Cantata BWV 43 - Provenance

Thomas Braatz wrote (May 29, 2003):
The Autograph Score:

The autograph score belonged to C.P.E. Bach. At the time of his death, the score is listed in his estate along with a few of the original parts (doublets.) Georg Pölchau was the next owner who acquired it in a way that is not documented. It is now located in the BB (Staatsbibliothek Berlin.)

The title on the 1^st page reads:

J. J. Festo Ascensionis Xsti. Concerto, á 3 Trombe è Tamburi, 2 Violini, Viola, 4 Voci è Cont.

After the final choral: Fine SDG.

The Original Set of Parts:

These are now in the BB. Just how the Berliner Singakademie acquired them is unclear. They simply appeared in the catalog of the Singakademie in the middle of the 19^th century. They were sold to the BB in 1854.

The parts are as follows:

1. Soprano: Copyist 1 (mvts. 1-5; mvt. 11); Copyist 2 text for 1 & 11); J. S. Bach (text for mvt. 4 & 5, all of mvts. 6-10)
2. Alto: Copyist 1 (1-11); J. S. Bach (text for 1-9); Copyist 2 (text for 11)
3. Tenore: Copyist 1 (1-11 not text); Bach (text for 1-3); Copyist 2 (text for 11)
4. Baßo: Copyist 1 (1-9, 11); Bach (text for 1-7); Copyist 2 (text 7-11)
5. Trombe 1: Copyist 1 (1-7 ms. 29); Copyist 2 (7 ms30 Ц 9);
6. Trombe 2: Copyist 1
7. Trombe 3: Copyist 1
8. Tamburi: Copyist 1
9. Hautbois 1: Copyist 3 (1-5 ms. 10a); Copyist 1 (5 ms.10b to end)
10. Hautbois 2: Copyist 4 (1-5 ms. 6); Copyist 2 (5 ms. 7 Ц 10); Copyist 1 (11)
11. Violino 1: Copyist 1 (1-11 not the obbligato part for mvt. 7); Bach (mvt. 7 obbligato part)
12. Violino 1 (Doublet): Copyist 5 (1-6); Copyist 1 (7-11 but not obbligato for mvt. 7); Bach (mvt. 7 obbligato part)(
13. Violino 2: Copyist 1
14. Violino 2 (Doublet): Copyist 6 (1-5); Copyist 7 (6-9); Copyist 1 (11 to ms. 4); Copyist 2 (11 from ms. 5 to end)
15. Viola: Copyist 1 (1-8); Copyist 2 (9-11)
16. Continuo: Copyist 1 (1-10); Bach (11)
17. Continuo (Doublet): Copyist 7 (1-9 ms. 23); Copyist 5 (9 ms. 24 -10); Copyist 1 (11)
18. Continuo (transposed whole tone lower, w/figured bass): Copyist 2

7 copyists participated in this project with Bach copying some portions as indicated and editing as well as revising.

Date of Composition:

This cantata was composed for its 1st performance on May 30, 1726.

The Text:

The librettist is unknown. Spitta thought that the texts for mvts. 5 through 10 originally formed a poem consisting of 6 vs. and might have been by Mariane von Ziegler. This can not be established with any firm evidence. It is simply speculation.

Mvts. 1 & 4 are biblical texts taken from Psalm 47, 6-7 and Mark 16:19 (the latter being a portion of the Gospel designated for Ascension.)

Mvts. 2 & 3 are in free verse. In these there are phrases that relate to Bible passages: Уda die Gefängnisse er selbst gefangen führtФ relates to Psalm 68:19 and the quotation from Ephesians 4:8 (УDu bist in die Höhe gefahren und hast das Gefängnis gefangen.Ф)

The 1st line of mvt. 3: УJa tausendmal tausend begleiten den WagenФ is a reference to Daniel 7:10 (УЕ.tausendmal tausend dienten ihmФ)

The beginning of mvt. 7: УEr ists, der ganz allein die Kelter hat getretenФ refers to Isaiah 63:3 (УIch trete die Kelter allein.Ф)

Mvt. 11, the final chorale, is based on vs. 1 & 13 of the chorale УDu Lebensfürst, Herr Jesu ChristФ by Johann Rist (1641).

Cantata BWV 43: Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2

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Last update: ¤July 14, 2003 ¤07:28:22