Systematic Discussions of Bach's Other Vocal Works: Weihnachts-Oratorium

Discussions in the Week of October 17, 2004

Neil Halliday wrote (November 7, 2004):
BWV 248: movement 21

This chorus "Honour be to God on high" (near the end of Part 2 of the XO) seems to present something of a performance dilemma.

It's marked 'vivace'.

In the Richter recording, it's so hard-driven as to be almost incomprehensible (the choir valiantly attempting, and almost succeeding, to keep up), except for the music at the words "and peace on earth", where Richter slows the tempo down considerably, allowing a yearning motive on the violins to present itself, with beautiful effect. I note that there is no indication in the score to change the tempo at this point.

Courtesy of the Zale site, I have been able to compare Harnoncourt, Gardiner and Herreweghe (what a site!!!).

Harnoncourt takes the opposite approach to Richter; he seems to ignore the 'vivace' designation, playing the whole chorus at about the same slow tempo that Richter adopts for the section "and peace on earth". This turns the whole movement into quite a weighty chorus, BUT, after hearing Gardiner and Herreweghe, Harnoncourt indeed sounds laboured, as if that 'vivace' marking does need to be obeyed.

But here's the dilemma: Gardiner and Herreweghe, while adopting what seems like an appropriately exciting tempo for this chorus (both being somewhat slower than Richter's frenetic pace), play straight through the "and peace on earth" section, at the same fast tempo as the rest of the chorus, almost entirely missing the special beauty of this section. (And Herreweghe's strings are especially weak at this point).

So, Richter and Harnoncourt seem to have the best tempo for the lovely writing in the "peace" section; while Gardiner and Herreweghe seem to create the excitement that appears to be appropriate for Bach's very different writing in the rest of the score.

Conclusion: A performance of this chorus appears to require the adoption of a slower (not 'vivace') tempo for the "and peace on earth" section.

Neil Halliday wrote (November 7, 2004):
"Conclusion: A performance of this chorus appears to require the adoption of a slower (not 'vivace') tempo for the "and peace on earth" section."
I meant to add: Richter is the only conductor to adopt this strategy, but he fails because his 'vivace' section is too hard-driven, destroying the shape of the music.

As things stand, I would probably choose the Harnoncourt from these 4 examples.

Bradley Lehman wrote (November 7, 2004):
Vivace

[To Neil Halliday] Harnoncourt discusses his understanding of the word Vivace in his books, which see. That word is about character and emphasis, not speed! It's about beats and subdivided beats (i.e. the stressing of smaller note-values, so that a prevailing tempo determined by other factors seems faster without being faster). There's time for stronger, clearer articulation. Harnoncourt's not "ignoring" the Vivace marking; rather, he's taking it more prescriptively (and in a way differently from your understanding of the term).

As with the Vivace marking itself, the difference here is one of emphasis: emphasizing that Harnoncourt is well-informed and faithful to the markings, rather than ignorant or cavalier! Harnoncourt's attempt is to read the markings as they meant then to those people, not as they mean generically to modern people, having been trained differently.

In that recording of "Ehre sei Gott", listen especially to the manner in which the bass-line players articulate their line: that's where the "lively" of vivace is located, the character of the bass line, setting the mood and tempo for everybody else. At the "Friede auf Erden" section the character of that bass line changes (thank you, Bach!) for the contrast, and no change of tempo is really necessary.

Conclusion: Bach knew what he was doing in not writing any change of overall tempo there, and Harnoncourt knew what he was doing in bringing out character difference rather than tempo difference.

=====

A further example of vivace is Harnoncourt's recording of the Schumann Violin Concerto, with Gidon Kremer, Teldec 90696, from 1994. The finale, marked "Lebhaft, doch nicht schnell" is another example of a lively-but-not-fast movement, in this case a Polonaise. Indeed Kremer and Harnoncourt play it in a lively manner at a spaciously slow tempo, taking Schumann's additionally clarifying marking of metronome 63 at face value. They manage to hold it in the 58-66 range well, where other players zip through at 80+ changing the character and accentuation of the music
(making it more bravura and hectic, and in some passages scarcely playable).

Doug Cowling wrote (November 7, 2004):
Bradley Lehman wrote: < In that recording of "Ehre sei Gott", listen especially to the manner in which the bass-line players articulate their line: that's where the "lively" of vivace is located, the character of the bass line, setting the mood and tempo for everybody else. At the "Friede auf Erden" section the character of that bass line changes (thank you, Bach!) for the contrast, and no change of tempo is really necessary. >
The problem of heavenly romps and earthly saunters occurs in the Gloria of the Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) where there are few performances that make the shift from the 3/8 "Gloria" to the "Et in Terra" convincing.

In a similar vein, the tempo changes in the "Confiteor" have always been interpreted in vastly different ways. Is there a 'ritard' lesding into "the middle "Et expecto .. Mortuorum" section. Where does the "resurrection" tempo begin? On the Soprano I entry on "Et expecto"? Or on the beginning of that bar? Or on the next bar when the tutti enters? After listening to all kinds of gear shifts in performance, I tend to the opinion that the changes are one of character -- like 'Vivace' -- and not tempo.

Neil Halliday wrote (November 8, 2004):
Bradley Lehman wrote: <"Harnoncourt's not "ignoring" the Vivace marking; rather, he's taking it more prescriptively (and in a way differently from your understanding of the term)">.
Thanks! This certainly clears up the puzzle I was confronted with; and although I initially had some doubts about Harnoncourt's moderate tempo, mainly because of an attempt to make it fit my understanding of 'vivace', I'm pleased I came out in favour of Harnoncourt's version in the end :-).

Notice also how Harnoncourt articulates the pairs of detached notes (that alternate between the upper strings and woodwinds) by giving more emphasis and shape to the second of the two notes; this is much better than Herreweghe's always pointed staccato on all the notes.

BTW, I checked out Leonhardt's treatment of similar orchestral writing - in relation to alternating pairs of detached notes on upper strings and woodwinds - occurring in the ritornello of BWV 39, and have to say that this is the finest version I have heard. I agree precisely with Aryeh's comments (at the BCW) on this opening chorus; and in relation to the articulation of the detached pairs of notes, Leonhardt is midway between the extremely precise approach of Herreweghe and Rilling, and the somewhat indistinct overlapping of the notes that occurs with Richter. As well, Leonhardt has the slowest tempo, enabling the listener to savour this great music to the fullest.

I'm in the market for this one!

Jason Marmaras wrote (November 9, 2004):
Neil, you write: >> Courtesy of the Zale site, I have been able to compare Harnoncourt, Gardiner and Herreweghe (what a site!!!). <<
Could you please designate the address of the site?

Thanks,

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Last update: ýNovember 27, 2004 ý20:46:50