Variation No. 10 is a Fughetta in four parts.
236
Ten of the Variations are marked “a 2 Clav.,” that is, for two keyboards or manuals: Nos. 8, 11, 13, 14, 17, 20, 23, 25, 26, 28. Nos. 5, 7, 29 are marked “a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.”
237
The movement is constructed upon two merry folk-songs, Kraut and Rüben haben mich vertrieben, and Ich bin so lang nicht bei dir gewirt.
238
See supra, p. 101.
239
In fact Bach wrote the early Aria variata alla maniera Italiana (Peters bk. 215, p. 12) for the Clavier. For the Organ he wrote four sets of Variations upon as many Choral melodies (Novello bk. xix.). But all except the Goldberg Variations are youthful works, and in his maturity Bach clearly had no liking for the form. The theme of the Goldberg Variations, moreover, is itself a youthful idea; at least it dates back to as early as 1725, and is found in A. M. Bach’s Notenbuch (No. 26, Aria in G major).
240
There is no reference to these corrigenda in the B. G. edition.
241
The work has been referred to already in connection with Bach’s membership of Mizler’s Society (supra, p. 112). It was composed presumably circ. 1746 and in point of technical skill is the most brilliant of Bach’s instrumental works. Forkel states that it was engraved after June 1747, when Bach joined Mizler’s Society. Spitta (iii. 295) is of opinion that it was already engraved by then. It is in bk. xix. of Novello’s edition.
242
Supra, p. 25.
243
The presentation copy of the work, which Bach sent to Frederick along with a dedicatory letter (July 7, 1747), is in the Berlin Amalienbibliothek and proves that only the first third of the work, as far as the “Ricercare a sei voci” (see B.G. XXXI. (2)) was sent then. The latter and the remaining canons were dispatched subsequently probably by the hand of C. P. E. Bach. The six-part Ricercare was a particular compliment to the King. Frederick had desired Bach on his visit to play a Fugue in six parts but left it to the player to select his theme. Bach now employed the thema regium for the purpose. The first reissue of the work was by Breitkopf and Haertel in 1832. Peters (bk. 219) brought it out in 1866. See Schweitzer, i. 417 IV. and Spitta, iii. 191 ff. and 292.
244
In C minor (P. bk. 237 p. 3).
245
The statement is inaccurate. The work was written for the most part in 1749 and the greater part of it was prepared for engraving by Bach himself during his last illness. None of his elder sons was with him at his death, and the blunders that disfigure the engraved copy show that they clumsily finished their father’s work. It is in P. bk. 218.
246
Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg, b. 1718, d. 1795.
247
The work was published shortly after Bach’s death, but had no sale. C. P. E. Bach then commissioned Marpurg to write a preface, and the new edition was published at the Leipzig Fair, Easter, 1762. In four years only about thirty copies were sold. See Spitta, iii. 197 ff. and Schweitzer, i. 423 ff.
248
In 1756. See C. P. E. Bach’s advertisement in Felix Grenier, p. 232.
249
The work contains six Fugues and four canons upon the same theme; an unfinished Fugue “a tre soggetti,” the first four notes of the third of which spell B A C H; and the Choral Prelude “Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sein.”
250
Schweitzer explains: “His purpose in this work being a purely theoretical one, Bach writes the Fugues out in score, and calls them ‘counterpoints’ ”
251
252
Supra, p. 27. The movement is in N. bk. 17 p. 85. It is not certain that Bach intended the Prelude or the unfinished Fugue to be included.
253
C. P. E. Bach was only concerned with the first volume. Erk, in his edition of the Choralgesänge, conjectures that Kirnberger was responsible for the second.
254
The four volumes were published at Leipzig between 1784-87. Spitta states that C. P. E. Bach was the editor. Erk joins Kirnberger with him in that position. As C. P. E. Bach died in 1788 Kirnberger’s association with the work is probable, especially if he had already been responsible for the 1769 volume.
255
Bach’s Clavier school consisted of eighteen Preludes for beginners (all in B.G. XXXVI.); the two-part and three-part Inventions; and the Well-tempered Clavier. The six Preludes mentioned by Forkel, and which alone he knew, were published by him for the first time. Seven more are found in Wilhelm Friedemann’s Clavierbüchlein (B.G. XLV. (1)), and the remaining five have survived in texts handed down by others of Bach’s pupils. The eighteen are in P. bk. 200.
256
The Autograph was written at Cöthen and is dated 1723. It also contains the fifteen Symphonies, or three-part Inventions mentioned in paragraph 3. Both Inventions and Symphonies are in F. bk. 201. According to Spitta (ii. 57 n.) the Inventions were published at Leipzig in 1763. See also Schweitzer, i. 328 ff.
257
See the previous note.
258
The second Part was compiled in 1744 and Bach’s Autograph of it, though not the earliest Autograph, is in the British Museum. See Schweitzer, i. 331 ff. and Spitta, ii. 161 ff. The whole work is in P. bks. 1, 2; or 1a, 1b; or 2790a, 2790b.
259
No. 20. Spitta (ii. 164) attributes it to the years 1707 or 1708. Schweitzer (i. 332) also regards it as a youthful piece written, moreover, for the pedal Clavicembalo.
260
Nos. 15 and 16. Spitta, admitting that the two do not rank with the most interesting in the collection, finds no indication of their being of different date from the best movements.
261
No. 1. Here Spitta (ii. 165 n.) challenges Forkel.
262
Nos. 11 and 12. In regard to No. 12 (F minor) Spitta holds Forkel to be in error. As to No. 11, he expresses the same opinion as in note 3, supra.
263
The date 1744 places the second Part among Bach’s latest compositions. On the other hand, like the first Part, it contained work of earlier date.
264
Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor (P. bk. 207 p. 4). It probably dates from circ. 1720-23.
265
The MS. was discovered in 1876 and is now at Dresden. It was written circ. 1738 and disproves Forkel’s conjecture that the fugue did not belong to the Fantasia and is only partially by Bach. The Fugue contains forty-seven bars. As the Autograph is a fair copy the Fugue cannot be called unfinished. See Spitta, iii. 182. The Fantasia is in P. bk. 207 p. 50; the Fugue in P. bk. 212 p. 88. See B.C. xxxvi., xxxviii., and xlii. for other Clavier Fantasias.
266
The true explanation seems to be that the Prelude of the first Suite (A major) is based upon a Gigue by Charles Dieupart (d. circ. 1740), a popular teacher and composer in England. The words fait pour les Anglois, which head the A major Suite in an early MS., have been wrongly interpreted as applying to the whole set of six. They merely indicate Dieupart’s borrowed Gigue. See Grove, vol. i. 701, and Parry, J. S. Bach, p. 463. A copy of the work exists, of date 1724-27, made by one of Bach’s pupils. But the composition of the Suites may certainly be assigned to the Cöthen period. They are published in P. bks. 203, 204.
267
The French Suites undoubtedly date back to the Cöthen period, since they figure, though incomplete, in the Notenbuch of A. M. Bach (1722). They are published in P. bk. 202.
268
Forkel’s incomplete catalogue may be compared with the Bachgesellschaft volumes III., XIV., XXV. (1), XXXI. (2), XXXVI., XLIL, XLIII. (1 and 2), XLV. (1). See generally Schweitzer, ch. 15, and Pirro, pp. 218 ff.
269
P. bks. 205, 206, 208, 212 (fragment in F minor), 214, 215, 1959.
270
P. bks. 200, 210, 211, 212, 214, 215, 1959.
271
For the most part these youthful works will be found in B.G. XXXVI.
272
P. bk. 207 p. 16.
273
In C minor (P. bk. 200 p. 10).
274
In P. bks. 232, 233.
275
Suite in A major (P. bk. 236), Sonata in E minor (P. bk. 236), Fugue in G minor (P. bk. 236), four Inventions (P. bk. 2957), Sonata in G minor (BG. ix. 274; not in P.), Sonata in C major for 2 Violins and Clavier (P. bk. 237).
276
There are six Sonatas for Flute and Clavier, in B minor, E flat major, A minor, C major, E minor, E major (P. bks. 234, 235).
277
There are three Sonatas for Clavier and Gamba, in G major, D major, G minor (P. bk. 239).
278
Forkel omits two Sonatas for Violin, Flute, and Clavier, in G major and C minor (both in P. bk. 237).
279
As Forkol mentions in secs. 4, 5, 6 the Concertos for two, three, and four Claviers, perhaps he had in mind here seven Concertos for Clavier and Orchestra (P. bks. 248-254). A Concerto for Clavier, Violin, Flute, and Orchestra (P. bk. 255 p. 4) in A minor also should be mentioned. Also an Overture, in G minor, for Clavier and Strings (B.G. XLV. (1) p. 190; not in P.)
280
P. bk. 257 p. 4.
281
P. bk. 256 p. 4.
282
There are, in fact, three Concertos for two Claviers and Orchestra: two in C minor and one in C major. Forkel refers to only one of the former and regards it as antiquated by comparison with the one in C major. Spitta (iii. 144) attributes the C major to 1730. Forkel’s C minor in its original form was a Concerto for two Violins, now lost. The other C minor Concerto is identical with the Concerto in D minor for two Violins and is in P. 257b. Spitta (iii. 138) dates it 1736. See Schweitzer, i. 413.
283
In D minor and C major (P. bks. 258, 259). The tradition is that Bach wrote these two Concertos in order to play them with his elder sons. Spitta (iii. 144) finds the tradition trustworthy. Hence the two works must have been written by c. 1733 at latest, before the sons left home. See also Schweitzer, i. 414.
284
In A minor (P. bk. 260). This is not an original composition, but is an arrangement by Bach of a Vivaldi Concerto for four Violins. Spitta (iii. 149) assigns it to the same period as the Concertos for three Claviers, c. 1733. See B.G. XLIII. (1) infra.
285
The pedal on the small German Organ had only the compass of an octave.
286
The Great Preludes and Fugues are, with one exception, in B.G. XV. The Prelude and Fugue in E flat was published by Bach in the third Part of the Clavierübung. Its Fugue is known as the “St. Anne’s.”
287
From the figures printed by Forkel the twelve can be identified as follows (the references in parentheses are to the Novello edition of Bach’s Organ works):
Prelude and Fugue in C minor, the “Great” (bk. vii. 64).
Prelude and Fugue in A minor, (bk. vii. 42).
Prelude and Fugue in G major, (bk. viii. 112).
Prelude and Fugue in E minor, (bk. viii. 98).
Prelude and Fugue in B minor, (vii. 52).
Prelude and Fugue in C major, (bk. ix. 156).
Prelude and Fugue in D minor, (bk. ix. 150).
Prelude and Fugue in C major (bk iii. 70).
Tocatta and Fugue in D minor (bk. x. 196).
Tocatta and Fugue in F major (bk. ix. 176).
Prelude and Fugue in G minor (bk. viii. 120).
Prelude and Fugue in E minor (bk. ii. 44).
288
The Passacaglia in C minor (Novello bk. 10 p. 214) was written originally for the Clavicembalo and pedal. It belongs to the later Weimar period, i.e. circ. 1715. See Spitta, i. 588 and Schweitzer, i. 280.
289
They are all printed in Novello bk. 19, and are three in number, on the melodies “Christ, der du bist der helle Tag”, “O Gott, du frommer Gott,” and “Sei gegrüsset, Jesu gütig.” The pedal is only required in one movement of the first, in none of the second, and considerably in the third. Without question all three date from Bach’s earliest period, but whether they were written at Arnstadt or Lüneburg cannot be stated.
290
The fullest collection of these miscellaneous Organ Choral Preludes is in B.G. XL. Not counting variant readings they number fifty-two, besides two fragments and thirteen of doubtful authenticity, of which two are sets of Variations. The Novello edition contains fifty-two in bks. 18 and 19. To these must be added the “Eighteen” Preludes on Choral Melodies, which Forkel nowhere mentions, as well as the third Part of the Clavierübung, the Schübler Chorals, and the Variations on Vom Himmel hoch, to which he has already made reference in the first section of this chapter. As he does not mention it specifically, it is to be inferred that Forkel was ignorant of the existence of the Orgelbüchlein; otherwise he could hardly have failed to introduce it in this section. All Bach’s Choral Preludes, miscellaneous and in collections made by himself, are in Novello’s edition, bks. 15-19. A useful key to their melodies is provided by bk. 20. For more detailed information see Terry, Bach’s Chorals, Part III.
291
The large number of MSS. of many of the miscellaneous Preludes is made evident in the introduction to B.G. XL.
292
The Sonatas in E flat major, C minor, and D minor are in N. bk. 4; E minor, C major, G major in N. bk. 5.
293
The so-called “Sonatas” were actually written for a Clavicembalo with two manuals and a pedal. Bach’s Autograph of them belonged to his second son and an earlier copy of them to Wilhelm Friedemann. Both are now in the Berlin Royal Library. Friedemann went to Dresden as Organist in 1733 and Spitta is of opinion that the whole of the six Sonatas were in existence by or soon after 1727. If so, they must be regarded as the outcome of Bach’s early years at Leipzig. See Spitta, iii. 212 ff. and Schweitzer, i. 278.
294
None are extant. Spitta, iii. 213 n., conjectures that Forkel refers to the Trios in D minor and C minor (N. bks. 2 p. 54, 12 p. 108) and the Pastorale in F major (N. bk. 12 p. 102.) His incomplete knowledge of the Organ works is revealed by Appendix V. infra.
295
This is a pure conjecture and Schweitzer scouts it (i. 416 n.).
296
The oldest copy of them dates from circ. 1720; they belong therefore to the late Cöthen period. The 1720 MS. is in A. M. Bach’s handwriting and was discovered in 1814 at Petrograd among old papers about to be sent away to a butter dealer. The Sonatas are in P. bk. 228.
297
They also date from the Cöthen period and are in P. bk. 238a, 238b.
298
Forkel omits to mention the Brandenburg Concertos (P. bks. 261-266); the Overtures in C major (P. bk. 267), B minor (P. bk. 268), D major (P. bk. 269), D major (P. bk. 2068); and the Violin Concertos in A minor (P. bk. 229), E major (P. bk. 230), and (for two Violins) in D minor (P. bk. 231). In B.G. XXI. (1) is a Symphonic movement, in D major, for Violin and orchestra. A Sinfonia in F major (B.G. XXXI. 96) is another version of the first Brandenburg Concerto. The Clavier Concertos have been mentioned supra.
299
The set of five is complete only for Christmas Day, Feast of the Circumcision, Whitsunday (one of the five is of doubtful authenticity), Purification of the B.V.M., and Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. See Terry, Bach’s Chorals, Part II. 2 ff.
300
In giving the number of Passions as five, Forkel repeats the statement of the Nekrolog. The number corresponds with the five sets of Church Cantatas which Bach is known to have written. It is, however, exceedingly doubtful whether Bach wrote more than four Passions. Only those according to St. Matthew and St. John have come down to us from C. P. E. Bach, who was left the Autographs of both by his father. The St. John Passion was first performed in 1724 and the St. Matthew Passion in 1729. Picander, Bach’s librettist, certainly wrote two other Passion texts, one of which was written for Good Friday 1725, and the second, based on St. Mark’s Gospel,
was actually performed at St. Thomas’, Leipzig, on Good Friday 1731. Spitta (ii. 505) gives good reason to hold that Bach’s music for this Passion was adapted from the Trauer-Ode, which he had written in 1727 in memory of Queen Christiane Eberhardine. But of the 1725 Passion there is no trace. If it ever existed, its loss probably may be assigned to Wilhelm Friedemann’s carelessness, to whom presumably it was assigned in the division of Bach’s property after his death. But even so, we have no more than four Passions. There exists, however, a fifth Passion according to St. Luke, which is undoubtedly in Bach’s Autograph, and which Spitta is inclined to attribute to Bach himself. It is published by Breitkopf and Haertel, but is generally regarded as being by another composer than Bach, who probably copied it for use at Leipzig. On the whole matter see Spitta, ii. 504 ff., Schweitzer, chap. xxvi., and the Bach-Jahrbuch for 1911 (Publications of the New Bachgesellschaft XII. (2)).
301
Other than the Passions, the only Oratorios are the Christmas Oratorio, (1734), the Easter Oratorio (c. 1736), and Ascension Oratorio (c. 1735).
302
Besides the B minor Mass (1733-? 38) Bach wrote four miscalled “short” Masses, in F major, A major, G minor, and G major. They all belong to the Leipzig period (c. 1739).
303
Besides the setting of the Sanctus in the B minor Mass there are four detached settings, in C major, D major, D minor, and G major. Of these only that in D major is probably by Bach (c. 1723).
304
The music for Saints’ Days is included in the church Cantatas. For the Birthday Odes see supra, Chap. IIA.
305
Besides the Trauer-Ode, three or four of the church Cantatas and certainly three of the Motets were written for funerals. See Terry, op. cit., pp. 24, 44.
306
Among the church Cantatas there are at least five for use at weddings. Bach wrote also three secular wedding Cantatas: Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten (c. 1730); O holder Tag (11749); the third (1728) has disappeared.
Delphi Masterworks of Johann Sebastian Bach (Illustrated) (Delphi Great Composers Book 3) Page 46