first part, from +Ph. E. Bach to our own period in the second. (London: Novello, Ewer & +Co.)] + +[Footnote 194: P. vi, 9. B.-G.] + +This is evidently a species of appoggiatura, as also in the chorale +_Vater unser im Himmelreich_ (_Clavierübung_, Part III). But in this +case, Bach uses a special notation: + +[Music] + +In his Method for clavecin Ph. E. Bach, in speaking of a similar +figure, thus explains it: "The first note of this figure must not +be made too short, if the tempo be slow or moderate; for the second +would then be held too long. It should be gently dwelt upon, not +suddenly hammered." + +"Play _flautato_," says W. Rust[195] upon the subject of such a fugue +in an orchestral part; one should thus anticipate the beat with the +flutist's stroke of the tongue, according to Quantz (_Essai d'une +méthode pour apprendre à jouer de la Flûte traversière_. Berlin, +1752); that is to say, that the first of the two notes should be +considered as written thus: + +[Music] + +[Footnote 195: B.-G. xiii, p. xvi. We again encounter this grouping +in the flute part of the _et in unum Deum_ of the _B_ minor Mass.] + +In a solfeggio lesson by J.G. Walther,[196] written in 1708, this +indication, called _punctus serpens_, signifies that the notes +are to be slurred; that is, bound together, two by two. This +is, undoubtedly, the most correct interpretation, which fairly +corresponds to what S. Scheidt calls "_imitatio violistica_." + +[Footnote 196: The autograph was contained in the collection of Ph. +Spitta.] + +Analogous notations of Frescobaldi[197] and Muffat[198] indicate a +similar manner of execution. + +[Footnote 197: _Toccata_ II (_libro_ i).] + +[Footnote 198: _Toccata 6a_ (adagio), and _Toccata 3a_ of the +_Apparatus musico-organisticus_.] + + + + +Appendix + + +To facilitate the perusal of our work, we will close with a short +sketch of J.S. Bach's life. + +Bach was born March 21, 1685, at Eisenach. His father, Ambrosius +Bach, was a musician of the town; his uncle, Johann Christoph Bach, +an organist.[199] + +[Footnote 199: Veit Bach was born in Gotha during the second half of +the sixteenth century; he is considered the progenitor of the Bach +family. He was the first representative of the race of musicians +who furnished "cantors" and organists to the greater number of the +central German cities. At Erfurt, for instance, the direction of the +"council music" was in their hands from 1625 until 1735, and even +after their disappearance the town musicians were still referred to +as "the Bachs."] + +When Bach was nine years of age his mother died; the next year +followed the decease of his father, and the boy was taken in by his +elder brother, organist at Ohrdruf. Here he attended the Lyceum, +where the teaching of music held an important place; the chorus, +formed of the pupils, was renowned. Young Sebastian, gifted with a +good soprano voice, was a member of this chorus; and in addition +studied the clavecin under the direction of his brother, a pupil of +Pachelbel. With such zeal did he devote himself to these studies, +that he copied by moonlight a volume of pieces which he had been +forbidden to play, his brother wishing to reserve for himself the +right to conquer their difficulties. + +He did not remain long under the charge of his brother, whose +family was gradually increasing. In 1700, undoubtedly upon the +recommendation of Elias Herda, cantor of the school in Ohrdruf, Bach +was admitted to St. Michael's School in Lüneburg; but he was now no +longer a pupil, for in return for the general instruction which he +received he was obliged to act as a sort of assistant chorusmaster +for his comrades; at least as a leader. When his voice changed, which +soon came about, he was charged with the clavecin accompaniment at +chorus rehearsals, or with playing a violin part in the orchestra. He +had, in fact, studied that instrument since his earliest childhood, +his father having been a good violinist. He profited in his new +surroundings by the advice of Georg Böhm, organist of St. John's +Church in Lüneburg, and a musician of merit, whose influence upon +Bach is apparent in many of the latter's earlier compositions, +especially in the chorales. + +The location of Lüneburg permitted him also, from this time on, +to make trips on foot to Hamburg, where he heard Adam Reinken and +Vincent Lübeck, or to Celle, where the orchestra of the ducal court +performed French music; then the fashion, complains Mattheson, not +because of a value whose existence this German critic denied, but +simply--the final misfortunes of the reign of Louis XIV. had not yet +dimmed this glory--because it was French. + +In 1703 Bach left St. Michael's School; he had been so busily +occupied with music while there, that he very likely had been unable +to exhaust the depths of the general curriculum, which in itself +was rather limited. Not that they had been satisfied with giving +him instruction of a too elementary nature; but Bach, in point +of intellectual culture, was much inferior to most of the great +musicians of his time, Mattheson and Händel, for instance, both of +whom had attended the University. + +In any case, Bach's scant means would have forbidden his availing +himself of a university education. On leaving St. Michael's School +he was obliged to provide for himself; but here his talent for the +violin came to his aid, and procured him admission, at Weimar, not +only to the court orchestra, but to an orchestra which Johann Ernst, +the brother of the reigning Duke Wilhelm Ernst, maintained at his own +expense. He did not remain there long; in the summer of 1703, as a +result of a journey to Arnstadt, where he was heard upon the organ +of the New Church,[200] the position of organist of this parish was +offered him. The place was a modest one (seventy thalers salary), +but advantageous for Bach, who at his leisure could perfect himself +in organ-playing and practise vocal composition, having a choir to +conduct; his first cantata dates from Arnstadt. + +[Footnote 200: This instrument was constructed in 1701 by Wender, an +organ-builder in Mühlhausen. Wender had a certain local reputation, +but was unskilful and not very conscientious.] + +Besides, meagre as was his salary, he could save enough for a +journey to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude, whom he had long desired to +know; for while his brother Christoph had taught him Pachelbel's +methods, Georg Böhm, of another school, had already impressed on +him that dualism whence was born, when another element was added to +it, his own originality. Receiving the favor of a leave of absence +for one month, Bach betook himself from Arnstadt to Lübeck the last +of October, 1705; he did not return until February, 1706. From this +journey he brought back a new virtuosity and the susceptibility of a +young artist who from that moment felt himself a master; the former +singularly disappointed the parish. He now accompanied the chorale +with Buxtehude's exaggerated freedom; the ears of the faithful +could not follow such elaborations, and, still worse, their voices +lost the clue, and the choir fell into confusion. Hence a scandal, +and thereupon a reprimand from the vestry. Moreover, had not Bach +singularly outstayed his leave of absence? And again, why should +he now neglect his choir? Why no more "music"? and still other +grievances. Stung to the quick, Bach answered them by thenceforth +affecting the very excesses in accompaniment which had met with such +opposition, and by leaving entirely to themselves his choristers, +whose _sottise_ and coarseness disgusted him. As to the rest, he +explained nothing, but sought another place; more than a year passed +in these troubles. Upon the death of G. Ahle, organist of the church +of St. Blasius in Mühlhausen, he applied for this position; it fell +to his lot as the result of a competition, and he entered upon his +duties during the summer of 1707. The same year (October 17) he +married his cousin, Maria Barbara Bach. + +From a pecuniary point of view the situation was not bad,[201] +but the organ was detestable. Bach gave himself no rest until he +accomplished its restoration by the council; he himself drew up a +scheme for this, which was found to be so practical that it was +adopted. But scarcely had the work been commenced, when the Duke +of Saxe-Weimar, Wilhelm Ernst, offered him the position of court +organist (1708). Bach accepted; Mühlhausen was then the scene of +sectarian dissensions, pietists and orthodox were in open strife, in +which were lost the efforts of Bach to establish a "regular style of +music wholly to the glory of God,"[202] as he himself said; to which, +moreover, the pietists were by doctrine[203] opposed. An aggravating +circumstance was that Frohne, the _Oberintendant_ of the church of +St. Blasius, was one of the most ardent disciples of Spener, the +founder of the pietists' sect; and Bach had chosen, as godfather for +his first child, Eilmar, pastor of the Church of the Blessed Virgin +Mary, who was the defender of the older traditions, to which Bach was +devotedly attached. + +[Footnote 201: Besides a salary of 85 thalers, he had various +perquisites "in kind."] + +[Footnote 202: One of his cantatas, _Gott ist mein König_, was +engraved in separate parts by Brückner of Mühlhausen.] + +[Footnote 203: See Philipp Spitta: _Johann Sebastian Bach_, vol. i, +p. 354.] + +Bach spent nine years at Weimar; for him this period was the +complement of his finished years of study, and was the most brilliant +in his career as a virtuoso. He played at neighboring courts, and his +reputation was sufficiently great to put to flight Marchand (who was +called "_le grand Marchand_"), who had been invited in 1717 to meet +him in a sort of musical tournament. Numerous cantatas, as well as +some chamber music, date from this period. In fact, during the last +years of his residence in Weimar, Bach had undertaken the duties, +without the title, of director of chamber music to the court, in +addition to his vocation as organist; succeeding the aged Drese, who +was too old to fill the position effectively. Upon the death of the +latter, late in 1716, Bach expected the appointment; but nothing came +of it, and this lack of recognition caused him to accept the offer he +received next year from the Prince of Anhalt-Cöthen. + +At Cöthen there was no more organ playing to be done; no more church +music to direct--the prince was a Calvinist. As to his duties, for +which he had been well prepared by his recent experience at Weimar, +Bach was content with the composition of most of the suites and +sonatas for violin, _viola da gamba_, flute, and clavecin; further, +the first part of the Well-tempered Clavichord dates from Cöthen. +This is worthy of note, because of the relationship which can be +established between certain organ works and some of those in this +volume. + +A life which might thenceforward have been so quiet, Bach being +treated as a friend by his prince, and having no further care than +the performance of music in an intimate manner, was in 1720 crossed +by a sudden misfortune; upon his return from a journey to Carlsbad, +Bach found his home desolate; his wife, Maria Barbara, was dead. + +Despite his grief, Bach recovered himself in a comparatively short +time, for in November of the same year he went to Hamburg to conduct +the cantata _Wer sich selbst erhöhet, der soll erniedriget werden_; +he drew from Adam Reinken, by his improvisations upon the organ, an +outburst of enthusiasm which the old man had never entertained for +anyone but himself. + +Left alone with his children, who were still young, Bach lost no time +in remarrying (December 3, 1721); this time a good musician, Anna +Maria Wülken, who acted as his copyist, and for whom he wrote several +pieces. + +Upon the death of Kuhnau, cantor at St. Thomas' School in Leipzig +(1722), Bach advanced his candidacy. He was not unknown in Leipzig, +where enough confidence had been reposed in him to cause his summons +as an expert, in 1717, to examine with Kuhnau the organ in the +University Church. + +Meanwhile there were delays; Bach was not installed until May 31, +1723. Beside music lessons, and the direction of the choirs in St. +Thomas' and St. Nicholas' Churches, the cantor (the third in the +school by order of precedence) was still charged with certain duties +of supervision, and in addition had a course in Latin to conduct; the +latter Bach avoided as much as possible. + +In itself it was not, on the whole, a very advantageous position +for Bach, nor one where his independence would be respected; many +annoyances, besides an almost overwhelming amount of labor, were +caused him by the director, or more indirectly by envious musicians. +Despite all these mortifications, and the difficulties of his +situation--mitigated, it is true, as long as the celebrated Gessner +was at the head of the school--Bach never left it; in soliciting +it, he had taken into consideration the advantages it offered for +bringing up his family, which was steadily increasing. + +We have commented upon the relatively small number of organ +compositions which date from this period, but this is not the case +with the other religious works; of 295 cantatas, divided among +five liturgical years, about 266 were written in Leipzig; five +settings of the Passion, the Christmas Oratorio (1734), the Easter +(1736), that of the Ascension, and a number of motets, composed +between 1723 and 1734--only a few of these are to-day complete; +others are apocryphal--four "_Missae breves_" (short masses), the +Mass in _B_ minor, composed between 1730 and 1737, testify to +his prodigious activity in this style of music. Further, he did +not rest without writing numerous secular works, in particular +the concertos for several clavecins; he published some technical +studies which he engraved himself; and he completed the second part +of the Well-tempered Clavichord. If we add to the time devoted to +the composition of these works that given to the duties of his +position--to lessons, rehearsals, etc.--and to numerous pupils, we +shall realize why this last period is less productive of biographical +incidents of note. We may finally mention the famous journey to +Berlin in 1740, the last triumph of "Old Bach." + +In consequence of this excess of fatigue, Bach was destined to lose +his sight during the last years of his life; the unskilfulness of the +surgeons did the rest. + +Bach passed away July 28, 1750. His remains were interred in St. +John's cemetery; but the location of his grave is to-day unknown, +because of the transformation which this burying ground underwent at +the end of the last century.[204] + +[Footnote 204: [Subsequent to the writing of the above, and during +the progress of general disinterment incidental to the devotion to +other uses of the land occupied by the cemetery, Bach's remains +were found and identified by most scientific methods. In August, +1900, took place the official ceremony of reinterment in a stone +sarcophagus, contained in a crypt constructed for the purpose at +the foot of the chancel steps of the new _Johanniskirche_ (St. +John's Church). Upon this occasion the University _Gesangverein zu +St. Pauli_ sang. September 2d of the same year, at the close of the +weekly "Abend-Motette" (the program on this occasion having been +devoted entirely to works of Bach), the solo-quartet of the church +sang in the crypt the chorale from the St. Matthew Passion _Wenn +ich einmal soll scheiden_, in the presence of a few other reverent +"friends of Bach's music." The following morning the lid of the +sarcophagus was permanently closed and sealed. + +By its side, enclosed in a similar receptacle, lie the ashes of +Gellert, the poet.--TR.]] + + + + +Catalogue + +OF THE + +COMPLETE WORKS + +OF + +JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH + +EDITION OF THE BACH-GESELLSCHAFT + + +FIRST YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. I. + + No. 1. Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern. + " 2. Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein. + " 3. Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid. (First setting.) + " 4. Christ lag in Todesbanden. + " 5. Wo soll ich fliehen hin. + " 6. Bleib' bei uns, denn es will Abend werden. + " 7. Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam. + " 8. Liebster Gott, wann werd' ich sterben? + " 9. Es ist das Heil uns kommen her. + " 10. Meine Seel' erhebt den Herren! + + +SECOND YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. II. + + No. 11. Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen. + " 12. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen. + " 13. Meine Seufzer, meine Thränen. + " 14. Wär' Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit. + " 15. Denn du wirst meine Seele nicht in der Hölle lassen. + " 16. Herr Gott, dich loben wir. + " 17. Wer Dank opfert, der preiset mich. + " 18. Gleich wie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt. + " 19. Es erhub sich ein Streit. + " 20. O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort. (First setting.) + + +THIRD YEAR. + +PIANOFORTE WORKS. VOL. I. + +Fifteen Inventions and Fifteen Symphonies. + + _Klavierübung:_ + First Part: Six partitas. + Second " A concerto and a partita. + Third Part: Chorale-preludes and duets. + Fourth " Aria, with thirty variations. + + Toccata in F sharp minor. + Toccata in C minor. + Fugue in A minor. + + +FOURTH YEAR. + +Passion-music according to St. Matthew the Evangelist. + + +FIFTH YEAR. + +_First Issue:_ + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. III. + + No. 21. Ich hatte viel Bekümmerniss. + " 22. Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe. + " 23. Du wahrer Gott und David's Sohn. + " 24. Ein ungefärbt Gemüthe. + " 25. Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinen Leibe. + " 26. Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig. + " 27. Wer weiss, wie nahe mir mein Ende. + " 28. Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende. + " 29. Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir. + " 30. Freue dich, erlöste Schaar. + +_Second Issue:_ + +Christmas Oratorio, the Text from St. Luke, ii: 1-21; and St. Matthew +ii: 1-12. + + First Part: For Christmas Eve: Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset + die Tage! + Second " For the day after Christmas: Und es waren Hirten in + derselben Gegend. + Third " For the second day after Christmas: Herrscher des + Himmels, erhöre das Lallen. + Fourth " For New Year's Day: Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben. + Fifth " For the Sunday after New Year's: Ehre sei dir, Gott, + gesungen. + Sixth " For the Feast of the Epiphany: Herr, wenn die stolzen + Feinde schnauben. + + +SIXTH YEAR. + +The Mass in B Minor. + + +SEVENTH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. IV. + + No. 31. Der Himmel lacht, die Erde jubiliret. + " 32. Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen. + " 33. Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ. + " 34. O ewiges Feuer, o Ursprung der Liebe. + " 35. Geist und Seele wird verwirrt. + " 36. Schwingt freudig euch empor. + " 37. Wer da glaubet und getauft wird. + " 38. Aus tiefer Noth schrei' ich zu dir. + " 39. Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot. + " 40. Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes. + + +EIGHTH YEAR. + +Four Masses, in F major, A major, G minor and G major. + + +NINTH YEAR. + +CHAMBER-MUSIC. VOL. I. + + Three Sonatas for pianoforte and flute. + Suite for pianoforte and violin. + Six Sonatas for pianoforte and violin. + Three Sonatas for pianoforte and _viola da gamba_. + Sonata for flute, violin, and figured bass. + Sonata for two violins and figured bass. + Appendix. + + +TENTH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. V. + + No. 41. Jesu, nun sei gepreiset. + " 42. Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbaths. + " 43. Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen. + " 44. Sie werden euch in den Bann thun. + " 45. Es ist dir gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist. + " 46. Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgend ein Schmerz sei. + " 47. Wer sich selbst erhöhet, der soll erniedriget werden. + " 48. Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlösen. + " 49. Ich geh' und suche mit Verlangen. + " 50. Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft. + + +ELEVENTH YEAR. + +_First Issue:_ + +Magnificat in D major. + +Four _Sanctus_, in C major, D major, D minor and G major. Appendix. + +_Second Issue:_ + +VOCAL CHAMBER-MUSIC. VOL. I. + + +TWELFTH YEAR. + +_First Issue:_ + +Passion-music according to St. John the Evangelist. + +_Second Issue:_ + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. VI. + + No. 51. Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen. + " 52. Falsche Welt, dir trau' ich nicht. + " 53. Schlage doch, gewünschte Stunde. + " 54. Widerstehe doch der Sünde. + " 55. Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht. + " 56. Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen. + " 57. Selig ist der Mann. + " 58. Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid. (Second Setting.) + " 59. Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten. (First Setting.) + " 60. O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort. (Second Setting.) + + +THIRTEENTH YEAR. + +_First Issue:_ + +MARRIAGE CANTATAS. + + Dem Gerechten muss das Licht. + Der Herr denket an uns. + Gott ist unsere Zuversicht. + Three Chorales. + +_Second Issue:_ + +PIANOFORTE WORKS. VOL. II. + + Six greater Suites, known as the "English." + Six lesser Suites, known as the "French." + +_Third Issue:_ + +Funeral Ode upon the death of the wife of August the Strong, +"Christiane Eberhardine," Queen of Poland and Electress of Saxony. + + +FOURTEENTH YEAR. + +PIANOFORTE WORKS. VOL. III. + + The Well-tempered Clavichord. + First Part, 1722. + Second Part, 1744. + +Appendix. Supplementary Readings and Explanations. + + +FIFTEENTH YEAR. + +ORGAN WORKS. VOL. I. + + Six Sonatas for 2 manuals and pedal. + Six Preludes and Fugues. First Series. + Six " " " Second " + Six " " " Third " + Three Toccatas. + Passacaglia. + + +SIXTEENTH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. VII. + + No. 61. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland. (First Setting.) + " 62. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland. (Second Setting.) + " 63. Christen, ätzet diesen Tag. + " 64. Sehet, welch' eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget. + " 65. Sie werden aus Saba Alle kommen. + " 66. Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen. + " 67. Halt' im Gedächtniss Jesum Christ. + " 68. Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt. + " 69. Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele. + " 70. Wachet, betet, seid bereit allezeit. + + +SEVENTEENTH YEAR. + +CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. II. + +Seven Concertos for Pianoforte with orchestral accompaniment: + +No. 1, D minor; No. 2, E major; No. 3, D major; No. 4, A major; No. +5, F minor; No. 6, F major; No. 7, G minor. + +Triple Concerto for Pianoforte, flute and violin, with orchestral +accompaniment. + +Appendix. + + +EIGHTEENTH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. VIII. + + No. 71. Gott ist mein König. + " 72. Alles nur nach Gottes Willen. + " 73. Herr, wie du willst, so schick's mit mir. + " 74. Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten. (Second and more + elaborate Setting.) + " 75. Die Elenden sollen essen. + " 76. Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes. + " 77. Du sollst Gott, deinen Herrn, lieben. + " 78. Jesu, der du meine Seele. + " 79. Gott der Herr ist Sonn' und Schild. + " 80. Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott. + + +NINETEENTH YEAR. + +CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. III. + +1. Concerto in F major for two horns, three oboes, bassoon, +_obbligato Quart-Geige_,[205] two violins, viola, violoncello, and +_continuo_. + +[Footnote 205: A small-sized violin, tuned a fourth higher.] + +2. Concerto in F major for _obbligato_ trumpet, flute, oboe and +violin, with accompaniment of two violins, viola and _continuo_. + +3. Concerto in G major for three violins, three violas, three +violoncellos and _continuo_. + +4. Concerto in G major for _obbligato_ violin with accompaniment of +two flutes (_flûtes à bec_), two violins, viola, violoncello and +_continuo_. + +5. Concerto in D major for pianoforte, flute and violin, with +accompaniment of violin, viola, violoncello and _continuo_. + +6. Concerto in B flat major for two violas, two gambas, violoncello +and _continuo_. + + +TWENTIETH YEAR. + +_First Issue:_ + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. IX. + + No. 81. Jesus schläft, was soll ich hoffen? + " 82. Ich habe genug. + " 83. Erfreute Zeit im neuen Bunde. + " 84. Ich bin vergnügt in meinem Glücke. + " 85. Ich bin ein guter Hirt. + " 86. Wahrlich, ich sage euch. + " 87. Bisher habt ihr nichts gebeten in meinem Namen. + " 88. Siehe, ich will viel Fischer aussenden, spricht der Herr. + " 89. Was soll ich aus dir machen, Ephraim? + " 90. Es reifet euch ein schrecklich Ende. + +_Second Issue:_ + +VOCAL CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. II. + +Drama for the birthday of August III, king of Poland, etc. + +Drama for a university festival, upon which Dr. Gottlieb Kortte +received the appointment of professor. + +Drama for the name-day of King Augustus. + + +TWENTY-FIRST YEAR. + +_First Issue:_ + +CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. IV. + +Concertos for violin with orchestral accompaniment. + + No. 1, in A minor, } for one violin. + No. 2, in E major, } + No. 3, in D minor, for two violins. + No. 4, in D major. Symphonic movement for _obbligato_ violin. + +_Second Issue:_ + +CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. V. + +Three Concertos for two pianofortes, with orchestral accompaniment. + + No. 1, in C minor. + " 2, in C major. + " 3, in C minor. + +_Third Issue:_ + +Easter Oratorio: "Kommt, eilet und laufet." + + +TWENTY-SECOND YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. X. + + No. 91. Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ. + " 92. Ich hab' in Gottes Herz und Sinn. + " 93. Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten. + " 94. Was frag' ich nach der Welt. + " 95. Christus der ist mein Leben. + " 96. Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottessohn. + " 97. In allen meinen Thaten. + " 98. Was Gott thut, das ist wohlgethan. (First Setting. B flat + major.) + " 99. Was Gott thut, das ist wohlgethan. (Second Setting. G major.) + " 100. Was Gott thut, das ist wohlgethan. (Third Setting. G major.) + Appendix. + + +TWENTY-THIRD YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. XI. + + No. 101. Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott. + " 102. Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben. + " 103. Ihr werdet weinen und heulen. + " 104. Du Hirte Israel, höre. + " 105. Herr, gehe nicht in's Gericht. + " 106. Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit. + " 107. Was willst du dich betrüben. + " 108. Es ist euch gut, dass ich hingehe. + " 109. Ich glaube, lieber Herr. + " 110. Unser Mund sei voll Lachens. + + +TWENTY-FOURTH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. XII. + + No. 111. Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh' allzeit. + " 112. Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt. + " 113. Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut. + " 114. Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost. + " 115. Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit. + " 116. Du Friedensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ. + " 117. Sei Lob und Ehr'dem höchsten Gut. + " 118. O Jesu Christ, mein's Lebens Licht. + " 119. Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn. + " 120. Gott, man lobt dich in der Stille. + + +TWENTY-FIFTH YEAR. + +_First Issue:_ + +_Die Kunst der Fuge._ (The Art of Fugue.) + +Appendix. The Berlin autograph systematically arranged, and +supplementary readings. + +_Second Issue:_ (Organ works.) + + No. 1. _Orgelbüchlein_ (Little Organ-book). + No. 2. Six Chorales (the so-called _Schübler_ chorales). + No. 3. Eighteen Chorales (the so-called _great_ ones with the + Swan-song "_Vor deinen Thron tret' ich_"). + Appendix A. Two older readings from Collection I. + B. Fifteen " " " " III. + + +TWENTY-SIXTH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. XIII. + + No. 121. Christum wir sollen loben schon. + " 122. Das neugebor'ne Kindelein. + " 123. Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen. + " 124. Meinen Jesum lass' ich nicht. + " 125. Mit Fried' und Freud' ich fahr' dahin. + " 126. Erhalt' uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort. + " 127. Herr Jesu Christ, wahr'r Mensch und Gott. + " 128. Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein. + " 129. Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott. + " 130. Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir. + + +TWENTY-SEVENTH YEAR. + +CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. VI. + +_First Issue:_ + + Six Sonatas for violin. + Six Suites for violoncello. + +_Second Issue:_ + +Thematic Catalogue of the Church Cantatas, Nos. 1-120. + + +TWENTY-EIGHTH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. XIV. + + No. 131. Aus der Tiefe rufe ich, Herr, zu dir. + " 132. Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn. + " 133. Ich freue mich in dir. + " 134. Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiss. + " 135. Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder. + " 136. Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz. + " 137. Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren. + " 138. Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz. + " 139. Wohl dem, der sich auf seinen Gott. + " 140. Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme. + +Appendix. Two older arrangements of the Cantata No. 134: + + (_a_) Mit Gnaden bekröne der Himmel die Zeiten. + (_b_) Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiss. + + +TWENTY-NINTH YEAR. + +VOCAL CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. III. + + Cantata. "Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd." + Cantata. "Non sa che sia dolore." + Marriage Cantata. "O holder Tag, erwünschte Zeit." + Cantata. "Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest." + Coffee Cantata. "Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht." + Cantata. "Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet." + Appendix I. Gratulations-Kantate (Thanksgiving Cantata). "Mit Gnaden + bekröne der Himmel die Zeiten." + II. Cantata. "O angenehme Melodei." + III. Instrumental movement for violin, flute and _continuo_. + + +THIRTIETH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. XV. + + No. 141. Das ist ja gewisslich wahr. + " 142. Uns ist ein Kind geboren. + " 143. Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele. + " 144. Nimm, was dein ist. + " 145. So du mit deinem Munde. + " 146. Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal. + " 147. Herz und Mund und That und Leben. + " 148. Bringet dem Herrn Ehre seines Namens. + " 149. Man singet mit Freuden von Sieg. + " 150. Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich. + + +THIRTY-FIRST YEAR. + +_First Issue:_ + +WORKS FOR ORCHESTRA. + +Overtures in C major, B minor, D major, D major; _Sinfonia_ in F +major. (With a Supplement to Year XXIX.) + +_Second Issue:_ + +_Das musikalische Opfer_ (Musical Sacrifice), 1747. + +Appendix. Resolution of the Canons in the Musical Sacrifice. + +_Third Issue:_ + +CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. VII. + +Two Concertos for three pianofortes, with orchestral accompaniment. +No. 1 in D minor, No. 2 in C major. + + +THIRTY-SECOND YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. XVI. + + No. 151. For the second day after Christmas: "Mein süsser Trost." + " 152. " Sunday after Christmas: "Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn." + " 153. " Feast of the Circumcision: "Schau, lieber Gott." + " 154. " first Sunday after the Epiphany: "Mein liebster + Jesus." + " 155. " second " " " "Mein Gott, wie + lange." + " 156. " third " " " "Ich steh' mit einem + Fuss." + " 157. " Feast of the Purification of the B.V.M.: "Der Friede + sei mit Dir." + " 158. " " " " " " "Ich lasse + Dich nicht." + " 159. " Quinquagesima: "Sehet, wir geh'n hinauf gen + Jerusalem." + " 160. " Monday in Easter-week: "Ich weiss, dass mein Erlöser + lebt." + + +THIRTY-THIRD YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. XVII. + + No. 161. Komm, du süsse Todesstunde. + " 162. Ach, ich sehe, jetzt da ich zur Hochzeit gehe. + " 163. Nur Jedem das Seine. + " 164. Ihr, die ihr euch von Christo nennt. + " 165. O heil'ges Geist- und Wasserbad. + " 166. Wo gehest du hin. + " 167. Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe. + " 168. Thue Rechnung! Donnerwort. + " 169. Gott soll allein mein Herze haben. + " 170. Vergnügte Ruh', beliebte Seelenlust. + + +THIRTY-FOURTH YEAR. + +VOCAL CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. IV. + + Serenata. "Durchlaucht'ster Leopold." + Cantata. "Schwingt freudig euch empor." "Die Freude reget sich." + Dramma per musica. "Lasst uns sorgen, lasst uns wachen." + " " "Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!" + Cantata gratulatoria in adventum regis (Thanksgiving Cantata upon the + Accession of the King). "Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen." + Appendix. I. Dramma per musica. "Angenehmes Wiederau." + " II. " " "Auf, schmetternde Töne der muntern + Trompeten." + + +THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. XVIII. + + No. 171. Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm. + " 172. Erschallet, ihr Lieder. + " 173. Erhöhtes Fleisch und Blut. + " 174. Ich liebe den Höchsten von ganzem Gemüthe. + " 175. Er rufet seinen Schafen mit Namen. + " 176. Es ist ein trotzig und verzagt Ding. + " 177. Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ. + " 178. Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält. + " 179. Siehe zu, dass deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei. + " 180. Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele. + + +THIRTY-SIXTH YEAR. + +PIANOFORTE WORKS. VOL. IV. + +Suites. Toccatas, Preludes, Fugues, Fantasies, and other pieces. + +Appendix I: Additional versions of the foregoing pianoforte +compositions, as well as of some pieces in Vol. III. + +Appendix II: Fragments of Suites, various single movements and +unfinished pieces. + + +THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR. + +CHURCH CANTATAS. VOL. XIX. + + No. 181. Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister. + " 182. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen. + " 183. Sie werden euch in den Bann thun. (Second Setting.) + " 184. Erwünschtes Freudenlicht. + " 185. Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe. + " 186. Ärg're dich, o Seele, nicht. + " 187. Es wartet Alles auf dich. + " 188. Ich habe meine Zuversicht. + " 189. Meine Seele rühmt und preist. + " 190. Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied. (Lobe, Zion, deinen Gott.) + + +THIRTY-EIGHTH YEAR. + +ORGAN WORKS. VOL. III. + +_First Part:_ + +Preludes, Fugues, Fantasies, and other pieces. + +_Second Part:_ + +Concertos, from Antonio Vivaldi. + + Appendix I. Supplementary reading of No. XIV, and unfinished pieces. + " II. Compositions whose authenticity is not fully established. + " III. The first movement of the second concerto in Vivaldi's + original. + + +THIRTY-NINTH YEAR. + +_First Part:_ + +MOTETS. + + No. 1. "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied," for eight voices. + " 2. "Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf," for eight voices. + " 3. "Jesu, meine Freude," for five voices. + " 4. "Fürchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir," for eight voices. + " 5. "Komm, Jesu, komm," for eight voices. + " 6. "Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden." Psalm 117, for four voices and + _continuo_. + +Appendix. + + I. Instrumental accompaniment and figured organ part to the Motet + "Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf." + II. Motet: "Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn," for eight + voices. + III. " "Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren," for four voices. + +_Second Part:_ + +CHORALES AND SONGS. + +Chorales for four voices from the collection of Carl Philipp Emanuel +Bach. + +Sacred songs and arias with figured or unfigured bass, from Schemell's +_Gesangbuch_ and from Anna Magdalena Bach's _Notenbüchlein_. + + +FORTIETH YEAR. + +ORGAN WORKS. VOL. IV. + +_First Part:_ + +Chorale-preludes in Kirnberger's collection. + +_Second Part:_ + +Other Chorale-preludes. + +_Third Part:_ + +Chorale-variations. + +Appendix. + + I. Supplementary readings and detached pieces. + II. Compositions and MSS. whose authenticity is not fully established. + + +FORTY-FIRST YEAR. + +CHURCH MUSIC. SUPPLEMENTARY VOLUME. + +Cantata No. 191. Gloria in Excelsis Deo. + +Three incomplete church cantatas. + + No. 1. Nun danket alle Gott. + " 2. Ihr Pforten zu Zion. + " 3. Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe. + +Two incomplete Marriage Cantatas. + + No. 1. O ewiges Feuer, o Ursprung der Liebe. + " 2. Herr Gott, Beherrscher aller Dinge. + +Single movements. + +Appendix I. + +Four Church Cantatas, whose authenticity as of Sebastian Bach's +composition is not fully established. + + No. 1. Gedenke, Herr, wie es uns gehet. + " 2. Gott der Hoffnung erfülle euch. + " 3. Siehe, es hat überwunden der Löwe. + " 4. Lobt ihn mit Herz und Munde. + +Appendix II. + +Catalogue of the Church Compositions of Johann Ludwig Bach in +Meiningen. + +Supplementary notes and comments. + + +FORTY-SECOND YEAR. + +PIANOFORTE WORKS. VOL. V. + +Transcriptions of works of Bach's own composition and of that of +others. Various Preludes, Fugues, and other pieces whose authenticity +is probable. + +Appendix I. + +Compositions whose authenticity is not fully established, and some +supplementary readings. + +Appendix II. + +Concerto No. 2 of Vivaldi and Fugue of Erselius in their original +form. + + +FORTY-THIRD YEAR. + +_First Issue:_ + +CHAMBER MUSIC. VOL. VIII. + + Three sonatas for flute and figured bass. + Sonata and Fugue for violin and figured bass. + Sonata for two pianofortes. + Concerto for four pianofortes, from Antonio Vivaldi. + +Appendix. + +Concerto for four violins by Antonio Vivaldi in its original form. + +_Second Issue:_ + +Musical pieces in Anna Magdalena Bach's _Notenbüchlein_. + + +FORTY-FOURTH YEAR. + +Joh. Seb. Bach's handwriting, in facsimile and chronological order. + + +FORTY-FIFTH YEAR. + +Part I: English and French Suites (new corrected edition). + +Part II: Passion-music according to St. Luke. + + +FORTY-SIXTH YEAR. + +History of the German Bach-Society. + +Thematic and Alphabetical Indices. + + + + +INDEX OF REFERENCES + +TO WORKS OF J.S. BACH. + + +I. FOR ORGAN. + + _Alla Breve_, in D major, 46. + + _Alla Breve_ (from P. & F., P. III, 7), 35. + + Canzone, 41-45. + + Chorales: XVII, 5, 18, 59 _et seq._ + + Chorale Preludes, 63 _et seq._ + Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Ehr', 63, 90. + An Wasserflüssen Babylons, 64. + Aus tiefer Noth schrei' ich zu dir, 67. + Christ lag in Todesbanden, 59. + Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott, 67, 74. + Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (Prelude), 59. + Herr Jesus Christ, dich zu uns wend, 63. + Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, 63. + " " " " " (Fantasie), 64. + Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, 64, 65. + Vater Unser im Himmelreich, 67, 91. + Von Himmel hoch da komm' ich her (Canonic Variations), 66. + Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sein; or, Vor deinen Thron trete ich, 68. + Orgelbüchlein, 59 _et seq._ + Alle Menschen müssen sterben, 60. + Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt, 60. + Gottes Sohn ist kommen, 62, 73. + Herzlich thut mich verlangen, 61. + Heut' triumphiret Gottes Sohn, 61 (footnote). + Hilf Gott, das mir gelinge, 62. + Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesus Christ, 62. + In dir ist Freude, 61, 74, 76. + In dulci jubilo, 62, 73. + O Mensch, bewein' dein' Sünde gross, 60. + Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sein, 62. + Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten, 62. + Partitas: + Christ, der du bist der helle Tag, 58, 59. + Gott, du frommer Gott, 58. + + Concertos (Vivaldi), 39. + + Fantasie (P. IV, II), 33. + + Fantasie (concerto) in G major (P. IX, 6), 33. + + Fantasie and Fugue in G minor (P. II, 4), 53-55. + + Fugues (see also Preludes and Fugues): + In C minor (P. IV, 6), 41. + " C " (P. II, 6), 49, 57. + " C " (P. IV, 9), 29. + " D major (P. IV, 3), 35. + " E flat major (P. III, 1), xviii. + " G minor (P. IV, 7), 52^2. + " B " (P. II, 10), xvii. + " B " (P. IV, 8), 41. + + Passacaglia, XVIII, 46. + + Pastorale, XVIII, 83. + + Preludes (see also Preludes and Fugues): + In C major (P. II, 1), 57. + " C minor (P. II, 6), 57. + " C " (Fantasie) (P. III, 6), 49. + " E flat major (P. III, 1), 83. + " G major (P. VIII, 11), 30. + + Preludes and Fugues: + In C major (P. II, 7), 57. + " C " (B.-G. in E major), (P. III, 7), 35. + " C minor (P. IV, 5), 29. + " E flat major (III, 1), 55. + " E minor (II, 9), 56. + " E " (III, 10), 34. + " F " (II, 5), 48, 89. + " G " (III, 5), 36. + " G major (II, 2), 52^4. + " A " (II, 3), 51, 52. + " A minor (II, 8), xviii, 57. + " A " (III, 9), 30. + " B " (II, 10), 56. + Eight short Preludes and Fugues, 36. + + Sonatas (Trios), 52, 53, 82. + In D minor, 52. + " E " 52, 82. + + Toccatas: + In C major (P. III, 8), 40, 52, 62 (Adagio). + " D minor (P. III, 3) (with fugue), 49, 83. + " F major (P. III, 2) (with fugue), xviii (?), 49, 51. + + Toccata and Fugue in D minor (P. IV, 4), 35. + + +II. OTHER COMPOSITIONS. + + a. Instrumental. + + _Capriccio sopra la lontananza..._, 45^1. + + Chorale-accompaniments, 68. + + Clavierbüchlein, 89^1. + + Clavierübung, 55, 56, 66. + + Concertos, xviii. + In C major (for 2 Clavecins), 57. + + Instrumental Chamber Music, 97. + + Prelude for violin, xviii. + + Suite for orchestra, xviii. + + Well-tempered Clavichord, the, 96, 97. + + b. Choral. + + Cantatas, xvii, 96, 98. + Ach, bleib' bei uns, 74 (footnote). + Die Himmel erzählen, 52^4, 82. + Gott ist mein König, 96^2. + Ich hatte viel Bekümmerniss, 52^4. + Reformationscantate, 67. + Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn, 52. + Wer sich selbst erhöhet, der soll erniedriget werden, 97. + Wer weiss, wie nahe mir mein Ende? 82. + Zur Rathswahl zu Leipzig, xviii, 81. + + Magnificat, 74 (footnote). + + Masses: + In B minor, 98. + Et in unum Deum, 91. + Sanctus, xviii. + Missae Breves, 98. + + Motets, xviii, 98. + + Passions, 97. + St. Matthew, xvii, xviii, 88. + Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen, xviii. + O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, 62 (footnote). + O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, 81. + O Mensch, bewein' dein' Sünde gross, 81. + Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden, 99. + + Oratorios: + Christmas, 98. + Pastorale, 83. + Easter, 98. + Ascension, 98. + + Theoretical. + Die Kunst der Fuge, 68. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Johann Sebastian Bach, by A. [André] Pirro + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59085 *** |