SKU: HL.48021234

ISBN 9781458423542. UPC: 884088642037. 6.75x10.5 inches.

Text: in Latin compiled from the charter of the University, and from older orations in praise of Basle by Bernhard Wyss.

Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes

Difficulty level: 4 (for chorus)

Britten's genius lifts this work above being just a worthy celebration of the 500th anniversary of the foundation of Basle University. It is tongue-in-cheek and mockingly non-academic while referring all the time to academic musical forms and formulae. It is written in two parts (everything is in the statutory Latin including the titles of the parts - Pars I and Pars II). The titles of the movements show Britten's intention to show off a wide variety of techniques. Here are some examples: Chorale/Alla Rovescio (the theme is given and responded to with the same melody upside down)/Recitativo/Tema seriale con fuga/Canone ed ostinato. There is a good deal of humour here.

There are seven movements in Pars I and six in Pars II. The tenor soloist is given three florid recitatives, accompanied only by a piano, which act as bridges between other orchestrally accompanied movements. Of these the most noteworthy are the Arioso con canto popolare for soprano solo with tenors and basses who hum a student song; another terrific Britten scherzo; and a wonderfully raucous final pair of movements (Canon ed ostinato and Corale con canto) where Britten seems to be aping the Vivat Regina! cries in Parry's I was glad or encouraging the kind of noisy 'I'm from the best university' kind of student touchline shout. This has outrageously high notes for the tenors (top B) which further endorse this feeling. There are real echoes of the Spring Symphony (see separate entry) final movement here which are further underlined by the last section of the Cantata which brings in the bells, piano, huge percussion and the inevitable chorale in which the choir sings 'that a free academy may thrive in a free community, for ever the ornament and treasure of illustrious Basle'.

This may not be Britten at his most soul-searching but, as always, there is plenty here to enjoy, especially if the work is not taken too seriously. It is a celebratory, occasional piece and it could be well taken up by other academic establishments celebrating big anniversaries. The chorus parts are not very difficult, though they do present challenges for the choir - not least in having tenors capable of those very high notes at the end. The Tema seriale con fuga is sinewy and needs careful tuning. It also has the subject regularly given upside down after its initial sounding by the basses. All good fun.

Duration: 21 minutes

Paul Spicer, Lichfield, 2011.

SKU: CA.3116405

ISBN 9790007187194. Language: German/English.

This six-movement cantata was performed for the first time on 26 August 1725 in Leipzig. The text was written by Bach's Weimar cantata poet Salomon Franck and had been published earlier in 1715 in his collection Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer. Here, Bach bases his work around the form of the Weimar cantatas which take their texts from Franck's printed collection (BWV 132, 152, 161-163, 165): movements 1-5 are performed by vocal soloists, whilst only the final chorus is given to the chorus. The key concepts of the text are Barmherzigkeit [compassion], Erbarmen [mercy] and wahre Christenliebe [true Christian love]; the chamber music arrangement of the cantata corresponds with this. The two arias for tenor and alto, and the duet for soprano and bass do not contain da capo sections, but repeat the entire text in a condensed form. The instruments do not contrast as a rule, but are treated as a string group (movements 1, 4), duetting (movement 3), and as full unison (movement 5). What is remarkable in all three movements is the thematic linking of the instrumental ritornello parts with the vocal parts through which Bach achieves a kind of unity of form. Score available separately - see item CA.3116400.

SKU: CA.3116409

ISBN 9790007209018. Language: German/English.

This six-movement cantata was performed for the first time on 26 August 1725 in Leipzig. The text was written by Bach's Weimar cantata poet Salomon Franck and had been published earlier in 1715 in his collection Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer. Here, Bach bases his work around the form of the Weimar cantatas which take their texts from Franck's printed collection (BWV 132, 152, 161-163, 165): movements 1-5 are performed by vocal soloists, whilst only the final chorus is given to the chorus. The key concepts of the text are Barmherzigkeit [compassion], Erbarmen [mercy] and wahre Christenliebe [true Christian love]; the chamber music arrangement of the cantata corresponds with this. The two arias for tenor and alto, and the duet for soprano and bass do not contain da capo sections, but repeat the entire text in a condensed form. The instruments do not contrast as a rule, but are treated as a string group (movements 1, 4), duetting (movement 3), and as full unison (movement 5). What is remarkable in all three movements is the thematic linking of the instrumental ritornello parts with the vocal parts through which Bach achieves a kind of unity of form. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3116400.

SKU: CA.3116403

ISBN 9790007187187. Language: German/English.

This six-movement cantata was performed for the first time on 26 August 1725 in Leipzig. The text was written by Bach's Weimar cantata poet Salomon Franck and had been published earlier in 1715 in his collection Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer. Here, Bach bases his work around the form of the Weimar cantatas which take their texts from Franck's printed collection (BWV 132, 152, 161-163, 165): movements 1-5 are performed by vocal soloists, whilst only the final chorus is given to the chorus. The key concepts of the text are Barmherzigkeit [compassion], Erbarmen [mercy] and wahre Christenliebe [true Christian love]; the chamber music arrangement of the cantata corresponds with this. The two arias for tenor and alto, and the duet for soprano and bass do not contain da capo sections, but repeat the entire text in a condensed form. The instruments do not contrast as a rule, but are treated as a string group (movements 1, 4), duetting (movement 3), and as full unison (movement 5). What is remarkable in all three movements is the thematic linking of the instrumental ritornello parts with the vocal parts through which Bach achieves a kind of unity of form. Score available separately - see item CA.3116400.