Various canons
As various canons called Bach a collection of instrumental canon ( BWV 1087), which he in 1741 or later handwritten in his personal copy of the first edition of the so-called Goldberg Variations earned. This hand copy was rediscovered in 1974 by Olivier Alain at Paul Blumenroeder's in Strasbourg and acquired by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (shelf mark: Ms. 17669) after Bach's handwritten entries were recognized as authentic in 1975.
Historical background
In autumn 1741 Johann Sebastian Bach published the so-called Goldberg Variations as a keyboard exercise consisting of an ARIA with various changes in front of the clavicimbal with 2 manuals in print. A Bach autograph has not survived. The discovery of his personal copy of the first edition in 1974 threw a new light on this work of variations, as Bach made small changes in the musical text on the one hand, and on the other hand on the last blank page of the volume with the heading "Various canons over the first eight fundamental notes of the previous aria" entered some canons in fair copy, of which only two were known so far. It is possible that Bach wanted to use this to prepare a second edition of this keyboard exercise , in which the canons could also be accommodated.
Up to now, Bach canons were known from four cyclical works - the Goldberg Variations , the Canonical Changes , the Musical Sacrifice and the Art of Fugue - as well as individual canons for mostly non-musical occasions. These can be found, for example, in entries in the registry and as a demonstration of “scientific” skills for Lorenz Christoph Mizler's Corresponding Society of Musical Sciences . The fact that canons similar to the individual canons and two of the already known individual canons appear in hand copies as a collection that belongs together and thus come into a connection with the Goldberg Variations is considered significant.
Bach noted the canon without advertised resolution (Resolutio) of voices to be reproduced as a closed canon. In contrast to an outspoken canon of puzzles , it gave some indications necessary for execution in the title, through multiple coding and through signs (signum congruentiae) . Nevertheless, the canons are closed to the music lovers addressed in the title of the Goldberg Variations ; some make it difficult even for music connoisseurs to resolve them.
With these closed canons, Bach finds himself in an uninterrupted tradition that extends from the Dutch - especially with Pierre de la Rue - to the 20th century - for example Arnold Schönberg .
Dating
The canons cannot have been entered in the hand copy until after the first edition of the Goldberg Variations appeared in autumn 1741. Canons 11 and 13 provide further clues. Canon 11 can be found, with minor differences, on a leaf from October 15, 1747 (BWV 1077), the same canon 13 on Haußmann's Bach portrait of 1746 and on a single sheet print for the members of the Corresponding Societät der musicalischen Lorenz Christoph Mizler's sciences from 1747 (BWV 1076). If the versions in the cycle of canons are taken to be the earlier ones, they must have been written between 1741 and 1746, if they are considered to be the later versions, they must have been written down after 1747.
Thematic reference to the Goldberg Variations
In the heading to the collection of canons, Bach writes that the “canons go over the first eight fundamental notes of the previous aria”. These eight "fundamental notes" correspond to an ostinato bass , which was already widely used before Bach and which also forms the first eight of the 32 "fundamental notes" of the "aria":
They are therefore directly related not only to the nine canons of the Goldberg Variations , but also to all other movements, including the aria. In the “various canons” they mostly appear in the bass as “fundamental notes” in their original form and inversion, as well as in their cancer. They also determine the melodic shape of almost all other canon voices.
Significance of the collection of canons within Bach's late contrapuntal works
The canons of the hand copy are more theoretical and demonstrative than musical and practical compositions. Bach gave no indication of the instrumental execution.
If they were registered before 1746, then they mediate between the Goldberg Variations from 1741 and the early version of the Art of Fugue (BWV 1080) from around 1742 on the one hand and the canonical changes to the Christmas carol "Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her" (BWV 769) from 1746/47 and the Musical Sacrifice (BWV 1079) from 1747 on the other hand. Accordingly, they are considered to be a systematic test of the most diverse canon techniques before the composition of the musically mature canons in BWV 769 and BWV 1079.
If, on the other hand, they are only registered after 1747, they can at least be viewed as a comprehensive demonstration of Bach's “contrapuntal highest combination achievements” .
Description of the canons
The following headings correspond to the headings and the instructions for the execution from Bach's personal copy. For Latin and Italian text, Bach used Latin script , otherwise almost always the German Kurrent script , which is set in italics here . The numbering corresponds to that of Bach, who sometimes wrote the numbers with and sometimes without a period.
The left picture shows the handwritten version; the right picture shows a certain or possible resolution of the canon, written in keys that are given by Bach or correspond to his practice. All canons belong to the type of the almost infinite "circular canon" ("Canon perpetuus"). The fermatas in brackets in the resolutions indicate possible conclusions. References to a possible occupation of the canons are dispensed with, since Bach himself did not provide any information.
1. Canon simplex
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Canon 1 was notated unanimously in the bass clef and is to be performed in two parts. The second voice is to be played from the right, recognizable by the vertically mirrored bass clef at the end of the staff. The original figure of the “Fundamental Notes” begins, the crab of the original figure follows as the second voice in the canon. Both voices can begin at the same time (“simul incipiendo”). |
2. all 'roverscio.
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Canon 2 was notated unanimously in the tenor clef and is to be performed in two parts. The second part is to be played from the right, recognizable by the vertically mirrored tenor clef at the end of the staff. The inversion of the "fundamental notes" begins, the cancer ("all 'roverscio") follows the inversion in the canon. Both voices can begin at the same time (“simul incipiendo”). |
3. End previous canons at the same time . motu recto e contrario
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Canon 3 was notated unanimously in the bass clef and is to be performed in two parts. The second part is to be played in the baritone clef at the beginning of the staff. The original figure (“motu recto”) begins, the inversion (“motu contrario”) follows from the initial sign (“signum congruentiae”) one octave upward in the canon. |
4 Motu contrario e recto.
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Canon 4 was notated unanimously in the tenor clef and is to be performed in two parts. The second part is to be played in the alto clef. The inversion of the “fundamental notes” begins, the original shape follows from the cue one octave upwards in the canon. |
5. Canon duplex à 4.
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Canon 5 was notated in two parts (lower part in the bass clef, upper part in the alto clef) and is to be performed in four parts in a double canon from the two starting marks. The upper part canon contains sequences of sixteenths with small motif parts of the “fundamental notes”. The following part begins a fifth higher two bars apart and is the inversion of the lower part. The lower part canon only contains quarter notes. The lower part corresponds to the "fundamental notes". The following part begins a fifth higher two bars apart and is the inversion of the lower part. This canon is reminiscent of Variatio 12 from the Goldberg Variations . |
6. Canon duplex. over said foundation. à 3.
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Canon 6 was notated in two parts (lower part in the bass clef, upper part in the alto clef) and must be played in three parts from the cue. The canon part plays an inverse canon in the subsecond. The prelude to the canon parts corresponds to the first four notes of the "fundamental notes". and is continued chromatically with a lamento motif. That makes for a sad affect. |
7 Idem. a 3
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Canon 7 was notated in two parts (lower part in the bass clef, upper part in the alto clef) and is to be played in three parts from the cue. It corresponds structurally to canon 6, hence the heading "Idem". The canon parts begin with the "fundamental notes" or their inversion in sixteenth notes. |
8 Canon simplex. il soggetto in Alto. à 3
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Canon 8 was notated in two parts (lower part in the bass clef, upper part in the alto clef) and is to be played in three parts from the cue. The “fundamental notes” are found in the middle part, around which the bass and soprano form an inversion canon in the sub-second, which is strongly influenced by the “fundamental notes”. Canon 8 modulates and is best ended on d (bar 7 of the resolution opposite). |
9 Canon in unison post semifusam. à 3.
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Canon 9 was notated in two parts (lower part in the bass clef, upper part in the soprano clef) and is to be played in three parts from the cue. The upper part is free of thematically bound motifs. The use of the canon part after only one sixteenth note (“semifusa”) should be “unison”, ie from the same note with exact repetition of the preceding voice. This is only possible because the voices are almost entirely made up of broken chords. |
10. Alio modo. per syncopationes et per ligaturas. a 2 - Evolutio.
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The two two-part movements are entitled “Alio modo”. “In a different way” can mean that they are not canons. The sentences demonstrate how one can deal with syncopation and ligatures - “per syncopationes et per ligaturas” - in a contrapuntal way. In the second movement parallel fifths are softened in their effect by syncopation and ligatures. The instruction "a 2" also shows that these are not canons. There are also no cues. In both movements, the free voices were noted on staves (alto clef or bass clef), the "fundamental notes" or their inversion in German tablature. The second movement was developed from the first movement through inversions and voice swaps and is therefore called "Evolutio". The free voices contain motifs from the “Fundamental Notes”. |
11 Canon duplex over the foundation. a 5
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Canon 11 was notated in three parts (lower part in bass clef, middle part in alto clef, upper part in treble clef) and is to be performed in five parts. The affect of sadness, as it is already present in canon 6, determines this canon. In its version of 1747 (BWV 1077) it received from Bach the addition “Symbolum Christ coronabit Crucigeros” (“Christ will crown those who carry the cross”). The dense canon of mirrors in the Oberterz contains, in addition to the chromaticism responsible for the lamentation, many motifs from the “fundamental notes”. |
12 Canon duplex over said fundamental notes a 5
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Canon 12 was notated in three parts (lower part in bass clef, middle part in alto clef, upper part in soprano clef) and is to be performed in five parts. In the upper canon, the first part begins “motu recto”, the lower part follows “motu contrario” at a distance of one lower decime in reverse. The sub-canon is also an inversive interval canon, this time in the interval of the sub-fourths. The “fundamental notes” advance in half notes and form a great contrast to the thematically shaped sixteenth notes of the upper canon and eighths of the lower canon. Canon 12 thus points to Canon 14. |
13 Canon triplex. a 6.
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Canon 13 was notated in three parts (lower part in bass clef, middle part in tenor clef, upper part in alto clef) and is to be performed in six parts. It is known from another version (BWV 1076) which has slightly different note values. The comparatively large note values and the alla breve time of canon 13 indicate the “Stile antico”, which also characterizes some movements of the Goldberg Variations . Three canons are connected. The upper canon, an inversion canon, is motifically linked to the lower canon, an inversion canon of the “fundamental notes” in the lower quarters. The middle canon, an inversion canon in the upper fifth, contains the theme of the E major fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier II , which is based on older models and also corresponds to the “Stile antico”. |
14 canons each 4th per augmentation and diminution -
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Canon 14 was notated unanimously in the soprano clef and is to be played in four parts. Apart from the reference to augmentation (enlargement) and diminution (reduction), Bach gave no assistance in solving this canon of riddles. The first convincing resolution was achieved by Christoph Wolff . Then - as shown in the sheet music example on the right - there is a triple canon over the "fundamental notes". The upper part begins with the part written by Bach. The first eight notes are the inverse of the "fundamental notes", starting with sixteenth notes. This is followed by the bass with the original shape in half notes and the second part with the first 24 notes of the soprano in inversion and enlargement as a canon in the upper fourth - whereby the first eight notes, beginning with eighth notes, again correspond to the original shape. The third part experiences a further enlargement of the notated part, starting with quarter notes in the canon of the lower fourth. In relation to one another, the four voices thus form the augmentations and diminutions demanded by Bach. Since the voice notated by Bach is determined in many parts by motifs from the “fundamental notes”, the result is an extremely dense imitation fracture. |
The "etc:"
At the end of the page, Bach put the abbreviation of "et cetera" under the canons. This is interpreted differently. On the one hand, Bach wanted to invite the reader to continue the collection himself, on the other hand, he had indicated that there were already other canons of their own or could be in the future. Bach's resigned insight into the impossibility of achieving a masterly level is also cited. In any case, it means that Bach did not consider the collection to be definitely complete.
It can be intended that the present collection comprises just 14 numbers; because the number 14 is a symbol of Bach. It corresponds to the addition of the numbers for the letters of Bach's last name in the numbered alphabet (BACH = 2 + 1 + 3 + 8 = 14). This number symbolism also appears in the second Kyrie of the B minor Mass , the theme of which contains 14 notes.
literature
- Böß, Reinhard (Ed.): Various canons ... Joh. Seb. Bach (BWV 1087) . Munich 1996.
- Rolf Dammann: Johann Sebastian Bach's "Goldberg Variations" . Mainz 1986, ISBN 3-7957-1792-2
- Peter F. Williams: Bach: The Goldberg Variations . Cambridge 2001 (Reprint 2003), ISBN 0-521-00193-5
- Christoph Wolff: Bach's personal copy of the Goldberg Variations: A New Source. Journal of the American Musicological Society 29, 1976, pp. 224-241, ISSN 0003-0139
Sources, references and comments
- ↑ Olivier Alain: Un supplément inédit aux Variations Goldberg de JS Bach . In: Revue de Musicologie . T. 61e, No. 2e (1975), pp. 244f. Olivier Alain explicitly names Georg von Dadelsen , Alfred Dürr and Christoph Wolff as the experts who were able to verify his hypothesis of the authenticity of the Bach entries in 1975.
- ↑ Christoph Wolff, JAMS 29, 1976, p. 225
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 246
- ^ Goldberg Variations (including the facsimile of Bach's copy with the handwritten canons) : sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
- ↑ Christoph Wolff, JAMS 29, 1976, p. 226f
- ↑ Not included here are canonical part guides such as in the 6th Brandenburg Concerto or the Invention F major.
- ↑ Christoph Wolff, JAMS 29, 1976, p. 225f u. 229
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 248.
- ^ Heinrich Besseler and Peter Gülke: Typeface of polyphonic music . 2nd edition, Leipzig 1981, p. 126f
- ↑ Schönberg: Untextured canons and contrapuntal sentences
- ↑ See, for example, the corresponding canons by Johannes Ockeghem , Josquin Desprez , Ludwig Senfl , Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Ludwig van Beethoven , Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy , Carl Friedrich Weitzmann , Igor Stravinski , Paul Hindemith
- ↑ See file: Canon triplex 3.png
- ↑ dating before 1746: Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 260 and 264 and Christoph Wolff, JAMS 29, 1976, p. 134; Dating after 1747: Peter F. Williams, Cambridge 2001, p. 32
- ↑ Elise Crean: The Fourteen Canons (BWV 1087): Foundation or Culmination? - A re-evaluation of Their position among Bach's latest works in: Understanding Bach 5, 2010, pp 67-75, ISSN 1750 to 3078 ( on the Internet: )
- ↑ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, pp. 27-35
- ↑ Christoph Wolff, JAMS 29, 1976, p. 229 and 239
- ↑ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 249
- ↑ Rolf Damman, Mainz 1986, p. 252
- ↑ Performance notes and suggested scoring in JS Bach: Fourteen canons on the first eight fundamental notes of the aria from the "Goldberg Variations" . Urtext of the New Bach Edition, 5th edition, Kassel 2005, foreword p. 7
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 252
- ↑ Christoph Wolff, JAMS 29, 1976, p. 234
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, pp. 252f
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 253
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 254
- ↑ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, pp. 254f
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, pp. 255f
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 256
- ↑ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, pp. 256f
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, pp. 257f
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, pp. 258f
- ↑ Christoph Wolff, JAMS 29, 1976, pp. 235f
- ^ Werner Neumann: Image documents on the life story of Johann Sebastian Bach . Kassel et altera 1979, p. 330
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, pp. 259f
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, pp. 260ff
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 262ff
- ^ Rolf Dammann, Mainz 1986, p. 264ff
- ↑ Christoph Wolff, JAMS 29, 1976, p. 236
- ^ Rolf Damman, Mainz 1986, p. 266
- ↑ Christoph Wolff, JAMS 29, 1976, p. 239
- ↑ Friedrich Smend: JS Bach: Church cantatas . III, Berlin 1947, pp. 5-21