| Ajoutée par magataganm, 18 Mai 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.
There are four extant works by Johan Sebastian Bach for
the Feast of the Ascension, part of the liturgical
cycle for Easter. Three are cantatas belonging to the
cantata cycles composed in 1723-1724 (BWV37), 1724-1725
(BWV128), and 1725-1726 (BWV43). Although often
designated as a cantata, the present work is more
accurately described as a short oratorio, including as
it does a narrative role for the Evangelist. It was
composed in 1735, and first performed in one of the
principal Leipzig churches on May 19 of that year. The
Evangelist's narration was drawn by an unknown
librettist from the Gospels of Luke and Mark, and the
Acts of the Apostles. These sections plus two
recitatives and the chorale placed at the center of the
work are the only original parts of the oratorio, the
opening and closing choruses, and the two arias all
being drawn from previously written cantatas, now lost.
The two choruses are planned on a grand scale, with the
same brilliantly festive scoring (including three
trumpets and drums) Bach had employed in Parts I, III,
and IV of the Christmas Oratorio of 1734-1735. The
closing chorus is chorale-based, using the hymn "Von
Gott will ich nicht lassen" as a choral cantus firmus
around which the orchestra weaves a joyously dance-like
fantasia. "Ach bleibe doch," the alto aria is an
extensive revision of an aria originally found in a
lost wedding cantata, the same source the composer drew
upon for the Agnus Dei of the Mass in B minor. The
soprano aria "Jesu, deine Gandenblicke" is remarkable
for the scoring of two flutes, oboe, violins, and
violas without bass, the lightly translucent texture
reflecting the text's allusion to Christ leaving his
body to ascend to Heaven. The central section of
recitative includes a telling piece of dramatization at
the appearance of the angels, "two men in white
apparel," whose words are addressed to the amazed
onlookers as a duet.
Although the Chorus "Wenn soll es doch geschehen"
("When shall it Happen") was originally composed for
Chorus (SATB) & Orchestra, I created this arrangement
for Wind Ensemble (Bb Trumpets (3), Flutes (2), Oboes
(2), Bb Clarinets (2), French Horn, Bb Tuba, Timpani &
Bassoon). | |