Cantatas BWV 194 & BWV 194a - Discussions

Discussions in the Week of May 26, 2002

Francis Browne wrote (May 29, 2002):
For members who are listening to BWV 194 it might be of interest to visit the following site which has details and photographs of the church and organ celebrated in the cantata: http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/cliff/411/hildebrandt/hildt07.htm

Dick Wursten wrote (May 29, 2002):
If the 'singing'-part of the Bach-cantates is not your favorite, this cantata is your golden opportunity. An almost complete instrumental suite of dances is provided here... and in some pieces the human voice is - IMHO - just another instrument.
A.Dürr gives this outline of the orchestral suite:
mvt 1 = French Ouverture
mvt 3 = pastorale
mvt 5 = gavotte
mvt 8 = gigue
mvt 10 = minuet

P.S.: It must have been a wonderful organ, to receive such celebration from the fellow-instruments.... and not 'turn pale' itself...

Aryeh Oron wrote (May 30, 2002):
Introduction

The subject of this week’s discussion (May 26, 2002), according to Francis Browne’s suggested list, is Cantata BWV 194 Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest, for Trinity Sunday & Dedication of the Church and the Organ at Störmthal.

The details of the recordings of this cantata can be found in the following page of the Bach Cantatas Website: Cantata BWV 194 - Recordings
All the five complete recordings of this cantata are coming from the 5 recorded cantata cycles (Rilling [1], Harnoncourt [2], Koopman [3], Leusink [4], and Suzuki [6]). The form of this work is broadly speaking that of an orchestral suite, and it is quite long – about 35 to 40 minutes in most of the recordings, with Rilling stretching it to more than 47 minutes!

I hope to see many of you participating in the discussion.

Background

The background below is taken from Alfred Dürr’s book on the Bach Cantatas. Francis Browne was very kind to send me his translation to English.

See: Cantata BWV 194 - Commentary

Dick Wursten wrote (May 30, 2002):
In the booklet of the Leusink-edition Dingeman van Wijnen writes:
<Bach's wife Anna Magdalena is said to have been the soprano soloist>
I am curious: Does anyone know where this 'is said'..
If true: she must have had a tremendous voice, because indeed the soprano has to sing extremely high. Ruth Holton has to stand on the tip of her toes to reach the highest notes...

Aryeh Oron wrote (June 1, 2002):
Mvt. 5 Aria for Soprano
Hilf, Gott, daß es uns gelingt,
(Help us, God, that we may achieve this)
Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Bach is said to have brought his wife, Anna Magdalena, as solo soprano for this cantata. We know that at that time it was unusual for a woman to perform in the church. Therefore, I found it interesting to find out how our contemporary soprano singers followed her path. The aria for soprano is also the most attractive and memorable movement of this unique cantata.

Before the review of the recordings here is some commentary:

W. Murray Young (1989)
The rhythm of a gavotte, played by the instruments and sung by the soprano, makes this the outstanding solo number in both parts of the cantata. Here is to be found the only Biblical reference, taken from Isaiah 6: 6-7, of the seraphim cleansing the prophet of sin by placing a live coal in his mouth. Bach uses his imagery of divine fire throughout the aria as a sin-cleansing agent and a purifying force. The dance rhythm does not detract from the singer’s declamation of these verses; in fact, Bach has made the poetry conform to the measured tune he wished to set.

Dingeman van Wijnen (liner notes to Leusink’s recording, 2000)
The aria for soprano is dance-like and with nice runs on ‘dringt’; it refers to the story of the prophet Isaiah’s mouth being cleansed by a burning coal before he states his (fiery) prophecies.

Review of the Recordings

[1] Rilling with Judith Beckmann (soprano) (1976-1977; 6:52)
As can be easily seen and heard, Rilling is stretching this aria to its limits. I would say even over its limits. The strings are rich and full and sometimes over-dominating the scene. In terms of expression and richness of voice Judith Beckmann has a lot to offer. The main problem of her interpretation lies with the instability of her voice. There is a certain vibration in her voice along the whole range, which seems that she cannot control. It distracts from pure enjoyment from what could have been a much better performance in a somewhat faster tempo.

[2] Harnoncourt with either Hans Stricker or Stefan Giener (boy soprano) (1989; 6:04)
This part was definitely not written for a boy soprano. I understand that Harnoncourt adheres to authentic approach, but it does not always justify his choices. In most of the cases this cycle used boys for the soprano parts. The exception were the two solo cantatas – BWV 51 & BWV 199. With some more research I believe that Harnoncourt would have reached the conclusion that if Bach indeed wrote the soprano parts of this cantata for his wife, than it would be much more appropriate to use an adult woman soprano here. The boy who sings the aria proves the case. His voice in the middle register lacks richness and he is trying hard to prove that he has upper register, but as a result sounds screaming. In terms of expression he has nothing to offer.

[3] Koopman with Sibylla Rubens (soprano) ((1998; 5:38)
Rubens has it all: a beautiful and rich voice along the whole range, expressive powers, taste, and technical finesse. She is hard to bit in this aria. This rendition is performed faster than all the others are, but Rubens has no problem to sing in this tempo. On the contrary, this tempo sounds to my ears more suitable to this aria. The balance between the strings and the singer is also good. I mean that they play piano in the accompanying parts as they should, and do not cover the singer, as some of the other renditons do.

[4] Leusink with Ruth Holton (soprano) (2000; 6:02)
The aria opens with charming playing from the strings. Holton enters in smoothly. Her voice is definitely more ‘angelic’ than Rubens’. In the case of this aria I find it unsatisfactory and one-dimensional. It seems that there are corners in this aria to which she does not get at. Furthermore, as Dick has rightly noted, she has problems with the high notes.

[6] Suzuki with Yukari Nonoshita (soprano) (2000; 6:05)
Nonoshita is a fine singer, who seems to be in full control of what she is doing. The problem is that sometimes she sounds too calculated. This rendition would have gained from freer and warmer approach. Direct comparison between her and Rubens reveals that she is somewhat weaker also regarding the richness and fullness of voice and the confidence of delivery. The playing of the accompaniment is impeccable: lively, light, clean and supportive.

Conclusion

In the first three rounds I have been listening to the five recordings of this cantata in their completeness. In the final and concluding round I listened only to the Aria for Soprano. Here are my personal preferences:
Rubens/Koopman [3], Nonoshita/Suzuki [6], Holton/Leusink [4], Beckmann/Rilling [1], Boy Soprano/Harnoncourt [2]

As always, I would like to hear other opinions, regarding the above mentioned performances, or other recordings.

Francis Browne wrote (June 6, 2002):
Origins & Occasion:

See: Cantata BWV 194 - Provenance

Recordings:

I listened to Leusink [4] when I translated this cantata some weeks ago, and more recently Suzuki [6].

[4] From time to time the Leusink cycle seems regularly to be the subject of dissatisfaction on this list, and I have contributed my share to expressing its shortcomings. Perhaps it is worthwhile trying to keep some sort of balance by saying that for many cantatas -this one included - Leusink's performance conveys the excellence of Bach's music and gives much delight. Since this cycle is by far the cheapest and most easily available, Leusink and his singers and musicians must have done more than anybody else in recent years to spread knowledge and love of the cantatas. It would be interesting to know how many of the 260 members of the list are like me able to follow the discussions because of Leusink.

[6] Having said that I have to add that in almost every respect I found the Suzuki recording superior. The choir are much better disciplined, the orchestral playing is consistently excellent and well judged and the soloists are both technically more proficient and able to find more expression in the music. My general impression of the Suzuki cantatas I have heard is very favourable : these are performances of musicians of great integrity, who have prepared with care, are concerned to perform the music to the very best of their ability and are guided by a musician who shows profound understanding of Bach.

What a pity that the Suzuki cycle is so many years from completion and the cds cost almost six times the price of Leusink!

Dick Wursten wrote (June 6, 2002):
< Bach's wife Anna Magdalena IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN the soprano soloist >
(Dingeman van Wijnen, CD Leaflet, Brilliant Classics)

< Anna Magdalena WAS the soprano soloist. > (Francis Browne)

Apparently Francis Browne has access to a source, unavailable to Dingeman van Wijnen. Which source, i wonder, because this transition from supposition (assumption ?) to factual statement intrigues me [I asked the question before, 30-05.]

Even more after reading Brorimbachs essay on the authorship of the canatatatext of BWV194. Isn't there the same tendency to introduce Magdalena as the sopranosoloist as often as possible (= every performance outside a regular service f.i.) as to ascribe non-ascribed cantata-libretto's to Bach himself. The argumentum ex nihilo is forbidden in logic at least since Aristotle... Correct me if I'm wrong.

So: who can enlighten me about the participation of Magdalena in Bach’s performance of BWV 194.

Francis Browne wrote (June 6, 2002):
[To Dick Wursten] You are quite right to threaten me withe ghost of Aristotle. I have no more authority for assuming that Anna Magdalena was at Stoermthal than a carelessly read sentence from Whittaker's book (p265, vol 1) :"The manuscript of the score associates this work with the service [on November 2nd 1723] and Anna Magdalena was soprano soloist." I assumed that the evidence was based on the manuscript but that is not what the sentence necessarily says and I have no other source of information.

Thomas Shepherd wrote (June 1, 2002):
As I have just received a copy of the Suzuki recording of this cantata, can I add my observations before BWV194 goes completely out of recent memory?

I was pleased to see the exchange about Anna Magdalena recently as I have been puzzling about how Bach managed to perform the new cantata at a local village church without the forces of a knowledgeable and flexible choir and soloists.

I was also very pleased to see a picture of the church and the basic description of the organ and its registration
http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/cliff/411/hildebrandt/hildt07.htm posted by Francis Browne.

Can one really expect that the local village church choir (if indeed there was one) was up to singing the first chorus? Did Bach bring his own choir and a few of his most reliable instrumentalists the 12km from Leipzig for this gig? And as there is no particular part written specifically for the new organ was it simply employed in the role of accompanying the congregation and as a continuo instrument? Certainly the settings of both chorales are simple and would lend themselves to a good congregational sing and set them up for a really good long sermon and a chance to exercise their vocal chords at the end of the service.

The chamberlain Hilmar von Fullen on whose estate the village of Störmthal was situated and who provided funds for the church and new organ would have understood the language of courtly music. The idiom was well chosen by Bach for this occasion - a series of modified dance movements.

But what I am really curious about are the recitatives. As has been so often said they don't amount to great music. Its almost as if they had been dashed off at very great speed. Yet the words express a clear theology. They describe Pauline/Augustinian/Lutheran theology of the two cities the earthly and the heavenly. In the first half, before the sermon they describe the earthly pilgrimage of Christians as the living temple of God, symbolically represented by the building about whose dedication the cantata was written. In true Pietistic devotional language the soul yearns for a deeper and greater relationship with God. The second half, though, talks of the heavenly city, the City of God. Here is described the nearer presence to God, the beatific vision and the promise of the delights of heaven. Certainly this could be used at any Sunday of Trinity, as it speaks of the vision of God as Trinity.

However I'm also curious on another level about whether there is any significance in the DATE for which this cantata was written November 2^nd. I have to admit that I know little of the details of the Lutheran Kalendar. It is certainly true that nowadays many will celebrate the feast of All Saints throughout the world on 1^st November. The Book of Common Prayer marks it as a major feast day of the Anglican Communion and the feast of All Souls (not mentioned in BCP) is remembered by many on November 2^nd. Is it at all possible that the theme of the sermon on that day in Störmthal and Bach's text for the second half of the cantata is reflecting the theology of All Saints-tide? Certainly there are several points in the Tenor recitative (no. 7) where there is direct reference to the beatific vision of the blessed (saints) in glory of the City of God.

Ye holy ones, be joyful now,
Haste, hasten, this your God to honour:
Your hearts be now exalted
To God's own glorious realm,
From where he now o'er thee,
Thou holy dwelling, watcheth
And to himself the heart made pure
From this earth's vanity he draweth.
A rank which truly blest is named
Beholds here Father, Son, and Ghost.
Come forth, ye souls which God inspireth!
Ye will now choose the finest portion;
The world can give you no refreshment,
Ye can in God alone live blest and in contentment.

And other words in the second half point in the same direction as well. So I ask, could this be a cantata as much for the celebration of the rededication of the church and organ as for All Saints-tide? For my part, if invited to heaven, I would quite happily dance for eternity in the measured rhythms of 17^th cent courtly dances!!

Meanwhile I will be quite happily threatened with the ghost of Aristotle!

Discussions in the Week of November 27, 2005

Thomas Braatz wrote (November 27, 2005):
BWV 194 - Intro to Weekly Discussion

BWV194 "Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest" (and BWV 194a)

Identification:

The cantata which has been selected, based upon the chronological sequence of Bach's performances, for this week's discussion is BWV 194 "Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest" which had its first performance in Störmthal on November 2, 1723.

As will be come clear from closer study, 5 arias derive from an earlier secular cantata from tKöthen period (1717-1723); 1 additional aria which no longer exists was not taken over into the Störmthal cantata. There were also 5 recitatives (not lost) in the earlier version. For the Störmthal version, Bach created two sections, Part one and 'Parte seconda (Post concionem,)' added an introductory chorus based upon one of the earlier arias, 2 different, simple chorales at the end of each section and the necessary recitatives before and/or after the 4 arias from the earlier version. Mvts. 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10 are parodies of the earlier version. The texts used for the Störmthal version (unknown librettist) were sufficiently general to allow Bach to use it as a cantata for Trinity Sunday. This he did on June 4, 1724 with repeat performances on June 16, 1725 (a shortened version, possibly not directed by Bach) and on May 20, 1731 (only 1^st half).

Provenance:

The autograph score along with original parts (these were not the parts which might be considered the main collection of parts, but rather those which had been left over from BWV 194a and the doublets for Störmthal version) was part of C.P.E. Bach's inheritance and was listed in his possession at the time of his death (1790) as a cantata for Trinity Sunday.

The autograph score, as evident from the cover folder, did at one time thereafter belong to the Georg Poelchau (1773-1836) collection of manuscripts. It now resides in the BB (Deutsche Staatsbibliothek Berlin.)

The main set of original parts, as it can be assumed from the evidence, probably went to W. F. Bach. Later Count Voß-Buch (Graf Karl Friedrich von Voß-Buch - 1755-1823) acquired the set. In 1851, the Voß-Buch family donated the set to the BB where it is located today.

For additional information regarding the provenance of this cantata and its background history, see Francis Browne's contribution at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Ref/BWV194-Ref.htm

The Autograph Score:

The title at the top of the 1st page of the manuscript reads:

J.J. Concerto Bey Einweihung der Orgel in Störmthal. Á 3 Hauptb: 2 Violini, Viola è 4 voci col Org.

At the bottom of the 1st page: "Basson con Cont."
before mvt. 2: "Recit: Basso"
before mvt. 3: "Aria"
over m 27b: of mvt. 3: "Hautb è Violino 1"
before mvt. 4: "Recit:"
before mvt. 5: "Aria Senza Hautbois"
predecing mvt. 6: "Chorale"
after mvt. 6: "Fine della 1ma Parte" and "Post Concionem"
before mvt. 7: "Recit. Tenore"
before mvt. 9: "Recit Duetto"
before mvt. 10: "Aria à 2 Hautb. Sopr: è Basso"
before mvt. 11: "Recit: Basso"
before mvt. 12: "Choral"

This is not a composing score, but rather a clean copy. Even the two chorale setting seem not to have been composed just before the Störmthal performance.

The Original Parts:

The parts were mainly copied by Johann Andreas Kuhnau, with some by J. S. Bach and with isolated help from Anonymus If, Ik and Io.

The parts are:
1. Soprano.
2. Alto.
3. Tenore.
4. Basso.
4a. Additional insertion into 'Basso'
5. Hautbois Imo
6. Hautbois 2do
7. Hautbois 3
8. Violino. Imo
9. Violino Imo
10. Violino 2do
11. Violino 2do
12. Viola
13. (14) Continuo (the confusion in numbers here is
due to Bach's insertions)
14. (13) Continuo
14a. (No title)

An additional set of parts probably copied out in Cöthen before 1723:

1. Oboé 1.
2. Oboé 2.
3. Oboé 3.
4. Violino 1.
4a. Violino 1.
5. Violino 2.
5a. Violino 2.
6. Viola
6a. Viola
7. (fragment of an Organo part (transposed a minor 3^rd lower, figured)
8. Continuo. (transposed a whole tone lower, partly figured)
8a. Continuo (additional insert containing BWV 194/12)
8b. (no title, additional page for the Continuo part,
figured)

The main copyist of these parts is quote unknown and cannot be identified.
Filling in some missing mvts are Johann Christian Köpping, Christian Gottlob Meißner, and Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (only 8b)

Missing Sources:

1. the autograph score for BWV 194a (the congratulatory cantata)
2. the original set of parts for BWV 194a
3. the original Organo part for the Störmthal performance
4. part of the Continuo part 14 above
5. part of the Continuo part for 7 (fragment above)
6. the printed text for the Störmthal performance

The Pitch Used:

It is no longer possible to determine which pitch standard was used for the Störmthal performance because the Organo part used for that performance is missing. It is really questionable that Bach's notation on the instrumental parts "tief Cammerthon" ("low/deep cammerton") was intended for the Störmthal performance. It is much more likely that this direction was placed their for a subsequent Leipzig performance beginning in 1724, since the same comment appear on doublets which definitely do belong only to the Leipzig period.

According to a report by an organ builder, Hermann Eule, who restored the instrument in 1934, this instrument was tuned to low Chorton: the 'a' above middle c being approximately at 464 Hertz which is about the same at the Bb in modern cammerton. If the cantata had been performed at the usual cammerton pitch, then the Organo part for the Störmthal performance must have been transposed only a semi-tone lower. For the Leipzig performances (Leipzig having a high Chorton standard pitch), only an Organo part that had been transposed downwards by one whole tone would have been usable. The surviving Organo part from the 2nd set of original parts (Cöthen) can not be considered for the Störmthal performance since it was completed later for a shortened performance of the work in Leipzig. Likewise, the Organo part (fragment 7 above) transposed a minor 3rd lower, would have required the woodwinds and strings to tune lower by a whole tone, had it been used in the Störmthal performance. Taking everything into consideration, it is possible to speculate reasonably that the missing Störmthal Organo part would have been transposed a semi-tone lower and, due to its uselessness, would have soon been lost/removed from the set of parts for Leipzig, thus explaining its disappearance in this manner.

Shortened Version (June 16, 1726):

The shortened version of BWV 194 performed on the above date would have looked like this:

Mvt. 1: Choral (originally BWV 194/12)
Mvt. 2. Recitativo (BWV 194/2)
Mvt. 3. Aria (BWV 194/3)
Mvt. 4. Recitativo (BWV 194/4)
Mvt. 5. Aria (BWV 194/5)
Mvt. 6. (BWV 194/7)
Mvt. 7. (BWV 194/10)

This arrangement is based upon evidence found in the parts. It is not known if a final chorale was performed. It is conceivable, however, that that the introductory chorale was repeated at the end with a different verse. The cantata must have had a different title in this form, but it is not possible to determine what this might have been. It is, however, possible, that the cantata in this form might have been performed not under Bach's direction.

For a later performance documented to have taken place on May 20, 1731, Bach performed the cantata once again in its original form, but omitted the 2^nd part (only
mvts. 1-6 were presented).

Location:

Follow the links to Leipzig: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Tour/Leipzig.htm

and

Störmthal: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Tour/Stormthal.htm

Here is a short article on the organ builder from the OCC [full referenis given below]:

>>Hildebrandt, Zacharias (b. 1688; d. 11 Oct. 1757).
Keyboard instrument maker, born in Münsterberg, Silesia. He was trained by Gottfried Silbermann and became an expert tuner. In 1723 Bach composed a cantata (no. 194) for the dedication of Hildebrandt's new organ at Störmthal, and throughout the late 1730s and 1740s Hildebrandt was a colleague of Bach's at Leipzig. He tuned the harpsichords at the Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche, and built a Lautencembalo (lute-harpsichord) for Bach about 1739. In 1748 he became overseer of the Leipzig organs. Bach and Silbermann were the advisers for his 53-stop organ of 1743-6 (still extant) in Naumburg, near Leipzig, where J. C. Altnickol became organist in 1748. In describing the organ, Altnickol said that Hildebrandt followed J.G. Neidhardt's style of temperament. ML

ML = Mark Lindley served on the executive committee of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, editing the articles on musical instruments, and on the editorial boards of Performance Practice Review and the Journal of Music Theory. His writings include Mathematical Models of Musical Scales (with Ronald Turner-Smith); Lutes, Viols and Temperaments; Ars Ludendi; Early German Keyboard Fingerings; and Gandhi and Humanism.<<

Texts:

Liturgical Readings:

It is advisable for the reader to check out, in advance of the following discussion, the prescribed readings (the liturgical connection) for Trinity Sunday: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Read/Trinity.htm

Here it is possible to see a list of all the cantatas that are related to these liturgical readings. Usually this includes only the other cantatas which were composed for the same Sunday or holiday/feast day. Here they can be viewed at a glance and a link will take you directly to one of these cantatas, if you so desire.

Libretto:

This libretto was prepared by an unknown poet.

For those who have no original German text and translation available, these can be found as follows:

German Text available at Walter F. Bischof's site at: http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/194.html

English Translation available at Z. Philip Ambrose's site at: http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach/BWV194.html

English Interlinear Translation by Francis Browne at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV194-Eng3.htm

English Side-by-Side Translation by Pamela Dellal at: http://www.emmanuelmusic.org/notes_trans/transl_cantata/bwv194.htm

A Singable English Translation of the Bass Aria (Mvt. 3) only by Ebenezer Prout at: http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=847

French Translation Note-for-Note by Jean-Pierre Grivois at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV194-Fre4.htm

Hebrew Translation by Aryeh Oron at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV194-Heb1.htm

Indonesian Translation Word-for-Word by Rianto Pardede at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV194-Ind.htm

Spanish Translation Side-by-Side by Francisco López Hernández at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV194-Spa3.htm

The Chorale Text:

At the end of Part 1, Bach has set the 6^th and 7^th verses of Johann Heermann's (1630) chorale text "Treuer Gott, ich muß dir klagen".

Full original chorale text with Side-by-Side English translation by Francis Browne at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale032-Eng3.htm

For more information on the chorale text author, see: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Heermann.htm

At the end of Part 2, Bach has set the 9th and 10^th verses of Paul Gerhardt's (1647, 1653) chorale text "Wach auf, mein Herz, und singe".

Full original chorale text with side-by-side English translation by Francis Browne at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale048-Eng3.htm

For more information on the chorale text author, see: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Gerhardt.htm

In the above links to the chorale texts, you can see at a glance all the other verses of a single chorale text which Bach has set to music elsewhere. The links there will take you to these other cantatas.

The Chorale Melody:

To obtain detailed background (such as the secular origin of the melody and its otherwise very complicated history) on the chorale melody used in mvt. 6, see the Chorale Melody Page for "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele" with Alternate Text at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Freu-dich-sehr.htm

To obtain detailed background on the chorale melody by Nikolaus Selnecker used in mvt. 12, see the Chorale Melody Page for "Nun laßt uns Gott, dem Herren" with Alternate Text at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Nun-lasst-uns-Gott.htm

Scoring:

Under 'Scoring' on Aryeh's main Recordings page for this cantata, you will find the scoring for each mvt. The mvts. containing chorale melodies even have a small musical illustration of the melody as it appears in the cantata. Click on any mvt. to find out the details.

See particularly chorale mvts.
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/INS/BWV194-06.htm
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/INS/BWV194-12.htm

Here you not only get the original text with the instrumentation of this mvt., but also links to the complete text and translation of the chorale text, a link to the poet/author of the chorale text, the composer of the chorale melody, and a link to the Chorale Melody Page where details are given about the chorale melody and its use elsewhere in Bach's compositions, but also as used by other composers.

Available Score:

A vocal & piano score of the entire cantata is available for download in PDF format at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV194-V&P.pdf

Commentaries (Short and Long):

Read Simon Crouch's short commentary at: http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/works/bachjs/cantatas/194.html

James Leonard also has a short commentary on this cantata: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=42:181079~T1

Julio Sánchez Reyes has a Spanish commentary at: http://www.cantatasdebach.com/194.html

For more information on the possible earlier forms of this cantata see the Commentaries Page from the previous round of discussions at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV194-D.htm

See also: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV194a.htm

Here is a commentary from the "Oxford Composer Companions: J. S. Bach" [Oxford University Press, 1999]:

>>Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest ('Much awaited joyful feast'). Cantata, BWV 194, for the dedication of the restored organ in Störmthal near Leipzig, later revised as a cantata for Trinity Sunday. The earliest surviving form of the work (BC B 31) is the Störmthal version, which was first performed at the dedication service on 2 November 1723, or possibly on the previous Sunday (31 October). The anonymous libretto, which dwells in an unfocused way on the majesty of God, was of sufficiently generalized content to permit Bach to reuse it without modification for the Trinity Sunday version, which was first performed in Leipzig on 4 June 1724, though the use of high choir pitch required some changes to the vocal lines. For a later revival (probably on 16 June 1726) Bach shortened the work (version BC A 91b), changing the order of the movements and rescoring two of the arias to replace one of the oboes with an obbligato organ. Material has also survived for a still later revival, which took place on 20 May 1731.

Even the Störmthal version was evidently not the original form of BWV 194, however. Some instrumental parts (though unfortunately no vocal parts or text) survive for a still earlier version (BWV 194a, BC G 11), which was apparently a secular congratulatory cantata composed during the Cöthen period. This did not include the two chorales (movements 6 and 12) from the Störmthal version, but it did have a closing minuet which Bach jettisoned for the church version. Dürr's reconstruction of it in the NBA (Critical Commentary) includes a blank staff labelled 'Singstimme', but despite the title 'Aria' it seems more likely that the movement is an instrumental dance.

For present purposes the Störmthal version will be treated as the 'core' form of BWV 194. In this form it has 12 movements, divided into two groups (1-6 and 7-12) which form a prima and secunda pars (apparently heard, as usual, before and after the sermon). The cantata opens with a grandiose French overture in which the voices enter only at the central section after the double bar. The rapid triple-time section which forms the bulk of the movement is based on the fugal working out of the motif for the opening of the text; it also includes reduced sections for the two oboes and rapid antiphonal writing between the woodwind and strings. The voice parts, which do no more than double the instruments, drop out when the main tempo returns after the central section (indeed, the awkward handling of the voice parts throughout the movement arouses suspicions that they may have been added later to a purely instrumental movement). After a bass recitative, which Bach remodeled for the Leipzig version to lower the range of the voice part, comes the bass aria 'Was des Höchsten Glanz erfüllt', which Bach sets in pastoral 12/8 meter. The accompaniment is for strings and oboe, which Bach replaced by an obbligato organ for the 1726 revival. A soprano recitative leads to a second aria, 'Hilf, Gott, daß es uns gelingt'; this is in da capo form, with a sturdy gavotte-like rhythm which recalls the secular origins of the cantata. Part 1 closes with a plain chorale, 'Heiliger Geist ins Himmels Throne', which Bach added to the original secular cantata for the Störmthal version. It sets the sixth and seventh strophes of Johann Heermann's hymn Treuer Gott, ich muß dir klagen ( 1630).

Part 2 opens with a tenor recitative, followed by an aria, 'Des Höchsten Gegenwart allein', for tenor with continuo alone. Its material, which expands from an initial motto figure in 'regal' dotted rhythms, poses familiar problems in the synchronization of dotted rhythms and triplets. The following recitative-aria pair are scored for a duet combination (soprano and bass). The duet aria, 'O wie wohl ist uns geschehn' , is set in a minuet tempo to the gently pastoral accompaniment of two oboes (one of which was again replaced by obbligato organ in the 1726 revival). After a final bass recitative in which the dedication theme of the text receives due emphasis, comes the closing chorale, which Bach again added for the Störmthal version to replace the minuet of BWV194a. It sets strophes 9 and 10 of Paul Gerhardt's hymn Wach auf, mein Herz, und singe. DLH

DLH = David Humphreys is a lecturer in music at the University of Wales, Cardiff. He graduated at Cambridge University and went on to take the Ph.D. with a dissertation on the Elizabethan and Jacobean motet. He has since taken an interest in symbolism and attribution problems in the music of Bach, on which he has published a book and several articles, and he has also undertaken research on the lutenist and composer Philip van Wilder.<<

The Recordings:

Downloads of the complete cantata recordings of BWV 194 by Harnoncourt [2] and Leusink [4] in RAM format as well as MIDI files of the individual mvts. are available at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Mus/BWV194-Mus.htm

A list of all recordings of this cantata can be found at: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV194.htm#RC

This is a chronological list which includes complete recordings by Rilling (1976, 1977) [1], Harnoncourt (1989) [2], Koopman (1998) [3], Leusink (2000) [4], and Suzuki (2000) [6].

Previous discussions on the merits of available recordings can be found at the bottom of the same page (Discussions), but before reading them, I would suggest first listening to whichever recording(s) you may have access to. With this approach you will not be unduly influenced to form a preconception regarding the quality of the various recordings. You are cordially invited to share your views and comments on
the recordings and the music itself.

Continue on Part 2

Cantatas BWV 194 & BWV 194a: Complete Recordings of BWV 194 | Recordings of Individual Movements from BWV 194 | Details of BWV 194a | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2

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Last update: ýJanuary 26, 2008 ý19:36:56