A weekday programme about the oeuvre of Johann Sebastian Bach with producer Govert Jan Bach. Episode 539 is composed by guest composer Jos Bielders. His theme: the occasion creates the music.
Our Bach team asks listeners sometimes if they would like to compose an episode of Bach Ad Infinitum. The guest composer of this episode is Jos Bielders from Maastricht.
Jos motivates his choice as follows:
Maria Josepha of Saxony, Lithuania, Poland & Austria, painter: Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757)
If you have to make a choice from the immense oeuvre of Bach, it’s only possible when you think of a theme. I would like to choose the following theme: ‘the occasion creates the music’.
On the one hand I’d like to broadcast the festive Bach in his worldly cantata BWV 214, ‘Tönet ihr Pauken! Erschallet Trompeten’. This cantata was written for the occasion of the the birthday of Maria Josepha of Austria, wife of August III, prince-elector of Saxony and king of Poland. The cantata was performed on 8 December 1733, probably in the well-known Kaffee Zimmermann in Leipzig, where Bach regularly performed with his Collegium Musicum. The brass blares of joy for the occasion of this feast.
On the other hand the ecclesiastical cantata BWV 120, ‘Gott lobet mann in der Stille’. Bach composed this cantata in Leipzig for the inauguration of the newly elected municipal council, which took place in a festive service in the St. Nicholas Church on Monday following St. Bartholomew’s Day (24 August 1742). An official occasion to celebrate, which Sebastian took to frame the event exuberantly with music and singing in variety to its serenity. With the aria ‘Heil und Segen’ he wishes the members of this new council all the strength needed in this particular job.
Around it, I decorate these different cantatas with small organ pieces, which to everyone, even if they know nothing of Bach, will sound like music to their ears. Three so-called Schübler-chorals, BWV 645, 649, 650.
The nickname of the chorals comes from the engraver and publisher Johann Schübler, mentioned on the title page of the score.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
1. Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme, BWV 645
Ewald Kooiman, Holzhey-organ, Weissenau (D)
2. Cantata 214, “Tönet, Ihr Pauken! Erschallet Trompeten!”, BWV 214
– Tönet, Ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!
– Heut Ist Der Tag, Wo Jeder Sich Erfreuen Mag
– Blast Die Wohlgegriffnen Flöten
– Mein Knallendes Metall
– Fromme Musen! Meine Glieder!
– Unsre Königin Im Lande
– Kron Und Preis Gekrönter Damen
– So Dringe In Das Weite Erdenrund
– Blühet, Ihr Lieden In Sachsen, Wie Zedern!
The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra conducted by Ton Koopman
3. Ach Bleib’ Bei Uns, BWV 649
4. Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, BWV 650
Hans Fagius, organ Kristine Church, Falun (Sweden)
5. Cantata ‘Gott lobet mann in der Stille’ BWV 120
– Aria (Alto). Gott, Man Lobet Dich
– Choir. Jauchzet, Ihr Erfreuten Stimmen
– Recitative (Bass). Auf! Du Geliebte Lindenstadt
– Aria (Soprano). Heil Und Segen
– Recitative (Tenor). Nun, Herr, So Weihe
– Choral. Nun Hilf Uns, Herr
Bach Collegium Japan conducted by Masaaki Suzuki
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