(The) Archive of the Elder Bachs
A rich collection of music by Bach’s family
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Johann Christoph Bach, Anonymous, Johann Michael Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann(es) Bach, Georg Christoph Bach
Genre:
Vocal
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Magazine Review Date: 5/2003
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 153
Mastering:
Stereo
DDD
Catalogue Number: HMC90 1783/4

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Ich lasse dich nicht |
Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
(Das) Blut Jesu Christi |
Johann Michael Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Michael Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Sei nun wieder zufrieden, meine Seele |
Johann(es) Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann(es) Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Nun hab'ich überwunden |
Johann Michael Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Michael Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Ach, wie sehnlich wart ich der Zeit |
Johann Michael Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Michael Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Herr, wenn ich nur dich habe |
Johann Michael Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Michael Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Unser Leben ist ein Schatten |
Johann(es) Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann(es) Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Herr, nun lässest du |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Herr, wende dich |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
(Der) Gerechte, ob er gleich zu zeitlich stirbt |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Lieber Herr Gott, wecke uns auf |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Wie bist du denn, O Gott |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Es erhub sich ein Streit |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Unsers Herzens Freude |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Meine Freundin, du bist schön |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Ich weiss, dass mein Erlöser lebt |
Johann Michael Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Michael Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Auf, lasst uns den Herren loben |
Johann Michael Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Michael Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Siehe, wie fein und lieblich ist |
Georg Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Georg Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Mit Weinen hebt sichs an |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Ach, das ich Wassers g'nug hätte |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Nun ist alles überwunden |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Weint nicht um meinen Tod |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Die Furcht des Herren |
Johann Michael Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Michael Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Es ist nun aus |
Johann Christoph Bach, Composer
Cantus Cölln Concerto Palatino Johann Christoph Bach, Composer Konrad Junghänel, Conductor |
Author: Stanley Sadie
Music by Johann Christoph, not surprisingly, occupies almost two-thirds of this new issue. Chiefly it is motets and what he called concertos and we call cantatas, and there are also some arias, simple hymn-like pieces for four voices. The motets, for choir and continuo, are short works, but JC seems able to create a very distinctive sound-world and a strong atmosphere even within a three- or four-minute piece. Try the funeral motet Der Gerechte, with its sombre opening, full of symbolic descending figures (dealing with the death of the righteous), giving way to optimistic, energetic counterpoint in the faster music that follows; or, among the double-choir motets, Lieber Herr Gott, with its constant shifting echoes from one to the other and its closely worked fugal ending, or Herr, nun lässest, with its surprising and ingenious key changes.
The biggest piece here, however, is the wedding cantata Meine Freundin, du bist schön, mostly to words from the Song of Solomon; Johann Ambrosius Bach (JS’s father) left a very candid written commentary, probably originally from the composer, which makes it clear that the erotic text is intended to be understood literally, not as religious symbolism, and indeed the music mirrors it happily with its elaborate lines, its soft and warm textures (four violins, three violas) and the intertwining of voices or voice and violin. Central to it is an extended and ingenious chaconne; later there is declamatory music and a final celebration with busy violin writing. This fine and attractive piece, not previously available on CD, ought to be better known.
There are also more conventional cantatas, one of them, Es erhub sich ein Streit (once performed by JS, and admired by CPE), with two five-part choirs and a battery of brass, using antiphonal techniques and sumptuous textures to highly dramatic effect in the story of the triumph of St Michael and his angels over the forces of darkness. Another, Die Furcht des Herren (the notes suggest that this may actually be by Johann Christoph’s younger brother, Johann Michael), with much interplay between soloist and choir, represents a city chamberlain and other functionaries praying for help from Wisdom (a soprano); Herr, wende dich, also cast in dialogue style, has much impassioned music. Still more so the Lamento Wie bist du denn, a beautifully written piece for bass with soft accompanying violas da gamba; the agitated violin figures represent the sinner’s sufferings and the piece ends with ardent pleas for mercy and ultimate hope. Another Lamento, Ach, dass ich Wassers gnug hätte, sometimes ascribed to Johann Christoph’s father, Heinrich, is firmly placed by modern Bach scholarship among the son’s works: whoever wrote it, this dramatic recitation for countertenor with solo violin and strings is a piece of uncommon intensity.
The arias are relatively uninteresting, brief hymn-like pieces for four voices and continuo, in several verses to the same music (sometimes harmonically varied). Pieces of this kind by Johann Michael (1648-94) are included too; one of them, Auf, lasst uns, has a richly improvisatory and expressive violin solo. There are also four of his motets, among which I found Nun hab’ ich, with its antiphonal first part (including some telling harmonic writing) giving way to a kind of chorale-prelude texture, particularly appealing.
These two brothers’ uncle, Johann (1604-73), organist in Erfurt, is composer of one motet, Unser Leben ist ein Schatten, with some remarkable word-painting, for a six-voice choir and an echo choir of three voices, providing some curious effects; the authorship of the other items ascribed to him, which included an attractive, old-style motet for two choirs, high and low, however is dubious. I should mention the cantata by Georg Christoph (1642-97), organist in Schweinfurt – a cousin of Johann Christoph and Johann Michael and older brother to JS Bach’s father. In 1689 Georg and his two brothers (Bach’s father was a twin) had a reunion on his birthday and to celebrate the occasion he wrote this spirited cantata, in which almost everything hinges on the number 3 (clearly he had the numbers gene that also went to his nephew). This, Sieh, wie fein, is among the most enjoyable pieces here. Lastly, there is Ich lasse dich nicht by JSB himself: this, long ascribed to Johann Christoph, has lately been restored to the canon and is believed to have been written as a funeral motet in 1713. Certainly the confident use of a more modern contrapuntal style seems to betray his hand.
Cantus Cölln and their collaborators serve the music admirably. There is shapely and carefully modulated choral singing, with much refined detail, and clearly enunciated solos – the countertenor one is done with particular intensity, as the music demands, but there is some impassioned singing, too, from the sopranos and basses: I won’t single out any by name as the standard throughout is so high. No less impressive is the string playing – the solo violinist (whom I take to be Ursula Bundies) is especially successful at conveying the passion that lies behind this music without violating its restrained style. Some listeners may feel that they could have done without the multi-verse hymns, but they do help give a rounded picture of the composers’ vocal output. Clear and nicely balanced recordings: altogether a set that can be warmly recommended.
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