| Added by magataganm, 08 May 2013
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) was a German
composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and
violinist of the Baroque period. He enriched many
established German styles through his skill in
counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and
the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from
abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's
compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the
Mass in B minor, the The Well-Tempered Clavier, his
cantatas, chorales, partitas, Passions, and...(+)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) was a German
composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and
violinist of the Baroque period. He enriched many
established German styles through his skill in
counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and
the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from
abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's
compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the
Mass in B minor, the The Well-Tempered Clavier, his
cantatas, chorales, partitas, Passions, and organ
works. His music is revered for its intellectual depth,
technical command, and artistic beauty.
Composed for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, which
fell on October 15, 1724, Bach's Cantata No. 5 "Wo soll
ich fliehen hin" (Whither shall I flee) (BWV 5) sets a
chorale by Johann Heermann as its outer movements and a
text by an unknown author for its five central solo
movements. The cantata's textural and musical structure
is divided into two halves, with the opening three
movements concentrating on the Old Testament notion of
terrible punishment for those who have grievously
sinned by a vengeful Lord and the closing four
movements concentrating on the New Testament notion of
redemption from those sins by a forgiving Christ. The
cantata is scored for bass, tenor, alto and soprano
soloists, chorus, pairs of oboes, strings, basso
continuo, and a solo slide trumpet in the first, fifth,
and sixth movements. The cantata is in G minor with its
first, second, fourth, sixth, and seventh movements in
the tonic, its third movement in E flat major, and its
fifth in B flat major. The first movement opens with a
powerful orchestral fugue that gives way to a choral
fugue based on the chorale melody intoned by the
sopranos and doubled by the slide trumpet. The second
movement is an agonized recitative for bass soloist and
continuo. The third movement is a more hopeful da capo
aria in the form of a trio sonata for tenor and violin
soloists plus continuo. The fourth movement is a
heartrending recitative for soprano and oboe soloist
plus continuo. The fifth movement is an assertive,
accompanied aria for bass, with the solo slide trumpet
joining the strings and continuo. "Wo soll ich fliehen
hin" concludes with Heermann's chorale for the chorus
and entire instrumental ensemble.
The cantata text is based on the chorale in eleven
stanzas Wo soll ich fliehen hin by Johann Heermann,
published in 1630, which is recommended for the Sunday
in the Dresdner Gesangbuch. "Wo soll ich fliehen hin"
(Where should I fly from here) is the opening Coro
(Chorus Mvt. 1). Bach gave the tune in unadorned long
notes to the soprano, reinforced by the trumpet. The
vocal parts are embedded in an independent instrumental
concerto. The motifs of the instruments, which also
appear in the lower voices, are derived from the tune,
following the upward movement of its first line and the
downward movement of its second line. Both other
recitatives are secco.
Although this piece was originally created for chorus,
brass, strings and continuo, I created this arrangement
for Woodwind Ensemble (Flutes (2), Oboes (2), Bb
Clarinet & Bassoon). | |
