Performing Bach Cantatas with Modern Orchestras: a Modern Conductor's Handbook for Applying Historically Informed Practice to Today's Ensembles
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PERFORMING BACH CANTATAS WITH MODERN ORCHESTRAS: A MODERN CONDUCTOR'S HANDBOOK FOR APPLYING HISTORICALLY INFORMED PRACTICE TO TODAY'S ENSEMBLES by Wilbur B. Lin Submitted to the faculty of the Jacobs School of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, Doctor of Music Indiana University December 2019 Accepted by the faculty of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Music Doctoral Committee ______________________________________ Arthur Fagen, Research Director ______________________________________ Dominick DiOrio ______________________________________ Dana Marsh ______________________________________ Stanley Ritchie November 12, 2019 ii Copyright © 2019 Wilbur Lin iii Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. vii Part I: Summary of the Current Research ....................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1 : The Context of Cantata Composition and Performances ............................................. 2 Early Cantatas .............................................................................................................................. 2 Leipzig Cantatas........................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2 : The Size, Instrumentation, and Balance of Bach’s Orchestras .................................. 19 Bach’s Orchestras at a Glance ................................................................................................... 19 Bach’s Orchestras in Context ..................................................................................................... 34 Interpreting the Sources ............................................................................................................. 38 Chapter 3 : Continuo, Dual Accompaniment, and Directing ....................................................... 42 Keyboards and Dual Accompaniment ....................................................................................... 42 Maestro al cembalo and the Violin Leader ................................................................................ 47 Bassoon ...................................................................................................................................... 49 Strings ........................................................................................................................................ 53 Historically-Informed Modern Performances ............................................................................ 60 Part II: Performing Cantatas with Modern Orchestras: Discussion and Case Studies ................. 61 Chapter 4 : Orchestra Size and Balance ....................................................................................... 62 Between One-to-a-Part and Multiplying Strings ....................................................................... 62 Between Singers and Instrumentalists ....................................................................................... 67 Chapter 5 : Discussion on Instrumentation for the Modern Orchestra ......................................... 71 Period Strings Versus Modern Strings ....................................................................................... 71 Period Winds and Natural Brass Versus Modern Winds and Brass .......................................... 75 The Missing Instruments ............................................................................................................ 80 iv Continuo Instruments ................................................................................................................. 86 Chapter 6 : Discussion on Temperament and Pitch for the Modern Orchestra ............................ 89 Pitch ........................................................................................................................................... 89 Temperaments ............................................................................................................................ 92 Chapter 7 : Case Studies: Applying Historically-Informed Practice to the Modern Orchestra .... 95 Cantata BWV 143 ...................................................................................................................... 96 Cantata BWV 21 ...................................................................................................................... 100 Cantata BWV 77 ...................................................................................................................... 103 Cantata BWV 67 ...................................................................................................................... 106 Cantata BWV 80 ...................................................................................................................... 109 Cantata BWV 30 ...................................................................................................................... 112 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 115 Primary Sources ....................................................................................................................... 115 Secondary Sources ................................................................................................................... 115 v List of Figures Figure 1 Measures 10–14 of BWV 143 No. 1 ............................................................................... 97 Figure 2 Measures 35–37 of BWV 77 No. 1 ............................................................................... 105 Figure 3 Structure of BWV 67 ..................................................................................................... 106 Figure 4 The virtuosic first violin part of BWV 67 ..................................................................... 108 vi List of Tables Table 1 Select Cantatas Before 1714 ............................................................................................... 6 Table 2 Select Cantatas from 1714–15 ............................................................................................ 8 Table 3 List of Bach’s Sacred Cantatas After Trinity, 1729 .......................................................... 17 Table 4 Bach's Orchestras .............................................................................................................. 22 Table 5 Structure of BWV 18 (Weimar Version) .......................................................................... 51 Table 6 List of Case Study Cantatas .............................................................................................. 95 vii Part I: Summary of the Current Research This study provides historical information about Johann Sebastian Bach and his cantatas, with the goal of aiding modern musicians in making more informed performance choices. First, this thesis discusses the scholarship regarding Bach’s cantatas. Then, it examines the stages of Bach’s professional life and how these events influenced the ways in which he composed his works and his view of their importance. This thesis also looks at the different trends of musical styles, orchestration, and orchestral practices that were developing in early 18th century Protestant Germany. Much of the detail provided looks at the characteristics of Bach’s orchestras, since he developed his compositions based upon the skills of the individuals with whom he worked. As a practical composer, Bach focused on which parts needed to be altered to compensate for a lack of skilled musicians, such as the omission of the second violin in the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto (see pg. 24). This practice allowed him to compose more freely when he had strong players, such as the virtuosic flute solos in several of the second cycle of his Leipziger cantatas (see pg. 14). The analyses provided in this thesis will help present-day musicians determine their priorities while performing Bach’s cantatas on modern instruments. 1 Chapter 1: THE CONTEXT OF CANTATA COMPOSITION AND PERFORMANCES This chapter provides an overview of Bach’s cantatas with a specific focus on information that will help modern performers to understand source materials in historical context. The first part of this chapter explores Bach’s cantatas before 1723. These cantatas were composed and performed under varied circumstances, with Bach residing in and traveling to numerous cities working with ensembles of different sizes, musicians of different levels of capabilities, and varied expectations from his employers and audiences. The second part focusses on Bach’s Leipzig cantatas, those performed after Bach accepted his cantorship in Leipzig in 1723. These cantatas were composed for a comparably stable set of musicians under more uniform circumstances. Particular emphasis is placed on the different themes of Bach’s cantata cycles and the musicians he worked with to help contextualize how they influenced Bach’s composition. These discussions are intended