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And
the answer to the first question is: it's his cousin. Born in Erfurst
in 1676, Johann Bernhard Bach was nine years older than his famous
cousin, Johann Sebastian. They both shared the same great-grandfather.
An official organist at various churches throughout his life, Johann
Bernhard died in 1749, the year before Sebastian himself passed
away. Apparently, very few of Bernhard's compositions survive.
How
is the music? As with much Baroque music, it is instantly, recognizably
Baroque. Looking for an original voice, I don't really find one
(another Baroqu-ish trait). Is it different from J.S.'s Orchestral
Suites? Yes, actually. And did I enjoy these Orchestral Suites?
Oh yes I did!
Bernhard's Orchestral Suites (or Overtures) are mainly scored for
a four-part string orchestra, and were much praised by his contemporaries.
One wrote simply, "Johann Bernhard composed many attractive overtures,
arranged in the Telemann manner". Even more indicative of their
quality is the simple fact that Johann Sebastian considered them
worthy of performance and prepared individual parts of Suites Nos.1,
2 and 4 for his Leipzig orchestra. Sebastian's son, Carl Philip
Emanuel (1714-88), helped with the copying. It is through this spirit
of "family support" that these wonderful Suites have survived today.
[Info derived from the CD notes.]
As
Baroque suites (orchestral or otherwise) go, the French element
of dance is essential. But as the Telemannian remark above suggests,
Bernhard also used the stylistic ingredients of the Italian concerto
in these suites. You can hear this immediately in the Orchestral
Suite No.1: there is an Italian energetic angularity either
fused with or written next to episodes of French dance. The simple
but very musical results themselves may have inspired Telemann and
J.S. Bach, the latter of whom I think brought the Orchestral Suite
genre to another high plane.
The
Orchestral Suite No.1 in G minor is scored for string orchestra.
After an assertively energetic Overture, there is a beautiful
and meditative Air. The mood of confidence returns in the
ensuing Rondeau, with its highly memorable themes. Then,
names you don't quite see in Sebastian's Orchestral Suites appear:
a courtly Loure, an urging Fantaisie and a spiritedly
serious Passepied. I found the work very satisfying, demonstrating
to aural perfection the serious but energetic key of G minor.
| The
Flying Inkpot Crash Course in Frenchisms of Baroque Music
Air:
Melody, especially one of singable character. Related to the
Italian "aria".
bathe:
Something the French were well-known for NOT doing during
the 17th century.
Bourée:
From Old English "borry" or "borree". A lively dance style
like the Gavotte, in quadruple time beginning on the up-beat.
Caprice:
From Italian "capriccio". Any light quick movement. "Capriccio"
means "according to the fancy (i.e. caprices) of the performer".
femme
Nikita, Le: I think Peta Wilson is cute.
Gavotte:
an old French dance in common time beginning on the third
beat of the bar. Comes from the Pays de Gap region where the
people were called "gavots".
Loure:
a type of French bagpipe, but also a slow jig dance accompanied
by the instrument.
Passepied:
"Pass-foot" A lively dance in 3/8 or 6/8 said to have originated
from sailors and spread to the city and courts in the late
16th century.
Sarabande:
From the Spanish "zarabanda". A dance form in 17th and 18th
centures which originated from Latin America, reaching Spain
in 16th century. Philip II thought it "excited bad emotions"
and banned it in 1583.
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Oboes
appear in the Orchestral Suite No.2 in G major, adding a trumpety
presence to the finely-crafted Overture. Listen to how
unobstrusively at 2'38", a secondary singing theme, so brief yet effective,
refreshes the quickly moving outer music. Fabulous. The Gavotte
en Rondeau is first spritely skipping; then the Rondeau,
picking up its companion's theme, plays with it before returning it,
"gavotte". A solemn Sarabande (III) and a soothing Air:
Grave (V) follows, with a solemn Sarabande in
between and ending with hopping Gigue.
Back
to a minor key goes the Orchestral Suite No.3 in E minor, scored
for strings. The Overture gets really exciting after the
obligatory slow intro. Listen to the interplay of the strings for
its many interesting turns and details. There are two beautifully
sad Airs here, matched by a philosophical Courante,
ending confidently with another court-serious Gavotte en Rondeau.
In
both the Third and Fourth Suites are more specifically "French"
movements: the Les plaisirs: Vitement of the Third (with
its staccato pa-pap-pum "William Tell" phrase), or the two
merry Passepieds of the Fourth. The Orchestral Suite No.4
in D major is very French in character, sporting the ornamentation,
turns and phrases you'll find in, say, Rameau's
Orchestral Suites.
It
opens with an Overture that bursts into tutti fanfare frequently
- I wonder why Bernhard didn't include trumpets (and the Suite is
already conveniently in D!). There are three lively Caprices
in this Suite, plus a very French Marche (i.e. more show
than militant). Even more French is the Air: Lentement, sentimental
and perfumed. I did not hear the bassoon in these performances until
La joye, where it takes centrestage with the oboes. The triumphant
Caprice III brings this 74'22" disc to a close.
The
Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Thomas Hengelbrock play everything
like they know it from heart, and are enjoying every minute of this
music. The recorded sound is gorgeous and immediate. Made in 1990-1,
I wonder why it took Virgin so long to issue/reissue this wonderful
collection. Three cheers to the Bach family!
CHIA
HAN-LEON
left all his suitehearts in the 18th century.
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26.7.1998 ©Chia Han-Leon
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