John Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor in Cambridge ; Three Papers (Alan Grey & Sedley Taylor, 1908)

7/27/2019 John Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor in Cambridge ; Three Papers (Alan Grey & Sedley Taylor, 1908)

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If*


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Presented to theLIBRARY of the

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTOby

Father Edgar S. Bull


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John Sebastian Bach'sMass in B minor


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London : Macmillan and Co., Ltd.Glasgow : James MacLehose and Sons.


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John Sebastian Bach'sMass in B minorin Cambridge, 1908,

Three PapersbyALAN GRAY, LL.M., Mus.D.,

Organist of Trinity College,Conductor of the University Musical Society

andSEDLEY TAYLOR, M.A.,

Formerly Fellow of Trinity College,Ex-President of the University Musical Society

CAMBRIDGEBOWES AND BOWES

1908


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PREFACE.March loth, 1908, the Cambridge Uni-

versity Musical Society, assisted by somemembers of the Oxford Bach Choir, gave theirfirst complete performance of Bach's Mass in Bminor.

By way of introduction to that performancethe three following Papers were read at a meetingof the C.U.M.S. chorus held on the previous day :

L, by Mr Sedley Taylor,* On the circumstances under which Bach

composed his B minor Mass.'II., by Dr Alan Gray,

' On the structure of that work/III., by Mr Sedley Taylor,'On the revival of Bach's choral works

after nearly a century of apparentextinction.'


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VI PREFACEThese Papers, though laying no claim to be

more than pieces d'occasion, are put into printmainly in the belief that members of the C.U.M.S.may like to possess a memento of what, in thehistory of any choral society, is so eminentlya red-letter occasion as its first performance ofthe B minor Mass.

A.G.S.T.

May 1908.


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I

On the circumstances underwhich Bach composed his

B minor Massby

SEDLEY TAYLOR

T. B.


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The chief authority for whatever concerns thelife of John Sebastian Bach is of course Spitta'smonumental biography, but in preparing this PaperI have had the advantage of consulting a work onBach by Albert Schweitzer*, published in Germanin the present year, though in a much less extensiveform it had previously appeared in French.Schweitzer is a distinguished Privatdocent oftheology at the University of Strassburg andorganist of the Strassburg Bach Choir, whom hehas accompanied in the performance of sixty ofthe Master's church cantatas.

I gladly acknowledge the help I have receivedfrom his very able book.

On the 2/th of July, 1733, Jonn SebastianBach addressed the following letter to the Dukeof Saxony :"To your Princely Highness I present in deepestdevotion the accompanying insignificant (gering)

* J. S. Bach, Leipzig: Breitkopf and Hartel.I 2


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work of that degree of science to which I have at-tained in music, with the entirely humble petitionthat you will be pleased to regard it, not accordingto the badness of the composition, but accordingto your world-renowned clemency, with most gra-cious eyes, and moreover to take me under yourmost mighty patronage. I have, for some yearsand up to the present time, held the post ofDirector of Music in the two principal churchesat Leipzig, and, while doing so, have repeatedlyhad to experience undeserved affronts, accom-panied, too, from time to time, by a diminutionof the allowances appertaining to that position.This would entirely cease were Your Royal High-ness to show me the favour of conferring on me atitle in connexion with the musical establishmentof your Court, and to that end would give a Royalorder in the proper quarter for the issuing of apatent. Such most gracious granting of my mosthumble petition will lay me under an unboundedobligation and I offer myself in most dutiful obedi-ence to make proof of my unwearied diligence, atevery most gracious request from Your RoyalHighness, in composing music for the church orfor the orchestra, and to devote all my powers toyour service in unbroken fidelity." I remain Your Highness' most devoted andmost obedient servant

"JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH."


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The composition to which this courtly epistleserved as dedication was the Mass in B minor fromthe beginning of the first Kyrie to the end of theCum Sancto Spiritu, but sent in separate ' parts 'only, i.e. without a ' score.' These * parts/ whichthe composer had mainly copied with his ownhand and had laboriously provided with marks ofphrasing, etc., are preserved in the private libraryof the King of Saxony and show, according toSchweitzer, no signs of having ever been employedfor the purpose of performance.

In spite of the deferential phrases in whichBach couched his petition, the gist of it appearslittle calculated to attain the end which he hadin view. A man with any shred of diplomacyabout him would have laid stress on his desireto serve under so admirable a monarch, or to benumbered among so eminent a body of musiciansas those attached to the Saxon Court. Bach doesnothing of the kind, but says, in effect, to hisSovereign, " I have been submitted to indignitiesand my income has been unjustly cut down. Ifyou will confer a title on me an end will soonbe put to all that." The petitioner had to waitthree years for the title, but, considering the modeof his application, the fact that

he got it at allreflects, I think, some credit on the authorities atthe Court of Saxony.


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But it will naturally be asked, Why and bywhom were the affronts and curtailment of income,which Bach's letter complained of, inflicted? Toanswer this question brings us straight to a pal-pable defect in his generally admirable character.He had a considerable dose of what the Germanscall Rechthaberei a conviction that one is alwaysin the right, manifesting itself in an inflexibledetermination never to admit that one is in thewrong. Moreover, without being actually quarrel-some, Bach was undoubtedly sensitive, perhapseven thin-skinned, when he thought that the pre-rogatives of his office or his own personal dignitywere interfered with or disregarded. This combi-nation of qualities naturally led to friction betweenhim and those with whom he came into officialcontact. At Arnstadt, where he held his first organappointment, there were disorderly scenes with thechoir-boys, and a controversy with the clergy ofthe church, in which, though hopelessly in thewrong, he withheld any expression of regret andbehaved with obstinate arrogance. The disputein which he desired the backing of a Saxon titlewas with the Town Council of Leipzig, who werethe Governors of the Thomasschule where he wasthe Cantor. The minutes of a meeting of thatbody have been preserved, at which they decidedto cut down Bach's pay, one of the Councillors,


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who had inherited the surname but apparently notthe patience of ' Job/ declaring that he voted forthat measure " Because the Cantor is incorrigible."

Bach's Rechthaberei showed itself on a greatscale in a protracted contest with the headmasterof the Thomasschule, the results of which embitteredthe closing years of his life. It began with a col-lision on a point of jurisdiction, and, as Bach couldnot get his own way, he brought the matter beforethe Town Council. The headmaster proved him tohave been technically, and I am afraid it must beadmitted to some extent substantially too, in thewrong. That, however, did not prevent him fromappealing to the ecclesiastical Consistory, nor fromfinally petitioning the Duke of Saxony, on theground of his recently obtained title of CourtComposer, to overrule the proceedings of bothCouncil and Consistory in his favour. It wouldreally seem as if this last step had some success,for the Duke sent a rescript to the Consistorycommanding them to examine into the complaintsmade by his Court Composer. Unfortunately nofurther records remain to show how the case ended.

Before quitting this rather unwelcome history Imay be allowed to relate an incident witnessed bymyself many years ago at the modern Thomas-schule at Leipzig, transplanted from the old build-ing in which Bach lived and taught. Wilhelm Rust,


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the then occupant of the cantorate, had invited me,and a young musical friend who was my travellingcompanion, to attend a practice of his choir whom wehad a day or two before heard sing most admirablyunder his direction in the Thomaskirche. On enter-ing the practice-room we found the Cantor awaitingus, but the choir not yet in their places. Presently alad came in, and walking up to Herr Rust, said tohim in, as I thought, a rather off-hand manner :" The headmaster desired me to tell you that therewill be no practice this morning." After deliveringhis message he promptly turned on his heel andleft the room. Our host's countenance visiblydarkened, and after muttering to himself, " Sehrrucksichtslos \ " (very lacking in consideration !) heremained for a short time gloomily silent, and then,collecting himself, ceremoniously bowed us out. Amore vivid reproduction of one of the ' affronts 'put on Bach by his headmaster could not havebeen arranged by the most imaginative * pageant-master/ After leaving the school I began to con-dole with my young companion on his loss of therehearsal, but he promptly silenced me with theremark : " I had rather have witnessed that scenethan heard a dozen rehearsals." Passing fromthese personal jars let us come to matters of morepermanent interest.We saw that Bach accompanied his letter to the


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Puke of Saxony with q, gift of-M-finn music. 1d as a reason for believing him

^ Catholic, or regarded as"vefysurprising conduct intone who is known to havebeen a Protestant. Criticisms of this kind wouldbe adequately met by a reference to the fact thatas the Duke of Saxony was Roman Catholic, soalso must have been any church music designed fosecure his favour, and that to have set to musicportions of the Roman Catholic liturgy by nomeans necessarily connotes membership of thatChurch. But the matter is one which will"rewardfuller consideration.^TTTeLutheran service in the principal churches

of Leipzig retained in Bach's time larger ele-ments of the Roman Catholic liturgy than hadbeen allowed to remain in it elsewhere in ProtestantGermany. Hymns, responses and motetts wereoften sung in Latin, and the whole of the Mag-nificat was performed in that language four times ayear with full orchestral accompaniment. Portionsof the Mass were also sung in Latin : the Kyrie,Gloria and Credo on every Sunday and Festival,the Sanctus on the great Festivals only. Thesedid not, however, belong to a continuous serviceas in the Roman Church, but were interspersedwith German chorals, while a complete cantatasung to German words held, as its description,


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Hauptmusik, implied, the principal place in themusical part of the service.

Bach, who had to direct the performance ofthese works, must necessarily have thus acquiredsome familiarity with Roman Mass-music. Hetook, moreover, an independent interest in suchmusic, as is shown by his having copied out withhis own hand entire Masses by other composers.There was thus nothing to be surprised at in hismaking a present of Mass-music to the Duke ofSaxony, in whose chapel he might even hope tohave at least some portions of it finely performed.On Bach's obtaining the title of Court Com-poser he sent another present to the Duke ofSaxony, consisting of four settings of the first halfof the Mass-text, but executed on nothing like thevast scale which had characterised his former gift.These settings moreover were largely, if notentirely, made up of adaptations from some ofhis own German church cantatas now transferredto the Latin of the Mass. Whether he had cometo the conclusion that whatever he might send toDresden would, like his earlier present, be no moreheard of and was therefore not worth wastingoriginal composition upon, we are left to con-jecture. But thus much is certain that the processof adaptation, though affording frequent proofs ofthe Master's command of technical power and


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II

resource, deteriorated some of his finest compo-sitions by forcing them into alliance with wordsembodying a meaning not merely different from,but incompatible with, that to which the samemusic had previously, and then with artistic pro-priety, been set. Let me give a few instances ofthis:

In the Mass in A major, part of the Gloria isconstructed by adding choral parts to a shortorchestral symphony which in the cantata "'Haltim Geddchtniss " represents the raging of theenemies of Christ's people.The Cum Sancto Spiritu in the same Mass ismade out of a chorus in a church cantata set, verysympathetically, to the penitential words, " Try me,O God, and search out my heart."

In the Mass in G minor, the words " Christeeleison " are directed to be sung to a passage pre-viously set to a text in a church cantata* describingthe Almighty inflicting punishment on hardenedsinners.

The Gloria of the same Mass is adapted fromthe opening chorus of the church cantata, " Every-thing according to God's will," the music of whichbreathes a resigned, but very far from jubilant,spirit.

* " Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dent Glauben."


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12It is, I think, significant of the indifference

which Bach brought to the compilation of thesesmaller Masses that in the Gloria of the one in Gmajor, which is adapted from a chorus in one ofhis finest church cantatas*, the soprani and alti aremade to lead off with the following fanfare which,in the symphony to the cantata, had been allottedto two horns : n

Glor

=^=E- i - a in ex - eel - - - - - sis in ex-sis in ex - eel - sis De-

- o. in ex - eel - - sis DeThe way in which these short Masses are con-

structed suggests the questionnot to be asked

without some trepidation whether any similar'Gott der Herr ist Sonn' und Schild"


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proceedings occurred in the preparation of theimmortal B minor Mass. The answer is thatthough six of its movements* are, in whole or inpart, adaptations from earlier compositions of theMaster set to German words, he has selected, forthis purpose, only instances in which the spirit ofthe old text is genuinely consonant with that ofthe new.We shall find it instructive to consider separatelyeach of these six adaptations.The chorus Gratias agimus, repeated to otherwords at the close of the work, is the openingchorus of the church cantata " Wir danken dirGott" which is inscribed " Bet der Rathswahl zuLeipzig, 1731," and was therefore an ecclesiasticalthanksgiving for an election of the Leipzig towncouncil in 1731. The chorus which Bach adaptedhas a stately dignified text, " We praise thee, OGod, and proclaim Thy wonders," and the musicset to it is substantially identical with the mag-nificent Gratias and Dona of our Mass.

The second subject, bars 5 7, has had moremovement and flow infused into it than it possessedin its original form :

* Gratias (Dona), Qui tollis, Patrem, Criicifixus, Osanna,Agnus.


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MASS.

Prop - ter mag-nam glo

- - n-am tu - amCANTATA.

und - ver - kiin - di-gen dei-ne Wun - -

der

The chorus Qui tollis peccata mundi is anadaptation of that which opens the church cantata" Schauet dock und sehet" The words of it aretaken from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, ch. i.v. 1 2, " Behold and see if there be any sorrow likeunto my sorrow which is done unto me," theoccasion of his sorrow being the destruction ofJerusalem which he had so frequently foretold.Bach set these words so that the most intensesorrow wails along from the first note to the last.And it is a hopeless sorrow over an irreparable loss.Now this is not exactly the feeling of the Qui tollis,which is a prayer,

"Qui tollispeccata mundi misererenobis" and therefore has a definite element of

petition in it as distinguished from blank despair.


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Now it is just this element which Bach, as it seemsto me, has introduced by a very slight modificationof the close of his principal subject, which in the

MASS.

ta

mun - di mi -se- re-re no- bisCANTATA (transposed from D minor).

:*=Schau-et doch und se - het ob ir-gend ein

Schmerz set wie mem Schmerzsubsequent fugal treatment gives the movement amilder and more beseeching character. The ideafor this alteration would appear also to have beenderived from the same source, where it makes butone entry as follows :

CANTATA (bars 24 and 25).

ob ir-gend ein Schmerz set


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16The chorus Patreni omnipotentem is an adapta-

tion from the church cantata " Gottwie dein Name"of which it is the opening chorus. The words," O God, like as Thy name, so is Thy praise to theworld's end," are not unworthy of the splendourand festal jubilance with which Bach has set them.We come next to the Crucifixus which is adap-ted from the opening chorus of the church cantata" Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen^ Zagent* Its words," Weeping, wailing, cares, faintings of heart, fearand need are the Christian's bread of tears," haveabout them exactly the same tone of feeling asthose of the Crucifixus^ and the transference of themusic has been effected with masterly perfection ofworkmanship. The ground-bass of the orchestralaccompaniment in the cantata moves in minims,but in the Mass in groups of iterated crotchetsplayed pianissimo which impart a solemn, mufrled-peal effect to the whole movement. The rhythmof the other accompanying instruments which inthe cantata is

|


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CANTATA.

Wei - - nen

ytdf- gen

Pit- gen

Za - - - genbut, slightly altered in rhythm, they are equallyexpressive of the reiterated Crucifixus of the Mass,

MASS.

a LCru - ci - fix - us

Cru - ci - fix - us

Crn-ci - fix - us

Cru - ci - fix - usand an intensified expression is obtained by loweringthe Alto entry by a semitone.

T. B. 2


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1.8

The five bars which conclude the Crucifixus areadmittedly one of the greatest things in all music.The orchestral instruments, except the basses, sinkinto silence and the chorus enters pianissimo ac-companied only by the deep pulsating notes of theground-bass which holds on to the last bar of themovement. The Sopranos, and the Basses at aninterval of a Tenth below them, now take up thesubject of the ground-bass, the Altos and Tenorsfilling up a series of wonderful harmonies whichpourtray the descent into the cool silence of thegrave. Then comes a sudden, but most beautiful,modulation into the relative-major key, whichbrings the movement to a close with a sense ofinfinite relief and conscious triumph. The twogreat sayings, " It is finished," and, " He shall seeof the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied,"seem summed up in these few wonderful pro-gressions*.

It is very interesting to observe that, even in sodeeply inspired a passage as this, Bach's genius wascontent to work upon, and pour the new inspira-tion into, his older materials. The bars we areconsidering are not contained totidem notis in thecantata, but what may be called their frame-work

* With which it is, I think, allowable to compare the sequenceto which Mozart, in his Requiem Mass, has set the section ofthe " Confutatis" beginning " Oro supplex et aocUnis"


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is to be found there. The corresponding positionin the cantata is occupied by an orchestral close ofthe same number of bars, but which ends in theminor key of the whole movement. I have, forconvenience of comparison, transposed it from thekey of F minor in which it there stands into Eminor, the key of the Crucifixus.

9

The resemblance grows closer if we strike outthe first violin part, leaving the treble to be sus-tained by the second violin. Comparison thenshows how much of his old work Bach retained.and what were the masterly touches by which hetransfigured it.

2 2


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20CANTATA : Orchestral close.

erf 1^ i

Crucifixus : Choral close^ - pul - - tus est, - - se-

pas - et se-se - pul

g

- - /Z/J, .$-fet-ut- tus est, et se-/o/WJ1 ^J/.nn

- - - /^^ ^/.

pul - - - /#.? ^/.

- - tus est.


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21The stupendous Osanna differs from the other

adapted movements of the Mass in that it is taken,with some changes in the part-writing, from musicwhich Bach had set to secular words a congratu-latory ode to celebrate a visit paid to Leipzig bythe Duke and Duchess of Saxony. It is not possibleto suppose that the words " Praise thy good fortune,blest Saxony, because God preserves the throne ofthy kings " can, of themselves, have given a potentimpulse to inspired composition. How then arewe to account for Bach's having set them to anoutburst of universal jubilation in which oneseems to hear " the morning stars sing togetherand all the sons of God shout for joy " ? It hasbeen suggested that the secular work in questionmay itself have been but an adaptation from someolder sacred cantata belonging to the category ofBach's lost works. A more probable explanationmay be based on the fact that fine music is oftenset to indifferent texts. Mozart, when called on tocompose a piece of music to be performed by clock-work, produced for this humble destination a workof the highest inspiration*. Why may not Bachhave done as much for the visit of the Duke ofSaxony ?

One more adaptation remains for us to consider.About three-fourths of the Alto Song, Agnus Dei,* Fantasia in F minor No. 2. (608 K.)


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22is freely constructed upon a subject supplied by asong for the same voice to words of a beseechingcharacter in the church cantata "Lobet Gott in seinenReichen" The following comparison shows howBach improved that subject and the intonation ofthe words in making the transfer.

CANTATA : transposed from A minor.

qui tol - Us pec - ca ta, pec - ca - - ta mun - diThe subject, treatment of which occupies the

remainder of this song, does not come from thecantata and may have been specially composedfor the Mass.


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II

On the structure of Bach'sB minor Mass

byALAN GRAY


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" The fact that Bach altered his style in settingLatin words to music need not be demonstrated,as it is obvious to everyone who has ears."* It isperhaps advisable however to indicate here someof the distinctive features which characterise theMass and the Magnificat. The choruses seem tohave a more obvious swing and rush than those inthe German cantatas. As examples of this maybe quoted the Et resurrexit and Cum SanctoSpiritu. The part writing employs a more ex-tensive use of thirds and sixths. (See for examplePleni sunt coeli.) And all the choruses writtenespecially for the work are in five parts, with theexception of the Sanctus, which is in six parts, andof the second Kyrie, possibly an adaptation from alost cantata, which is in four parts. On the otherhand, all the choruses adapted from the Churchcantatas are in four parts, with the exception of

* Fuller Maitland, Oxford History of Music, vol. IV. p. 74.


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26the Osanna, which is in eight parts. The use offive parts with two sopranos is a distinctivelyItalian practice, but is rare in Bach's other works.One example, the first chorus in "DerHimmel lacht"may be quoted. The style in this instance isreminiscent of parts of the Mass, particularly ofthe end of the Confiteor, and of the Et resurrexit,so that this exception confirms to some extentwhat has been stated above.

The instrumentation of the Mass is accordingto Bach's usual practice strings, flutes, oboes,bassoons, three trumpets and organ. A horn isused in one number only (Quoniam). The oboed'amore is also occasionally employed. It is aninstrument obsolete except in so far as it hasbeen revived for the performance of Bach's worksand adopted by a few modern composers in searchof new orchestral tone colour. Its pitch is a minorthird below the ordinary oboe, and its tone is softerand more plaintive.

Of the music of this great masterpiece, it isdifficult to speak in terms of moderation. Itsemotional qualities must be manifest to all, whilethe technical skill displayed in the superb flow ofthe parts, however numerous they may be, willfascinate the student. It is not only the vocalparts that have to be considered ; the instrumentalparts are no mere copies of the former. In the


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27Osanna, for instance, there are something likefourteen or fifteen parts moving at the same timeand yet this movement sounds one of the mostspontaneous in the work.

The Kyrie, the first section of the Mass, isdivided into three movements, an unusual arrange-ment, which harmonises with the colossal scale onwhich the whole Mass is conceived. The firstchorus

i. KYRIEopens with a massive homophonic introduction, towhich succeeds a fugue on a most beautiful andpathetic subject. It is announced by the orchestraand then taken up by the voices. The fugue maybe said to be fairly strict, but this is not the im-pression that a hearer would carry away. It is fullof the most emotional feeling, and the wailing tonewhich pervades the whole is most remarkable. Themovement is a long one, and is divided into twonearly equal portions separated by a " ritornello."The beautiful episode, occurring twice (pp. 7and 14*)

9.)e - lei - - - - son

* This and further references in this Paper are to Novello'sedition (ed. Sullivan).


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which fits in with the rest of the movement soperfectly, seems to be derived from the first subjectby inversion the diminished fifth of the episodecorresponding to the augmented fourth of thesubject. It is shortly merged in an unmistakableimitation of the second bar of the first subject witha very remarkable passage of thirds and sixthsassigned to the two sopranos crossing each other.

2.

The Duet, Christe Eleison, is of a soft andpleading character. It must be recognised how-ever that the solo music in this Mass, as in manyother of Bach's works, does not make the sameappeal to the average hearer that the choruses do.As Spitta says, the solos in this work are likevalleys lying between lofty mountains. An inti-mate knowledge of them will yield its reward, butthe knowledge must be intimate.

3-

To finish the Kyrie there is a short fugue on aremarkable subject containing the unusual intervalof a diminished third. It is in the strictest style,and is full of the closest imitation, which does nothowever interfere with the noble and solemn effectof the whole. It forms a worthy finish to the Kyrie^though it is in complete contrast with the preceding


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29sections. It should be mentioned that as this fugueis the only one in four parts which has not beenadapted from other works, it has been conjecturedthat this too comes from a Church cantata which hasbeen lost. There are, unfortunately, many of these.

GLORIA.The Gloria is the most elaborate setting of the

text in existence. It comprises no less than eightmovements. As has been explained in the earlierpart of this book it forms part of the first com-pleted portion of the Mass.

4. Gloria in excelsis.The first chorus is one of those magnificently

swinging g choruses of which Bach was so fond.There are three of these in the present work, andthree more in the Christmas Oratorio, all curiouslyenough in the key of D. In addition other ex-amples from the Church cantatas might be quoted.In the chorus now under consideration the hightrumpets are heard for the first time, and add thegreatest brilliancy to the effect which as a wholeis pompous and jubilant. At the words " et interra pax" a startling change of time and rhythmoccurs. The full choir announces the first part ofa theme which, after an orchestral interlude, is given


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30out at length and fugally by the sopranos. WhatMr Maitland calls "the unspeakably satisfyingcadence" at "bonae voluntatis" should be noticed,The tone of the whole section is still triumphantbut more subdued than it was the joy has comedown from heaven to earth.

The rendering of"Et in terra pax

" raises thevexed question as to how far modern editors andconductors are justified in introducing marks ofexpression into Bach's works, from which suchindications are almost entirely absent. That theyare necessary sometimes no one would deny ; it isimpossible, for example, to coqceive

" Qui tollis"and " Et incarnatus" being sung anything butpiano. But if we may judge from a recent editionof this Mass, where the singers are directed to singalmost every bar differently from the one before it,there is great danger of this sort of thing beingoverdone. If the editor's instructions were carriedout, the result would be an entirely sentimentalrendering of a work which is far too virile andstrong to need such mawkish handling. Sir ArthurSullivan's wise words in his preface to Novello'sedition should be remembered by all who haveto do with the B minor Mass. " I have employedthem " (the marks of expression) " very sparingly,so that the breadth and grandeur of the workmight not be impaired." To return to " Et in


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terra pax" it is a modern convention that when-ever peace is mentioned, voices and instrumentsshould be hushed almost into silence. It seems tome, for two reasons, that Bach cannot have intendedanything of .the sort here, at all events throughoutthe movement. Firstly, the progression of the bassvoices at the change of time almost demands aforte or even a fortissimo. Secondly, the instru-mentation, in which trumpets and drums areprominent, equally forbids a piano wherever theseinstruments are used.

The Messiah affords a parallel case. In formeryears we used to hear the opening of "Glory toGod " f, and " peace on earth " /. We know nowthat Handel's intentions were that the chorusshould open softly and that there should be acrescendo thenceforward. The convention beforealluded to is of later date than Bach and Handel,and should not be imported into their works.

5. ARIA : Laudamus Te.This number is a trying task for -the second

soprano. It is full of so called "divisions" forthe singer and a solo violin. It is perhaps theleast interesting number of the Mass, though itopens with a fine broad tune, which, however, isnever heard again in its original form.


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6. CHORUS : Gratias agimus.This fine solemn fugue is taken, as before stated,

from a Church cantata. The subject is announcedcanonically technically a canon 4 in i. In thefifth bar a more florid theme appears, and thence-forward the two subjects are worked alternately.The trumpets in their highest register are promi-nent at the close of the movement.

7. DUET : Domine Dens.Spitta, who is given to finding somewhat fanci-

ful theological allusions in Bach's music, discoversin the first four notes of the symphony of this duet(from which the principal vocal phrases are derived)a musical symbol of the union of the two Personsof the Trinity. The music itself is very expressive,the voices moving in thirds and sixths to a degreeunusual in Bach. The flute has an obligate partabounding in delightful figures. The number leadswithout a break into

8. CHORUS : Qui tollis.This is a marvellously pathetic piece. The as-

tonishing harmony and the deeply felt emotion inthis wonderful short chorus seem still unsurpassedand unsurpassable, although it was written nearlytwo hundred years ago. It is to be noticed that it


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33is still contrapuntal in style and that it is full ofimitations and devices popularly supposed to bethe resource of pedants only, but which to Bachwere his natural means of expression. The chorusis written in ten parts four voices, four strings,and two flutes.

To this succeeds a beautiful aria for Contralto.9. ARIA : Qui sedes.

This is one of the most attractive of the solosand the oboe d'amore imitates the voice withcharming effect.

10. ARIA : Qitoniam.The instrumentation of this song is most inter-esting. It consists of a horn (the only piece inwhich this instrument is employed), two bassoonsand continue. The tone colour is consequentlyvery singular, and at first very pleasing, but as,according to the methods of the day, there is nochange of colour throughout the piece, which islong, a certain monotony makes itself felt towardsthe end. Still we must not substitute violoncellosfor the bassoons half-way through the movement, ashas been proposed by a learned German professor.The horn part is very high and difficult. The songitself is a very fine one, but unfortunately it liesconsiderably lower than its companion Bass solo

T. B. 3


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34" Et in spiritum" The result is that the samesinger is seldom able to do justice to both songs,and one or the other suffers.

Without a break there succeeds11. CHORUS: Cum Sancto Spiritu.

This is one of the most striking choruses in thework. There is a superb introduction, followed bysurely the most brilliant fugue ever written. Thesubject, with its almost rollicking swing, is unlikeany fugue subject in the world, and it is twiceinterrupted by magnificent and most strikingharmonic episodes (pp. 87 and 92). There is abrilliant peroration (p. 93), and the chorus endsin the almost abrupt way which is such a refresh-ing contrast to the long-drawn-out endings whichHandel, by his almost unvarying practice, has madeto sound conventional.

CREED.The Creed is set on the same magnificent scale as

the rest of the work and comprises eight numbers.12. CHORUS: Credo in unum Deum.

This splendid composition is founded on the oldintonation of the Creed, of unknown antiquity,perhaps 1500 years. The voice-parts are treatedin the sternest fugal style, and when they have


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35finished the exposition of the theme, the violins areintroduced, still in imitation, so that in all there areeight real parts, for the basses continue a statelyand independent march of crotchets throughout.The piece is written in the Mixo-Lydian mode, orin other words in A with the # to G left out, andthis adds to the uncompromising effect of thisauthoritative declaration of faith.

13. CHORUS: Patrem omnipotentem.This chorus carries the exposition of the words

down to " visibilium et invisibilium" the words" Credo in unum Deum" only occurring occasionallyin some of the parts. It is one of the adaptedchoruses, and is of a bright character. It may bedescribed as a free fugue with independent accom-paniment. Towards the close (p. 104) the use of thetonic minor seventh at the words " et invisibilium "has a very striking effect.

14. DUET : Et in unum Dominum.A long but interesting duet. Spitta drawsone of his curious theological conclusions fromthe varied phrasing of the first subject,Violin I.

Violin II. fe=tHr_JL.=:__,l_ ^32


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36which he thinks suggests a certain distinction ofPersons in the Unity.A remarkable use of the tonic minor will benoticed on the last page (112). It is far from beinginappropriate as it stands, but as originally com-posed the words "et incarnatus" occurred here, andthe point of the modulation is very much enhanced.The original form of the duet is printed as anappendix in most editions. Still we must wel-come the afterthought, as we could have ill sparedthe chorus which succeeds.

15. CHORUS: Et incarnatus.This, the first of a pair of wonderful choruses,

is introduced by a most moving figure for theviolins with strongly accented auxiliary notes quitein the modern style. The voices enter in succes-sion they are quite simple, and their simplicityheightens the effect of this perfect piece.

1 6. CHORUS : Crucifixus.As the intensity of the emotion in the words is

heightened, Bach rises fully to the occasion, and inits way this is the most wonderful chorus in thework. Its construction is a marvel. It is built ona ground-bass of four bars (the same one previouslyemployed by Purcell in the Lament in " Dido andAeneas "). This is repeated thirteen times, and it


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37is so extraordinarily varied that many hearersmight not notice that Bach had so fettered himself.The ingenuity of the treatment is wonderful, andwhen it is noted that the music of the voice-partsexpresses their emotion as deeply as music can,we marvel the more. Notice the hollow gloomyeffect produced by the Altos and Basses moving athirteenth apart (p. 120 last bar) and the inexpres-sibly beautiful modulation to G in the last threebars of the movement.

This is one of the adapted choruses. An ac-count of the changes Bach has introduced in fittingit for its present purpose will be found in Part I.

17. CHORUS : Et resurrexit.After these two grand and solemn choruses the

jubilant " Et resurrexit" bursts out with startlingbrilliancy. There is no symphony, and the voicesenter at once with electrical effect. This chorus isperhaps more irresistible to a hearer than any otherin the work. There is a superb tune to start with*and the spirit with which it is developed neverflags. The initial style is carried on throughoutthe piece with the exception of a grand and difficultmelodic episode founded (like the whole of themovement) on the principal theme, which the Bassvoices deliver to the words " Et iterum ventnrus est"


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1 8. AIR : Et in Spiritum Sanctum.This solo with its accompaniment of two oboi

d'amore is of a flowing and tuneful character, butfollowing as it does a chain of choruses unequalledfor pathos and grandeur it must suffer to a certainextent. If we adopt Spitta's simile of the moun-tains and valleys, " Et in Spiritum " is a valley of apleasing and pastoral character at which we maylook with pleasure, while we rest before makingthe next great climb.

19. CHORUS : Confiteor.This chorus is a very long one, written in the

noblest contrapuntal style. Bach again introducesa fragment of traditional ecclesiastical melody,first in the Bass (p. 147), followed in canon by theAltos at a bar's distance, and then in augmentationby the Tenors. When they have finished theirexposition the time changes suddenly to adagio,and a harmonic progression of the most astonish-ingly modern kind illustrates the words " Et expectoresurrectionem mortuorum" To quote Spitta" Through a succession of marvellous harmonieswherein the old world sinks and fades we are con-ducted to the conception of a new heaven and newearth. Hope in that future life is poured forth in


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39a chorus full of solemn breadth, in spite of itseager confidence."

20. CHORUS : Sanctus.The final section of the Mass opens with the

stupendous Sanctus. It is difficult to say any-thing adequate in reference to this astoundingconception. It seems as if music had said its lastword in the way of sublimity. It is, as Spitta says,the musical realization of the words of Isaiah, " Isaw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and liftedup, and his train filled the temple. Above himstood the Seraphim " but Spitta goes too far whenhe suggests that the six parts, which Bach hereemploys for the first time, are suggested by the sixwings of the Seraphim. This seems fanciful andalmost grotesque.

This majestic movement leads into anotheranimated \ chorus " Pleni sunt coeli" of the mostojubilant description. A feature of this chorus isthe prevalence of runs in thirds, but there is nosign of the weakness which is apt to attend on theuse of this method of writing.

21. CHORUS: Osanna.This chorus, which must be regarded as the first

number of a new subsection rather than as a


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40pendant to the Sanctus, is in eight parts. It isin the favourite g time, and is of the most jubilantcharacter. The employment of voices in unisonis rare in Bach there is only one very strikingexample of two bars in the St Matthew Passion-music but there is a good deal of it here. Thechoirs announce the theme in unison and after-wards answer each other in the same manner. Infact the choirs are mostly used antiphonally, butwhere they combine the part-writing is of the mostwonderful description the number of differentparts amounting at places to fourteen or evenmore.

22. ARIA : Benedictus.This is one of the numerous exacting airs that

Bach inflicted on his Tenor. It is very high anddifficult, but both voice-part and the violin obligatoare very expressive.According to tradition the Osanna is repeated,and then comes one of the most beautiful airs inthe work.

23. ARIA : Agnus Dei.One of the numbers adapted with consider-able alterations from another work. There can

be no question of its expressive beauty and of


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its fitness for the place it occupies. Spitta calls it" a gloomy lake lying between lofty hills."

24. CHORUS : Dona Nobis Pacem.This is a repetition of the Gratias. The

repetition of this chorus with words entirelydifferent in sentiment to those to which it wasbefore fitted has caused comment. But, as Spittasays, "it is not a prayer for peace but a solemnhymn of thanksgiving." " The soaring trumpets atthe end seem the very symbol of prayer and thanks-giving ascending to the throne of God*." As aconclusion to the whole work, this chorus is in itsproper place, and appears absolutely right andfitting.

* Maitland, Oxford History.


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Ill

On the revival of Bach'schoral works after nearlya century of apparent

extinction,

bySEDLEY TAYLOR


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It is well known that John Sebastian Bach waspreceded by four generations of musical ancestorsof whose efforts and attainments he was destinedto be the top and crown. The whole history ofthat wonderful body of musicians, the Bach clan,has been carefully investigated and fully told byJohn Sebastian's biographer, Spitta. But a notless surprising chapter remained to be written onthe fortunes of Bach's music from his death to ourtime. Schweitzer, in the volume which I havealready mentioned*, has made at any rate a veryinteresting beginning in this direction. The shortsketch which is all that time will allow me to giveon this subject is, in so far as progress made onthe Continent is concerned, taken from his book.

During Bach's lifetime his pre-eminence overall competitors in organ and clavier playing wasthoroughly recognised, but he was far from beinggenerally considered as at the head of the composersof his time. Thus in a work published only fouryears after his death he is ranked in this respect

* Supra p. 3.


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46as inferior to Hasse, Handel, Telemann and thetwo Grauns, and sandwiched between Stoelzel andPisendel* whose names are not even mentionedin Grove's Dictionary ofMusic^. Nor is such a judg-ment so wrongheaded as at first sight would appear.The fact is that German musical opinion had, evenduring Bach's lifetime, definitively turned away fromthe contrapuntal polyphonic style of composition ;it was sick of fugues and canons and wantedsomething " natural," something full of " tenderand emotional expression," and the like. EvenBach's most celebrated son, Carl Philip Emanuel,appears to have regarded his father's works asalready fossilized, for when Dr Charles Burneyspent several days with him at Hamburg in 1772he played to his visitor a large number of his owncompositions, but seemingly not a note of hisfather's, though he showed Burney the celebratedforty-eight preludes and fugues in manuscript andremarked that they were composed specially forhim when a boy and were very difficult. Hedescribed canons as dry and despicable pieces ofpedantry, and even went the unfilial length ofsaying that it was to him a certain proof of atotal want of genius in anyone who was fond ofsuch wretched studies and unmeaning produc-

* Schweitzer, p. 209.t First edition.


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47tions*. Bach's successors in the Leipzig cantorateseem also to have lost all interest in his composi-tions. It is true that one of them, Doles, whenMozart was on a visit to him at Leipzig, got outthe parts of the eight-voice motett, " Sing unto theLord a new song," and made the choir perform itto his visitor. Mozart's instant recognition of thegreatness of the music and his delighted exclama-tion at its close, " Here is something that one canlearn from," are well known. But genius was herewanted to discern genius. For the bulk of musicalopinion at the end of the eighteenth century Bach'smusic was utterly dead and done with. Neverthe-less, at the opening of the succeeding century signsof revival began to show themselves. In 1802J. H. Forkel brought out the first biography ofBach, in which with victorious enthusiasm hepointed out what treasures of art the half-forgottenold Cantor had bequeathed to the Fatherlandtreasures which no other nation had anythingsimilar to set against. But another quarter of acentury was to elapse before these patriotic wordswere translated into action on an adequate scale,and it was through Zelter, Goethe's well-knowncorrespondent who directed the Singakademie atBerlin, that this decisive action came about. He

* Barney's Tour in Germany, etc,, London, 1775, vol. II.pp. 252, 273.


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48was himself convinced that Bach's music manifestedthe highest possible inspiration, but yet could notget over the feeling that the contrapuntal andalready antiquated form in which his choral workswere written rendered their successful public per-formance at Berlin a hopeless undertaking. Buttwo young friends of his were, fortunately for themusical world, of a different opinion, and notafraid to press it upon Zelter. On a Januarymorning in 1829 he found himself disturbed athis work by two visitors, one of whom asked forthe loan of the chorus of the Singakademie for aprojected performance of the St Matthew Passion-music. Zelter was on the point of returning anungracious refusal and had already mutteredsomething about "young jackanapes who thinkthemselves capable of anything," when his othervisitor struck in with decisive energy and theaudacious request was granted. The secondinterlocutor was the actor and singer EduardDevrient; the first needs no introduction, he wasFelix Mendelssohn.

The performance took place a couple of monthslater, on March n, 1829, when Mendelssohn con-ducted admirably a chorus of some four hundredvoices, soloists and orchestra, though he was thenonly just in his twentieth year and had neverdirected a great chorus and orchestra before. This


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49performance must be regarded as one of the mostimportant landmarks in the history of music, forit started a wave of enthusiasm which has sincetravelled over the world without any sign of abate-ment. Mendelssohn directed another performanceof the same work ten days later, on March 21, 1829,which was Bach's birthday. Zelter, who had mean-time become thoroughly appeased, entertained atsupper on this second occasion a select gatheringof Bach fanatics at which an amusing incidentoccurred. Frau Eduard Devrient had becomerather annoyed with a gentleman seated next herbecause, in a manner which she considered affected,he exhibited too continuous a solicitude lest a lacesleeve which she wore should get into her plate." Tell me," she whispered to Mendelssohn who satnear her, " who is the stupid fellow here next tome ! " " The stupid fellow there next to you,"Mendelssohn whispered back, " is the celebratedphilosopher, Hegel." It is painful to think thatwell-meant attentions should have been so ill-received by a lady who would seem to have beenequally indifferent whether she put her sleeve orher foot into an inappropriate position. Mendels-sohn was at this very time attending lectures onthe aesthetics of Music delivered by Hegel whotook a lively interest in Bach and thoroughlyappreciated the main characteristics of his genius.

T. B. 4


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50The credit of having given to parts of the

B minor Mass their first public performance belongsto Schelble, founder of the Cdcilienverein at Frank-furt. As early as 1828 his choir had sung theCredo, but no one took any notice of it. In 1831he added the Kyrie and Gloria. The BerlinSingakademie brought out the first part in 1834and the entire work, though considerably shortenedby ' cuts,' in 1835.

These and other efforts led to the formationin 1850, just one century after the Master's death,of the German Bach Society, which in the courseof the next succeeding fifty years brought out itsmonumental full-score edition of all his survivingworks. On the completion of its labours in 1900the new Bach Society was established, which hadfor its object the popularization of his works bytheir publication in handy forms for use in actualperformance.

It would be impossible here even to glance atthe history of cognate efforts made in other Conti-nental countries, but before bringing what I haveto say to a close, I will venture on a rapid sketchof what has been done in this direction in England,a topic which Schweitzer has passed over in silence,though he has noticed less considerable efforts madein France, Belgium and Italy. In 1849, a year beforethe establishment of the German Bach Society, an


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English one was formed with Sterndale Bennett,afterwards Cambridge Professor of Music, as chair-man ; its objects being the collection of music by,and information about, Bach and the public per-formance of works by him. After five years ofexistence the Society gave on April 6th, 1854,Bennett conducting, the first public performancein England of the St Matthew Passion-music.Mr James Sterndale Bennett, in his admirablebiography of his father*, has related an incidentoccurring during one of the rehearsals for thisperformance which is so amusing that it cannotbe refused a place here.

One of the first ladies to join the Bach Societywas Miss Helen F. H. Johnston, now honourablyremembered as having made the English translationfor the first edition of the St Matthew Passion-music published in England. But her services asa Bach votary were far from being limited to thispiece of work, considerable and excellently donethough it was. Miss Johnston when she took upher membership in the Bach Society was a younglady of eighteen, having a house of her own inLondon, independent means, ample leisure and anapparently limitless stock of enthusiasm and sus-tained energy. All these she devoted in the mostwhole-hearted fashion to a Bach apostolate to whichSterndale Bennett, whose pupil she was, may not

* Cambridge University Pre^, 1907.


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52improbably have inspired her. Thus much pre-mised, I let Mr James Sterndale Bennett speak ofMiss Johnston in his own words :" She set up a lithographic press in her house atSt John's Wood, and prepared with her own handsall the parts necessary for the practice and at lastfor the performance of the great work [the StMatthew Passion-music].. . . At the practices, whetheras leader of any voice part within her compass, or asstage librarian, she was indefatigable and ubiquitous.Rather excentric in appearance, with eyes beamingthrough large spectacles, and with her own ideasof dress, her youth was somewhat disguised. Aviolinist, unversed in musical chronology, attendingthe rehearsals for the first time, and astonished atthe enthusiasm she displayed, seriously enquired ofhis neighbour ' Is it Mrs Bach ? '"*

The English Bach Society sang in 1860 the firsteleven movements of the B minor Mass, but theydo not appear to have attained to a completeperformance of it, and in 1870 the Society wasdissolved. Five years later, however, a member ofthis University, Mr A. D. Coleridge, got togethera body of amateurs for the express purpose ofstudying that work and gave two public perform-ances of it in the following year, 1876, Mr OttoGoldschmidt conducting. The success which theseperformances met with led to the formation of the

* Ubi supra, pp. 207, 208.


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53" Bach Choir," on which, under Goldschmidt (withenergetic aid during preparation from his wife,formerly Jenny Lind) and later under Stanford,Walford Davies and now H. P. Allen, has devolvedthe heaviest share of responsibility for keeping theBachian lamp trimmed and burning. At Oxfordtoo, Allen's enthusiastic lead has brought off fineperformances of the Mass by the " Bach Choir" there.

It will not, I hope, be considered to savour toomuch of local vanity if in the last place I say afew words on what has been done in Cambridge tospread the knowledge of Bach's music. SterndaleBennett was elected to our Professorship of Musicin 1856, and during the Long Vacation of thatyear he spent some weeks here and promptlystarted work as a Bach missionary. A number ofmembers of the University Musical Society, mostlyundergraduates of whom I was one, were gottogether in a Trinity lecture-room, with some choir-boys to sing the upper parts, and were set to workunder Bennett's instruction at chorals and chorusesfrom the St Matthew Passion-music and evenencouraged to tackle the formidable double-choruswith which it opens. In those days there wasmuch Bach to be learned from the Rev. J. R. Lunn,a resident Fellow of St John's College. He was anaccomplished player on both pianoforte and organ.His zeal for Bach's music may be gauged by the


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54fact that he had made a complete manuscript copyof the forty-eight preludes and fugues in so micro-scopically small a hand that he was able to carry itconstantly about with him and so be sure not tomiss any opportunity of playing these compositions,which, I believe, he sometimes did at ordinarilyconstituted evening parties somewhat to the dismayof average hostesses. The Rev. H. T. Armfield,.then an undergraduate of Pembroke College, hada small organ in his rooms, where Mr Lunn wasa standing guest on Sunday evenings and wouldwork away with hands and feet at Bach's organcompositions to the delight and permanent instruc-tion of Mr Armfield's other visitors.

In conjunction, I think, with Mr Lunn, MrArmfield got together a very enthusiastic, butunfortunately short-lived, little " Bach Society "who executed one probably unprecedented featthe performance at a single concert of four of hisconcertos for two, or for three, pianofortes. Among"the playing members of this Society of enthusiastswere, besides those already named, Mr Pendlebury,Fellow of St John's, to whom we owe the admirablelibrary of full-scores at the Fitzwilliam Museum,Mr Percy Bunting, now Editor of the ContemporaryReview, and Mr C. J. E. Smith, of St John's,colloquially known as " Pianoforte Smith," who wasafterwards a clerical Fellow of his College and


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55promoted the cause of good music as an assistant-master at Eton and Rugby.The Fitzwilliam Musical Society conducted bythe Rev. Arthur Beard, Chaplain of King's, andthe Rev. L. Borissow, Precentor of Trinity, whichgave choral concerts from 1858 onwards and wasultimately fused in our own Society, performed theSt Matthew Passion-music more than once, andsang other compositions by Bach.

Our present Professor of Music while he wasstill an undergraduate got together a choir of ladiesand gentlemen who gave, in German, under hisdirection, an excellent performance of Bach's churchcantata, "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit " ("God'stime is the best") I think the earliest present-ment in Cambridge of one of those, at that timealmost unknown, compositions.

In 1893 extracts from a number of the churchcantatas were sung to my pianoforte accompani-ment by a quartet from the Royal Academy ofMusic in connexion with a lecture delivered by meon Bach's life and work as a church composer*.

Dr H. P. Allen conducted, when he was organ-scholar at Christ's College, several performanceswith orchestral and organ accompaniment of someof the finest among the church cantatas. Dr

* Published by Macmillan & Bowes (now Bowes & Bowes),Cambridge.


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56Sweeting and Mr Rootham carried on the samegood tradition at St John's.Our Society has, of course, repeatedly performedthe St Matthew Passion-music and also presentedsome of Bach's finest church cantatas. On Decem-ber 3rd, 1897, it performed, under Dr Gray, theCreed (Nos. 12 19) from the B minor Mass.

To-morrow, however, Dr Gray is to lay-on thecoping-stone by conducting our first completeperformance of that colossal work.

Schweitzer has said, and I think with profoundtruth, that for the right rendering of Bach's deepestmusical thought something more is wanted thanmere technical accuracy of execution, and that inthe absence of that something a depressing, chillingatmosphere pervades the work performed. Tobring out its meaning fully, each executant musthave sought to enter heart and soul into the spiritof the composition and must sing or play as ifthe entire fate of the performance depended onhis or her individual exertions. " Let each of you,"I once heard Dr Richter say to an orchestrarehearsing the Andante in Mozart's E flatSymphony, " play as if he were playing solo ! thenthe effect will be right," and right it forthwithbecame. In view of to-morrow's performance thisadvice is capable of a wider application.

CAMBRIDGE : PRINTED BY JOHN CLAY, M.A. AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.


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PLEASE DO NOT REMOVECARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKETUNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY

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Documents

John Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor in Cambridge ; Three Papers (Alan Grey & Sedley Taylor, 1908)