Kittel’s Organ Works in Der Angehende Praktische Organist: A Musical Shift to the Galant Style
Han Mi Kang Schulich School of Music McGill University, Montreal
August, 2012
A paper submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of D.Mus. Performance Studies
© Han Mi Kang, 2012
Table of Contents
Abstract / Résumé ...... 3
Acknowledgements ...... 5
I. Introduction ...... 6
II. Der Angehende Praktische Organist by Johann Christian Kittel ...... 8
III. Galant Aesthetics among Musicians in the Eighteenth Century ...... 13
IV. Galant Gestures in Der Angehende Praktische Organist ...... 17 The Chorale Prelude and the Chorale Accompaniment ...... 19 The Chorale Variation...... 26 The Free Works in Der Angehende Praktische Organist and the 16 Grosse Präludien .. 33
V. Performance Practice in Der Angehende Praktische Organist ...... 38 Articulation and Ornamentation ...... 38 Registration ...... 40 Tempo in the Chorale Accompaniment ...... 43 Touch ...... 45 Pedal Technique ...... 46
VI. Conclusion ...... 47
Appendix CD Contents ...... 50 Chorale Melodies and Texts ...... 51 Stoplist of the Organ by Rudolf von Beckerath (1961) of l’Église de l’Immaculée-Conception in Montreal Conception ...... 53 Registration and Sound ...... 53
Bibliography ...... 58
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Abstract
Johann Christian Kittel (1732-1809), the last student of J. S. Bach and the successor of Jacob Adlung at the Predigerkirche in Erfurt, published the three-volume treatise Der Angehende Praktische Organist (The Beginning Practical Organist, 1801, 1803, and 1808) for church organists as a pedagogical tool at the beginning of the nineteenth century when church music was moving away from strict contrapuntal writing in favor of the galant style. Kittel’s method book is considered an important source, teaching organists how to improvise both chorale-based works and free works. Although the pedagogical tools used in this treatise are based on his studies with J. S. Bach, Kittel also draws on contemporary musical culture in his examples. The aim of this study is to recognize Kittel’s adaptation of the musical characteristics of the galant style and to examine the evolution of the performance practice in Kittel’s time. It also identifies the importance of Kittel’s contribution to the organ school during the transition period between the late baroque and the early romantic. The essay consists of four parts: an overview of Der Angehende Praktische Organist and its author; a description of the galant aesthetic that was employed not only by Kittel but also his predecessors and contemporaries; a detailed observation of Kittel’s use of galant gestures in his complete pieces as a principal tool in expressing various emotions; and a discussion of performance practice such as articulation, tempo, and registration which sheds light on the informed performance of Kittel’s music. Musical examples have been selected to represent all genres: chorale prelude, chorale accompaniment, chorale variation, and free works. Further, this essay addresses several interesting issues for additional information, including an intriguing insight into Kittel’s original intention for his 16 Grosse Präludien (1809) based on a comparison between these free works and their counterparts in Der Angehende Praktische Organist; the association with the use of the organ and the Passion chorale in Lent; and Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck’s (1770-1846) Praktische Orgelschule (1819-1821) as a link between Kittel and Felix Mendelssohn (1809- 1847).
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Résumé
Dernier étudiant de J. S. Bach et successeur de Jacob Adlung à la Predigerkirche de Erfurt, Johann Christian Kittel (1732-1809) a publié un traité en trois volumes intitulé Der Angehende Praktische Organist (Exercices pour l’organiste débutant, 1801, 1803 et 1808), outil pédagogique destiné aux organistes d’église du début du XIXe siècle alors que la musique d’église délaissait la stricte écriture contrapuntique au profit du style galant. La méthode de Kittel est considérée comme une source importante pour enseigner aux organistes comment improviser sur des œuvres en forme de choral et sur des œuvres aux formes libres. Quoique les outils pédagogiques utilisés dans ce traité soient basés sur ses études auprès de J. S. Bach, Kittel a aussi utilisé la culture musicale contemporaine dans ses exemples. L’objectif de cette étude est de reconnaître l’adaptation par Kittel des caractéristiques musicales du style galant et d’examiner l’évolution des pratique d’interprétation de son temps. Il reconnaît également l’importance de la contribution de Kittel à l’école organistique durant la transition entre la fin du baroque et le début du romantisme. L’essai est divisé en quatre parties : un survol de Der Angehende Praktische Organist et de son auteur; une description de l’esthétique du style galant utilisée non seulement par Kittel mais aussi par ses prédécesseurs et ses contemporains; une observation détaillée du geste galant dans ses œuvres complètes comme principal outil de l’expression des diverses émotions; et une discussion des pratiques d’interprétation telles l’articulation, le tempo et la registration qui jettent de la lumière sur l’interprétation éclairée de la musique de Kittel. Des exemples musicaux ont été choisis pour représenter tous les genres : prélude-choral, accompagnement de choral, variation chorale et œuvres libres. Plus encore, cet essai aborde plusieurs questions intéressantes pour de l’information additionnelle, y inclus un aperçu intrigant au sujet de l’intention originelle de Kittel pour la composition de ses 16 Grosse Präludien (1809) par la comparaison entre ces trois œuvres libres et leur contrepartie dans Des Angehende Praktische Organist; l’association avec l’utilisation de l’orgue et du Choral de la Passion durant le Carême; et le Praktische Orgelschule de Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck (1770-1846) comme lien entre Kittel et Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847).
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Acknowledgments
I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have supported me during my studies at McGill University. For her brilliant guidance and encouragement, I would like to thank Professor Eleanor Stubley, Director of Graduate Studies at the Schulich School of Music, who chaired my committee and graciously advised me on all aspects of my studies over the past years. Thanks also to my research supervisor Professor Peter Schubert, whose incredible direction and critical advice was invaluable in the preparation of this document. I am also grateful to Professor Emeritus John Grew, who inspired me with great confidence as a musician, and to the new head of the Organ Department Professor Hans-Ola Ericsson, whose generous support was a great encouragement to me in my last year of studies. Most especially, grateful recognition must be given to my mentor Professor William Porter of the Schulich School of Music and the Eastman School of Music, under the guidance of whom I have explored new worlds with both great joy and zeal, and whose sincere teaching expanded my musical abilities. Thanks also to Dr. Jonathan Oldengarm and Dr. Jean-Willy Kunz for their help in translating the abstract and the chorale texts into French. I am also indebted to my dear friend Mark McDonald, not only for his scrupulous editing of this essay but also for our sound friendship. I would like also to acknowledge the generous financial support provided by the Kingdom Dreamer Scholarship Foundation of Sa-Rang Community Church in California and God’s Will Soongeui Church Scholarship Foundation in Seoul. Finally, I wish to thank my family for their love and support, and especially to my husband Pastor Ki Sung Song, whose encouragement and love uplifted my soul. Words cannot express how much I am grateful to him. I thank God for putting these good people in my life during this wonderful musical journey in Montreal.
“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” Psalm 33: 1-3
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I. Introduction
In the second half of the eighteenth century, the Lutheran church in Germany witnessed a radical change in its liturgy and music. With the influence of Pietism and Rationalism in the seventeenth century, the church made a gradual shift towards personal piety and rationalistic philosophy over traditional Orthodoxy as the dominant liturgical influence. As a result, the liturgical form was gradually simplified in most churches.1 In addition, the Enlightenment helped further weaken the traditional liturgy. Congregational participation in the liturgy greatly decreased2 and the organist’s lower sociological position quickened the decline of church music.3
By the nineteenth century, it was common to find people with little musical training, such as elementary school teachers, holding positions in typical churches, 4 whereas professional musicians tended to engage in public concerts, chamber music, and secular enterprises, which were supported by the middle class and courts. The music performed outside of the church was dominated by the new style galant. The light and accessible musical style attracted a wide range of listeners and gradually influenced the content of sacred music.
In order to communicate with a broader audience, composers adapted the new galant concept which was oriented toward simple melodies and homophonic texture. Although contrapuntal form was still practiced by some composers such as Kirnberger and Marpurg, many organists turned away from the strict polyphonic style and incorporated the new style into their
1 Robin A. Leaver, Series Editor’s Preface to Daniel Gottlob Türk’s Von den wichtigsten Pflichten eines Organisten / Daniel Gottlob Türk, On the Role of the Organist in Worship (1787), trans. and ed. Margot Ann Greenlimb Woolard (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2000), vii. 2 Joseph Herl, Worship Wars in Early Lutheranism: Choir, Congregation, and Three Centuries of Conflict (Oxford University Press, 2004), v. 3 Charles Stagmaier Brown, “The Art of Chorale-Preluding and Chorale Accompaniment as Presented in Kittel's Der Angehende Praktische Organist,” 2 vols (D.M.A. Thesis, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, 1970), I, 125. 4 Margot Ann Greenlimb Woolard, Translator’s Preface to Daniel Gottlob Türk’s Von den wichtigsten Pflichten eines Organisten / Daniel Gottlob Türk, On the Role of the Organist in Worship (1787), xv.
6 compositions, seeing the counterpoint as old-fashioned and artificial. Serious church music was replaced by simpler elements, and even secular genres like comic operetta, dances, and polonaises were welcomed in some places.5 In addition, the simplified liturgy, primarily focusing on the appealing sermon, increasingly marginalized the role of the organist, who had once been considered as important as the preacher.6
In this milieu, Johann Christian Kittel (1732-1809), the last student of J. S. Bach, published Der Angehende Praktische Organist with two purposes. The first was to edify young organists, emphasising the role of church organists whose responsibility was to promote adequate devotion for the congregation, and the second was to teach one how to improvise liturgical music, presented through well-balanced examples of both the old and the new styles.
These examples not only serve a practical use in the liturgy but also act as a means to bridge the musical gap between the Baroque and romantic eras; Kittel’s publication became a model for his student Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck, whose works in turn were passed down to the pioneer of the early romantic organ school Felix Mendelssohn.
The aim of this study is not only to recognize Kittel’s use of the musical characteristics of the galant style, as reflected in the shift of musical taste that Kittel encountered, it is also to understand the performance practice during the transition period between the Baroque and the early nineteenth century as a crucial aid to interpreting Kittel’s music. His examples display the
5 Johann Nicolaus Forkel, Allemeine Geschichte der Musik, 2 vols (Leipzig: Schwickertschen Verlag, 1788-1801), II, 24. Cited in Brown, I, 125. 6 Martin Luther’s theology on music, which states that: “next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise,” supported musicians’ important role in the liturgy. In particular, the north German organ school of the seventeenth century carried out the liturgical function of the organist as the preacher, as Johann Koltkamp described his father, saying that “Like the preacher, he could awaken and move the hearts of the congregation to prayer.” These quotations are taken from Paul Westermeyer’s Te Deum: The Church Music (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998), 144, and William Porter’s “Hamburg Organists in Lutheran Worship,” in The Organ as a Mirror of Its Time: North European Reflections, 1610-2000, ed. Kerala J. Snyder (Oxford University Press, 2002), 64, respectively.
7 change of performance practice of the time, which ultimately leads to the early romantic performance practice in the organ school in Germany.
This essay consists of four parts, of which the first is devoted to the overview of the Der
Angehende Praktische Organist and its author. The second is a description of the galant aesthetic of the eighteenth century among musical philosophers, including Kittel. The third is a close examination of the galant gestures and musical details as seen in his pieces. And the final part is a discussion of the performance practice based on the historical documents by well-known theorists. Most musical examples of Kittel’s organ works in this document are taken from the program of my recital, which took place on June 4th 2012. The live performance is available on the CD attached to this essay. The original registration at the performance organ, along with the program, is presented in the appendix.
II. Der Angehende Praktische Organist by Johann Christian Kittel
Johann Christian Kittel (1732-1809) published the three-volume treatise Der Angehende
Praktische Organist (The Beginning Practical Organist) between 1801 and 1808 as a pedagogical method for church organists. This practical method is devoted to improvisation and composition for organ music in the liturgy. Many contemporary theorists had written earlier on the same subject in works such as Daniel Gottlob Türk’s Von den wichtigsten Pflichten eines
Organisten (On the Role of the Organist in Worship, 1787), Michael Wiedeburg’s Der sichselbst informirende Clavier-spieler (The Autodidactic Clavier-Player, 1765-1775), Johann Samuel
Petri’s Anleitung zur praktischen Musik (Practical Guide to Music, 1767), and Justin Heinrich
Knecht’s Vollständige Orgelschule für Anfänger und Geübtere (Complete Organ School for the
Beginner and Experienced, 1795-1798). However, what makes Kittel’s works stand out from the
8 others was that he provided more specific and varied musical excerpts for practical use in the liturgy, accompanied with detailed explanations of the musical texture and analysis, from the perspective of a Bachian and as a composer of the current musical style.
Ernst Ludwig Gerber tells us about Kittel in his Historisch-biographiches Lexikon der
Tonkünstler (Historical and Biographical Dictionary of Musicians) in 1790:
Kittel (J. C.) – Organist at the Predigerkirche, the town church, in Erfurt, was born in that same town in 1724; one of the remaining, perhaps the only remaining, students of Seb. Bach. He is completely worthy of his great teacher; [he is] well-grounded in harmony and excellent in fugue, and he plays organ trios tastefully.7
According to Johann Nikolaus Forkel, Kittel was “the best performer [from the school] of
Johann Sebastian Bach” who could not only improvise in a strict style but also accompany chorales “in pure four-part harmony in the manner of J. S. Bach.”8
Because of his reputation as being the last Bachian and a good performer, he served at the
Predigerkirche, where Johann Pachelbel and Jakob Adlung held organist positions,9 and became a recognized teacher, who taught many keyboardists in Germany, including Johann Wilhelm
Hässler, who was a successful piano teacher in London and later was active in St. Petersburg and
Moscow, 10 and Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck, who was a well-known collector of
7 Ernst Ludwig Gerber, Historische-biographisches Lexikon der Tonkünstler (1790-1792) und neues historische- biographische Lexikon der Tonkünstler (1812-1814) mit den in den Jahren 1792 bis 1834 veröffentlichten Ergänzungen sowie der Erstveröffentlichung handschriftlicher Berichtigungen und Nachträge, ed. Othmar Wessely, 4 vols (Graz, Austria: Akademische Druck u. Verlaganstalt), 1966. Quoted in John Philip Anthony, “The Organ Works of Johann Christian Kittel,” 2 vols (Ph.D. Diss., Yale Univ., 1978), I, 44. According to Anthony, Geber corrected Kittel’s birth year to 1732 in his Neues historisch-biographiches Lexikon der Tonkünstler. See Anthony, I, 45. 8 Johann Nikolaus Forkel, Musicalischer Almanach für Deutschland, Leipzig, 1782, 117. Quoted in Brown, I, 17. However, Forkel later devalued Kittel’s performance skill, saying he was “a very solid (though not very ready) organ player” in the biography of Bach, published in 1820. Translation from The New Bach Reader: A Life of Johann Sebastian Bach in Letters and Documents, ed. Hans T. David and Arthur Mendel; rev. and enl. Christoph Wolff (New York; London: W.W. Norton, 1998), 458. 9 Kittel held the organist position at the Predigerkirche in Erfurt from 1762 to his death. Johann Pachelbel and Jakob Adlung previously served from 1678 to1690, and from 1728 to1762, respectively. 10 Grove Music Online, s.v. “Hässler, Johann Wilhelm,” by Geoffrey Norris and Klaus-Peter Koch, accessed May 20, 2012
9 manuscripts of the seventeenth century and author of significant pedagogical books, including
Praktische Orgelschule (Practical Organ School, op. 55, 1819-1821) and Theoretisch-practische
Anleitung zum Orgelspielen (Theoretical and Practical Instructions for Organ Playing, op. 124,
1832).11 According to their testimony, Kittel’s teaching method was based on the realization of figured bass in the same way as J. S. Bach had done.12 Kittel states this connection to “Bachian principles” in his preface of Volume I13 and he employs thoroughbass techniques throughout Der
Angehende Praktische Organist as an essential tool for preparing both compositions and improvisations.
Although the title implies that this book is intended for the “beginner,” it seems likely that Kittel assumed that the reader was commencing a professional career as a church musician,14 already knowing at least basic continuo realizations and counterpoint techniques, since he skipped the very fundamental parts or rules needed in absorbing these skills. He was probably aware of the treatises by his contemporaries, mentioned above, and thought it unnecessary to repeat the same content in Der Angehende Praktische Organist. Instead, he provides useful examples which the reader can exploit in the following three ways: firstly, one can learn how to improvise by examining and analyzing specimens; secondly, one can play the pieces during the service until his own improvisational skills are well-enough developed; and finally, through some technically demanding examples, one can develop and maintain both keyboard and pedal techniques.
11 Grove Music Online, s.v. “Rinck, Johann Christian Heinrich,” by Ursula Kramer, accessed May 20, 2012
10
The three volumes, published in 1801, 1803, and 1808 respectively,15 contain different styles of chorale-based works as well as free works: the 24 chorale melodies used in the volumes produce 35 chorale preludes, 32 chorale accompaniments, and five chorale variations. 16 In addition there are 10 free works. Other musical excerpts beyond the completed compositions are mostly used to demonstrate various alternative harmonizations, accompanied by his own analysis or commentary (Ex. 1).
Ex. 1 Realizations on the first line of the chorale Jesu meine Freude
(1) Lacking in harmonic variety (2) Harmonically richer (3) Good (4) Correct and yet chromatically forced (5) Chromatically better (6) Still better (7) Harmonically rich 17
15 Kittel revised Part I in 1808 and Part III was reprinted in 1831. For the reference of Part I in their dissertations on Kittel’s works, Charles Stagmaier Brown relied on the original version of 1801, whereas John Philip Anthony depended on the revised version of 1808. 16 Brown, I, 36-37. 17 Translations are from the second volume of Brown, 19-21.
11
Providing alternative realizations to the same melody is beneficial for those who wish to cultivate chorale harmonization skills based on continuo techniques. The student is encouraged to create his own bass lines, which pave the way to improvisation skills through the knowledge of harmony. As an important procedure, Kittel suggests that the student should know how to compose correctly, and notes that writing down music in advance of the improvisation is necessary to avoid a mediocre one,18 a method Türk also preferred.19
Kittel’s complete sets of chorales and accompanying preludes could be used as effective replacements during the service for those who lacked improvisational skills. Since many organists were no longer able to provide the same quality of improvisation as their predecessors had done during auditions and services, Kittel advises that the organist is better off performing a written piece well – even one composed by others – than to play poor quality improvisations.20
He says:
One who is not well-practiced in handling material, should not risk improvisation at the organ. In earlier days, when people still wanted to have above all capable organists, they would, at a competition for an organ position, set before a candidate a fugue subject and give him five minutes to sketch a composition on it in his head. Then he had to proceed with the performance. Those times, brothers, are no more!21
In addition, Kittel complains that many organists’ lacked performance skills, as they frequently stop in unexpected places.22 Even playing the chorales was painstaking work for some church organists who had very little musical training. Therefore, Kittel sought to address the urgent need for adequate keyboard and pedal technique, among contemporary organists in order for them to carry out their duties.23 Kittel’s examples cover a wide range of difficulty from easy
18 Türk, 1 8 , . 19 Anthony, I, 143. 20 Ibid. 21 APO, III, 14. Quoted in Anthony, I, 143. 22 Ibid., 95. Quoted in Brown, I, 44. 23 Ibid. Quoted in Brown, I, 45.
12 two-part manual pieces to more complex contrapuntal writing with pedal obbligato as well as free works written in less frequently used keys, such as C-sharp major and G-sharp minor.
Through these demanding pieces, the reader is expected to attain suitable techniques so that they are able to express music artistically and reach to the highest degree: “the encouragement of true devotion.”24
III. Galant Aesthetics among Musicians in the Eighteenth Century
In the eighteenth century the term galant was broadly used not only to indicate music that possessed characteristics which were often described as pleasant, fashionable, and up-to-date, but also to denote art, painting, literature, and architecture, which exerted influence on one’s emotion.25 Expressions of emotion in a subjective way were favored, and enlightened manners of thinking and refined etiquette were highly regarded in polite society.
The middle class and intelligent amateurs quickly responded to this new culture and became major consumers in the commercial market. In particular, court musicians wrote compositions according to their supporter’s taste for private concerts and ensemble music, while others published works intended for a wider public audience containing the word “galant” in their titles to attract reader’s attention. Some of these, in fact, were advertised in the Leipzig newspapers along with the expressions, “new taste” or “new gusto” (Figure 1).
24 APO, I, 2. Cited in Brown, 45. 25 Mark A. Radice, “The Nature of the Style Galant: Evidence from the Repertoire,” The Musical Quarterly 83, no. 4 (Winter, 1999): 607-614.
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Figure 1 Use of the term “galant”
Titles of selected scores using the term “galant”26
Bach, Johann Sebastian. Clavier Übung bestehend in Präludien, Allemanden, couranten, Sarabanden, Giguen, Menuetten, und andere Galanterien: denen Liebhabern zur Gemüths Ergözung verfertiget...Partita I (Leipzig, 1726)27 Scheuen-Stuhl, Michael. Sechs ganz neue Galanterie-Stück oder so genante Murcki aufs Clavier (Nuremberg: Johann Abraham Stiebner, 1737) Königsperger, Marianus (Johann Erhard). Der wohl-unterweisene Clavier-Schüler...Arien oder Galanterie-Stücke aus allen Tonen zur weitern Übung vorgelegt werden (Augsburg: Johann Jakob Lotter’s Erben, 1 ) Kobrich, Johann Anton. Der Clavierspielende Schäfer, oder VI. Clavier-Parthien, theil in Pastrorellen theils in Galanterien bestehend. Welch sowohl in der Kirchen...als auch... auch zu Hause...können producirt und gebraucht werden (Augsburg: Johann Jakob Lotter’s Erben, 1 8)
Selected advertisements of compositions using the expression “new taste”28
1 39 November 30: Announcement that Christian August Jacobi has available “another piano concerto of a lighter kind and in the presently popular goût.” 1 41 January : In the advertisement for the “other” part of Krebs’ Klavierübung; it is explicitly stated that the composition is written “in the present gusto” and that it “could also be played by a woman without any great effort.” 1743 December 18: Offer of various piano pieces by Johann Christian Roedelius, cantor and music director at Lieberose, “composed according to present-day gout, which are quite easy yet pleasing to the ear, and that are therefore suited for women as well as for other connoisseurs who prefer to play something light and pleasant.”
The first figure who used the term galant in musical context was Johann Mattheson. In the full title of the publication Das neu-eröffnete Orchestre of 1 13, Mattheson used “galant homme” to indicate a cultivated man or woman who is seeking international musical culture as an amateur in that period.29 In the subsequent treatises Mattheson also used “galanterie” to
26 Selected from Radice’s Table 1, 1 -619. 27 Radice states that Bach’s “Galanteries” were meant for short, character pieces which do not belong to the traditional suite format. In addition, the word “Liebhabern” in the continuation of the title was a response to a rising interest among musicians, although Bach’s works seems not to be intended for the amateur player. See Radice, 619. 28 Selected from Ahrens’ list. See Christian Ahrens, “Johann Sebastian Bach and the “New Gusto” in Music Around 1 40,” Bach - The Journal of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute 33, no.1 (2002): 70-73. 29 Edward A. Lippman, A History of Western Musical Aesthetics (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1994), 59. Mattheson’s treatise was dedicated to a noble lady.
14
“designate the lighter, mainly homophonic dances, such as the minuet.”30 Particularly in Das forschende Orchestre (1721) he articulated the affections that are perceived through the auditory effect of music, and in Der vollkommene Capellmeister (1739) he emphasized the importance of melody that has priority over harmony in the galant style.31
Focusing on melody continued to draw pedagogical attention. The art of writing melody became a favored subject in the Versuch einer Anleitung zur Composition (Introductory Essay on
Composition, 1782-1793) of Heinrich Christoph Koch, in which he discusses the mechanical rules of melody and melodic segments.32 Although he also deals with harmony and counterpoint in his treatise, these are treated as important preparation for providing a good melody.33
Over the century, the inclination towards a pleasant melodic structure and its light texture over a slow harmonic rhythm increased the opposition to the old-fashioned music. For example,
Johann David Heinichen, in Der General-Bass in der Composition of 1728, declared that the ultimate goal of music is “to be heard and accepted by the public.”34 In other words, it has to appeal to the general public, not be confined to the learned connoisseurs and “the contrapuntalist.”35 As an advocate of the galant style, he often criticized on the polyphonic style describing it as “contrapuntal eye-music,” or saying “it looked good on paper.”36
30 Grove Music Online, s.v. “Galant,” by Daniel Heartz and Bruce Alan Brown, accessed May 20, 2012
15
Johann Adolf Scheibe, director of the weekly journal Der critische Musikus, bitterly criticized J. S. Bach in 1737.
This great man would be the wonder of entire nations if he were more pleasing and if he did not deprive his pieces of naturalness by a swollen and intricate style and obscure their beauty by all too great art… In short, he is in music what Herr von Lohenstein formerly was in poetry. Pomposity has led both of them from the natural to the artificial and from the sublime to the obscure, and one admires in both the laborious work and exceptional pains, which yet are applied in vain because they conflict with reason…. He who manifests musical rules ever so well with respect to purity and art, but does not at the same time think naturally and straightforwardly, will doubtless arouse admiration through his painstaking work but by no means touch his audience.37
With regard to the change of musical taste, J. S. Bach attempted to adopt the present gusto preferred by the public, not only by publishing Partita I in Clavier Übung Part I of 1726
(mentioned in the list on page 14) which includes some character pieces that do not belong to the genre in a conventional suite, but also by presenting singable melodies in the Schübler chorales
(BWV 645-650) in c. 1748-49 in which unembellished melodies are introduced, contrary to his other chorale preludes. As Christoph Wolff points out, the trio sonata in the Musikalisches Opfer
(BWV 1079) shows Bach’s use of “the delicate expressive musical language of the generation of his sons.”38 He says:
A character of homage manifests itself not only in clear references to the fashionable style of the royal orchestra in Berlin. Gallant lines, phrased throughout, as well as sensitive declamation and dynamics characterize especially the slow movements.39
Bach, however, remained as a traditionalist, as evident in his many contrapuntal works, while most of his pupils, including his sons, chose to compose in the galant manner rather than the old style. Although Bach’s galant style pieces display stylistic changes from his contrapuntal writings, they still require an advanced technique for the amateur player.
37 The translation is provided in Lippman, 74-75. 38 Christoph Wolff, “New Research on Bach’s Musical Offering,” Musical Quarterly 57 (1971): 403. Quoted in Ahrens, 81. 39 Christoph Wolff, NBA VIII/1, Kritischer Bericht, 105. Quoted in Ahrens, 81.
16
Bach’s former pupils sought a departure from the old style with the noble simplicity and the dignity that was expressed through a simple melody and chordal style.40 The successor of
Bach at the Thomaskirche, Johann Friedrich Doles, introduced popular and easy melodies to the church, despite having been trained in the contrapuntal style under Bach himself.41 Moreover, the pervasiveness of the new style is also reflected at this time in Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s
Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen (Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard
Instruments, 1753-62).
Kittel, the contemporary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and Joseph Haydn
(1732-1809), was exposed to this current style all through his life. Although Kittel was one of the conservative composers among Sebastian Bach’s circle, the musical shift to the galant taste over the century inspired him through its power to affect the heart.42 Kittel’s idea that music should transport the listener to the “blissful dreams of imagination” is seen in his use of galant elements in Der Angehende Praktische Organist 43 and it confirms his belief that music in worship was ultimately intended to move the soul towards spiritual devotion.
IV. Galant Gestures in Der Angehende Praktische Organist
On the development of the galant taste, major changes to musical gestures and taste were emerging during Kittel’s life time. The principal stylistic change between the old and new styles began with short, periodic melodies with a light accompaniment in homophonic texture.
Singable melodies were essential to a composition in order to express naturalness and
40 Feder, “Decline and Restoration,” 324. 41 Ibid., 325. 42 Kittel’s perspective towards old masters was similar to his contemporaries, saying that the music by the “golden age of organists” from Reincken to Sebastian and Friedemann Bach was too “artificial and overly complex,” and much of Sebastian Bach’s music became too boring and “a learned chaos” to the general public. See Anthony, I, 136 and 141. 43 APO, I, 3. Quoted in Brown, I, 47.
17 pleasantness of feeling.44 In many cases, the melody is built in two-measure units and forms short phrases, which often repeat in a sequential pattern. Along with the short phrases, distinctive cadences punctuate harmonic progressions, creating balanced symmetry. Another defining characteristic is the simple, recurring figures known as “murky bass” (broken octaves) or
“Alberti bass” (broken chords) which appear in the accompaniment. Octave patterns, broken chords, and movements in parallel thirds or sixths are commonly used. In keeping with the empfindsamer Stil (expressive style), rhythmic diversity and melodic ornaments such as appoggiaturas, mordents, trills, and turns heighten the expression of various emotions. Various articulations and gradual changes in dynamics create extremes between distress and delight. In addition, the thick texture of the old style gives way to thinned-out textures of two or three voices.
Within most of his works, Kittel combines many of the galant characteristics: ornamented figures, broken chords, parallel octaves, rhythmic variety, sequential patterns, a light texture, and sectional structures with sudden contrasts in texture. In most cases, the melodious short phrases, presented in two-measure constructions, end with the typical cadence pattern, I - IV (ii6) - I -
V7 - I.45
44 Lippman, 64. 45 Kittel spares explanations about the cadence in the beginning of second volume of the APO, in which he specifies Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass cadences, according to the voice leading.
18
The Chorale Prelude and the Chorale Accompaniment
The organist by means of the preludes to chorales shall arouse the attention of his listeners, warm their hearts, and awaken in them such feelings as can contribute to that purpose, that the content of the following song shall be meaningful and beneficial to their souls. For what the heart recommends to understanding, that will be usually well received by it. The chorale prelude and the chorale stand thus in the closest relationship to one another. The latter shall be developed, as it were, from the former. And, to this purpose, art gives us two means: either the prelude must have a melodic idea from the chorale as its theme, or it must at least be created and carried out in the spirit of the chorale. ‒ Johann Christian Kittel46
Kittel’s statement above reveals three important aspects of the chorale prelude and accompaniment. Firstly, that the chorale prelude, which would be based on the character and devotion of the chorale, should be played before the congregational singing so that the congregation would not only be prepared to sing, but that they would also be in an appropriate state of devotion. Secondly, that the chorale prelude should either be based on the chorale melody, or composed in the “spirit” of the chorale (in the latter case, the chorale prelude might have an independent theme derived from the character of the chorale). Thirdly, that the resulting chorale accompaniment should incorporate elements of the preceding chorale prelude within the chorale accompaniment (suggesting that the prelude would be composed or prepared in advance of the chorale accompaniment).
These motivic elements from the prelude appear in short interludes of the chorale accompaniment. Playing interludes between phrases of the chorale tune was common practice in the eighteenth century in order to give the congregation time to read the text of the next phrase and to help them to find the next pitch.47 Kittel maintains this practice, but he also uses the interlude as a tool to express additional emotions. By combining elements of the chorale prelude
46 APO, III, 1. Quoted in Anthony, I, 127. 47 Herl, 138-9 and Feder, 341.
19 into these interludes, Kittel establishes an intimate relationship between the chorale prelude and the resulting accompaniment.
The prelude to Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn (Ex. 2.1) is composed in “free style,” which Kittel explains in a footnote to this piece, saying “that is what I call it to differentiate it from the fugal way of writing. Both are, however, church style.”48 He continues, saying that
“according to its content, this prelude is still based entirely on the chorale.”49
The first four measures are constructed on the first line of the chorale melody and harmony. The arrowed notes in the example refer to the single pitch of the first phrase of the chorale tune.50 The rest of the piece does not take a musical theme from the chorale melody but it contains the “spirit” of the hymn. For example, since the theme of this hymn is a plea for mercy and guidance, the dotted eighth notes suggest a gesture (especially with the slur and staccato) that sounds like pleading. Kittel creates various sentiments by employing slurs and staccatos, ornaments, and a brief modulation to the relative minor key. In addition, repeating the same ideas in a sequential pattern and interspersing cadences establishes a sectionalized structure. The most striking aural part takes place in measures 9 and 10, in which a sudden tension, built by taking a long rest after the broken dominant seventh chords, is resolved in the following recitative-like phrases. The role of the half cadence in measure 8 changes the mode to its relative key, after which a crescendo effect is created by an ascending motive and the addition of another voice.
48 APO, I, 45. Quoted in Anthony, I, 133. 49 APO, I, 27. Quoted in Brown, II, 33. 50 The entire chorale melody and the text for the first stanza are available in the appendix.
20
Ex. 2.1 Prelude on Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn, mm. 1-18
21
The traditional four-part harmony in the chorale accompaniment Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn (Ex. 2.2), based on the realization of figured-bass, is slightly elaborated with trills and turns in the soprano. The first measure of the accompaniment is an exact transplant of the first two measures of the prelude (Ex. 2.1). The interlude has a flexible range of gestures and number of voices, which add grace to the chorale. For instance, the interludes labelled “a”
(stepwise), “c” (chromatic phrase), “f” (two-voice texture, combined with stepwise and chromatic motion), and “g” (three-voice texture), display a typical ascending gesture. Interlude
“b” has a connection with the prelude by adopting the same dotted rhythm. The rest of the interludes “d” and “e” show unique characteristics: interlude “d” contrasts rhythm and articulation, while interlude “e” is dramatically set in all four voices, utilizing an augmented sixth chord with an accented appoggiatura to add an unusual dissonance to the harmony.
Ex. 2.2 Chorale accompaniment Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn, mm. 1-16
22
The prelude to chorale So gehst du nun mein Jesus hin (Ex. 3.1) is another good example of a chorale prelude written in free style. Painting a text about Jesus’ passion, the beginning of the prelude has a slurred sigh motive in the top voice while the lower parts descend in a slow chromatic motion. Kittel notes that “the upper voice executes a subject appropriate to the expression of the whole” while the lower parts progress in the manner of chorale playing.51 The melody of the prelude is constructed in one bar phrases (mm. 1-2), which are followed by a reduction and liquidation to the cadence (mm. 3-4). He continues that “the theme is subsequently broken up into several subsidiary themes during which time the pedal advances always with some connection to the cantus firmus.”52 What Kittel meant by the connection between the pedal and C. F. seems to refer to the manner of pedal playing in a four-part realization of the chorale, not the actual melody of the chorale in the pedal.
The falling gesture of the melody in octaves with staccatos in measure 4 after the sigh motives intensifies its sadness as if it were describing Christ’s falling tears or his staggering while carrying the cross. This figure again appears in the sequence in measures 7 and 8. Like the chorale prelude on Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn (Ex. 2.1), the fermatas in this chorale prelude
(Ex. 3.1, m. 4 and 12) contribute to a change of sentiment between the relative keys. Different articulation markings above the varied motives create sophisticated nuances. Another feature common among chorale preludes is that the ending is emphasised by either a short codetta (Ex.
3.1, mm. 14-15) or a plagal cadence (Ex. 2.1, mm. 17-18) which seems to be intended as a clear signal to the congregation so that the hymn is about to begin.
51 APO, I, 28. Quoted in Brown, II, 41. 52 APO, I, 53. Quoted in Anthony, I, 131.
23
Ex. 3.1 Prelude on So gehst du nun mein Jesus hin, mm. 1-15
24
Ex. 3.2 Chorale accompaniment So gehst du nun mein Jesus hin, mm. 1-21
The chorale accompaniment So gehst du nun mein Jesus hin (Ex. 3.2) is another example where the interludes are derived from the prelude. The sigh motives and slurred appoggiaturas in the melody of the prelude are again imported into the interludes in varied figurations. Compared to the interlude in the chorale accompaniment on Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn (Ex. 2.2), the interludes in this example are extended in terms of length, texture, and melodic contour as the chorale needs to be sung with a particular emotion reflected in the text.
25
The Chorale Variation
Both traditional and galant elements appear in the chorale variations. Kittel considers the church style of writing to be especially desirable for variations, with its serious purpose and dignity. However, he acknowledges that the galant style, although it is limited to some extent to meet the quality of the chorale melody, is suitable for the variations.53 His intermediate position is revealed in his preference to combine the two styles “in order to gain a third kind in which solemn seriousness is combined with grace.”54
Several examples show a remnant of J. S. Bach’s treatment of the chorale; however,
Kittel never forgets to add galant gestures to obtain the “third” kind of style. For example, in variations II and IV of O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden (Ex. 4 and 5), Kittel references the imitative techniques and obbligato pedal found also in the Orgelbüchlein. The main difference is
Kittel’s addition of galant gestures (i.e. the parallel octave passages in Ex. 4, m. 3 and mm. 7-9), which when combined with the full organ add to the overall expression of the passion text.
Therefore, this mixture of the two different styles creates what Kittel mentioned earlier: combination of “solemn seriousness” with grace.
53 Brown, I, 108. 54 APO, III, 15. Quoted in Brown, I, 114. For this blended style, Kittel recommends individual choruses and symphonies composed by Mozart, Haydn, and Handel.
26
Ex. 4 Variation II on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, mm. 1-11 (Octaves boxed)
Ex. 5 Variation IV on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, mm. 1-8
27
Variation V (Ex. 6) is another example of the use of octaves in a contrapuntal context.
This three-voiced piece is reminiscent of a variation from Sei gegrüßet Jesu gütig, BWV 768, which has a similar figuration of running sixteenth notes in the lower two voices beneath the soprano cantus firmus. Here Kittel articulates the unison passages in a different way than in
Variation II (Ex. 4), connecting the slurs from a weak note to a strong note (Ex. 6, mm. 2-3) which differs from the articulation of the similar gesture in Variation II (see Ex. 4, mm. 7-9).
Whereas the slurs from the strong notes to the weak notes reflect drama and passion, the slurs in
Variation V beginning on weak notes sound more elegant and graceful. The two examples demonstrate how a subtle change in articulation can profoundly affect the character of the gesture.
Ex. 6 Variation V on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, mm. 1-6
Interestingly, the sole free variation is placed in the middle of the set and is written not for the organ, but for the pianoforte (Ex. 7). It is doubtful that the pianoforte was used in the liturgy, although this instrument became popular during this time and gradually replaced the other stringed keyboard instruments at home as a practicing device. Kittel probably realized the
28 dynamic power and potential of the instrument, which is effective for the galant style of music, and wished to provide an example for those who practiced at home.
Ex. 7 Variation III on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden,55 mm. 1-13
55 This ancient chorale is written in the Phrygian mode, which normally ends on E. Just as J. S. Bach kept the Phrygian mode for the harmonization of this chorale in the St. Matthew Passion, Kittel also takes the same mode and transposes it up a minor third ending on G.
29
In Example 7, frequent dynamic and rhythmic changes are seen, in particular with specified dynamic indications. Also the broken chords throughout the piece, the slurred descending thirds in measures 9 and 10, and the octave pattern in the bass at the end reveal common features of the galant style.
Variation II and III on Jesu komm doch selbst zu mir show how one can treat the chorale melody as a fixed theme in the free-style writing.
Variation II (Ex. 8) is a straightforward two-voice piece in a light texture. The left-hand broken chords accompany an ornamented version of the chorale melody with a slow harmonic rhythm, creating an elegant motion. The two–measure phrases create a balanced symmetry.
Ex. 8 Variation II on Jesu komm doch selbst zu mir, mm. 1-6
Variation III (Ex. 9), with a melody containing triple figures, is in the style of a gigue.
An additional voice is added and detailed dynamic markings are indicated. In this light texture,
Kittel provides the consistent rhythmic contrasts by opposing eighth notes and sixteenth notes in each phrase.
30
Ex. 9 Variation III on Jesu komm doch selbst zu mir, mm. 1-10
An interesting contradiction arises in Kittel’s use of the dance style. In his 1805 publication Vierstimmige Choräle mit Vorspielen, Kittel mentions that the true church style is disrupted by the “adornment of theatrical and dance styles that are so often clumsily used in church.”56 However, this variation could be seen as a compromise by Kittel in order to please the congregation’s taste. Instead of playing organ transcriptions of French dances or orchestral excerpts, which some of organists performed during the service, he rather provides a graceful character by modifying the rhythm of the chorale melody to please his listener and congregation.
This shows Kittel’s compromising approach to a long-running debate about which style is suitable in church during the transition period.57
The final toccata-like variation (Ex. 10) is developed on an independent musical idea and not on the chorale melody. Kittel does not explain why this variation is free from the chorale melody, however, he provides an explanation in the text on how to make a piece based on a simple motive (labelled “a” in Ex. 10) without additional subordinated ideas, saying that
56 See Stephen Rose, “Lutheran Church Music,” in The Cambridge History of Eighteenth-Century Music, ed. Simon P. Keefe (Cambridge University Press, 2009), 163. 57 Ibid.162-3. According to Rose, Hiller complained that dance music was being played by church organists as preludes to chorales. In addition, Niedt suggested organists should play “very devoutly and not too merrily.”
31
“simplicity of form cannot be attained without simplicity of material.”58 The technique in writing a toccata using a circular motive is similar to the toccatas in D minor and F major of J. S. Bach.
Kittel mentions that this piece reflects a serious and majestic character,59 and can, in fact, be considered one of the most well-developed works among Kittel’s examples in terms of length, material and development.60
Ex. 10 Variation IV on Jesu komm doch selbst zu mir, mm. 1-11
58 APO, II, 54. Quoted in Brown, I, 86. 59 Brown, II, 114. 60 Brown, I, 156.
32
The Free Works in Der Angehende Praktische Organist and the 16 Grosse Präludien
Kittel’s non-chorale-based works are composed in the free style for the postlude as their titles bear “Nachspiel” or “Preludio pro Organo Pleno.” These pieces are also titled as
“Präludium” in another of Kittel’s publication, the 16 Grosse Präludien, which will be discussed below. Although the word “Präludium” or “Preludio” (Prelude) indicates a piece that is played before something else, Kittel’s use of the word “Nachspiel” (Postlude) for the same piece that is labeled as “Präludium” confirms that the Präludium was expected to be heard at the end of the service. Türk also agreed that the Präludium was played as a postlude according to his list of four different preludes: 1) the prelude with cantus firmus, 2) the prelude without C. F., 3) the prelude prior to concerted music in church, and 4) the voluntary, which is considered the postlude.61
Türk states that the improvisation at the end of the service was one of the most important parts of the service in that the organist was to “demonstrate his proficiency, to incorporate a pedal solo, and to employ everything his art makes available to him.”62 He continues that if the organist, however, plays too long, the congregation would leave the church without further listening, saying that “should he stray too far afield in this, the nuisance he causes as a result will not be of great consequence because the majority of the congregation will no longer hear him.”63
This might lead to an understanding of the differences in the same D minor works, which appear both in Der Angehende Praktische Organist and the 16 Grosse Präludien (Ex. 11 and 12).
61Türk, 1787, 57. 62 Ibid., 70. 63 Ibid. Although it is not completely clear what Türk meant by the statement “should he stray too far afield in this” in the context, it is likely that he would have suggested a short improvisation, as he mentioned that a lengthy prelude (played before the service) could make the congregation bored and displeased with the organist’s artistry. See Türk, 1787, 63.
33
Ex. 11 D minor Postlude for Full Organ with Two Manuals from Der Angehende Praktische Organist, mm. 1-37
34
Ex. 12 D minor Präludium from 16 Grosse Präludien, mm. 1-12
Interestingly seven out of the ten free works in Der Angehende Praktische Organist, reappear in the 16 Grosse Präludien, which, according to the plate number, suggests that they were likely meant to be published in 1809.64 Among them, two works from the volume of 1801,
E-flat major and D minor, appear as slightly altered versions in the 16 Grosse Präludien. In particular, the D minor version of the later publication is shorter than the original version and presents a close relationship in the use of the theme between the two. In contrast, the later E-flat major version is nearly identical to the original, but begins with slightly altered melodic contour.
The D minor piece, titled as “Nachspiel für volle Orgel mit zwey Clavieren” (Postlude for full Organ with two manuals) in Der Angehende Praktische Organist (Ex. 11) is longer than the D minor Präludium in the 16 Grosse Präludien (Ex. 12). The main differences occur mostly at the beginning. For example, the D minor Postlude from Der Angehende Praktische Organist
(Ex. 11) begins on a secondary manual without pedal and provides delicate articulation markings, slurs and staccatos. After the theme ends with a perfect authentic cadence in measure 8, it repeats
64 Water Emery, Editorial Note to Johann Christian Kittel, Three Preludes for Organ (Borough Green: Novello, 1958), 2.
35 again on the main manual and ends with a half cadence, which links immediately to the third entry of the theme in F major once again on the secondary manual (m. 19). Then the second part of the theme (m. 23) modulates back to the home key (m. 33) by employing a harmonic sequence.
In contrast, the Präludium from the 16 Grosse Präludien opens differently, with a short 7 measure phrase utilising a compact movement through the circle of fifths instead of the 22- measure introduction in the original Postlude. The following section (mm. 23 onward in Ex. 11 and mm. 8 onward in Ex. 12) are however nearly identical in both versions in which the thematic material is developed in the relative F major before returning to the home key. This relative key relationship, as well as the use of the same thematic idea throughout the piece would imply a sonata form, however, it never fully develops enough to fit into the genre. Although the main thematic idea of the Präludium (Ex. 12, m. 1) looks quite different from the theme of the original
Postlude (Ex. 11), it is in fact derived from the bass line of the original (Ex. 11, m. 1). In addition, one can see a similarity between the opening pedal gesture of the later version (Ex. 12, m. 2) and the bass line at measure 23 in the original (Ex. 11).
It could be suggested that the later version, with its strong gestures and short opening statements, clearly establishes the decisive character of a postlude to hold the attention of the congregation. Although the purpose of the altered version is still vague, this dramatic, compact beginning would have likely drew more attention to the audience than the other version.
An additional comparison between the free works in both publications leads to an interesting conclusion. With the 16 Grosse Präludien having remained unpublished at the time of Kittel’s death, it is possible that he originally intended to include even more works in the publication. The ten free works in Der Angehende Praktische Organist are not apparently in any particular order, whereas all of the Präludien in the 16 Grosse Präludien are arranged in
36 chromatically ascending keys from C major to G minor. The latter collection is contained on two plates, each of which has eight pieces from C major to E-flat minor, and E major to G minor, respectively. 65 The seven pieces from Der Angehende Praktische Organist which are also contained in the two plates of the 16 Grosse Präludien fit into the range of these keys. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that Kittel may have actually intended the publication to be made up of
24 free works, utilising all of the major and minor keys (Figure 2). The remaining nine pieces of the collection would fill in the missing keys from C major to G minor. This is supported by the remaining three free works from Der Angehende Praktische Organist which were not found in the 16 Grosse Präludien: A-flat major, G-sharp minor, and A minor. If Kittel had intended a third plate in order to complete 24 keys, it would have contained eight pieces from A-flat major to B minor. In that case, the three pieces would have most likely belonged to that plate, along with five newly composed pieces. Then, we would have had all 24 pieces in the Grosse
Präludien if Kittel had lived long enough to complete them.
Figure 2 List of free works from the 16 Grosse Präludien (Präludien in bold refers to works from Der Angehende Praktische Organist)
Plate I Plate II (Hypothetical Plate III)
1. C major 9. E major 17. A flat major 2. C minor 10. E minor 18. G sharp minor 3. C sharp major 11. F major 19. A major 4. C sharp minor 12. F minor 20. A minor 5. D major 13. F sharp major 21. B flat major 6. D minor 14. F sharp minor 22. B flat minor 7. E flat major 15. G major 23. B major 8. E flat minor 16. G minor 24. B minor
65 Emery, Editorial Note, 2.
37
V. Performance Practice in Der Angehende Praktische Organist
Although Kittel provides various examples for practical use, he barely mentions how one should perform his music with respect to articulation, touch, ornaments, tempo, and registration.
Therefore, the ideas and suggestions of his contemporaries are included in this study.
Discussions below are limited to the performance practice related to the selected music in the previous chapter; for that reason, most examples in this part are taken from Der Angehende
Praktische Organist.
Articulation and Ornamentation
Articulation markings frequently appear in most of the interludes in the chorale and free- style writing. The legato slur is used for note groupings in order to make a connection between notes (Ex. 13). Both Türk and C. P. E. Bach mention that the first note of the slur should be slightly accented.66
Ex. 13 Articulation markings a. b. c.
66 Daniel Gottlob Türk, School of Clavier Playing, or, Instructions in Playing the Clavier for Teachers and Students (1789), translation, introduction and notes by Raymond H. Haggh (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1982), 344. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments (1753, 1762), trans. and ed. William J. Mitchell (New York: W. W. Norton, 1949), 54.
38
d. e.
f.
a. Chorale on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, m. 12 b. Chorale on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, m. 17 c. Var. III on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, m. 10 d. D minor Postlude, mm. 1-3 e. Var. III on Jesu, komm doch selbst zu mir, mm. 3-4 f. Var. IV on Jesu, komm doch selbst zu mir, m. 13
For detached notes, Kittel uses both staccato dots and strokes over the notes (Ex. 13, e and f).
Although C. P. E. Bach states that the dot is another way to indicate a short note to avoid misunderstanding the stroke as a fingering notation or recommendation due to its resemblance to the number “1,”67 Türk mentions that the stroke is shorter than the dot.68 However, the duration of short notes should be different depending on the character and tempo of the piece.69
Along with articulation indications, ornaments such as trills, turns, and double appoggiaturas (i.e. Anschläge) are another tool to express sentiments in the melody (Ex. 14).
Ex. 14 Double Appoggiaturas a. Var. III on Jesu, komm doch selbst zu mir, mm. 16-17 b. Chorale So gehst du nun, mein Jesu, hin, m. 9
67 C. P. E. Bach, Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments, 54. 68 Türk, School of Clavier Playing, 342. 69 Ibid., 343.
39
The double appoggiatura consists of two prefixed notes, below and above the main note.
According to C. P. E. Bach, this appoggiatura may be applied in two ways: “First, the preceding tone is repeated and succeeded by the step above the principal note; second, the tone below and then the tone above are prefixed to it.”70 In both ways, the main note is approached from the upper note. In addition, Türk notes that the descending double appoggiatura (i.e. playing the upper note first and the lower one before the main note) is rarely used.71 Both suggest that the two prefixed notes should be played softer than the main note.72
Registration
Interestingly, Kittel indicates suggestions for registration and tempo only for some selected preludes and chorales of Volume I. However, when Kittel rearranged the contents of the
Volume I and reprinted it in 1808, this part was omitted. For registration, Kittel notes full organ for pieces with a majestic character and quiet stops for free-style pieces. A mixture of 8-foot stops, for example, a combination of 8-foot Flöte, Quintatön, and Viola de Gamba, was favored because of its fullness and less brilliant sound, much like that of a small ensemble. 73 The combination was possible on most Thuringian organs of the century, including the
Predigerkirche organ where Kittel was organist, which contained a substantial variety of 8-foot stops. The stoplist of the organ as it appeared in 1726 is from Musica mechanica organoedi by
Adlung, published in 1768 (Figure 3).74
70 C. P. E. Bach, 132. 71 Türk, 1789, 236. 72 Ibid., 235 and C.P.E. Bach, 132. 73 Brown, I, 241. 74 This stoplist is taken from Jacob Adlung’s Musica mechanica organoedi / Musical Mechanics for the Organist (1768), tran. Quentin Faulkner. Zea E-Books. Book 6, 2011, 225.
40
Figure 3 Stoplist of the Organ in the Principal Lutheran church in Erfurt, the Predigerkirche in Musica mechanica organoedi by Adlung
Although we do not know whether the organ was changed by the time of Kittel, his registration indications seem to imply some alterations. Otherwise, the registrations may be suggestions for other organs. For the prelude to Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn, Kittel suggests quiet stops: perhaps Flöte 8’, Quintatön 8’, Lieblich Gedackt 8’, and Kleingedackt 4’. And for So gehst du nun mein Jesus hin, he again suggests playing softly with a combination of Flöte 8’,
Lieblich Gedackt 8’, and Quintatön 8’ for the upper voice, and Viola de Gamba 8’ and
Grobgedackt (Großgedackt) 8’ for the lower voice.75
With regard to the registration, however, Kittel exemplifies an unusual practice in the variations on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden. This Passion chorale was traditionally sung on
Good Friday without organ accompaniment, according to the common practice during Lent, at
75 APO, I, 59-60.
41 which time all instruments and concerted music were omitted from Lutheran liturgy.76 However,
Kittel’s registration of this set is striking because the full organ sound is expected in every other variation of the Passion chorale. It seems that some churches were opposed to the silence of the organ during the Lenten season. For example, Adlung preferred to accompany congregational hymn singing with quiet stops to keep the congregation in tune,77 and the organist in Mühlhausen even played a postlude by request of the church during Lent.78 However, it is still questionable as to where this piece fits within the Passiontide.
One occasion in which concerted music was heard during Lent in Bach’s time in Leipzig was at Passiontide, when a musical setting of the Passion story was performed in the vesper service on Good Friday.79 For example, Bach’s monumental vocal work Matthäuspassion (BWV
244) is scored for double choir and orchestra including dual continuo accompaniment. For this work, Bach uses the chorale O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden six times in five different keys, but without accompaniment as with other chorales in his cantatas.80 There is no clear link between
Bach’s use of the Passion chorale in the Matthäuspassion and Kittel’s variation on the same hymn, however, Bach’s treatment of the same melody in different keys and texts might have inspired Kittel to attempt a similar portrayal of the various passions through the six different variations. Since Adlung advocated for the use of the organ during Lent at the same church
76 Philipp Spitta, Johann Sebastian Bach: His Work and Influence on the Music of Germany, 1685-1750, 3 vols., trans. Clara Bell and J. A. Fuller-Maitland (London: Novello & Co., Ltd, 1889; New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1951), vol. 2, 271-2, and 281. 77 Jacob Adlung, …Anleitung zu der musikalischen Gelahrtheit. Erfurt, 1758, repr: ed. Hans Johachim Moser, Documenta musicologica, series 1, no. 4 (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1953), 491. Cited in Herl, 147. 78 Arno Werner, Vier Jahrhunderte im Dienste der Kirchenmusik: Geschichte des Amtes und Standes der evangelischen Kantoren, Organisten und Stadtpfeifer seit der Reformation. Leipzig, Merseburger, 1932, 298 pp. Reprint (Hildesheim: Olms, 1979), 113. Cited in Herl, 276 (N. 73). 79 Rose, 144. Another possible occasion is the feast of the Annunciation on March 25. 80 Among the ten stanzas written by Paul Gerhardt, originating from the Latin hymn, Bach uses five texts in this Passion but in a different order from the original, and takes the opening stanza of the same writer’s “Befiehl du deine Wege” to the same melody. About the use of the Passion chorale in St. Matthew Passion, see Jaroslav Pelikan’s “Themes and Variations in the Bach Passions,” in Bach Among the Theologians (Fortress Press, 1986), 74-88.
42 where Kittel served later, the congregation of Predigerkirche might have been accustomed to hearing the organ during this solemn period. Given this atmosphere, the presence of Kittel’s variations allude to what might have been improvised on Good Friday.
On the other hand, considering Mendelssohn’s organ improvisation on the same Passion chorale during his famous Leipzig concert on August 6 in 1840,81 one might assume that this chorale was not limited to Good Friday, but could have also been heard in public performance. If
Kittel’s variation had similarly been improvised at a concert, his use of the full organ for the thick-texture variations could be justified without offending the performing practice in Lent.
Tempo in the Chorale Accompaniment
In regards to tempo in the chorale accompaniments, most suggested tempos are indicated as “slowly" or “andante.”82 The tempo of the chorale in the eighteenth century seems quite slow to modern ears. According to Georg Friedrich Seiler, the singing tempo of his church was
“neither too slowly nor too fast” and was about 36 beats per minute.83 However, several other sources report that there was a tendency towards faster singing. For example, in 1787 Türk says that in rural areas, the singing was so rapid and the organist played so quickly that the service finished half an hour early.84 A similar testimony was reported in 1752 by Caspar Ruetz, saying
“The great organ [of] St. Mary’s, even if all the stops were pulled, is not powerful enough to hold the congregation in check…Why [do] people like to sing [singing] the spiritual odes so quickly? … For if they were all sung with proper slowness, one could be stuck in church for four
81 Larry Todd, Mendelssohn: A Life in Music (Oxford University Press, 2003), 401. 82 Although Kittel indicates the tempo markings for the selected chorale preludes, I assume that the same tempo can be applied to the corresponding chorale, since he emphasizes the close relationship between the chorale and the prelude. 83 This approximate calculation was done by Joseph Herl. For further information, see Herl, 169-170. 84 Türk, 1787, 44.
43 hours.”85 In order to avoid losing the dignity of the chorale, Türk urged a slow and solemn tempo.86 Kittel seems to echo the same suggestion in the prelude to strengthen devotion, as he suggests a slow tempo for the preludes of Volume I.
In the chorale accompaniment, the fermata often appears at the end of the phrase. In general, this musical indication was twofold: one is that the note below the sign is the conclusion of the phrase, and the other is that the note should be lengthened. Although holding the note longer than its value is suitable to give a pause so that the congregation can prepare the next line, it is not necessary that the organist should lengthen the note overly since the congregation needs a moment to breath.
Ex. 15 Fermatas Chorale accompaniment Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn, mm. 1-9
As Kittel differentiates the length of the manual and pedal parts in the interludes (Ex. 15), the organist holds the pedal longer than the manual so that the interlude begins before the pedal releases. In this way, the congregation can breathe during the interlude and the pedal nicely overlaps. Although Kittel does not lengthen the bass in a consistent way, differentiating the length of the manual and pedal parts is appropriate for these purposes.
85 Caspar Ruetz, Widerlegte Vorurtheile von der Virkung der Kirchenmusic, und von den darzu erfoderten Unkosten (Rostock and Wismar, 1753), 18. Quoted in Herl, 169. 86 Türk, 1787, 43.
44
Touch
To lead congregational singing successfully, distinct execution is needed between the singing part and the interlude. Most interludes are written in the free style, employing slurs and staccatos as previously observed. Therefore, various articulations of the interlude will make it different from the chorale part. For more contrast between the two, legato touch for the chorale accompaniment might be considered. In the early nineteenth century, legato playing for hymn singing developed alongside ordinary touch (by which all notes were articulated, having the fingers release a little earlier than its full value).87 For example, in 1805, Guthmann complained about the interruption especially in the melody due to the lack of finger substitution skills among organists (Ex. 16. a).88 In the example, the marking above the chords indicated by a cross is the place where fingers should be changed.
Ex. 16 Finger Substitutions
a. Friedrich Guthmann b. Johann Gottlob Werner
87 “Neither stuck nor slurred.” See C.P.E. Bach, 157 and Türk, 1789, 345. 88 Friedrich Guthmann, “Einige Worte über die Applikatur beym Choralspiel auf der Orgel und auf dem Pianoforte,” in Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (July 24, 1805), col. 695. Cited in Brown, I, 238.
45
A similar musical example from Johann Gottlob Werner (Ex. 16, b) also shows the same content.89 Moreover, absolute legato playing was also one of the included exercises for the beginner organist in the instruction book by Rinck, Kittel’s famous student.90 Whether Kittel intended this legato touch for the accompaniment is not known to us. However, playing the chorale smoothly at least in the melody is worthy of attempting, in order to not only provide vocal expressiveness in the singing, but also to differentiate between the chorale and the interlude.
Pedal Technique
Although there is no pedaling marks on Kittel’s music, using the heel seems to be more common than in earlier times. As a matter of fact, in Vierstimmige Choräle mit Vorspielen
(Altona, 1803), Kittel demonstrates three different pedal techniques: alternating toes of both feet, alternating of heel and toe of the same foot, and a mixing of the two.91 According to Quentin
Faulkner, the use of the heel already seems to appear in some of Bach’s music,92 although it is assumed that most of Bach’s works are playable exclusively with the toes. Kittel was one of the musicians who suggested using heels along with the traditional pedaling in written sources,93 which continued into the next generation.
In the introduction to the first edition of Bach’s organ works, published by C. F. Peters in
1844, F. K. Griepenkerl mentions Kittel’s pedal technique as an example of where one would
89 Johann Gottlob Werner, Orgelschule oder Anleitung zum Orgelspielen und zur richtigen Kenntnis und Behandlung des Orgelwerks (Meissen: Schott, 1824), 8. 90 Jon Laukvik, Historical Performance Practice in Organ Playing, Part 2, The Romantic Period, trans. Christopher Anderson (Stuttgart: Carus-Verlag, 2010), 59. 91 Bal, “Introduction,” 1 -18. 92 Quentin Faulkner, J. S. Bach’s Keyboard Technique: A Historical Introduction (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1984), 47. 93 Petri, Türk, and Knecht also discuss pedal technique in their books, as mentioned on page 8 in this essay.
46 learn the method of pedaling for the preparation of the performance of Bach’s music. 94
Furthermore, most pedal passages in Der Angehende Praktische Organist and the 16 Grosse
Präludien require an advanced pedal technique, which is one of the main subjects of Rinck’s exercise book Praktische Orgelschule. Through Rinck’s pedal work, Felix Mendelssohn acquired an exceptional pedal technique,95 which was lacked by his contemporaries.
VI. Conclusion
Although the liturgy was simplified in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, the essential role of the organist (playing hymns, improvising chorale preludes and voluntaries) was still expected in most churches. In order to encourage the young organist who lacked improvisational and performance skills, Kittel provided practical examples in Der Angehende
Praktische Organist. Due to the change in musical tastes, Kittel brought elements of the music performed outside of the church into his compositions and improvisations for the liturgy, by combining both the conservative and up-to-date styles.
Kittel plays a significant role in filling the musical gap between J. S. Bach and the later generation. In his preface of the method book, Rinck also emphasizes the importance of being able to perform in all of the twelve major and minor keys, which was taught by Kittel, who himself learned the skill from J. S. Bach.96 In his six-part book intended for “organ playing” rather than improvisation Rinck presents various written works of chorale preludes, variations on familiar chorales, postludes, preludes and fugues, and even a concerto, which contain not only
94 F. K. Griepenkerl, “Vorrede zur ersten Auflage,” Johann Sebastian Bach’s Kompositionen für die Orgel, 9 vols (Leipzig: C. F. Peters, 1844), I, p. II. Quoted in Anthony, I, 255. 95 William A. Little, Mendelssohn and the Organ (Oxford University Press, 2010), 27. 96 Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck, Preface to Praktische Orgelschule, ed. William Thomas Best (London: Novello & Company; New York: H. W. Gray Co., 1864), 1.
47 detailed articulation markings but also tempo and dynamic indications, reflecting the performance practice of the century.
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) studied various exercises from the Praktische
Orgelschule during his studies with August Wilhelm Bach (1796-1869). 97 Through these examples, he would have become familiar with Rinck’s organ works; such as Rinck’s chorale variations which would later influence Mendelssohn’s own partita.98 Through the transmission of
Kittel’s manual and Rinck’s pedagogical book, the early romantic organ school began to blossom in Mendelssohn’s organ works, in which the transition of the keyboard practice in the second half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of nineteenth century passed on to the romantic performance practice.
In Der Angehende Praktische Organist, Kittel’s conservative writing reflects his intention that sacred music in the traditional style should continue, whereas his galant style music was intended to please the congregation. He states that “the organist plays for the people; he must condescend to their style, ideas, and taste.”99 His conservative style tends to blend with galant gestures to create solemn grace, to move the soul, and to lead the congregation to serious devotion, which contrasts to the performance of some organists who played excerpts of symphonies and operas in the service. In addition, the free style of the chorale preludes and interludes in the accompaniments delivers the character of the chorale through various galant affections so that the congregation would be immersed in appropriate emotion and inspired to meditate on the words of the chorale. Therefore, although Kittel employs the same material as
97 A musical genealogy between J. S. Bach and Mendelssohn may be found through his studying organ with August Wilhelm Bach, whose teacher was Michael Gotthardt Fischer (1773-1829). Fischer was not only a student of Kittel but also the successor at Predigerkirche. 98 Little, Mendelssohn and the Organ, 192. 99APO, I, 22. Quoted in Brown, I, 50.
48 the current style, the output of his music elevates the position of the merely functional organist to the same place as the preacher:
No less important than that of the preacher. He [the organist], too, should speak to the hearts and intellects of those present, not with words but with musical sounds. The preacher is supposed to…say to us, more perfectly those things which we think only imperfectly and indistinctly. The organist, however, should have already endeavored to prepare, maintain, and fix this [serious] mood in the souls of those present. What an important, honorable, deserving occupation! – Johann Christian Kittel 100
100 APO, I, 4. Quoted in Brown, I, 48.
49
CD Contents
Johann Christian Kittel (1732-1809)
Track 1: Prélude (Fantasie) V en ré majeur / Prelude (Fantasia) in D major (16 Grosse Präludien)
Track 2: Prélude et choral sur / Chorale Prelude and Chorale on Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn (Der Angehende Praktische Organist)
Track 3: Variations sur / on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden (Der Angehende Praktische Organist)
Chorale Var. I. Manualiter Var. II. With full organ and obbligato pedal Var. III. For pianoforte Var. IV. With full organ Var. V. Manualiter Var. VI. With full organ
Track 4: Prélude VII en mi bémol majeur / Prelude VII in E-flat major (16 Grosse Präludien)
Track 5: Prélude XV en sol majeur / Prelude XV in G major (16 Grosse Präludien)
Track 6: Variations sur / on Jesu komm doch selbst zu mir (Der Angehende Praktische Organist)
Var. I. Chorale Var. II. Two-voiced for manual alone Var. III. Three-voiced Var. IV. With full organ
Track 7: Prélude et choral sur / Chorale Prelude and Chorale on So gehst du nun mein Jesus hin (Der Angehende Praktische Organist)
Track 8: Prélude VI en ré mineur / Prelude VI in D minor (16 Grosse Präludien)
Track 9: Postlude pour le plein jeu de l’orgue avec deux claviers en ré mineur / Postlude for full organ with two manuals in D minor (Der Angehende Praktische Organist)
50
Chorale Melodies and Texts
Straf mich nicht in deinem Zorn Hundert…geistlicher Arien, Dresden, 1694
Straf mich nicht in deinem Zorn Strike me not in thy great wrath, Ne me punis pas dans ta colère, Grosser Gott, verschone; But, O Lord, protect me. Ô grand Dieu, épargne-moi; Ach lass mich nicht sein verlorn, Turn me from my evil path, Ne me laisse pas me perdre, Nach Verdienst nicht lohne. With thy grace direct me. Ne récompense pas au mérite. Hat die Sünd dich entzündt. If my sin should offend, Si mon péché t'a offensé, Lass um Christi willen Then, for Jesus’ merit, Alors, pour l'amour du Christ, Deinen Zorn sich stillen. In thy wrath forbear it. Laisse ta colère s'apaiser. ---Johann Albinus, 1652 ---Translation, Charles Brown, 1970 ---Traduction, Jean-Willy Kunz, 2012
O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden Herzlich tut mich verlangen, Hans L. Hassler, 1601
O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, O Head full of blood and Ô tête couverte de sang et de Voll Schmerz und voller Hohn, wounds, blessures, O Haupt, zum Spott gebunden full of pain and full of derision, Pleine de douleurs et de Mit einer Dornenkron; O Head, in mockery bound moqueries, O Haupt, sonst schön gezieret with a crown of thorns, Ô tête liée à la dérision Mit höchster Ehr' und Zier, O Head, once beautifully Par une couronne d'épines; Jetzt aber höchst schimpfieret: adorned Ô tête, jadis joliment parée Gegrüßet seist du mir! with the most honour and Des plus grands honneurs et ---Paul Gerhardt, 1653 adornment, ornements, but now most dishonoured: Mais maintenant extrêmement let me greet you! déshonorée, ---Translation, Francis Browne, 2008 Je te salue! ---Traduction, Jean-Willy Kunz, 2012
51
Jesu, komm doch selbst zu mir Anonymous
Jesu, komm doch selbst zu mir, Jesus, Savior, come to me; Jésus, viens à moi und verbleibe für und für; Let me ever be with Thee, Et reste avec moi; Komm doch, werther Come and nevermore depart, Viens, digne ami, Seelenfreund, Thou who reignest in my heart. Très cher, que mon coeur estime! Liebster, den mein Herze meynt! ---Translation, Matthias Loy, 1861 ---Traduction, Jean-Willy Kunz, 2012 ---Johann Scheffler, 1657
So gehst du nun, mein Jesu, hin “Geistreiches Gesangbuch” Darmstadt, 1698
So gehst du nun, mein Jesu, hin, Lord Jesus, Thou art going forth Ainsi vas-tu, mon Jésus, den Tod für mich zu leiden, For me Thy life to offer; Souffrir la mort pour moi, für mich, der ich ein Sünder bin, For me, a sinner from my birth, Pour moi qui suis pécheur, der dich betrübt in Freuden. Who caused all Thou must Qui ai affligé tes joies. Wohlan! Fahr fort, suffer. Allez! Vas-y, du edler Hort, So be it, then, Ô noble rempart, mein Augen sollen fließen Thou Hope of men; Mes yeux déverseront ein Tränensee, Thee I shall follow weeping, Une mer de larmes, mich Ach und Weh, Tears flowing free Et arroseront die Leiden zu begießen. Thy pain to see, Mes douleurs et mes peines. ---Caspar Friedrich Nachtenhöfer, 1651 Watch o’er Thy sorrows keeping. ---Traduction, Jean-Willy Kunz, 2012 ---Translation, W. Gustave Polack, 1940
52
Stoplist of the Organ by Rudolf von Beckerath (1961) of l’Église de l’Immaculée-Conception in Montreal
3 manuals and pedal; 38 stops, 56 ranks, 2,752 pipes; Mechanical key and stop action
Brustwerk Hauptwerk Rückpositiv Pedal
Holzgedackt 8’ Quintadena 1 ’ Gedackt 8’ Prinzipal 1 ’ Rohrflöte 4’ Prinzipal 8’ Quintadena 8’ Subbaß 1 ’ Prinzipal 2’ Spitzflöte 8’ Prinzipal 4’ Offenflöte 8’ Sifflöte 1’ Oktave 4’ Koppelflöte 4’ Metallflöte 4’ Terzian II Blockflöte 4’ Gemshorn 2’ Nachthorn 2’ Scharf III Nasat 2 2/3’ Nasat 1 1/3’ Rauschpfeife III Dulzian 8’ Oktave 2’ Sesquialtera II Mixtur V Flachflöte 2’ Scharf IV Posaune 1 ’ Mixtur VI Dulzian 1 ’ Trompete 8’ Fagott 1 ’ Bärpfeife 8’ Schalmei 4’ Trompete 8’
Other details: Manual compass: 56 notes (C-g3) Pedal compass: 32 notes (C-g1) Couplers: BW/HW, RP/HW, RP/PED, HW/PED (1971) Tremblant: BW, RP
Registration and Sound
A hallmark of the Thuringian organ tradition of Gottfried Silbermann (1683-1753) and his followers is the inclusion of a great variety of 8’ flue stops at the expense of reed stops in the manual divisions.101 The appearance of tierce mixtures (third-sounding ranks) is particularly noteworthy. New colours such as the Flauto Traverso (overblowing flute stop), and the silvery tone and narrow-scale string stops like the Viola da Gamba and Salicional were widely used. In addition, a single chest for all of the divisions was favoured over the north German Werkprinzip design which consisted of a separate case for each division. Since the tonal concept of the Beckerath organ at l’Église de l’Immaculée-Conception is based on a typical north German baroque organ with multiple principal choruses between the
101 Quentin Faulkner, The Registration of J. S. Bach’s Organ Works (Wayne Leupold Editions, Inc., 2008), 6-7.
53 divisions of the Werkprinzip and only a small numbers of 8’ flue stops, an experimental approach was taken in order to produce a sound which would resemble the colors of the central German organ as much as possible. For the selected preludes of Volume I, Kittel suggests several combinations of multiple soft 8’ stops. Since the Beckerath organ only contains three soft 8’ stops, the Spitzflöte 8’, Gedackt 8’, and Quintadena 8’ on both the Rückpositiv and Hauptwerk, an appropriate adjustment to Kittel’s registration is inevitable. Therefore, recognizing the character of the piece is essential in order to achieve an appropriate tone, volume, and balance with the available stops. For example, the soprano solo of the chorale prelude on So gehst du nun mein Jesus hin needs a mournful and singing character, while the lower voices provide a gentle accompaniment part. A possible choice on this organ is a single Prinzipal 8’ for the solo, and the combination of Gedackt 8’ and Quintadena 8’ for the lower part (cf. Kittel indicates a combination of Flöte 8’, Lieblich Gedackt 8’, and Quintatön 8’ for the upper voice, and Viola de Gamba 8’ and Grobgedackt 8’ for the lower voice). In the earlier days, mixing families of the same pitch for the plenum were rarely practiced because of the associated tuning and wind supply problems.102 Although Kittel did not specify which stops should be included in the plenum, Adlung preferred to combine numerous 8’ flue pipes in the full principal chorus.103 The inclusion of manual reed stops in the plenum seems to be rare at the time, as most central German sources agreed in the use of reed stops in the pedal but not in the manual for the plenum.104 However, there is evidence to suggest that several organists such as C. F. Ruppe and J. H. Knecht added manual reeds to the plenum.105 Although we do not know if Kittel used the manual reed stops in the full organ, diverse plenum sounds associated with reeds supported by a good wind supply and tuning may have been used to express various Affekt. Adlung supports this by adding that “variety is the soul of music” in the art of registration.106 Therefore, presenting a variety of plenum sounds could justify the genuine spirit of the “galant” in Kittel’s music.
102 Peter Williams and Barbara Owen, The Organ (New York; London: W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), 131. 103 Barbara Owen, The Registration of Baroque Organ Music (Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), 167. 104 Jon Laukvik, Historical Performance Practice in Organ Playing: An Introduction Based on Selected Organ Works of the 16th-18th Centuries, 2 vols., trans. Brigitte and Michael Harris (Stuttgart: Carus, 1996), I, 225. 105 Owen, The Registration of Baroque Organ Misic, 247. 106 Adlung, Musica mechanica organoedi, 167.
54
[1] Prelude V in D major
RP/HW HW: Q16 P8 Sf8 O4 O2 Mix T8 RP: G8 P4 G2 Sesq Ped: P16 S16 Of8 Mf4 Nh2 Rpf Mix Pos16 T8
[2] Chorale Prelude and Chorale on Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn
Chorale Prelude HW: Sf 8 Bf4 Ped: P16 Of8 Mf4
Chorale HW: P8 Sf 8 O4 Ped: P16 S16 Of8 Mf4
[3] Variations on O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden
Chorale RP/HW HW/PED HW: Q16 P8 Sf 8 O4 RP: G8 Q8 Ped: P16 Of8 Mf4
Var. I RP: G8 Q8 P4 G2 D16
Var. II HW: P8 Sf8 O4 O2 Mix F16 Ped: P16 Of8 Mf4 Nh2 Rpf Mix Pos16 T8
Var. III RP: G8 P4
Var. IV RP/HW RP/PED HW: Q16 P8 Sf8 O4 O2 T8 RP: G8 P4 G2 Sesq Ped: P16 Of8 Mf4 Nh2 Rpf Pos16 T8
Var. V RP: Kf4
Var. VI RP/HW RP/PED HW/PED
55
HW: Q16 P8 Sf8 O4 O2 Mix T8 RP: G8 P4 G2 Sesq Ped: P16 Of8 Mf4 Nh2 Rpf Pos16 T8 S4
[4] Prelude VII in E-flat major
Ms 1-8, 36-50 RP: G8 Kf4 Ped: P16 Of8 Mf4
Ms 9-35 HW: Sf8 Bf4
[5] Prelude XV in G major
HW: Q16 P8 O4 O2 Mix Ped: P16 S16 Of8 Mf4 Nh2 Rpf Mix T8
[6] Variations on Jesu komm doch selbst zu mir
Var. I HW: P8 O4 Ped: P16 Of8 Mf4
Var. II BW: Rf4
Var. III RP: G8 Q8 Kf4
Var. IV HW: Q16 P8 O4 O2 Mix Ped: P16 Of8 Mf4 Rpf Mix Pos16 T8
[7] Chorale Prelude and Chorale on So gehst du nun mein Jesus hin
Chorale Prelude HW: P8 (rh-solo) RP: G8 Q8 (lh-accomp) Ped: P16 S16 Of8
Chorale RP/HW HW: P8 Sf8 (+/- O4 alternating) RP: G8 Ped: P16 S16 Of8 Mf4
56
[8] Prelude VI in D minor
RP/HW HW: P8 Sf8 O4 O2 T8 RP: G8 Kf4 G2 Sesq Ped: P16 S16 Of8 Mf4 Rpf Pos16 T8 S4
[9] Postlude for full organ with two manuals in D minor
RP/HW HW: P8 Sf8 O4 O2 Mix F16 RP: G8 Kf4 G2 Sesq Ped: P16 S16 Of8 Mf4 Nh2 Rpf Mix Pos16 T8 S4 (Ms 30-32: - Rpf Mix Pos16 T8 S4)
57
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