Cantata BWV 210, “O Holder Tag, Erwünschte Zeit,” a Response by Bach to a Changing Musical Aesthetic
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“Was wird sich dein Gesang aus Satans Kindern machen?” Cantata BWV 210, “O holder Tag, erwünschte Zeit,” A Response by Bach to a Changing Musical Aesthetic By Charlene Pauls A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts Graduate Department of Music University of Toronto © Copyright by Charlene Pauls 2013 ii Abstract Cantata BWV 210, “O holder Tag, erwünschte Zeit,” A Response by Bach to a Changing Musical Aesthetic Charlene Pauls Doctor of Musical Arts University of Toronto Faculty of Music 2013 As the Enlightenment took hold in Europe, all aspects of eighteenth-century society felt its effects. Musical tastes, caught in this ideological shift, began to move from the more codified complexity of counterpoint toward the more simplified aesthetic known as galant. Johann Sebastian Bach, now in the most mature phase of a musical career rooted in the contrapuntal style, came under growing public criticism from proponents of galant who were increasingly dismissive of counterpoint as an out-dated compositional method. In 1741, during this time of growing censure, Bach created the wedding cantata BWV 210, O holder Tag erwünschte Zeit, based on an earlier cantata but with significant changes that are unique within this oeuvre. Rather than the typical celebratory libretto characteristic of his other wedding cantatas, Bach mounted a strong rhetorical argument in defense of music, deftly combining iii irony, humour, and pointed barbs to make his point. The rationale for this has not received significant scholarly attention. This dissertation explores the idea that Bach used BWV 210 as a specific personal response to his critics who favoured the changing musical aesthetic of the era, and as a defense of a contrapuntal style cherished by him but no longer valued by many advocates of the galant. This claim is supported through an aggregation of extant research linking the cantata to the circumstances in which it was created. Particular attention is given to the ideological conflict represented in the aesthetic shift of the eighteenth century, and Bach’s reactions evident in written documents, his compositions and in his unique synthesis of compositional styles intersecting the aesthetics of his era. The circumstances under which the cantata was written provide context for the significant libretto revisions undertaken to adapt the cantata from its closest known counterpart, BWV 210a. Finally, Johann Scheibe’s published criticism against Bach is explored as an important flashpoint for Bach’s use of BWV 210 as a musical rebuttal. Not only is a better understanding of a lesser-known cantata achieved, but a glimpse into the mindset of Bach is also realized through the unusually personal response included in BWV 210. iv Acknowledgments I thank Dr. Gregory Johnston for his expert mentorship as my advisor for the past four years. His input has allowed freedom to explore ideas within an important critical framework, and has been an abiding force in the refinement of my arguments. I am also grateful for the valuable insights offered by the other members of my committee, Professor Lorna MacDonald and Dr. Gillian MacKay. Both continue to inspire in the fields of performance and scholarship. The funding support from the Ontario Graduate Scholarship has allowed essential time to research and write. Others have also played essential roles in the completion of this research. Michelle Coon provided expertise on the formatting of musical examples. The comments by my external appraiser, Dr. Alexander Fisher, were insightful and thought provoking. My parents, Victor and Joan Pauls, and parents-in-law Esther and Frederic Wieler, have provided a structure of support during these years of study. The encouragement given by my children Hannah and Benson, in spite of the many hours spent in front of my computer instead of with them. And finally, I owe a debt of gratitude to my husband David Wieler for his unwavering support. I dedicate this work to him. v Table of Contents ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................................................... II ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................................................... IV TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................................... V GENERAL ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................................... VIII BIBLIOGRAPHIC ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................... VIII LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ...................................................................................................................... IX CHAPTER 1. ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ............................................................................................................................................. 9 THE PARODY SOURCE OF BWV 210 .............................................................................................................................. 14 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2. ...................................................................................................................................................... 18 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................... 18 THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND GALANT .............................................................................................................................. 20 THE TRADITION OF COUNTERPOINT IN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY GERMANY .......................................................... 26 THE EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY SHIFT IN MUSICAL AESTHETICS ................................................................................. 30 Johann Mattheson’s Influential Debates .............................................................................................................. 34 BACH’S INTERSECTION WITH THE MUSICAL DISCOURSE OF HIS TIME .................................................................... 39 Bach and Theoretical Publications ........................................................................................................................ 42 Bach’s Reaction to the Changing Aesthetic as Expressed Through His Music .................................... 45 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................................................... 55 CHAPTER 3. ...................................................................................................................................................... 56 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................... 56 SOCIETAL CONSTRUCTS IN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY LEIPZIG .................................................................................... 57 The Position of Cantor in Eighteenth-Century Leipzig ................................................................................. 59 BACH’S RESPONSES TO CONFLICT ................................................................................................................................... 63 Early Life ........................................................................................................................................................................... 63 Bach’s Years in Leipzig ................................................................................................................................................ 65 vi Bach’s Response to Conflicts Beyond Leipzig .................................................................................................... 78 CHAPTER 4. ...................................................................................................................................................... 90 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................... 90 THE CULTURE OF EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY WEDDINGS .............................................................................................. 92 General Characteristics of Eighteenth-Century Wedding Cantatas ......................................................... 94 BACH’S WEDDING CANTATAS .......................................................................................................................................... 99 BACH’S SECULAR CANTATAS ......................................................................................................................................... 103 Bach’s Adaptations of Gottsched’s Poetry ........................................................................................................