Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen, BWV 770 Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gü g, BWV 768 1. Par ta I [Chorale] [0:59] 27. Choral [1:13] 2. Par ta II [0:52] 28. Varia on I [2:30] Chorale Par tas, BWV 766–768 & 770 3. Par ta III [0:57] 29. Varia on II [0:55] 4. Par ta IV [0:58] 30. Varia on III [0:45] 5. Par ta V [0:39] 31. Varia on IV [0:52] 6. Par ta VI [0:39] 32. Varia on V [1:04] Stephen Farr organ 7. Par ta VII [0:47] 33. Varia on VI [1:21] 8. Par ta VIII [0:45] 34. Varia on VII [1:22] Organ by Bernard Auber n (2015) 9. Par ta IX [3:32] 35. Varia on VIII [0:57] 10. Par ta X [3:57] 36. Varia on IX [1:14] 37. Varia on X [4:32] Christ, der du bist der helle Tag, BWV 766 38. Varia on XI [1:16] 11. Par ta I [Chorale] [0:49] 12. Par ta II [1:52] 13. Par ta III [1:03] Total playing me [55:46] 14. Par ta IV [0:46] 15. Par ta V [1:10] 16. Par ta VI [1:03] 17. Par ta VII [1:29]
O Go , du frommer Go , BWV 767 18. Par ta I [Chorale] [1:09] 19. Par ta II [2:19] About Stephen Farr: 20. Par ta III [0:59] 21. Par ta IV [0:46] ‘[...] rock steady rhythmic playing, crisp ar cula on and commanding 22. Par ta V [1:20] overview. His approach is refreshingly unfussy and quirk free, and 23. Par ta VI [0:56] he draws on an unfailingly interes ng pale e of tonal colours’ 24. Par ta VII [2:00] Gramophone 25. Par ta VIII [1:55] 26. Par ta IX [3:42] ‘[...] Farr’s playing needs no musicological jus fica on; it sparkles and seduces in equal measure’ Classical Ear Johann Sebas an Bach (1685–1750): or on the harpsichord or clavichord at home. Chorale Par tas, BWV 766–768 & 770 Nonetheless, as some of the extant sources clearly indicate the use of pedals at various With their consecu ve catalogue numbers points, it is en rely appropriate to perform in the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV them on the organ. 766–8 & 770), Bach’s four Chorale Par tas are frequently regarded as cons tu ng The label ‘par ta’ is also somewhat a set. However, in terms of their ambiguous. In the eighteenth century, it provenance, their strongest unifying came to be employed by composers feature is perhaps the collec ve mystery (including Bach) simply to denote a mul - regarding their respec ve origins. None movement suite. However, the chorale exists in an autograph source, and it is par ta was a specific genre rooted in the difficult to iden fy conclusively when seventeenth century. A set of successive they were composed. While the extant varia ons on a chorale melody, with each sources – par cularly D-B Mus.ms. Bach individual movement given the tle ‘par ta’ P 802, the so-called Walther-Krebs or varia o, it was a product of the symbiosis manuscript – suggest they date from between the Sweelinck-influenced North Bach’s second period in Weimar German organ school and the Central (1708–1717), their musical style would German tradi on, whose composers seem to imply that they may be from normally adhered to a stricter contrapuntal an earlier period. Johann Nikolaus style in their chorale-based composi ons. Forkel (1749–1818), who based much The form reached its culmina on in the of his Bach biography on informa on hands of Georg Böhm (1661–1733), from the composer’s eldest son, organist of the Johanniskirche in Lüneburg, Carl Philipp Emmanuel (1714–1788), the town where Bach completed his lends some support to this hypothesis, schooling. Although there is no firm describing how ‘Bach began already evidence Bach ever actually studied with when he was at Arnstadt to compose Böhm, it seems likely the two would have such pieces, with varia ons, under the become acquainted. In any case, each of tle of Par te diverse.’ Furthermore, it the four par tas demonstrates Böhm’s is not clear either for what purpose they influence on the younger composer, from were intended, whether they were to be their harmonisa on of the chorale melodies performed on the organ for liturgical use, to the approaches in the subsequent varia ons. James Francis Brown Photography: Liz Isles Recent scholarship has tended to avoid the a decorated version of the chorale melody Christe qui lux es et dies. Set in F minor, the and death. Bach’s opening statement of the naïve interpreta ons made by nineteenth- over a steady walking bass. Par ta III sees opening chorale harmonisa on is richly melody makes reference to the chorale’s and early-twen eth-century commentators the melody broken down into semiquavers, chroma c, before the subtle bicinium, poe c metre, retaining its strong upbeats such as Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965), who and is largely made up of sequen al figures, which is built on hypno c repe ve in a five-part harmonisa on in C minor. a empted to trace specific textual tropes while Par ta IV returns to a more rhythmic figures. Par ta III echoes While Schweitzer's sugges on that its in the par tas. However, the rela onship harpsichord-like texture, with the chorale Johann Pachelbel’s (1653–1706) varia ons eight varia ons correspond directly to between the music and text remains melody superimposed over arpeggiated style, interpola ng short decora ve the eight verses of the chorale is en rely essen al to consider on some level. The chords spread between the hands. mo ves between the phrases of the supposi onal, each of the par tas is based thema c links that bind the chorale Par ta V showcases the le hand, with chorale, before Par ta IV introduces on the explora on of a singular musical par tas, with emphases on Lent, the rapid descending scales under a chordal perpetuum mobile semiquavers in the idea. Par ta II introduces a fragmented falling of night, and Christ’s promise of accompaniment in the right hand, before style developed by Böhm. Par ta V version of the melody in the right hand, eternal life, might provide some insight the right-hand wri ng in Par ta VI evokes moves the chorale melody to the centre accompanied by a repeated dactylic mo ve to Bach’s adop on of the genre. Together, a solo instrument such as the violin, in of the texture, between elaborate in the le . Par ta III introduces the they allude to two of the central themes its athle c leaps. Par ta VII takes the form semiquaver figura ons. Par ta VI suspirans, a stock rhetorical figure echoing that would come to define Bach’s of an understated gigue, before Par ta VIII introduces another gigue, disguising the a sigh, originally employed in vocal music aesthe c approach: his sense of injects some real energy, as the two hands melody in the tenor, while the outer by seventeenth-century composers contrapuntal inven on, and his reverence seem to ques on and answer one another parts engage in the audible process of including Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643), for the music of the Lutheran genera ons in turn. P 802 contains forte and piano mo vic development. Interes ngly, this consis ng of three semiquavers ascending that preceded him. markings for Par ta IX, sugges ng alterna on varia on was omi ed in some of the by step preceded by a semiquaver rest. between manuals. However, it is likely later sources, raising the ques on of Par ta IV is another Böhmian moto perpetuo, Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen (BWV these were added by a later hand. Par ta whether it may have been considered before Par ta V hears the return of the 770) is based on Johann Fli ner’s (1618– X is the most extrovert of the set, redolent outmoded by later copyists. The final suspirans – this me in longer, more fully 1678) seven-verse chorale, which was of the violin concertos of Arcangelo Corelli par ta has the melody at the very developed passages built on full scales. first published 1661. Peter Williams (1653–1713) and the German stylus bo om of the texture, with one source Par ta VI is essen ally a bass aria, with a (1937–2016) suggested this par ta may phantas cus, with the chorale theme being (the Hauser manuscript) including the right-hand accompaniment that makes be the earliest of the four, observing that heard in a series of increasingly drama c marking con pedale se piace, sugges ng crea ve use of the chorale melody. its textures are so overtly similar to the configura ons. that at least in later prac ce, the part Schweitzer iden fied the final three seventeenth-century varia ons sets by was expected to be played by the feet. par tas as being par cularly close to the composers such as Böhm. A er the ini al The seven par tas of Christ, du bist der text, with the descending melodic line of statement of the chorale, Par ta II helle Tag (BWV 766) are based on the The text of Johann Heermann’s (1585– the seventh echoing a sense of impending introduces the two-part bicinium 1568 melody for the sixteenth-century 1647) chorale, the model for O Go , death (‘Laß mich an meinem End/Auf Chris customarily expected as the first reformer Erasmus Alberus’s (c. 1500–1553) du frommer Go (BWV 767), invokes Tod abscheiden’. ‘Let me at my end/depend varia on, with the right hand presen ng German transla on of the evening hymn God as the protector from all danger on Christ’s death’), and the plangent chroma cism of the eighth depic ng ‘the me signature, Varia on VIII introduces sad wait for the signal of resurrec on.’ The the circula o figure, incorpora ng it into final par ta is highly idiosyncra c, in its the chorale melody. Varia on IX has the unusual fantasia-like treatment of the theme. melody in the tenor, between two outer parts that closely imitate one another. Comprising ten varia ons (as opposed to The different sources of Varia on X present par te), Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gü g (BWV mul ple possibili es for the division of the 768) is the largest of Bach’s chorale parts between the hands and feet, with the par tas, and demonstrates to the greatest repeated figure in the bass being heard extent the synthesis between the some forty mes over the course of the techniques developed by his predecessors movement. Finally, with its organo pleno and the composer’s own nascent ar stry. marking, the last varia on sets the chorale P 802 manuscript contains an early melody within a sonorous, five-voiced version, containing just four of the texture. More than any other contained varia ons (1, 2, 4 and 10), with the within the chorale par tas, this concluding others appearing in later sources. The movement seems to highlight Bach’s opening chorale statement is in four increasing awareness of the sheer parts, before the first varia on introduces physical opportunity presented by the a bicinium that would seem to have organ, and hints at the expressive more in common with the ritornello aria explora ons he would undertake in his form than those in the other chorale later works for the instrument. par tas. The second varia on alternates between three and four-part wri ng, © 2019 David Lee introducing some adventurous harmonic contexts. Varia ons III and IV largely present similar processes to Bach’s other par tas, before Varia ons V and VI begin to hint towards Bach’s increasingly ambi ous sense of inven on. Varia on VII also deploys the suspirans figure, in conjunc on with a pedal part With thanks to Paul and Joanna Griffiths suppor ng the imita ve wri ng heard for their generous assistance in the hands. With its unusual 24/16 in making this recording. Stephen Farr (organ) with a double first in Music and an MPhil in musicology as a postgraduate student Stephen Farr’s career as a soloist and of John Bu ’s. He then held a number of ensemble and con nuo player has taken cathedral appointments before embarking him throughout Europe, to North and on a freelance career. In 2014 he completed South America, and to Australia. He a PhD on the organ works of Judith has performed with some of the world’s Bingham. A prize-winner at interna onal leading ensembles and conductors, compe on level, he has an established and has appeared in venues including reputa on as one of the leading recitalists the Berlin Philharmonie (where he of his genera on, with an impressive performed with the Berlin Philharmonic in stylis c grasp of a broad range of the world premiere of Jonathan Harvey’s repertoire and a par cular commitment Weltethos under Sir Simon Ra le), the to contemporary music. His extensive and Royal Fes val Hall, the Concertgebouw wide-ranging discography for Resonus Amsterdam, Symphony Hall Birmingham, encompasses music from the sixteenth Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, to the twenty-first century – recent Notre Dame de Paris, and the Royal releases include the complete organ Albert Hall. He appears frequently at works of Kenneth Leighton and works the BBC Proms: he gave a solo recital by J.S. Bach and Judith Bingham – and in the 2011 season, including the world has received unanimous cri cal acclaim. premiere of Judith Bingham’s The Everlas ng Crown, and made a concerto www.stephenfarr.co.uk appearance with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sakari Oramo in the 2015 season. He is Director of Music at St Paul’s Knightsbridge, and teaches organ at both Oxford and Cambridge Universi es. In 2017 he succeeded Patrick Russill as Chief Examiner of the Royal College of Organists.
Stephen Farr was Organ Scholar of Clare College, Cambridge, gradua ng Organ by Bernard Auber n, 2015 Registra ons Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gü g, BWV 768 For a private residence in Fairwarp, East Sussex, UK 27. 3, 9 Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen, BWV 770 28. RH 9, 10, 11 / LH 16, 17, 21 Pedale Grand Orgue (II) 1. 18 29. 18 (played up 8ve) 2. RH 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 / LH 16, 17, 18, 25, 30. 25, 28 1. Bourdon 16 16. Bourdon 16 28, 30 / III-II 31. 9, 10 3. 16, 25 / III-II (played up 8ve) 32. RH 18 / LH 25, 28, 30 2. Oct ave 8 17. Mon tre 8 4. 9 33. 26 3. Bourdon 8 18. Bour don 8 5. RH 16 (played up 8ve) / LH 25, 28 34. 3, 4 / 10 (played down 8ve) 4. Pr estant 4 19. T raversiere 8 6. RH 21 (played down 8ve) / LH 9 35. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 / 9, 10, 14 5. Flute 4 20. Pr estant 4 7. 25, 26 36. RH 28, 29 (played down 8ve) / LH 17, 18 / 6. Mixtur e II/2 21. Flut e 4 8. 9, 12 Ped 4, 5 (played down 8ve) 7. Buzène 16 22. Double e 2 9. piano 9 / forte 9, 19 /I-II 37. RH 18, 19 – cantus firmus 25, 28, 30 / LH 9 / 8. T rompe e 8 23. Mixtur e IV 10. 9, 10, 12 17, 20, 22, 23 / I-II Ped 1, 3 24. T rompe e 8 38. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 16, 17, 20, 22, 23 / I-II Posi f (I) Christ, der du bist der helle Tag, BWV 766 11. 9, 10, 16, 17, 18 / I-II 9. Bourdon 8 Recit (III) 12. RH 19 30 / III-II / LH 9 10. Mon tre 4 13. 21, 9 / I-II 11. Naz ard 3 25. Flute 8 14. 25 15. 9, 10 12. Flag eolet 2 26. Sua vial 8 16. 21 13. Tier ce 1 3/5 27. Unda Maris 8 17. 2, 4 / 9, 10, 11, 12 14, 24 / II-Ped 14. Mixtur e II 28. Flut e 4 15. Voix Humaine 8 29. Quinte 1 1/3 O Go , du frommer Go , BWV 767 30. Dulcimeau 8 18. 9, 17, 18 / I-II 19. piano 18, 21 / forte 9, 10 Couplers 20. 17, 20, 22, 29 / III-II 21. 16 (played up 8ve) Posi f to Grand Orgue 22. 17, 18 Recit to Grand Orgue 23. RH 17, 20 / LH 9, 10, 11, 15 Grand Orgue to Pedale 24. 18, 21 25. 28 Tuning: Young 1800 26. opening forte 17, 18, 20 / piano 9 b. 36 forte +10 / piano 25, 30 Pitch: A=440 b. 45 +22, +23
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© 2019 Resonus Limited è 2019 Resonus Limited Recorded in Fairwarp, Sussex on 14–15 June 2018 Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks Organ maintained by Simon Brown Recorded at 24-bit/96kHz resolution Session & instrument photography © Resonus Limited Cover image: Bernard Aubertin organ detail © Resonus Limited
RESONUS LIMITED – UK
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