M. Suzuki & Bach Collegium Japan (BIS

BIS.CD-781 STEREO fptpl Total playing time: 62'35 BACH, Johann Sebastian (168b-1250) Cantata No.71,'Gott ist mein Kiinig', BWV7l 19'22 The Town Council Inauguration E I. coro 1'56 Tlombe, Timpani, Flauti dolci, Oboi, Violini, Viola, Fagotto, Violoncello, Violone, Organo E IL aria - Choral 3'56 Tenore, Soprano, Organo obbligato E III. Coro 2'06 a 4 voce,Organo E fV. Arioso 3'05 Basso, Flauti dolci, Oboi, Fagotto, Violoncello, Organo E v. Aria 1'16 Alto, T?ombe,Timpani, Organo E vI. Coro 3'24 Flauti dolci, Oboi, Violini, Viola, Fagotto, Violoncello piccolo,Violone, Organo E vrr. coro 3'29 Tfombe, Timpani, Flauti dolci, Oboi, Violini, Viola, Fagotto, Violoncello, Violone, Organo Cantata No. 131,'Aus der fiefe rufe ich, Herr, zrt dir', BWV131 zL',26 Penitential Service? E I. Sinfonia - Choral 4'42 (Violoncello, _ Oboe, Fagotto, Violino, Viole, Continuo Violone, Organo) l9J II. Aria 4'24 (Violoncello, _ Basso, Soprano, Oboe, eontinuo Organo) ll9 III. Coro 3'10 Oboe,Fagotto, Violino, Viole, Continuo (Violoncello,Violone, Organo) E IV. Aria 5'11 Tenore, Alto, Continuo (Violoncello, Organo) @ V. Coro JDO Oboe,Fagotto, Violino, Vio1e,Continuo (Violoncello,Violone, Organo) Cantata No. 106,'Gottes Zeit ist die allerbes te Zeit', (Actus tragicus), BWV 106 20'39 Unspecifiedoccasion @ I. Sonatina 3'06 Flauti dolci, Viole da gamba, Continuo (Violoncello, Organo) tr IIa. [Coro] 2'00 Flauto dolce,Viole da gamba,Continuo (Violoncello,Organo) tr IIb. [Arioso] 2'I3 Tenore, Fiauto dolce, Viole da gamba, Continuo (Violoncello, Organo) tr IIc. [Arioso] 1'07 Basso,FIauto dolce,Viole da gamba,Continuo (Violoncello,Organo) tr IId. [Coro] 3'28 Flauti dolci,Viole da gamba,Continuo (Violoncello,Organo) @ IIIa. [Aria] 2'20 Alto, Continuo (Viole da gamba, Organo) tr IIIb. [Arioso - Choral] 3'35 Alto, Basso,Viole da gamba,Flauti dolci, Continuo (Violoncello,Organo) @ IV. [Coro] 2'46 Flauti dolci,Viole da gamba,Continuo (Violoncello,Organo) Bach Collegium Japan o Director:Masaaki Suzuki Soloists:Midori Suzuki, soprano(BWV71, BWV 131); Aki Yanagisawa, soprano (BWV 106); Yoshikazu Mera, counter-tenor; GerdTiirk, tenor/bass (Bwv106 No.IIIb); Peter Kooy. bass fffift 3 the Bible's f t is a great pleasure for me to present Bach's cantatas continue to tell I here Volume 2 of the first complete messages vividly through the universal Irecording of J.S. Bach's cantatas by a language of music, just like the biblical Japanese ensemble. This volume, as part two stories portrayed in stained glass in church- of the Miihlhausen cantatas, consists of es, even in this predominantly non-Christian three cantatas including BWV131, which is country, Japan. basedon my favourite psalm, Psalm 130. As in Volume 1, the pitch I have chosen This psalm te1ls of'the depths of our for all pieces in this recording is based on sins', and traditionally it seems that the Bach's original manuscripts. The woodwinds descending fifth interval was often employed are tuned to a'=415, and the strings, to expressthese depths. Both Luther's trumpets, organ and choir perform in a'=465 chorale Azs tiefdr Not schrei ich zu dir (In (with the exception of the violoncello in my despair I cry to thee), which Bach later BWV71, which is tuned to a'=415). I hope used in his cantata No.38, and Psalm 130 of that the listener wiil enjoy the resulting the Genevan Psalter, compiled by Jean sonorities, such as the uncommon Calvin, begin with this motif of the descend- progression from E flat major through F ing fifth. Bach, too, opens his cantata minor to B flat minor in BWV106, and also BWV131 with this same motif, and relates the bright-sounding C major in BWV 71. the words ofthe psalm with deep passion. Masaaki Suzuki In fact the sense of'sin' against the Absolute Being does not exist in the trad- -ffthis -which CD comprisesthree early cantatas itional Japanese mentality. In Japan,'sin' | belong to Bach's Miihlhausen (1707-08). has always been something relative, and it is I neriod While he held the believed that sins are washed away as time post oi organist at Miihlhausen's Church of passes.However, 'sin'as taught in the Bible St. Blasius, Bach began to composehis can be forgiven only by God, and not by one's church cantatas, musical compositions for own self. Therefore, in this cantata, Bach Sundays and holy days in the Lutheran stresses that only God can give forgiveness liturgical year, producing at least five of by using the dissonant major seventh chord them during this time (six, if BWV150 can and its resolution only once on the word'Ver- be included; the possibility exists that this gebung' (Forgiveness)(BWV131, No.2). The work was composedbefore 1707). Two of longing for God is sung feruently by the alto these Miihlhausen cantatas, BWV4 and and tenor (opening of No.3), and the night BWV196, are found on the first recording in (BIS-CD-751). watch waits longingly for the moming, which this Cantata Series If BWV4 signifies redemption, as expressedin the is set apart as an isolated example of the sustained tone in the tenor aria (opening of chorale variation form, then it is reasonable No.4). to say that the style of these works is representative of the cantatas of the Miihl- hausen period. The content of each of the three works for the following year's celebrations, and this varies according to its intended use in was also published, but has not survived.) seruices of worship, but all of them incorpor- Unlike the other two works on this CD, ate a wealth ofquotations from the Bible and this cantata does not include an instrum- from Lutheran chorales, at least a portion of ental introduction, beginning with a power- which are thought to be of Bach's own ful C major chord from the orchestra. The selection. Nowhere in the musical structure simple use ofthat chord symbolizes God, the 'King'. is the Italian opera influence of the later three-person Continuing, the music cantatas perceptible; rather, the influences of modulates into E minor, and,anAndctnte aria traditional north German church music (section 2) expressesappreciation for the forms and the compositional conventions of efforts of the aged and retiring council organ music are ciearly recognizable. Not members. The tenor heartily sings the limited by the traditional approach, however, speech of a Biblical figure, the old man Bach - then in his early twenties - was Barzillai, who refused to journey on to Jeru- already tackling the themes of sin, death, salem with King David to be rewarded for salvation and eternity head-on; the way in his service, choosing rather to wait for death which the music overflows with the sensitiv- in his own 1and. The soprano sings a chorale ity of youth makes his personal approach to melody by Johann Heermann, the text of these themes very clear. which deals with a soul preparing for old age. But this resignation to old age is negat- Cantatct No.77: Gott ist mcin Kdnig ed by the quartet in A minor which follows. (BWV71) In the words of the Bible. it reminds us that This work, scored for strings, continuo and insofar as they are both with God, no differ- organ, two oboes, a bassoon and two record- ence exists between the young and the o1d. ers, to which are added three trumpets and To emphasize that this is the law of God, the timpani, is on a large scale even for one of section employs a rigid fugal form (technic- the Miihlhausen cantatas. This is due to its ally, a permutation fugue). Section 4 is a bass having been commissioned for performance aria in F major. It has a 3/2 passage compos- at a seruice at St. Mary's Church celebrating ed in such a way that we have an image as if the inauguration of the newiy-elected city surveying the whole of creation. The middle council. The council lent its resources to this section, which refers to the movements ofthe by publishing not only the libretto but the sun and the stars, changes into a livelier score of the work as we1l. The result is that tone in common time. The next section (5) this is the only one of Bach's existing cant- brings back the trumpets and timpani, with atas to have been published during his a brave alto aria in C major, the free verse of lifetime. (The Miihlhausen city council also which changes the scene to Germany of the commissionedBach, who had by that time present time. Following afler a 3/8 Viuace moved on to Weimar, to compose a cantata passagedeclaiming'Thy power and might', we have a serious prayer for continued peace was performed upon that occasion. If this and preservation from times of war. (In- theory is correct, then it would make cidentally, the passagesneasured in 3 BWV131 the earliest of Bach's Miihlhausen represents God, while the 4-beat passage cantatas. At any rate, a note in Bach's own symbolizes the created world.) In the hand makes it certain that the work was Larghetto (section 6) which follows, the choir commissionedby G.C. Eilmar, pastor of St. in C minor, imitating a turtle dove frighten- Marls Church (who, as an orthodox pastor, ed by the threat of an enemy, pleads for had strained relations with J.A. Frone. peace.With the four voices in block harmony pastor of the Church of St. Blasius, who had above the lively movement of the cello, the pietist tendencies). It is believed that Eilmar piece could almost be called romantic in its was responsible for the selection of the text.

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