(Re)Constructing Johann Sebastian Bach: Reception History and Performance Practice in New York City During
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(RE)CONSTRUCTING JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: RECEPTION HISTORY AND PERFORMANCE PRACTICE IN NEW YORK CITY DURING THE GREAT WAR A THESIS IN Musicology Presented to the faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF MUSIC By THOMAS JARED MARKS B.M. University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2010 Kansas City, Missouri 2013 ©2013 THOMAS JARED MARKS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (RE)CONSTRUCTING JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: RECEPTION HISTORY AND PERFORMANCE PRACTICE IN NEW YORK CITY DURING THE GREAT WAR Thomas Jared Marks, Candidate for the Master of Music Degree University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2013 ABSTRACT The perception of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) in New York City during the time of the Great War can be illuminated through two threads: 1) reception history and reputation, and 2) contemporary performance practices. Between 1914 and 1927, the reputation of Bach migrated away from one having nationalistic and Romantic associations to one embodying both a “universal” objectivity and a distinctly American subjectivity. Similarly, the manner in which Bach’s music was performed also changed. Before the Great War, transcribing and arranging Bach’s music was common. After the war, some New York City critics began to advocate for Bach’s music to be played as historical reconstructions. Transcriptions and arrangements continued to be performed alongside historical reconstructions, and both a subjective and historically “objective” approaches to performing the composer’s music existed. New York City musician William Henry Humiston (1869-1923) and his idea of Bach provides a useful case study of one musician’s approach to understanding the composer. Humiston’s perception of the Baroque composer and his own transcriptions and arrangements of Bach’s music reveal a blend of both personal subjectivity and historical awareness. iii APPROVAL PAGE The faculty listed below, appointed by the Dean of the Conservatory of Music and Dance, have examined a thesis titled “(Re)constructing Johann Sebastian Bach: Reception History and Performance Practice in New York City during the Great War,” presented by Thomas Jared Marks, candidate for the Master of Music degree, and certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance. Supervisory Committee William Everett, Ph.D., Committee Chair Conservatory of Music and Dance S. Andrew Granade, Ph.D., Conservatory of Music and Dance Erika Honisch, Ph.D., Conservatory of Music and Dance iv CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. iii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS........................................................................................................ vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................1 2. JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH AND THE GREAT WAR ...........................................6 Nationalism and Bach..............................................................................................6 “German” Identities Questioned............................................................................10 “Universality..........................................................................................................14 Bach and “American” Religion .............................................................................16 Post-War Opinions.................................................................................................21 3. BACH’S DUALISTIC PERFORMANCE PRACTICE................................................25 Pre-War Performance Practice...............................................................................26 Early Rumblings against Transcriptions and Arrangements .................................28 Post-War Arranging and Transcribing...................................................................33 Bach’s Post-War Historical Performance Missionaries.........................................38 Bach’s Modern Duality..........................................................................................44 Coexisting Critics ..................................................................................................47 4. WILLIAM HENRY HUMISTON AND JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH ...................50 William Henry Humiston.......................................................................................50 Little Biographies: Bach………………………………………………................52 “The Lighter Side of Bach .....................................................................................56 v Program Notes .......................................................................................................59 Arrangements and Transcriptions..........................................................................63 Humiston’s Bach....................................................................................................77 5. CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................79 Appendix A. JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH’S TOCCATA AND FUGUE IN D MINOR, TRANSCRIBED BY WILLIAM HENRY HUMISTON ...........................................83 B. JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH’S “WATCH YE, PRAY YE,” ARRANGED BY WILLIAM HENRY HUMISTON .................................................87 C. PERMISSION TO PUBLISH......................................................................................91 BIBLIOGRAPHY..........................................................................................................................92 VITA..............................................................................................................................................98 vi ILLUSTRATIONS Musical Examples Page 1. J. S. Bach, “Sarabande,” W. H. Humiston.................................................................67 2. J. S. Bach, “Sarabande,” Bach-Gesellschaft..............................................................67 3. J. S. Bach, “Adagio,” W. H. Humiston......................................................................68 4. J. S. Bach, “Adagio” Bach-Gesellschaft....................................................................69 5. J. S. Bach, Menuette, Bach-Gesellschaft ...................................................................70 6. J. S. Bach, Minuet, W. H. Humiston..........................................................................70 7. J. S. Bach, “Largo,” W. H. Humiston........................................................................72 8. J. S. Bach, “Largo,” Bach-Gesellschaft .....................................................................73 A-1. J. S. Bach, Toccata and Fugue in D minor, W. H. Humiston....................................83 A-2. J. S. Bach, Toccata and Fugue in D minor, W. H. Humiston....................................84 A-3. J. S. Bach, Toccata and Fugue in D minor, W. H. Humiston....................................85 B-1. J. S. Bach, “Watch Ye, Pray Ye,” W. H. Humiston ..................................................87 B-2. J. S. Bach, “Ach soll nicht dieser grosse Tag,” Bach-Gesellschaft .......................... 88 B-3. J. S. Bach, “Watch Ye, Pray Ye,” W. H. Humiston ..................................................89 B-4. J. S. Bach, “Seligster Erquickungstag,” Bach-Gesellschaft ......................................89 B-5. J. S. Bach, “Watch Ye, Pray Ye,” W. H. Humiston ..................................................90 vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my adviser, Dr. William Everett, for facilitating the construction of this document and providing helpful and patient advice throughout the writing process. I also wish to thank Dr. Andrew Granade and Dr. Erika Honisch for their willingness to serve as committee members for this thesis. I would also like to extend a special thanks to Stuart Hines and the wonderful staff of the LaBudde Special Collections at the Miller Nichols Library of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Without their help and enthusiasm to share the materials of the William Henry Humiston collection, this project would have been impossible. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends, who have provided immeasurable amounts of love and support throughout the writing of this document—it would not exist without them. viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The large-scale works of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) have been omnipresent in Western culture since Felix Mendelssohn famously performed the St. Matthew Passion in 1829, essentially reviving the composer’s concert music for the general public. Bach’s appearance on concert programs has continued to the present day, thanks to those who viewed his music as relevant to their own time. By examining a cross-section of music history, one may observe the manner in which the composer’s music has maintained significance for so many years. In this thesis, I explore the reception of Johann Sebastian Bach in New York City during the years surrounding America’s involvement in World War I, concentrating especially on the years 1914- 1927. This project started with an exploration of the archive of a New York City musician, William Henry Humiston (1869-1923), in the LaBudde Special Collections at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Miller Nichols Library. Considered by his contemporaries to be a leading