Cantata No. 80 - Ein feste Burg is unser Gott - Mvt 1

Context - Bach (Intro Paragraph)

• Bach was a German baroque composer

• Born 1685

• Died 1750

• Appointed as Cantor of St Thomas’ church in 1723

• Was a Lutheran church, so texts were in German (not Latin) so that congregation could understand and join in.

• Also in charge of 4 other churches

• Wrote his most renowned work (St Matthew’s Passion) at St Thomas’ church

• Was required to write a chorale for every Sunday service plus holy days

• Wrote over 200 cantatas

• Bach was also required to teach singing and train the choir

Context - Ein Fest Burg (Intro Paragraph)

• Title translates to “A mighty fortress is our God”

• Piece is a cantata (vocal work)

• This cantata was written for the Feat of the Reformation on 31st October

• Final version was completed in 1730 for the Feat of Reformation

• Arguably the best known of Bach’s cantatas and includes the most famous of all Lutheran chorales

• Chorale was written by Luther and became a familiar hymn tune.

• The use of Luther’s existing chorale melody in Bach’s cantata is known as the Cantus firmus

• Cantata consists of 8 movements

Structure

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• Fugal - Common structure for 1st movement of a cantata - Bach’s Cantata No. 140 mvt 1

• 8 Sections - Mimics the Verse / Structure of the text - Handel for Unto Us

Structure - Example paragraph

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The movement is divided into 8 sections(AO3) which is dictated by the verses of the text(AO4). Sacred baroque music were based text that influenced the structure of the musical works. This can be seen in Handel’s oratoria Messiah (For Unto Us a Child is Born). A chorus from the Messiah is clearly structed around 3 phrases of text

Tonality

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• Starts in D major - Commonly used for triumphant pieces

• Frequent modulations to related keys throughout (A major dominant, G major subdom) - Related keys are typical of the Baroque style. Quick modulations are interesting / exciting - Handle’s Messiah: Hallelujah

• In section 5 piece modulates to B minor (rel. minor), E minor & F# minor (distant) - Reflects the negative text in the middle of the movement - Bach’s Cantata No.48 mvt 1

Tonality - Example Paragraph

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Bach followed the stylistic conventions of the baroque period by modulating to related keys(AO3). He starts the movement in D major(home key) and modulates to the dominant major (A major) and the subdominant major (G major)(AO3) in the first few sections. The modulations are frequent to create interest and variety to movement. Composers such as Vivaldi and Handel employed the same technique in their sacred choral works. Handel’s chorus Zadok the Pirest (WL) modulates frequently to the subdominant and dominant majors in the first section.

Harmony

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• Functional harmony (Tonic and dominant pedals) - Establishes the key - Gabrieli’s In Ecclesiis

• Dissonance (4-3 suspension) - Gentle dissonance reflects the text - Bach’s Cantata No 48 mvt 1

• Chromatic Harmony (Diminished 7th chord) - Tension / Suspense - Handel’s Messiah: And the Glory of the Lord

Melody

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• Main melody is a cantus firmus of Luther’s Hymm tune (most of the whole set work is based on this) - Congregation would have recognised it. Common technique of the time to do this - Buxtehude’s Gelobet Seist Du, Jesus Christ uses a CF

• Features of the Cantus Firmus:

  • Repition of the tonic pitch - Emphasises the Key / grabs attention - Vivaldi’s Gloria has repition of pitches

  • Falls to the dominant via stepwise movement, before rising back to the tonic - easy to sing

  • Ends with intervals of perfect 4ths / 5ths - Punctuated ending.

• Ascending Sequences - Extends melody line - Gabrieli’s In ecclesiis.

• New Theme introduced in section 5 - starts with a perfect 5th rising interval but is mostly conjunct - Creates a contrasting middle section. 5th creates a call to attention

• Chromaticism at end of section 7 - Reflects the sinister, painful text

Melody - Example paragraph

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The chorale melody (Ein feste Burg) is presented in a fugal format(AO3), which takes each phrase in turn in the vocal parts. The subject is heard in the tenor at the start and a tonal answer appears in the alto(AO3). The conter subject is based on the second phrase of the chorale melody. It is then followed by a cononic version of the cantus firmus for the oboe and violone. This complex fugal chorus (or “chorale fantasia”) is often adopted by Bach in the first movement of his catatas(AO4). Good examples of this can be found in his Cantata No. 140 Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme and Cantata No. 48 Ich elender Mensch

Rhythm, Tempo & Metre

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• Cantus Firmus starts with longer notes - So you can clearly hear it’s entries in the fugal texture

• Tied notes in cantus firmus (creating syncopation) - Interesting

• Occasional dotted rhythms - Bit of interest - Gabrieli’s In Ecclesiis

• Melismatic quavers in vocal part - Emphasises certain words - Vivald’s Gloria

• 4/2 simple quadruple

Texture

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• Contrapuntal Textures - Very popular in Baroque as they intricate, decorative, complex. Exciting start to the work - Gabrieli’s In Ecclesiis

  • Starts with a fugue consisting of a subject, tonal answer & countersubject - Bach was a master at fugal writing - Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor

  • Cannon between oboe and violone - Handle’s Messiah: And the Glory of the Lord

• Heterophonic texture between violone and bass voice - Emphasises the line, adds decoration

• Long pedal notes - Grounds the piece (extra layer to texture)

• Orchestral parts double vocal - Helps emphasise vocal lines / text - Smyth’s Mass in D: Gloria (romantic era)

Sonority

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• SATB choir, Orchestra (3 obeas and 2 violins) and continuo inc. church organ rather than harpsichord (tutti ensemble) - Powerful start to the whole work. Typical Baraque ensemble. Typical of religious music - Similar orchestration to Vivaldi’s Gloria

• Orchestral parts double vocal lines - Helps emphasise vocal lines / text - Smyth’s Mass in D: Gloria (romantic era)

Sonority - Example Paragraph

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Bach uses a large baroque ensemble(AO3) for Cantata No. 80, consisting of 4 part (SATB)(AO3), oboes, strings and basso continuo(AO3). Often the continue would consist of an organ and/or a harpsichord with a lower string instrument like the violone (large string instrument)(AO3). Bach uses the same orchestration in his No. 48 and the popular "Sleeper’s Wake” Cantat No. 140 Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme(WL). The result is a powerful and majestic start to the cantata(AO4). Often choruses, in sacred choral work, would use the full power of the forces(AO4). Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus from this orotario the Messiah and Vivaldi’s opening chorus from Gloria are no exceptions(WL). Another common characteristic we can observe in these works, is the doubling of the vocal parts with selected ensemble