Something for a Friday: All of Bach

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm still playing catch-up with a lot of these performances (and what a joy it is!). This one's interesting for the use of the small violoncello in the continuo. I'm also intrigued that Kuijken leads from the back as it were. As a matter of interest how do the performers (particularly the solo singers) get their cues when the leader/director is behind them?

- presumably lots of rehearsal?! The instrumentalists are continually glancing at Kuijken, but the singers look as if they're just reading from their vocal scores and listening to the "accompaniment". The biggest potential for mistiming looks to be the two keyboard players - the harpsichordist behind the instrumental "arch" and the Organist .... ???? Hiding behind a screen somewhere!

Lovely performance, though, whatever the "logistics".

[EdgeleyRob]

Looking towards the end of Passiontide with this week's short (under 3mins) Musical offering: a Chorale Prelude based on a melody that was also used by Bach in both the St Matthew Passion and the Christmas Oratorio. "With all my heart I long for a blessed end" (?"the blessing of my death - after a traumatic life"?)

Played by Bart Jacobs on the Organ of St Baavo's Church in Haarlem in the Netherlands, recorded last September.

http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-727/

Thanks ferney.
I wonder if we'll get a biggie next week ?

[hmvman]

- presumably lots of rehearsal?! The instrumentalists are continually glancing at Kuijken, but the singers look as if they're just reading from their vocal scores and listening to the "accompaniment". The biggest potential for mistiming looks to be the two keyboard players - the harpsichordist behind the instrumental "arch" and the Organist .... ???? Hiding behind a screen somewhere!

Lovely performance, though, whatever the "logistics".

Yes, I wondered if it was just down to rehearsal and professionalism. Kuijken always seems 'understated' when it comes to gestures and body language. I assume the organist has either a CCTV monitor or a mirror to see the conductor/director but in this case it might not tell him much!

Agree with you about the performance. I haven't been disappointed with any in this series so far - and frequently been enraptured! Looking forward to hearing the latest one later on this evening.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Chorale Prelude on "O Mensch, bewwein dein Sunde Gross", BWV622

I wonder if we'll get a biggie next week ?

Well, no - but Bach's littlies are bigger than most composers' biggies anyway. It's another short and sweet piece for organ, a setting of the Passiontide hymn "O Man, weep for your great sin" which JSB also used to close Part One of the St Matthew Passion - and in the Motet BWV402. I love the way that Bach avoids the Romantic trap of "reflecting" the mood of the text in this superbly-crafted and delightfully perky miniature. It's one of the pieces in the Orgelbuchlein ("Little Book of Organ Pieces") which was held in highest regard by, amongst others, Pierre Boulez who considered it one of the finest achievements of this fine composer.

Performed by Erwin Wiersinga in August, 2015 on the 1731 organ of the Collegiate Church of St George, about 120 miles from Dresden.

http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-622/

[EdgeleyRob]

Well, no - but Bach's littlies are bigger than most composers' biggies anyway. It's another short and sweet piece for organ, a setting of the Passiontide hymn "O Man, weep for your great sin" which JSB also used to close Part One of the St Matthew Passion - and in the Motet BWV402. I love the way that Bach avoids the Romantic trap of "reflecting" the mood of the text in this superbly-crafted and delightfully perky miniature. It's one of the pieces in the Orgelbuchlein ("Little Book of Organ Pieces") which was held in highest regard by, amongst others, Pierre Boulez who considered it one of the finest achievements of this fine composer.

Performed by Erwin Wiersinga in August, 2015 on the 1731 organ of the Collegiate Church of St George, about 120 miles from Dresden.

http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-622/

Intense yes,and heart wrenching.

Thanks as always fhg
.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Quasimodogeniti

Not a word I'd ever encountered before (and I'm familiar with all the "_gesimas"!); nothing to do with campanology it refers to the first Sunday after Easter. Cantata BWV 42 Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats ("On the Evening of that Same Sabbath") is Bach's joyful contribution to the celebration, a OVpP performance recorded in the Walloon Church in Amsterdam last October, directed by Jos van Veldhoven.

http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-42/

Some useful additional background information from WIKI:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am_Abend_aber_desselbigen_Sabbats,_BWV_42

(A question: the "evening of that same Sabbath" - does this refer to Friday or Saturday?)

[vinteuil]

.

... as the 'day' in the Jewish tradition and liturgically begins with sunset, then 'the evening of that Sabbath' wd surely be the Friday evening.

Re: Quasimodo - the hunchback (I'm sure in these politickally- correct days there is a more "acceptable" word...) was 'found' on quasimodo Sunday and named hence.

http://wordhistories.com/2015/02/24/quasimodo/

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... as the 'day' in the Jewish tradition and liturgically begins with sunset, then 'the evening of that Sabbath' wd surely be the Friday evening.

That's what I thought/wondered.

Re: Quasimodo - the hunchback (I'm sure in these politickally- correct days there is a more "acceptable" word...) was 'found' on quasimodo Sunday and named hence.

http://wordhistories.com/2015/02/24/quasimodo/

Eeeh! And there' me thinking it was because he was a bit like Dorian!

[EdgeleyRob]

I listened,as I now tend to do before reading up on the piece and then re listening,and thought that there was a lot going on the opening sinfonia and in the instrumental parts as a whole.Almost like a lost Brandenburg concerto.

Many thanks ferney.

[EdgeleyRob]

I'll do the honours seeing as Brian is on his jollies.
Blink and you'll miss it Fugue BWV 953,or living room music,played by the guy with loads of CDs on his shelves

Http://allofbach.com/en/?home=1

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'll do the honours seeing as Brian is on his jollies.

Oi!!! If I'm "Brian", with your Avatar, you must be Dougal!

Blink and you'll miss it Fugue BWV 953,or living room music,played by the guy with loads of CDs on his shelves.

Pah! They aren't "loads" unless they're also covering the floor space and dining table, too!

Lovely little number, thanks, Edgey - played it three times in the time it took me to type this!

[hmvman]

Gorgeous-sounding instrument too!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Gorgeous-sounding instrument too!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Cantata, BWV52 - "Jauchzet Gott, allen landen"

"Praise the Lord, All Ye Lands!" - a wonderfully joyous work: generously repaying 18 minutes of listening time with a lifetime of glorious invigoration!

Maria Keohane has as gorgeously-sounding an instrument as the guy with the medium-sized CD collection last week, gorgeously accompanied by a gorgeous-sounding ensemble (in particular, trumpet solos played by Robert Vanryne) conducted by the gorgeously wonderful Jos van Veldhoven, recorded in the gorgeous Great Church in Naarden in Holland, a week before last Christmas.

Gorgeous!

http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-51/

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Actually, singling out Mr Vanryne's contributions to the outer Movements without also mentioning the gorgeously sterling solos by 'cellist Lucia Swarts, and Violinist Shunske Sato (I love the way Anneliese van der Vegt, sitiing next to him, follows his solo with such enjoyment and involvement in the fourth movement) seems more than a little invidious!