UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Date: August 17, 2006 I, Esther S. Yoo, ________________________________________________________ hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: Doctor of Musical Arts in: Conducting, Choral Emphasis It is entitled: Old Wine in New Bottles: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Chorale Cantatas— J. S. Bach’s Models Become “Romanticized" This work and its defense approved by: John Leman Chair: ________________________ Earl Rivers ______________________________ bruce d. mcclung ______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Old Wine in New Bottles: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Chorale Cantatas—J. S. Bach’s Models Become “Romanticized” A document submitted to the Division of Graduate Studies and Research of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS in the Ensembles and Conducting Division of the College-Conservatory of Music 2006 by Esther S. Yoo B.A., University of Toronto, 1990 Art. Dip., Hochschule für Musik in München, 1994 M.M., University of Toronto, 2002 Committee Chair: John Leman, D.M.A. ABSTRACT Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–47) composed eight chorale cantatas between the years 1827–32. These compositions stem from the time of Mendelssohn’s study and interest in the works of J. S. Bach, including the period that he was heavily devoted to reviving the long dormant St. Matthew Passion at the Berliner Singakademie in 1829. As a result, the chorale cantatas are evidence of Mendelssohn’s fluent understanding of Baroque forms and styles, and his assimilation of Bach’s musical language into his own compositional style. Chapter One of this document explores Mendelssohn’s compositional studies during the 1820s in Berlin and addresses the few articles and books concerning these relatively unexplored cantatas. As well, this chapter briefly introduces the eight chorale cantatas. The second chapter is a comparative study of Mendelssohn’s eight cantatas in relation to the Baroque style of compositions. Bach’s influence on Mendelssohn’s compositions is explored as well as those distinguishing characteristics that point to Mendelssohn the Romanticist. The final chapter is an analysis of Mendelssohn’s last chorale cantata, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, with the understanding that although the composer’s compositional style is rooted in Baroque traditions, this is music of his own time. ii COPYRIGHT PERMISSIONS All musical examples taken from Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Chorale Cantatas published by Carus-Verlag, Stuttgart. Used by Permission. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Earl Rivers, Dr. Stephen Coker, Dr. John Leman, and Dr. bruce mcclung for their support and encouragement throughout my doctoral studies. A special thank you is expressed to Dr. John Leman for his guidance and support in advising this final project. Thank you to my family and friends who have always stood by me throughout my musical journey, especially my parents. iv CONTENTS LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ……………………………………………………………….2 TABLES .........................................................................................................................................5 CHAPTER ONE MENDELSSOHN AS A STUDENT OF J. S. BACH ……………...................................6 REVIEW OF AVAILABLE LITERATURE …………………………………………...12 OVERVIEW OF MENDELSSOHN’S CHORALE CANTATAS ……………………...14 CHAPTER TWO MENDELSSOHN’S CHORALE CANTATAS: ROMANTICIZED VERSIONS OF BAROQUE MODELS ……………………………18 Treatment of Chorale ……………………………………………………………19 Form/Style ………………………………………………………………………22 Instrumentation/Orchestration …………………………………………………..25 Harmonic Language ……………………………………………………………..36 Melody/Lyricism ………………………………………………………………...50 CHAPTER THREE ANALYSIS: ACH GOTT, VOM HIMMEL SIEH DAREIN ……………………………61 Movement One …………………………………………………………………..62 Movement Two ………………………………………………………………….77 Movement Three ………………………………………………………………...79 Movement Four ………………………………………………………………….81 CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………………………………….85 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………………88 1 MUSICAL EXAMPLES Example 1. Mendelssohn, O Haupt voll Blut und Bunden, mvt. 2, mm. 36–40 …………………...22 2. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, mvt. 2, mm. 36–39 ……………..25 3. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, mvt. 4, mm. 1–4 ………………..26 4. Mendelssohn, Vom Himmel hoch, mvt, 4, mm. 1–7; mm. 24–31 …………………….27 5. Mendelssohn, Vom Himmel hoch, mvt. 4, mm. 94–104 ………………………………28 6. Mendelssohn, O Haupt voll Blut und Bunden, mvt. 1, mm. 1–4 ……………………...29 7. Mendelssohn, O Haupt voll Blut und Bunden, mvt. 3, mm. 1–4 ……………………...30 8. Mendelssohn, O Haupt voll Blut und Bunden, mvt. 3, mm. 5–10 ………………….....31 9. Mendelssohn, Wir glauben all an einen Gott, mvt. 1, mm. 1–6 …………………........32 10. Mendelssohn, Wir glauben all an einen Gott, mvt. 2, mm. 7–12 ………………..........33 11. Mendelssohn, Wir glauben all an einen Gott, mvt. 3, mm. 90–93 …………………....34 12a. Mendelssohn, Vom Himmel hoch, mvt. 1, mm. 1–4 ………………………….............35 12b. J. S. Bach, Canonic Variation on “Vom Himmel hoch” mm. 1–3……........................35 13. Mendelssohn, Christe, du Lamm Gottes, mm. 98–102 …………………………..........37 14. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, mvt. 2, mm. 70–73 …………......38 15. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, mvt. 2, mm. 82–85 …………......39 16. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, mvt. 2, mm. 95–101 ………........40 17. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, mvt. 2, mm. 90–97 …………......41 18. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben gott läßt walten, mvt. 4, mm. 46–50 ………….......42 19. Mendelssohn, Jesu, meine Freude, mm. 120–29 ………………………………...........43 2 20. Mendelssohn, Jesu, meine Freude, mm. 143–47 ………………………………............44 21. Mendelssohn, Jesu, meine Freude, mm. 176–84 ………………………........................45 22. Mendelssohn, O Haupt voll Blut und Bunden, mvt. 1, mm. 112–26 ………………......46 23. Mendelssohn, O Haupt voll Blut und Bunden, mvt. 3, mm. 49–58 ……………….........47 24. Mendelssohn, Vom Himmel hoch, mvt. 2, mm. 1–3 ………………………………........48 25. Mendelssohn, Vom Himmel hoch, mvt. 5, mm. 16–20; mvt. 6, mm. 1–2 ……………...49 26. Mendelssohn, O Haupt voll Blut und Bunden, mvt. 2, mm. 1–26 ………………...........51 27. Mendelssohn, O Haupt voll Blut und Bunden, mvt. 2, mm. 35–42 …………….............51 28. Mendelssohn, O Haupt voll Blut und Bunden, mvt. 2, mm. 51–75 ……………….........52 29. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, mvt. 3, mm. 1–7 ……………........52 30. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, mvt. 3, mm. 110–17 …….............53 31. Mendelssohn, Wer nur den lieben gott läßt walten, mvt. 3, mm. 59–67 …………….....54 32. Mendelssohn, Christe, du Lamm Gottes, mm. 1–4 ……………………………..............55 33. Mendelssohn, Christe, du Lamm Gottes, mm. 6–11 ……………………………............56 34. Mendelssohn, Christe, du Lamm Gottes, mm. 14–20 …………………………………..57 35. Mendelssohn, Wir glauben all an einen Gott, mvt. 1, mm. 35–41 …………………......57 36. Mendelssohn, Verleih uns Frieden, mm. 1–14 ……………………………………........59 37. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 1–4 ………………......64 38. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 5–7 …………………..64 39. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 23–28 …………..........66 40. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 28–31 ………………..67 41. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 32–35; mm. 48–51 …..68 42. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 36–39 ……………......69 3 43. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 71–73 …………..........70 44. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 77–81 …………..........70 45. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 80–90 …………..........71 46. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 95–98 ………..............73 47. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 106–108 ………..........74 48. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 124–27 ……................74 49. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 1, mm. 127–32 ………............76 50. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 2 …………..............................78 51. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 3, mm. 14–21 ………..............80 52. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 3, mm. 30–36 ………..............80 53. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 3, mm. 38–40 ………..............81 54. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 4, mm. 1–4 …………..............82 55. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 4, mm. 5–8 ……......................82 56. Mendelssohn, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, mvt. 4, mm. 24–29 ………..............83 4 TABLES 1. Overview of Mendelssohn’s Chorale Cantatas ........................................................................16 2. Text of the first movement, Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein .............................................62 5 CHAPTER 1 MENDELSSOHN AS A STUDENT OF J. S. BACH Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809–47) came of age in Berlin in the early decades of the nineteenth century and his musical language reflects this cultural and intellectual environment. Mendelssohn’s artistic maturation coincides with a musical society that was entrenched in past traditions especially instituted by students of Johann Sebastian Bach. Berlin was considered home to many of J. S.