Bach Cantatas Mailing List (BCML)
Year 2007

Question about the order of discussion

Chris Kern wrote (April 27, 2007):
After BWV 108 in our order of discussion comes BWV 36, then BWV 87. 36 is an advent cantata with an unclear date of performance, but given that it is an advent cantata I don't see how it goes between BWV 108 (4/29/1725) and BWV 87 (5/6/1725). Does this have anything to do with BWV 36b or BWV 36c?

Thomas Braatz wrote (April 28, 2007):
[To Chris Kern]
The music, in its earliest form, was probably used for a birthday cantata, BWV 36a (originally thought to be for Gesner, but Gesner was not in Leipzig at the time when the score for this text was composed). The watermark of this autograph score places it along with BWV 103, BWV 108, BWV 87, BWV 128, BWV 183, BWV 74, BWV 68, BWV 175, and BWV 176. All of these cantatas fall into a narrowly defined group from Quasimodogeniti to Trinitatis (April-May, 1725) and remarkably these are all based upon Mariane von Ziegler's texts. Nevertheless, research has been unable to connect her with this original, secular text for the birthday cantata.

BWV 36a, a birthday cantata for Princess Charlotte Friederike Wilhelmine of Cöthen, was performed with a different text by Picander/Henrici on November 30, 1725 or 1726. The music is lost, but the text survives in a printed version in a book that Picander had published.

BWV 36 (1^st of Advent, December 2, 1731) is the sacred parody of the former versions using essentially the same music with some modifications (inclusion of chorales, for instance).

BWV 36b is a congratulatory cantata for a member of the Rivinus family circa 1735.

Douglas Cowling wrote (April 28, 2007):
Thomas Braatz wrote:
< BWV 36a, a birthday cantata for Princess Charlotte Friederike Wilhelmine of Cöthen, was performed with a different text by Picander/Henrici on November 30, 1725 or 1726. The music is lost, but the text survives in a printed version in a book that Picander had published. >
Can the cantata not be reconstructed from the surviving parodies?

Thomas Braatz wrote (April 28, 2007):
[To Douglas Cowling] The NBA KB in question here indicates that the new complete text (which still exists) for BWV 36a (none of the music for this version has survived) agrees remarkably well with the text and music for BWV 36c (the oldest known version of the music - April/May 1725). The arias and choral sections of BWV 36a ('must have been essentially identical to the original version of the music'), but the recitatives (mvts. 2, 4, 6, 8, and inserted short recitative passages in mvt. 9) would have been entirely new compositions in BWV 36a. The NBA has not attempted to present a reconstruction of this cantata, but certainly the portions of BWV 36a indicated above which are practically the same as BWV 36c would pose little difficulty in reconstructing the missing music with the exception of all the recitatives and recitative-like passages in mvt. 9.

Leading the cantata discussions

Aryeh Oron wrote (August 20, 2007):
As you most probably know, this 2nd round, which started in January 2005, we discuss the cantatas chronologically, in the order J.S. Bach initially performed them. The chronological order allows us following Bach's development as a cantata composer. The discussion can cover every aspect relating to the cantata of the week: the music, the text, the recordings, a certain movement, etc.

In the 1st round of cantata discussions (1999-2003) the discussions were usually led by me. In order to make this 2nd round of cantata discussions successful, we have agreed that this responsibility would be shared among the members. Each person, who has agreed to take this responsibility, is in charge for a period of 5 to 10 weeks, as he/she wishes. At the beginning of each week, this person sends a short notice to the BCML, reminding the members of the cantata for discussion that week. He/she has the option of adding some background, personal opinion, etc.

IMO, this concept has worked fine, and the cantata discussions are live and kicking. The leaders so far were: Neil Halliday, Thomas Shepherd, Peter Bright, Santu de Silva, Thomas Braatz, John Pike, Doug Cowling, Eric Bergerud, Peter Smaill, Alain Bruguieres, Roar Myrheim, Ed Myskowski, Chris Kern, Julian Mincham, and Russell Telfer. I am sincerely grateful to them all, as well as to the contributors to the discussions.

The schedule of discussion leaders is covered until September 2, 2007, from January 6 to April 13, 2008, and from June 29 to August 31, 2008. By the end of 2008 we shall finish the 2nd cycle of cantata discussions. See:
Year 2007: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Order-2007.htm
Year 2008: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Order-2008.htm

More volunteers to lead the cantata discussions are needed. With about 740 members of the BCML, many of them are experts in this field, I am hoping that more members would step forward and take upon themselves the responsibility of leading the cantata discussions. This is not a very difficult task and it helps putting the discussions into the right track.

Every member willing to lead the discussions for a certain period of time, please write to me, either through the BCML or off-list.

Thanks and enjoy,

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