J.S. BACH. Ernest Ansermet. Orchestral Suites Nos. 2 & 3 Sinfonias from Cantatas BWV 12 & 31 Cantatas BWV 45, 67, 101, 105 & 130

Transcription

1 Eloq uence J.S. BACH Orchestral Suites Nos. 2 & 3 Sinfonias from Cantatas BWV 12 & 31 Cantatas BWV 45, 67, 101, 105 & 130 L Orchestre de la Suisse Romande

2 JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH ( ) CD Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV I Ouverture II Rondeau III Sarabande IV Bourrée I-II V Polonaise VI Menuet VII Badinerie 1 34 Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV I Ouverture II Air III Gavotte I-II 3 50! IV Bourrée 1 V Gigue 2 50 André Pépin, solo flute [Suite No. 2] L Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Cantata Herr Gott, dich loben wir BWV 130 I Chorus: Herr Gott, dich loben wir 3 43 $ II Recitative (alto): Ihr heller Glanz und hoher Weisheit zeigt 1 11 % III Aria (baritone): Der alte Drache brennt vor Neid 5 08 ^ IV Recitative (soprano & tenor): Wohl aber uns dass Tag und Nacht 1 42 & V Aria (tenor): Lass, o Fürst, der Cherubinen 4 35 André Pépin, solo flute * VI Chorale: Darum wir billig loben dich 1 06

3 Cantata No. 67 Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum Christ BWV 67 ( I Chorus: Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum Christ! 3 23 ) II Aria (tenor): Mein Jesus ist erstanden 2 57 III Recitative (alto): Mein Jesus, heissest du des Todes Gift 0 35 IV Chorale: Erschienen ist der herrlich Tag 0 56 # V Recitative (alto): Doch scheinet fast 0 58 VI Aria (baritone): Friede sei mit euch! 5 46 VII Chorale: Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ 1 28 Elly Ameling, soprano Helen Watts, alto Werner Krenn, tenor Tom Krause, baritone Choeur Pro Arte de Lausanne L Orchestre de la Suisse Romande CD Cantata Der Himmel lacht, die Erde jubilieret, BWV 31 Sinfonia Cantata Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV 12 Sinfonia 4 19 Roger Reversy, oboe Cantata Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht BWV I Chorus: Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht II Recitative (alto): Mein Gott, verwirf mich nicht III Aria (soprano): Wie zittern und wanken 6 46 Roger Reversy, solo oboe 6 IV Recitative (baritone): Wohl aber dem, der seinen Bürgen weiss V Aria (tenor): Kann ich nur Jesum mir zum Freunde machen 6 36 Edmond Leloir, solo horn 8 VI Chorale: Nun, ich weiss, du wirst mir stillen 2 20 Cantata Es ist dir gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist BWV 45 9 I Chorus: Es ist dir gesagt II Recitative (tenor): Der Höchste lässt mich seinen Willen wissen 1 02! III Aria (tenor): Weiss ich Gottes rechte 4 IV Arioso (baritone): Es warden vielen zu mir sagen 3 37 V Aria (alto): Wer Gott bekennt aus wahren Herzensgrund 4 13 with André Pépin, solo flute $ VI Recitative (alto): So wird denn Herz und Mund 1 03 % VII Chorale: Gieb, dass ich tu mit Fleiss 1 29 Agnes Giebel, soprano Helen Watts, alto Ian Partridge, tenor Tom Krause, baritone Cantata Nimm von uns, Herr du treuer Gott BWV 101: excerpts ^ I Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott 8 35 & VI Gedenk an Jesu bittern Tod 8 08 * VII Leit uns mit deiner rechten Hand 1 25 Elly Ameling, soprano Helen Watts, alto Choeur Pro Arte de Lausanne Choeur de la Radio Suisse Romande L Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Total timing:

4 Swiss conductor ( ) was primarily associated with French music and with the music of Igor Stravinsky, whose scores he conducted for Sergei Diaghilev s Ballets Russes between 1915 and He also excelled, however, in works from the Classical period, and he did not ignore Bach either. As early as 1923, when he appeared for the first time as a guest of the Royal Philharmonic Society in London, a Bach cantata appeared on the program and this was at a time when Bach s cantatas were less appreciated than they are today. His final concert with L Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in 1968 included Bach s Fourth Orchestral Suite. This collection brings together Ansermet s complete Bach recordings for Decca. The connection between music and mathematics often has been remarked upon. In Ansermet s case, this connection was especially close because early in his career he studied both disciplines; and he was a lecturer in mathematics before he devoted himself entirely to music. With such a background, perhaps his affinity for Bach is not surprising, not just because of the architectural qualities of Bach s music, but also because of Bach s interest in numbers. While Bach was not a mathematician per se, there is evidence that his understanding of mathematics went well beyond that of his peers. Commentators often marvel that Bach composed over 200 Cantatas the actual number probably is closer to 300, but many of them have been lost although his friend and colleague Telemann composed about 1200! Today, we distinguish between Bach s church cantatas, which were prepared and performed from Sunday to Sunday in the context of the Lutheran liturgy, and his secular cantatas, which in some ways are analogous to extended operatic scenes, and were composed primarily to pay homage to an important personage, and to entertain rather than to instruct. During Bach s time, however, it was unusual to use the term cantata at all, and it is conspicuous by its relative absence in what writings of his survive. Bach composed the majority of his church cantatas while he was serving as the cantor (music director) of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. The texts were in German in keeping with reforms introduced by Martin Luther and were written by a number of librettists. Also, it was not unusual for Bach to use a familiar chorale melody by an older composer as the melodic basis of a new work. Starting in 1723, he composed five yearly cycles of cantatas, and most of the music heard on these CDs comes from that period. Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir ( Lord God, we all praise ye ), Cantata No. 130, dates from 29 September 1724 the Sunday following St. Michael s Day, one of the most prominent feast days in the Lutheran calendar. This cantata illustrates, in the opening and closing movements, Bach s aforementioned practice of expanding upon an older chorale melody. The chorale in question is well-known in the English-speaking world as Old Hundredth but its origins are French specifically, the composer Loys (or Louis) Bourgeois. The author of the text is unknown, but it is distantly based on a canticle by Martin Luther s colleague Philipp Melanchthon. According to Revelations, St. Michael led angels in a war against Satan and his hosts, who then were cast out of Heaven. This cantata, then, praises God for the protection given by angels against Satanic forces this is literally expressed in the opening chorus and it is not difficult to hear martial undertones in the music. After the chorus, there is an alto recitative further describing mankind s angelic protectors, and this is followed by a sturdy aria for bass accompanied by three trumpets, timpani and continuo. In it, Satan is described as the old dragon. Next, in a recitative for soprano and tenor, vigilantly protected mankind is compared to Daniel in the lions den; and to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who survived Nebuchadnezzar s furnace. In the following dance-like aria, the tenor gracefully invokes the Prince of Cherubs Christ himself. The cantata closes with a chorus of renewed praise to God. Cantata No. 67, Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum Christ ( Hold in remembrance Jesus Christ ) also dates from 1724 April 16, to be exact. This was the first Sunday after Easter, also known as Quasimodogeniti Sunday. The gospel reading for that Sunday concerns the apostle Thomas, who doubted Christ s resurrection from the dead until he saw Christ s nail wounds and placed his fingers in one of them. Hold in remembrance Jesus Christ, the chorus sings in the first movement, who has arisen from the dead. Again, the author of the text is unknown, but passages have been taken from 2nd Timothy (the first movement) and John (the sixth). Bach often engaged in what is called wordpainting, a compositional device in which the music illustrates a particular word. In the opening movement of Cantata No. 67, Bach illustrates the word Halt ( hold ) with held notes in the horn.

5 The second movement is an aria for tenor, accompanied by oboe d amore, in which the singer expresses his belief in the resurrection, yet his lingering doubt over its reality. The alto continues the theme of doubt in the next recitative, which is interrupted by a chorale (whose melody and text are taken from Nikolaus Herman) in which the resurrection is affirmed. This is followed by the bass, who sings Christ s Easter greeting, Friede sei mit euch ( Peace be with you ), in alternation with contrasting material from the chorus, who represents mankind welcoming the gift of resurrection. In the brief final chorale, Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. It is possible that Cantata No. 105, Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht ( Lord, enter not into judgment ) was first heard in Leipzig just one week after Cantata No. 45 (see below), because it was composed for the ninth Sunday after Trinity. This cantata, which many commentators rank among his finest, continues that cantata s theme of penitence. In the soberly expressive opening choral movement, the text is taken from Psalm 143: Lord, enter not into judgment with Your servant, because before You, no living creature is just. The source of the remaining texts is unknown, except in the final chorale, which is based on Jesu, der du meine Seele by Johann Rist. Next, in a recitative, the alto takes up the plea for forgiveness, and this is followed by a soprano aria with a plaintive oboe obbligato, Wie zittern und wanken. Here we have another fine example of Bach the word-painter. The text alludes to the trembling and wavering of a sinner s thoughts, illustrated by the strings. Comfort is given in the ensuing bass recitative, and this is followed by an aria in which the tenor sings that if he can make Jesus his friend, Mammon that is to say, earthly treasures have no more value for him. The horn plays an important obbligato role here. The oratorio closes with the aforementioned chorale. Again, Bach uses word-painting to illustrate the Lord s calming of a guilty conscience through the violins, whose busily accompanying figures become less active as the movement progresses. Cantata No. 45, Es ist dir gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist ( He has told you, Mankind, what is good ) was composed for the eighth Sunday after Trinity, although the year has been disputed, and may have been either 1723 or The text for the first and fourth movements is taken from Micah and Matthew, respectively, and concerns the manner in which God is to be served, which is through belief and humility, and not through prideful actions practiced by false prophets. In the fourth movement, the bass serves as the vox Christi the voice of Christ. Here, though, and in the fifth movement (an aria for alto, with flute obbligato), the message is not one of peace but almost of warning and even chastisement, as Christ orders away the evildoers who, supposedly acting on behalf of God, do so with their mouths and not with their hearts. The second and third movements are a recitative and aria for tenor in which Mankind is urged to prepare for judgment. The author of the texts is unknown, as it is in the sixth movement, an alto recitative advising the listener to humbly submit to what God requires of him. The final movement is a chorale whose text and melody are based on the hymn O Gott, du frommer Gott by Johann Heermann. Overall, one of the striking features of this cantata is Bach s use of gentle, dance-like melodies to soften the somewhat stern, even harsh, message of the texts. Bach composed Cantata No. 101, Nimm von uns Herr, du treuer Gott, for the tenth Sunday after Trinity, probably in It begins with the choral plea, Take from us, Lord, you faithful God, the harsh punishment and great affliction that we, with countless sins, so often have merited. This text is based on a chorale by Martin Moller, who was active during the 1500s. In fact, the entire cantata is known as a chorale cantata, a genre in which the texts throughout, as well as the music, are based on a single chorale or hymn in this case, Moller s. Ansermet performs only the first, sixth and final movements in this recording. The sixth movement is a duet for soprano and alto, supported by flute and oboe. The singers entreat the listener to think upon the bitter death of Jesus, and how His sufferings were paid as the world s ransom. Moller s chorale melody is presented in a fragmented form, both in the accompaniment (including a dialogue for flute and oboe), as well as in the vocal lines. Robin Leaver, in the Oxford Composer Companions volume devoted to Bach, calls this movement a musical prayer for mercy. The closing chorale, taken word for word from Moller, entreats the Lord to bless our city and our land. Many of the singers who joined Ansermet for these cantata recordings, which date from 1967 and 1968, were Bach specialists. Most also were quite young at the time. None have been more beloved than Elly Ameling, a Dutch soprano born in 1933, and who made her formal solo debut in Primarily a recitalist,

6 as well as a soloist in sacred works, Ameling s name quickly became synonymous with a pure, unclouded tone at times it is almost angelic and with an intelligent, text-conscious approach to whatever she sang. These qualities can be heard in the duet movement in Cantata No. 101, where she is joined by Welsh alto Helen Watts. Watts (b. 1927) also was a renowned recitalist and oratorio soloist, and she had an active career in the opera house. She was gifted with an alto voice that was rich and warm, and that retained its feminine character even in the lowest registers. This can be heard not only in the aforementioned duet, but in the fifth movement of Cantata No. 45. Agnes Giebel (b. 1921) was another Dutch soprano. Starting with her debut in 1947, she was very closely associated with Bach s music, and she never appeared on the operatic stage. Her radiant voice and intensity can be heard in the third movement of Cantata No Austrian tenor Werner Krenn (b. 1943) sang in the Vienna Boys Choir and in his twenties played the bassoon with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra before finally deciding to dedicate himself to singing full-time. He made these recordings with Ansermet at the very beginning of his second career as a singer, and the freshness of his voice during this period adds much to his contributions for example, in the suave penultimate movement of Cantata No Ian Partridge (b. 1938) also began his singing career as a boy when he was selected for the choir of New College, Oxford. Later, he studied at the Royal College of Music. These recordings also capture him very early in his long career, and he sounds handsome and devout in his Mammon-rejecting aria from Cantata No The last of the men, the Finnish bass-baritone Tom Krause (b. 1934), has divided his long career between opera, recitals and oratorio although initially he studied to become a psychiatrist! Krause s reputation as a strong vocal actor enlivens his work in these recordings, notably in Cantatas Nos. 45 and 130. Some of Bach s cantatas include purely instrumental movements. Cantata No. 31, Der Himmel lacht! die Erde jubilieret! ( The heavens laugh, the Earth rejoices ) opens with a joyous sonata befitting a special occasion: the resurrection of Christ. Dating from 1715, this is one of Bach s earliest cantatas, written while he was employed by Wilhelm Ernst, the duke of Weimar. The scoring of this movement attests to the richness of the instrumental resources that were available to him in the Weimar court. Ansermet bubbles over with both pageantry and happiness here, and because Bach scored this movement for a large orchestra anyway, one can hardly accuse the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande of sounding too weighty. Cantata No. 12, Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen ( Weeping, Wailing, Worry, Fear ) opens with a poignant sinfonia which is like the slow movement of an oboe concerto. The theme of this cantata is one of the earthly sadness and suffering Mankind must pass through to reach Christ. This cantata also appears to have been composed for Ernst s court, although Bach used it again in Leipzig, and several years later, he also adapted the cantata s first chorus for use in the Crucifixus movement of the Mass in B minor. Oboist Roger Reversy s full-bodied tone, supported by the orchestra s sighing strings, ensures that the sinfonia has the emotional effect that Bach must have intended for it. Bach undoubtedly would have been surprised by the performances on these discs, particularly as far as the orchestra is concerned. First, the instruments in use during his time sounded very different from those used in Ansermet s recordings. In the mid-1960s, when these recordings were made, there were ensembles who were attempting to perform Baroque music on instruments typical of that era either originals or copies thereof and to perform the music in a historically informed style consistent with that of the Baroque era as well, but these attempts were less common then than they are today. For the most part, the members of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande used the same instruments whether they were playing Bach or Stravinsky. This does not mean that their playing and Ansermet s conducting was inauthentic, except perhaps in the most literal sense. Ansermet did not romanticize Bach s music, as many conductors of his era attempted to do. Even without the benefit of the Bach scholarship that has flourished since his death, Ansermet created a sound in these recordings that continues to illuminate Bach s music and the spiritual messages not just in the cantatas that it relates. For example, in the opening movement of Cantata No. 45, Ansermet does not hesitate to underline the text s stern message with pointed, well-articulated singing from the chorus. Bach s four orchestral suites (by some reckonings there is a fifth, but its authenticity is highly questionable) were composed during the 1720s, and, in the case of the Orchestral Suites Nos. 2 and 3, the 1730s. It is not known for certain why

7 or for whom they were composed. Furthermore, given the length of time separating their composition, it is improbable that they were intended as a collection, unlike Bach s keyboard suites and partitas. All four suites open with an Ouverture in the French style, with a stately A section and a faster B section before the return of A. In fact, it often has been stated that these suites, as a whole, follow French models for example, the instrumental music of Jean- Baptiste Lully and his disciples. In contrast, the six Brandenburg Concertos are closer to Italian models. One could argue, though, that the second suite, scored for strings, flute, and continuo, is also Italian in style because of the concerto-like prominence given to the flute here stylishly performed by André Pépin. The Ouvertures are followed by a chain of shorter movements, most of them named after dances. There are exceptions, though. For example, the final movement of the second suite is a Badinerie, which is the French word for jesting or flirting. The more heavily scored third suite contains the famous Air for strings alone. In the orchestral suites, as in the cantatas, Ansermet unabashedly makes use of the resources available to him as a conductor of a modern symphony orchestra. There is no timidity about creating a full, even a sensuous sound; this is Bach-playing that never attempts to deny the existence of the 19th century. This can be heard at once in the Ouverture of the Suite No. 2, which glows with Romantic warmth. At the same time, there are none of the excesses (however entertaining, and in their own way, enlightening!) of phrasing, tempo, and voicing associated with Stokowski, for example. And, unlike Eugene Ormandy (to name just one of Ansermet s contemporaries), Ansermet keeps his feet firmly planted in the Baroque period, eschewing beauty of sound for beauty s sake. Even with a larger ensemble than Bach would have known, Ansermet doesn t get bogged down; faster movements such as the Bourrées, the Gigue and the Badinerie move along with grace, even if they do so without a typically Baroque lightness of texture. Also, it is a joy to hear the Badinerie played at a musical tempo; too often, this movement is used just as an excuse to show off the flutist s technical agility. The A section of the Ouverture from the Suite No. 3, while grand, is not at all pompous. Without having heard Ansermet s Bach, some purists might have little use for it. The proof is in the hearing, however, and even adherents of historically informed performances have found a place for these recordings in their collections as well as in their hearts. Raymond Tuttle Swiss conductor ERNEST ANSERMET was born in Vevey on 11 November 1883 and died aged 85 in Geneva on 20 February He was inclined to music from an early age, learning the violin and the clarinet. He was also interested in mathematics and taught the subject. Ansermet studied music in Paris and Geneva and made his conducting debut in Although Ansermet is particularly associated with the Geneva-based L Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, he also guestconducted throughout his career including in America (with numerous top orchestras there and in 1962 conducting Debussy s Pelléas et Mélisande, an opera Ansermet twice recorded, at the Metropolitan, New York) and England (with London orchestras and not least when he conducted the première of Benjamin Britten s opera The Rape of Lucretia at Glyndebourne in 1946). Ansermet had previously made his debut at the Salzburg Festival, conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in Ansermet s relationship with the Suisse Romande Orchestra lasted for 50 years from 1918, when he founded the orchestra, to 1967 when he stood down as its conductor (and handed the reins to Paul Kletzki). Ansermet continued to work in Geneva until his death; his final concert was in December 1968 and consisted of a typically eclectic mix of composers

8 on that occasion it was J.S. Bach, Bartók, Debussy and Honegger. In his early days (between 1911 and 1927) Ansermet held appointments in Montreux and Buenos Aires and also conducted for Diaghilev s Ballets Russes company. It is however the Ansermet/Suisse Romande association that remains an indivisible partnership one kept alive by the many recordings they made for Decca and which document Ansermet s highly-regarded interpretations of Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky (he knew all three composers) as well as lucid and satisfying versions of symphonies by Beethoven, Brahms (both complete) and Haydn as well as copious further examples of French, German and Russian repertoire, both core and less familiar. LP collectors have long treasured these recordings, which fully exploit the splendid acoustics of the Victoria Hall in Geneva, and they continue to grace the catalogue on compact disc for their musical and audiophile excellence. Ansermet prepared performances notable for their clarity and intelligence; he took all he needed from the composer s score and saw no need to add his own gloss (or vanity) but to focus on the composer s intentions and as Ansermet himself said to touch the heart of the music so as to make its heart-beats heard by the listener. Thus Ansermet s art is not only authoritative it is also timeless and cuts through fads and fashions. Criticism has been levied on the technical quality of the Suisse Romande Orchestra. While it is true that the ensemble was not super-virtuoso or immersed in centuries-old tradition, what is always apparent in these recordings is that the orchestra consisted of dedicated and knowledgeable musicians very much attuned to Ansermet s direction and leaving the listener in no doubt as to their candid commitment to musical truth. Sometimes fallible in execution, maybe but also capable of inspiration there is a musical focus that engrosses, illuminates and sustains. Colin Anderson Recording producers: Erik Smith (Suites, Sinfonias); John Mordler (Cantatas) Recording engineers: Roy Wallace (Suites, Sinfonias); James Lock, Kenneth Wilkinson (Cantatas 45, 105); James Lock (Cantatas 67, 101, 130) Recording location: Victoria Hall, Geneva, Switzerland, November 1961 (Suites, Sinfonias), June 1966 (Cantatas 45, 105), September 1968 (Cantatas 67, 101, 130) Eloquence series manager: Cyrus Meher-Homji Art direction: Chilu Tong Booklet editor: Bruce Raggatt Elly Ameling Tom Krause Helen Watts PHOTOS: DECCA

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