Musical Moments #27
“Music….is the outward and audible signification of inward and spiritual realities.”
Philip Heseltine, pseudonym Peter Warlock
Denn du wist mein Seele nicht in derr Hölle lassen
Duets:
“Weichet, weichet, Furcht und Schrecken”
“Ihr klaget mit Seufzen, ich jauchze mit Schall”
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) but actually Johann Ludwig Bach (1677-1731)
Over a span of nearly two hundred years, fifty composers with the last name Bach established a family legacy so associated with music that in some German towns the very word “Bach” was slang for “musician.” All these talented composers lived in the middle of Germany (Thuringia), and only expanded their influence beyond the region when J.S. Bach’s sons ventured to other parts of Europe.
Johann Sebastian Bach (J.S.), the most famous member of the extended family, especially admired the music of his cousin Johann Ludwig Bach so much that J.S. copied a number of his relative’s cantatas and performed them in Leipzig either as they were or with his own original material added. In this musical era, “borrowing” from another composer was considered a compliment, and after all, this was all in the family. The cantata Denn du wirst meine Seele nicht in der Hölle lassen, is a work found in Bach’s library and considered for several centuries as his own BWV 15. Scholars are, however, quite sure that this piece was written by Johann Ludwig Bach, who followed in the family business as a musician after studying theology. He spent his whole career in Meiningen, first as a violinist, then Kantor and eventually Kapellmeister.
While Johann Ludwig’s primary instrument was violin, it was his choral compositions that were most plentiful and reflected his best accomplishments. One of his greatest contributions to classical music, though, was through the work of his son, Gottlieb Friedrich Bach, a skilled portraitist who captured many of the images of the family, including one of the most famous portrayals of J.S. Bach.
Regardless of who wrote the cantata, the work is beautifully crafted. These two fabulous duets are a unique aspect of this cantata, first performed in 1704 by Johann Ludwig and later by Johann Sebastian in 1726. This composition for Easter is in two parts with a duet in each. The first speaks of death, while the second sings of the joy of resurrection. The mood of the music accurately captures the gist of the texts.
The performances always make me smile as I listen to the artistry and precision soprano Mary Wilson and mezzo-soprano Meg Bragle bring to this recording. These gifted and highly accomplished singers share a friendship, which, I believe, enhances their performances and adds to the joy of making music for all to enjoy. Mary and Meg are accompanied by members of the Bach Festival Orchestra.
-John V. Sinclair
“Music…..is a language, but a language of the intangible, a kind of soul-language.”
Edward MacDowell