CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
A Discovery of Origins and Motivations
A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of Master of Music in Music,
Performance
By
David Bowman
December 2018 Copyright by David Bowman 2018
!ii The thesis of David Bowman is approved:
______
Dr. John Roscigno Date
______
Dr. Lorenz Gamma Date
______
Prof. Diane Roscetti, Chair Date
California State University, Northridge
!iii Table of Contents
Copyright ii
Signature Page iii
Abstract v
Section 1: Elliott Carter - Figment III for Contrabass 1
Section 2: Gareth Wood - Quintet for Five Double Basses 5
Section 3: Krzysztof Penderecki - "Duo Concertante pour violino e contrabasso" 7
Section 4: George Onslow - String Quintet No. 15, Op. 38 “The Bullet” 10
Section 5: Johann Sebastian Bach - Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008 15
Conclusion 23
Bibliography 26
iv! Abstract
Discovery of Origins and Motivations
By
David Bowman
Master of Music in Music,
Performance
For any given composition, there is typically a purpose, a specific motivation, or a dedication with which the piece was written. It is the goal of this study to investigate the background behind select compositions performed on my graduate recital, in hopes of making new connections to both notable and lesser-known composers. With five different composers from all parts of the globe and a time frame spanning from 1720 to as recently as 2013, there is a large amount of research covering the various contextual motivations of these composers throughout history. Through the use of manuscripts, journals, dissertations, theses, interviews, and composers' personal websites, there are a large number of avenues through which to explore each composer's possible inspirations that
!v lie behind their works. The motivations behind specific works can be much more clearly deduced for a number of compositions, whether through primary source material or other clear historical context. While the works of Carter, Wood, Penderecki, and Onslow have clear evidence to support specific intentions, the examination of the widely varying theories that surround Bach's Six Cello Suites raises the question of whether a composer's motivations can ever be conclusively deciphered; whether underlying motivations can or cannot be truly discovered, these composers all succeeded in innovating the repertoire of not only bass instruments, but instrumental music as a whole.
vi! Section 1: Elliott Carter - Figment III
Elliott Carter’s music is intrinsically complex, and Figment III is no exception.
Though the piece features only one instrument, the range, technical virtuosity, and specificity demonstrated within the piece make it truly unique. Figment III certainly pushes the limits as to the capabilities of the double bass. With chordal and octave passages, huge interval leaps, and incredibly nuanced rhythmic structures, the piece is truly crafted to explore almost all boundaries of the instrument. As Carter himself states,
The contrabass has always interested me for its special tone color and range.
Having written solos for it in several pieces, I decided to write this for the
instrument alone.1
Carter's desire to explore the various soundscapes stems from a multitude of influences.
Carter’s compositional styles and techniques were highly impacted by his peers and other composers he admired. Many composers whom he highly respected - such as Ives,
Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and Bartók - played a clear role in the development of his compositional style. Ives, whom Carter met in high school and wrote his Figment II as an homage to, played a particularly strong influence on many elements of his work.2
From Ives he took the fascination with the experience of simultaneous hearing
and the intersection of aural memory and experience as well as the practice of
1 Elliot Carter, “Figment III,” Elliott Carter Studies Online., Accessed March 30, 2018, https:// www.elliottcarter.com/compositions/figment-iii/.
2 Leon Botstein, “Elliott Carter: An Appreciation,” The Musical Quarterly 91, no. 3/4 (2008): 154, Accessed April 4, 2018, http://www.jstor.org/stable/205343530.
!1 combining discrete contrasting but continuous elements, not mere fragments, and
weaving them into a single fabric within the frame of a composition.3
Ives seemed to have a particular impact on Carter’s life and compositions, enough so to homage his original work, Figment II, in Ives honor.
Although Carter incorporated many musical elements that had been set forth by his contemporaries (whether simply through admiration or desire to further explore certain experimental ideas), his compositions are inherently unique. As Botstein asserts,
In the end, however, Carter invented himself without propagating a school, a
system, or training a group of imitators. He is a meticulous builder, an
engineering experimentalist with an uncanny sense of practical utility. 4
Carter absolutely pushed the envelope of what was aurally acceptable; and his music truly is considered a language of his own. This furthers the statement above, in that most of Carter’s works immediately give the impression of experimentalism in every shape, form, or fashion. Carter's hyper-detailed and nuanced style can make the performance of his works quite overwhelming to the novice or even advanced musician.
The musicians Carter admired and respected most also play a crucial role in the construction of the music within his collection of figments. Due to the inherent complexity of Carter’s music, the select few musicians to whom his works were written
3 Ibid., 153.
4 Ibid., 154.
!2 not only had advanced virtuosic abilities, but a clearly demonstrated ability in extended technique on their respective instruments. Beyond simply adhering to the task of performing the piece “correctly” from a technical standpoint, the performer must attempt to convey a deeper message and purpose behind the music. Botstein posits that such complex music creates a distinctive experience in which the listener must approach with an open mind, stating
The task of the listener is not to reject what seems at first encounter irritatingly
"unintelligible," but rather to stick with the new as if it were a new language, and
learn its order and logic and then derive pleasure from it. If emotion and
sentiment are communicated by music, they are only accessible after "one
understands how the music works"; it is then that one can "perceive the
emotion.” 5
Donald Palma, the double bassist for which Figment III is composed, is both an accomplished soloist and longtime musical collaborator of Carter’s. He is credited to multiple conducted recordings of various works composed by Carter. Palma’s prior experience as both a performer and conductor of Carter’s work would have certainly given him a greater understanding of how to best approach the intricacies within such a complex solo work.
Indeed, Carter was true to himself in his music. Even when drawing upon his many influences, he managed to configure many incredibly unique works that ultimately made
5 Ibid., 155.
!3 him the towering 20th century composer that he was. He was a very fortunate composer in that he had a wide array of highly skilled musicians at his disposal who were able to comprehend, perform, and emote his music. No matter the motivations behind any given work of Carter's, his attention to detail motivates both the performer and audience to find a meaningful interpretation for themselves. Carter’s exploration into the double bass in
Figment III, encapsulates a versatile, conceptually challenging, and physically straining experience by the performer. Each phrase comes in figments and small bits that ultimately coalesce into a much larger picture and an arc that requires much subtlety and attention to detail. The motivation is still clear that Carter fondly thought of the double bass for its rich color and special tone.
!4 Section 2: Gareth Wood - Quintet for Five Double Basses
Although Gareth Wood is not considered a prominent composer, his music is becoming more widely recognized amoung those interested in modern classical music.
For a composer living in the modern era, I was surprised that his own personal website did not provide information from which to draw upon for source material. Born 1950 in
Cilfynydd, Wales, Gareth Wood went on to study double bass and composition at the
Royal Academy of Music. He later joined the Royal Philharmonic in 1972. He became chairman of the organization in 1991, a position he held for three years. In addition to his performance career, Gareth has commissioned and/or composed over fifty pieces of music over his life, including two double bass concertos, two double bass sonatas, and a multitude of works for double bass ensemble, as well as over a dozen works for wind and brass chamber ensembles.
Gareth Wood frequently composes music for his students. There is a short dedication to a young bassist named Laurence Ungless on the front page of the score of the quintet.
Wood’s composition Light, a double bass dectet, featured Ungless as one of the ten young bassists on the US premiere with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2011.6 Ungless is a performing double bassist in the UK who performs regularly with local orchestras, as well as performing in Europe with various chamber orchestras. Although there lacks
6 “Quintet (U.S. Premiere),” Los Angeles Philharmonic, http://stg.laphil.com/philpedia/ music/quintet-us-premiere-gareth-wood#page
!5 conclusive evidence as to Wood’s motivations and the depth of his connection to Ungless, the intricacy and virtuosic technical passages throughout the piece would suggest that
Wood had a clear amount of trust and understanding of Ungless' capabilities and musicianship to garner a dedication. The Quintet's principal part carries the highest pitch in most of the piece and requires a great deal of understanding of thumb position. From start to finish, phrases display virtuosic speeds and intensity. The most challenging aspect of the quintet is bringing the parts together and blending the sound in a way that communicates the piece effectively and takes the audience on a journey exploring the expressive tones and colors that five bassists create together.
Like Carter's Figment III, the motivations behind Wood's double bass quintet undoubtedly include composing with a specific person in mind (in Wood's case, writing for a student), the expansion of double bass repertoire, and in a similar vein, providing a piece that can demonstrate the technical virtuosity and unique soundscapes that are possible on the double bass.
!6 Section 3: Krzysztof Penderecki - "Duo Concertante pour violino e contrebasso"
Widely regarded as one of Poland’s most internationally recognized composer,
Krzysztof Penderecki’s decades-long career has tremendously contributed to the expansion of the 20th and 21st century music. At the age of 85, the list of prestigious awards and accolades he has earned over his lifetime is almost unparalleled to that of any other 20th century composer. Over the years, Penderecki has continuously worked with a number of incredibly accomplished musicians, and many of his works are written with particular performers in mind.
Anne-Sophie Mutter was only 12-years-old when she first met and performed for
Penderecki at a private gathering. Their relationship continued to grow over the following decades, with him having composed numerous works for her to perform; these works include a violin concerto, sonata, and the Duo Concertante, which was written for her to perform with Roman Patkolo, a talented young bassist who held a scholarship at Mutter’s self-named foundation for exceptional aspiring musicians. In a BBC interview, Mutter describes how she believes Penderecki’s interpretation of the world is reflected through his music, stating,
I think the gentle impression which Krzystof Penderecki’s music leaves is that he's
a wonderful reminder of historic moments. Sadly, a lot of history is filled with
drama, grief, and death, and that is why some of his greatest music actually is
related to that […] For all of these very sorrowful and very unique moments in
!7 all of its tragic color, he is able to find a musical language which is so personal
and so true to that moment in history.7
Their long working relationship and mutual respect for each other led both Mutter and
Penderecki to have a special understanding of their respective performing and writing abilities. This is clearly demonstrated throughout the Duo Concertante, due to the fact that the violin parts' use of extended techniques includes use of Bartok pizzicato, left hand pizzicato while still playing with the bow, interval leaps beyond two octaves, and melodically and harmonically complex passages that most anyone would deem acrobatic for the violin. In addition to the virtuosity of the violin, the double bass performs a number of musical tasks that are quite challenging and use extreme extended techniques at the end of the piece. The part includes percussive tapping on the body of the double bass, striking the strings of the bass with a fist, using the knee to strike the back of the instrument, simultaneous slap pizzicato and chordal glissando, and the use of the bow behind the bridge.
Like the Wood and Carter pieces, the difficulties of the Duo Concertante requires musicians capable of not only performing the work, but communicating the piece to the audience in an effective and thoughtful manner. The three composers share a close motivation in that they both enjoying composing for students and colleagues. Other
7 “Duo concertante for violin and double bass,” National Audiovisual Institute, http:// ninateka.pl/kolekcje/en/three-composers/penderecki/audio/duo-concertante-na-skrzypce- i-kontrabas.
!8 similarities in motivation between the three compositions include the somewhat obvious desire to expand on the double bass repertoire and use of extended techniques.
!9 Section 4: George Onslow - String Quintet No. 15, Op. 38 “The Bullet”
Though also not an incredibly well-known composer, George Onslow’s music has seen somewhat of a resurgence in popularity. Onslow’s work has elements of Germanic,
English, and French influence. As an Anglo-Saxon living in France, Onslow drew much of his inspiration from the work of Beethoven and other Germanic composers. Beaudime
Jam, author of The French Beethoven (Onslow’s biography), describes Onslow’s legacy as such,
Largely and unanimously acknowledged when he was alive, he is now nearly
forgotten and his works, mainly devoted to string chamber music, are almost
missing from the repertoire, partly due to the fact that they haven't been available
in a modern edition for more than a century. 8
Onslow was born in 1784 in Clermont-Ferrand, France, into a British aristocratic family, a number of who played important roles in British politics (including three members who served as Speaker at the Chamber of Commons).9 Onslow ended up living his whole life in his hometown and received notoriety from the members of the town for the gift of music for impoverished people of Clermont-Ferrand.
Although he had a brilliant international career and though he was required
more and more often, Onslow always remained faithful to Auvergne, since, born
in Clermont-Ferrand, he also died in the same town. Which make him apart from
8 “Writings dedicated to George Onslow and texts available online,” George Onslow Association, http://george.onslow.online.fr/accueilUK.html.
9 Ibid.,
!10 artists who moved to Paris. He was deeply attached to his hometown and well-
known for his generosity (charity concerts, help to poor people, etc.).10
I had originally come across Onslow's music while looking for more string chamber music that either utilized the double bass specifically or could be arranged for the use of double bass. Once I discovered his abundance of chamber works that included over thirty string quartets and quintets, I had a plethora of music to sift through. I began searching for any recordings of his works and came across a recording of String Quintet No. 15,
Op. 30 that utilized a double bassist. I was immediately interested and inspired by the virtuosity displayed by the ensemble throughout the piece. The music was originally written for two violins, viola, and two cellos, but I could see that the second cello part could be performed by a double bassist (with a few small modifications due to octave and chordal restraints). I became elated when I later stumbled across a translated quote from a letter written by Onslow, specifically mentioning his enthusiasm for the use of the double bass in his music,
I have to say that if the 4-string bass[...]were more in use in France, I would
have greatly preferred it to the second violon-cello, in that it separates the
instruments in the group and serves as a true bass without confusion of sound
with the first violon-cello. I believe that in addition to the useful effect obtained,
10 Ibid.,
11! bassists would see a means to extend the domain of their instrument and to
multiply their presence in chamber music.11
As it turns out, the original inspiration for Onslow’s String Quartet No. 15 comes from a rather tragic backstory. During the summer of 1829, Onslow was the victim of a terrible hunting accident that quite nearly cost him his life. As Jam writes in Onslow’s biography:
Onslow, who enjoyed hunting, was not particularly keen on shooting […] Thus it
was that Onslow who often ‘hunted’ spent the time composing. On the fateful day,
Onlsow’s friends, knowing his proclivities, posted him as a lookout for wild boar
by a tree. After a while, his attention waned and he began composing while
unconsciously wandering from his post. Suddenly a boar crossed in front of him.
Onlsow shot at it and missed. Meanwhile, dogs began barking and hunters
shooting. In the confusion, he was shot twice in the head., the force of one bullet
knocked him off his horse onto the ground. […] Somehow, he was taken on
horseback to the host’s Chateau where he lay delirious with fever and racked
with pain. He called out several times in torment, afraid he would be unable to
finish the composition he had begun to sketch before being shot. […] One bullet
was removed but the other could not be extracted and remained in his neck the
rest of his life. Despite their efforts, his doctors thought his death was imminent.
Nonetheless he survived, but for many months a virulent fever, which threatened
11 Ali Kian Yazdanfar, “The String Quintets of George Onslow,” Bass World,The Journal of the International Society of Bassists 34, no. 1 (2010): 48.
!12 his life, would come and go. During these trying times, he often composed to ease
his pain. After a long period of rest and further medical treatment he made a
recuperation but he really never fully recovered his health. Over time, he went
deaf in his left ear. This forced him to give up publicly performing the cello in
chamber groups. His solo piano playing was less affected but he began to loose
(sic) interest in the piano. He very occasionally suffered from some sort of
nervous disorder after the accident and also developed a slight speech
impediment. The accident left him permanently disfigured.12
Upon listening to the piece, the story of the boar and the bullet that nearly killed him is evident throughout each movement and every passing phrase. This quintet demonstrates
Onslow’s incredible ability to write programmatic music that easily conveys his experience. Deep, long, and tragic melodies combined with forceful and harsh rhythmic movement paint a stormy picture of the pain he endured both during his near-death experience and the subsequent recuperation. His contributions to music are vastly understated, particularly considering the vast catalogue of compositions under his pen.
The evidence for motivation of this piece is the most conclusive in the study. The work is in dedication or reflection to what must be the most tramatic and life-altering event in
Onslow's life.
12 “The String Quartets of George Onslow, First Edition.” Edition Silvertrust online, http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/pdfs/Onslow-Book.pdf.
!13 Section 5: Johann Sebastian Bach - Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008
J.S. Bach is considered by many musicians and music educators to be one of, if not the most, prolific and influential composers of music history. When discussing any of the six Cello Suites by Johann Sebastian Bach, it quickly becomes clear why such opinions and assertions have permeated the globe for over two centuries. In particular, the second cello suite demonstrates J.S. Bach's incredible virtuosity, complexity, mastery of music, and even a little improvisation. Before doing any research on the cello suites, I had naturally assumed that the collection of suites were utilized as etude practice material for instruments across the spectrum. After pouring through the massive amount of literature on these suites, I began to notice that there are a number of questions surrounding the suites that currently have no true consensus, such as the exact date of their composition, the validity of Bach’s authorship, and what his motivations to compose the piece may have been.
Most historians agree the suites were composed between 1717 and 1720, though no exact date can be conclusively proven. According to Nadya Markovska in her recent dissertation Bach's Suites for Solo Cello (BWV 1007-1012) and the Textual Geographies of Modernity, the Six Suites for Solo Cello were composed sometime near 1720, during
!14 the period of time when J.S. Bach was employed as Kapellmeister to the court in Köthen under Prince Leopold.13
Bach seemed to have the optimal conditions in which to compose some of his most unique works under the employment of Prince Leopold, whose proficiency in and worldly appreciation of music made him an ideal patron. During this time, Bach’s compositions include his fifteen Inventions, fifteen Sinfonias, sections of the Well-
Tempered Clavier (BWV 846-869), the six Brandenburg Concertos, the six Partitas and
Sonatas for solo violin, and the six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello.14
Prince Leopold and Bach’s personal friendship went far beyond music, as Richard
Turuskin mentions in his textbook Oxford History of Music.
His new employer, Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen, was a passionate musical
amateur, who esteemed Bach highly and related to him practically on terms of
friendship. (He even stood godfather to one of Bach’s children.) Leopold not only
consumed music avidly but played it himself (on violin, bass viol or viola da
gamba, and harpsichord) and had even studied composition for a while in Rome
with Johann David Heinichen (1683–1729), a notable German musician of the
day. He maintained a court orchestra of eighteen instrumentalists, including
13 Nadya Markovska, “Bach’s Suites for Solo Cello (BMV 1007-1012) and the Textual Geographies of Modernity,” Doctoral Dissertation, University of Southampton, 2016. 157.
14 Ibid., 159.
!15 some very distinguished ones. And he was a Calvinist, which meant he had no
use for elaborate composed church music or fancy organ playing. 15
This continuous concept of an open environment that lacked the strict restraints of purely religiously driven compositions may have played into what Bach wrote during this time period. However, there are still those who believe that Bach’s intentions were, in fact, still religiously driven, as he was a man of deep faith. World-renowned cellist Steve
Isserlis argues for Bach’s intentions having a religious basis, stating,
In fact, I have come to think of the suites as ‘Mystery Suites’, representing the
three kinds of ‘Sacred Mystery’: the Joyful, the Sorrowful and the Glorious.
Perhaps this is too Catholic a concept for the Lutheran Bach (although his first
settings of Latin texts do date from just after the end of his time in Cöthen); but it
fits the expressive journey of the suites perfectly. It would need a proper Bach
scholar (which I am most certainly not) to prove this—if indeed it could ever be
proved. 16
Others believe that Bach simply wrote the suites to be performed for Prince Leopold, either by himself or another musician employed by the court. There are mixed indications as to whether the suites were composed with any specific musician in mind. In his book
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician, Christopher Wolf claims,
15 Richard Taruskin, Oxford History of Western Music, Oxford: Oxford University Press 2005. 78.
16 Ruth Spargo, “Interpreting the Mystery: Playing the Bach Solo Suites for Cello,” Master’s Project, University of Gothenburg, 2013. 18.
!16 Bach may well have learned to play cello, and his idiomatic writing for the six
suites suggests at the very least a good deal of familiarity with the instrument.17
John Planer states that the suites were composed for Christian Ferdinand Abel, a virtuoso cellist and gambist who was also under the court’s employ.18 There are known examples of pieces that Bach did write with Abel as the intended performer while they were concurrently employed (such as sonatas for viola de gamba and harpsichord, BWV
1027-1029), however there is no indication that Abel ever publicly performed the cello suites.
There is also currently no conclusive evidence of a primary source that can truly validate
J.S. Bach’s authorship of the suites, due to so many versions and no original manuscript from Bach himself. Some historians have recently begun to question whether he composed the suites to begin with. Zoltan Szabó as recently as 2014 examined the existence of four versions. He states,
In the absence of an autograph, the suites would have been lost forever and soon
forgotten, like so many of Bach's other compositions, had they not been copied by
four different scribes over the course of the eighteenth century. Two of these
manuscripts date from Bach's lifetime: the so-called Source A copied by Anna
17 Christopher Wolff, Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician, New York: W.W. Norton, 2000. 42.
18 John T Planer, “Sentimentality in the Performance of Absolute Music: Pablo Casal”s Performance of Saraband from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite No. 2 in D Minor for Unaccompanied Cello, S 1008,” The Music Quarterly 73, no. 2 (1989): 239. Accessed April 4, 2018. http://www.jstor.org/stable/742067.
!17 Magdalena, Bach's second wife, and Source B by Johann Peter Kellner, a
Thuringian cantor and organist, barely twenty years old at the time. Two are
much later, dating from the second half of the century: Source C, the "Westphal"
copy and Source D, the "Traeg" copy.19
Markovska, however, postulates that there may be evidence as to the existence of up to seven different sources.
The textual transmission of this music is complex because of the variety of
interpretive readings, suggested by the four manuscript copies. Additional
information about the Cello Suites can be inferred also from their first printed
edition published in Paris by Janet et Cotelle in 1824, known as Source E.
Researchers assume that besides these four copies, three further sources existed
which are now lost: Sources X, F and G. According to research findings, they
might have been the reference points from which Anna Magdalena and Kellner
prepared their copies.20
Ruth Spargo makes the assertion that there are additional credible sources, claiming,
The original manuscripts of the works have not been found, and only copies of
the original exist. Much of the preparation for playing the Suites is in looking at
the different copies, understanding them and making choices about what Bach’s
19 Zoltan Szabo, “Precarious Presumptions and the ‘Minority Report’: Revisiting the primary sources of the Bach Cello Suites,” Bach 45, no. 2 (2014): 2. Accessed April 4, 2018. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43489897.
20 Nadya Markovska, “Bach’s Suites for Solo Cello (BMV 1007-1012) and the Textual Geographies of Modernity,” Doctoral Dissertation, University of Southampton, 2016. 161.
!18 musical intentions actually were. The copies made are varying in their clarity
and it is often difficult to decipher even which note is intended, let alone the
differing slurrings. 21
The Bärenreiter’s Scholarly Critical Performing Edition includes five manuscripts and a blank copy with no bowings. Source A, attributed to Anna Magdalena Bach and believed to have been copied sometime between 1727 and 1731, almost certainly would have been copied from Bach’s original manuscript if it existed. Source B, attributed to Johann Peter
Kellner and copied as early as 1726, has a closer resemblance to the handwriting of Bach in reference to the date. Sources C and D are both anonymous copies created some time in the second half of the 18th century, and Source E comes from a first edition copy thought to have been copied in Paris around 1824.22 It is a monumental tragedy that the original manuscript is still lost. The differences in each of the manuscripts are subtle, but the variances in articulation, bowings, and even in the melody leaves enough question as to authenticity of each version all the more so inconclusive. Indeed, after examining the manuscripts, there is evidence to demonstrate that Johann Peter Kellner's version has been the most used, which could perhaps demonstrate that Source B is the most accurate copy of the original manuscript. However, the importance of Kellner’s contribution has been greatly overshadowed by Anna Magdelena’s script. As Spargo goes on to suggest,
Most of the editors who claimed to respect and follow Anna Magdelena's script
have actually followed numerous suggestions from Kellner's manuscript, mostly
21 Ruth Spargo, “Interpreting the Mystery: Playing the Bach Solo Suites for Cello,” Master’s Project, University of Gothenburg, 2013. 8.
22 Ibid., 8.
!19 without identifying it as their source. It appears, therefore, that the significance
of Kellner's copy has been severely underestimated historically, due to the
assumed but never factually established superiority of Anna Magdelena copy. 23
The question now becomes not only who wrote the suites, but also a question of which version is the most authentic; to that end, there may never be a true conclusive answer.
However, there is certainly not enough evidence to suggest that Anna Magdelena was the composer of the suites. Though Magdelena was an experienced and trained vocalist, she had no formal instrumental training. She was only married to J.S. Bach a few years prior to 1720; even informal training from her husband would have been unlikely to have led to such a grand understanding of instrumental capabilities, both melodically and harmonically. Her only real attachment to the composition is by virtue of having copied the suites at a time closely related to the original conception of the suites, and the notion that she composed the suites are entirely unfounded and factually misrepresented.
There continues to be questions as to the date of authorship, motivations, and authorship itself. In spite of all the questions, musicians of all ages continue to learn and play the six suites. It is unlikely that these questions will ever be conclusively answered as long as
Bach’s original manuscript is lost. Whether or not the motivations of this composition are conclusive or clear, this magnificent work is still considered one of the most prolific works in the bass clef repertoire. To many musicians around the world, performing and
23 Ibid., 22.
!20 attaining a mastery of the suites is one of the most coveted achievements. Motivations aside, the Six Cello Suites continue to inspire, challenge, and mystify.
!21 Conclusions
Multiple pieces from this research study have plenty of similarity in terms of motivation. Carter, Wood, and Penderecki all had the desire to expand on the double bass repertoire, utilizing either a friend, longtime musical colleague, or both. Carter and
Penderecki both shared the motivation to write for longtime musical champions of their music. Donald Palma and Anne-Sophie Mutter both must genuinely be fantastic musicians to have warranted such incredible commissions from these giants of 20th century music. Wood wrote his quintet for a student rather than seasoned professional.
Having written the piece with a specific performer in mind demonstrates a an agenda similar to how Carter and Penderecki came to dedicate their respective works.
In a small way, Onslow’s was also driven by a desire to further contribute to double bass repertoire. Though the 15th string quintet was not intended to include a double bass, his interest in the double bass and the want for more frequent availability of the instrument allows for the narrative that he was interested in including it in his compositions. After the completion of the 15th string quintet, Onslow wrote more than 15 additional quintets, many of which do include the instrumentation of the double bass rather than a second cello part. Onslow’s main motivation for the String Quintet No. 15 was to reflect upon the events that took place on his hunting trip and the weeks and months of painful recovery from his wounds. Though he never did fully heal and suffered from deformities and a near complete loss of his hearing for the rest of his life, he continued to compose
!22 and write beautiful music until his death. Not only did all these factors permanently change the course of his life, he would be left with a macabre souvenir stuck in the back of head, leading to the ominous title of the string quintet, “The Bullet”.
The differences between these accomplished composers and their motivations lie in their specificity of instrumentation for each work, as well as the musical direction and temperament of the individual works. Carter’s Figment III explores a chaotic nature and rarely forms a melodic gesture in any sense. Wood’s bass quintet discovers a multitude of layering effects and harmonic combinations not normally utilized in a double bass ensemble work. Penderecki’s Duo Concertante strives to create an emotionally-driven atmosphere between the violin and the double bass, whether initiated by use of sorrowful melodies or angsty and choppy moments of an almost vicious quality.
Johann Sebastian Bach is the only composer in which evidence-based motivations that serves as the basis of their work cannot be conclusively proven. It becomes clear that the number of different opinions and suggestions from many scholars make it impossible to firmly clarify nearly every detail of the work’s history. Without a surviving manuscript from Bach, these questions of authenticity will never cease to end.
Whether or not the motivations are clear, each of these compositions expands on the classical music repertoire by pushing the limits of the capabilities of instrumentalists. For
Carter, Wood, Penderecki, and Onslow, there is enough evidence to clearly postulate the
!23 specific motivations behind their respective works. For J.S. Bach, a unified consensus of motivations would require more primary source material (whether by existence of an original manuscript, or from other firsthand accounts from Bach's life at the time). The availability of the original manuscript, artist dedication, and the composer’s own program notes or other writings on their respective works clarifies deeper motivations and general intentions. In the absence of original source material, the responsibility of inferring a deeper message lies upon the performer and listener.
Regardless of evidence in which to conclude a composers specific intentions, the performer and audience members will inevitably draw their own conclusions based on their own perspective. The beauty of such complex and unique music is that it inherently encourages self-interpretation. Known motivations aside, these composers each had an arsenal of high-caliber musicians, giving them the confidence to create music that experimented with pushing the full boundaries of the respective genres they each explored. With no evidence to suggest that there were any factors truly holding them back, we can sincerely appreciate each of these composers' drive towards innovations, and how each of their respective works contributed to the musical zeitgeist.
!24 Bibliography
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!25 Taruskin, Richard. Oxford History of Western Music, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
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