# The spirituality of Bach's instrumental works (preferably works for solo instrument)



## silentio

Let's discuss about the spirituality of Bach's instrumental works, preferably works for solo instrument (e.g. the violin sonata and partitas, the keyboard partitas, suites, and Goldberg variation, the cello suites, the flute partitas , the Clavier-Ubung for organ etc.). 

I know that there have been several "studies" that linked theology and numerology to Bach's sacred works, but how about solo-instrument compositions, or even the concerto (Brandenburg, harpsichord, violin) ? Would you recommend any books on this topic?


----------



## Avey

I don't know of any specific resources re this, but when I read this inquiry, I settle on the obvious that Bach, like any other composer or artist, had certain inspirations and those are reflected in all the artist's work, whether expressly (e.g., text) or constructively. No one can definitively say that *the composer* intended instrumental Work A to invoke the Muse, or instrumental Work B to serve as a musical accompaniment to some specific scene in the Book of _____.

But *we*, the listener, can certainly feel that way when we hear it. Like all other music, I find spirituality in Bach's music -- instrumental or choral. But I would never say it is the identical spirituality J.S. Bach , or any other composer, _intended_ to evoke.


----------



## Manxfeeder

One book you might find interesting along these lines is Michael Marissen's The Social and Religious Designs of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos.

Another interesting study is the Hilliard Ensemble's Morimur recording, where they take a researcher's discovery of chorales hidden in the 2nd partita for solo violin and sing the chorales with the violin piece.


----------



## silentio

Manxfeeder said:


> One book you might find interesting along these lines is Michael Marissen's The Social and Religious Designs of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos.
> 
> Another interesting study is the Hilliard Ensemble's Morimur recording, where they take a researcher's discovery of chorales hidden in the 2nd partita for solo violin and sing the chorales with the violin piece.


Wow I learn something new everyday here on talkclassical !

I just skimmed through one review. The Brandenburg book looks interesting. Will check it out from the library.

I have also tried the Partita + Ensemble excerpts on Youtube. Regardless of the validity of that researcher's thesis, the superimposition works:


----------



## Morimur

silentio said:


> Wow I learn something new everyday here on talkclassical !
> 
> I just skimmed through one review. The Brandenburg book looks interesting. Will check it out from the library.
> 
> I have also tried the Partita + Ensemble excerpts on Youtube. Regardless of the validity of that researcher's thesis, the superimposition works:


You're damn right it works.


----------



## Guest

What amazes me about Bach is that his sheet music isn't particularly daunting. His cello stuff is really rather easy and simplistic and yet when you play it all this music just leaps out of it. When I play the bass part of _Konzert a-Moll_, it wasn't hard to master at all but the melody is impeccable. Then my musical partner plays the cavaquinho (Brazilian uke) for the violin part and the way it interplays with the bass line is just stunning even though the piece was meant for violin and orchestra. It's just amazing how he could put stuff like this together.

This _Morimur_ with chorale is another example of how you can take any two instruments or voices and put them together in a Bach piece and it sounds fantastic that way.


----------



## Mandryka

silentio said:


> Let's discuss about the spirituality of Bach's instrumental works, preferably works for solo instrument (e.g. the violin sonata and partitas, the keyboard partitas, suites, and Goldberg variation, the cello suites, the flute partitas , the Clavier-Ubung for organ etc.).
> 
> I know that there have been several "studies" that linked theology and numerology to Bach's sacred works, but how about solo-instrument compositions, or even the concerto (Brandenburg, harpsichord, violin) ? Would you recommend any books on this topic?


Schweitzer's books are the obvious ones.

I got a lot of stimulation from "J. S. Bach's 'Leipzig' Chorale Preludes: Music, Text, Theology" by Anne Leahy. The big thing I learned from her was about how central the crucifixion is in Luther (and by inference for Bach), and how that is shown in the music by unexpected dissonances in celebratory contexts (dissonances in the prelude to a chorale about the nativity, or Jesus's baptism, for example.) Unfortunately I've never found a similar study of CU3 or Orgelbuchlein.

Another possible interesting book is "Bach's "Well-tempered Clavier": An Exploration of the 48 Preludes and Fugues" by Marjorie Wornell Engels. It's not as rigorous as Leahy, but it contains some interesting ideas about links between WTC and the cantatas and passions -- he was always reusing music. That book is particularly interesting on the unity of WTC -- how passages in Book 2 reflect ideas in Book 1. I thought about it recently when I saw Bulldog say that he likes to listen to both parts of WTC in a single sitting, as it were.

One thing I would like to know is whether there are any similar studies for other early composers -- Buxtehude for example, or Scheidt. And what about Catholic composers like Cabezon and Frescobaldi? Surely someone in the Catholic church has written about their religious ideas and how it's reflected in the instrumental music.


----------



## silentio

Mandryka said:


> Schweitzer's books are the obvious ones.
> 
> I got a lot of stimulation from "J. S. Bach's 'Leipzig' Chorale Preludes: Music, Text, Theology" by Anne Leahy. The big thing I learned from her was about how central the crucifixion is in Luther (and by inference for Bach), and how that is shown in the music by unexpected dissonances in celebratory contexts (dissonances in the prelude to a chorale about the nativity, or Jesus's baptism, for example.) Unfortunately I've never found a similar study of CU3 or Orgelbuchlein.
> 
> Another possible interesting book is "Bach's "Well-tempered Clavier": An Exploration of the 48 Preludes and Fugues" by Marjorie Wornell Engels. It's not as rigorous as Leahy, but it contains some interesting ideas about links between WTC and the cantatas and passions -- he was always reusing music. That book is particularly interesting on the unity of WTC -- how passages in Book 2 reflect ideas in Book 1. I thought about it recently when I saw Bulldog say that he likes to listen to both parts of WTC in a single sitting, as it were.
> 
> One thing I would like to know is whether there are any similar studies for other early composers -- Buxtehude for example, or Scheidt. And what about Catholic composers like Cabezon and Frescobaldi? Surely someone in the Catholic church has written about their religious ideas and how it's reflected in the instrumental music.


Thank you for your recommendations. I will certainly check them out.

Regarding other Baroque composers, at least I know that Biber, in his _Mystery Sonatas_, referred very heavily to the "cross" (crucifix) motif. Even the famous _scordatura_ (*crossing* of strings) can tell some thing.


----------



## Mandryka

silentio said:


> Thank you for your recommendations. I will certainly check them out.
> 
> Regarding other Baroque composers, at least I know that Biber, in his _Mystery Sonatas_, referred very heavily to the "cross" (crucifix) motif. Even the famous _scordatura_ (*crossing* of strings) can tell some thing.


You'll find that there are cross motifs written into the score in Bach too.


----------

