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In 1724
Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
composed the
church cantata A church cantata or sacred cantata is a cantata intended to be performed during Christian liturgy. The genre was particularly popular in 18th-century Lutheran Germany, with many composers writing an extensive output: Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel, ...
''Meine Seel erhebt den Herren'', 10, as part of his second cantata cycle. Taken from
Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 â€“ 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...
's German translation of the Magnificat canticle ("
Meine Seele erhebt den Herren Meine Seele erhebt den Herren (My soul magnifies the Lord) is Martin Luther's translation of the Magnificat canticle. It is traditionally sung to a German variant of the , a rather exceptional psalm tone in Gregorian chant.Lundberg 2012 p. 7-17 Th ...
"), the title translates as "My soul magnifies the Lord". Also known as Bach's ''German Magnificat'', the work follows his chorale cantata format. Bach composed ''Meine Seel erhebt den Herren'' for the Feast of the
Visitation Visitation may refer to: Law * Visitation (law) or contact, the right of a non-custodial parent to visit with their children * Prison visitation rights, the rules and conditions under which prisoners may have visitors Music * ''Visitation'' (D ...
(2 July), which commemorates Mary's visit to Elizabeth as narrated in the
Gospel of Luke The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volu ...
, 1st chapter, verses 39 to 56. In that narrative the words of the Magnificat, Luke 1:46–55, are spoken by Mary. Traditionally, Luther's translation of the biblical text is sung to a German variant of the
tonus peregrinus , the wandering tone, or the ninth tone, is a reciting tone in Gregorian chant. The chant example here is not identified as the ''tonus peregrinus'' in the ''Liber usualis'' (see LU, pp. 760–761), although it is in Aeolian mode. For the ' ...
or ninth psalm tone, concluding with a doxology, translated from the
Gloria Patri The Gloria Patri, also known as the Glory Be to the Father or, colloquially, the Glory Be, is a doxology, a short hymn of praise to God in various Christian liturgies. It is also referred to as the Minor Doxology ''(Doxologia Minor)'' or Lesser D ...
, on the same tune. Bach based his BWV 10 cantata on Luther's German Magnificat and its traditional setting, working text and melody into the composition as he had done with Lutheran hymns in other
chorale cantata A chorale cantata is a church cantata based on a chorale—in this context a Lutheran chorale. It is principally from the Germany, German Baroque music, Baroque era. The organizing principle is the words and music of a Lutheran hymn. Usually a chora ...
s. By early July 1724 Bach was more than a month into his second year as
Thomaskantor (Cantor at St. Thomas) is the common name for the musical director of the , now an internationally known boys' choir founded in Leipzig in 1212. The official historic title of the Thomaskantor in Latin, ', describes the two functions of cantor a ...
in
Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
. BWV 10 is the fifth of 40 chorale cantatas he started that year. The outer movements of the cantata are set for
mixed choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
and an orchestra consisting of
trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
, two
oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. A ...
s,
strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
and continuo. Luther's translation of Luke 1:46–48 is the text of the first movement. The canticle's doxology is the text of the last movement. The five middle movements are a succession of
aria In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
s and recitatives, with, between the fourth and sixth movement, a
duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...
for
alto The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
and
tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...
.
Soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
and
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...
each have one aria, and the two recitatives are sung by the tenor. The text of the arias and recitatives is paraphrased and expanded from Luke 1:49–53 and 55. The text of the duet is Luther's translation of Luke 1:54. The melody associated with Luther's German Magnificat appears in movements 1, 5 and 7. The music of two of the cantata's movements was published in the 18th century: an
organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...
transcription of the duet was published around 1748 as one of the '' Schübler Chorales'', and the closing chorale was included in C. P. E. Bach's 1780s collection of his father's four-part chorales. The entire cantata was published in the first volume of the 19th-century first complete edition of Bach's works. In 20th- and 21st-century concert and recording practice the cantata is often combined with other German-language cantatas, but also several times with settings of the Latin Magnificat, by Bach and other composers.


Background

Late May 1723 Bach took office as
Thomaskantor (Cantor at St. Thomas) is the common name for the musical director of the , now an internationally known boys' choir founded in Leipzig in 1212. The official historic title of the Thomaskantor in Latin, ', describes the two functions of cantor a ...
( Kantor at St. Thomas) and
director musices Director musices, Latin for music director, was a title held by music directors especially at European universities or cathedrals; sometimes also at cathedral schools. The title is still used at universities in Sweden. In Finland it is an honorar ...
(music director) in Leipzig. He remained in that office until his death in 1750. From the first Sunday after
Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
in 1723, that year falling on 30 May, to Trinity Sunday of the next year he presented a series of
church cantata A church cantata or sacred cantata is a cantata intended to be performed during Christian liturgy. The genre was particularly popular in 18th-century Lutheran Germany, with many composers writing an extensive output: Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel, ...
s known as his first cantata cycle. The cantatas of that cycle were often based on music he had composed before his Leipzig period. From the first Sunday after Trinity in 1724, that year falling on 11 June, he started his second cantata cycle with forty
chorale cantata A chorale cantata is a church cantata based on a chorale—in this context a Lutheran chorale. It is principally from the Germany, German Baroque music, Baroque era. The organizing principle is the words and music of a Lutheran hymn. Usually a chora ...
s composed to new librettos. Each of these librettos was based on the text of a known chorale, usually a Lutheran hymn, the tune of which was adopted by Bach in his setting. The first weeks of the post Trinitatem (after Trinity) season included the
Feast of John the Baptist The Nativity of John the Baptist (or Birth of John the Baptist, or Nativity of the Forerunner, or colloquially Johnmas or St. John's Day (in German) Johannistag) is a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of John the Baptist. It is observed ...
(24 June) and the Feast of the
Visitation Visitation may refer to: Law * Visitation (law) or contact, the right of a non-custodial parent to visit with their children * Prison visitation rights, the rules and conditions under which prisoners may have visitors Music * ''Visitation'' (D ...
(2 July). In Bach's time
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
Leipzig observed three Marian feasts requiring . In the context of the
liturgical year The liturgical year, also called the church year, Christian year or kalendar, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches that determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and whi ...
Visitation was the third of such occasions, after Purification, falling in the period of the Sundays after Epiphany, and
Annunciation The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...
, falling around
Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
. Several traditions regarding these Marian feasts, such as the selection of readings for the church services, were continued from the period before Leipzig had adopted
Lutheranism Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
. Cantatas with a text in the native language had, since the early 18th century, become the dominant genre of figural music in
Reformed Reform is beneficial change Reform may also refer to: Media * ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang * Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group * ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine *''Reforme'' ("Reforms"), initial name of the ...
German regions. Practices rooted in older traditions included the occasional performance of a Latin Magnificat on occasions such as Marian Feasts or Christmas. ''Meine Seel erhebt den Herren'', BWV 10, for Visitation, is the fifth chorale cantata Bach presented in 1724. Its text is based on Luther's German translation of the Magnificat. The singing tune associated with that version of the Magnificat, a German variant of the
tonus peregrinus , the wandering tone, or the ninth tone, is a reciting tone in Gregorian chant. The chant example here is not identified as the ''tonus peregrinus'' in the ''Liber usualis'' (see LU, pp. 760–761), although it is in Aeolian mode. For the ' ...
, appears in Bach's composition.


Readings, text and tune

The prescribed readings for the feast day were from the
Book of Isaiah The Book of Isaiah ( he, ספר ישעיהו, ) is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and the first of the Major Prophets in the Christian Old Testament. It is identified by a superscription as the words of the 8th-century BC ...
, the
prophecy In religion, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a ''prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain divine will or law, or prete ...
of the
Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of ''mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach'' ...
(), and from the
Gospel of Luke The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volu ...
the narration of Mary's visit to Elizabeth, which includes her song of praise, the Magnificat (). This gospel reading is a biblical episode that is often represented in art, especially in music where it has become a traditional part of Vesper services. In Bach's time, the German Magnificat was regularly sung in Leipzig in vespers in a four-part setting of the ninth psalm tone (
tonus peregrinus , the wandering tone, or the ninth tone, is a reciting tone in Gregorian chant. The chant example here is not identified as the ''tonus peregrinus'' in the ''Liber usualis'' (see LU, pp. 760–761), although it is in Aeolian mode. For the ' ...
) by
Johann Hermann Schein Johann Hermann Schein (20 January 1586 – 19 November 1630) was a German composer of the early Baroque era. He was Thomaskantor in Leipzig from 1615 to 1630. He was one of the first to import the early Italian stylistic innovations into German ...
. Different from the other chorale cantatas of the cycle, the base for text and music is not a chorale, but the German Magnificat. It is a canticle, a biblical song in prose concluded by the traditional doxology. The text is based on Luther's translation of the biblical song to German in the Luther Bible, and on the doxology. In the format of the chorale cantata cycle, an unknown librettist retained some parts of Luther's wording, while he paraphrased other passages for recitatives and
aria In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
s. He used the original verses 46–48 for the first
movement Movement may refer to: Common uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Motion, commonly referred to as movement Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...
, verse 54 for the fifth movement, and the doxology for the seventh movement. He paraphrased verse 49 for the second movement, verses 50–51 for the third, verses 52–53 for the fourth, and verse 55 for the sixth movement, the latter expanded by a reference to the
birth of Jesus The nativity of Jesus, nativity of Christ, birth of Jesus or birth of Christ is described in the biblical gospels of Luke and Matthew. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea, his mother Mary was engaged to a man na ...
. Bach's music is based on the traditional ninth psalm tone which was familiar to the Leipzig congregation.


Magnificats and Visitation cantatas in Bach's Leipzig

One of Bach's predecessors as director musices of the Neukirche in Leipzig was Melchior Hoffmann. Around 1707 he composed a German Magnificat in A minor based on Luther's German translation of the Magnificat. The portfolio of performance parts of this composition was updated until well into Bach's time in Leipzig. The work, known as Kleines Magnificat (Little Magnificat), was for some time attributed to Bach, but later listed as spurious in the BWV catalogue ( BWV Anh. 21 / Anh. III 168‑>). BWV 189, a Visitation cantata on a libretto that paraphrases the text of the Magnificat canticle, also seems rather to have been composed by Hoffmann than by Bach, to whom this work used to be attributed. Alfred Dürr, Yoshitake Kobayashi (eds.), Kirsten Beißwenger. ''
Bach Werke Verzeichnis The (BWV; ; ) is a catalogue of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was first published in 1950, edited by Wolfgang Schmieder. The catalogue's second edition appeared in 1990. An abbreviated version of that second edition, known as BWV2a ...
: Kleine Ausgabe, nach der von Wolfgang Schmieder vorgelegten 2. Ausgabe''. Preface in English and German. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1998. - , pp.&nbs
458


/ref> Johann Kuhnau, Bach's predecessor as Thomaskantor, composed a Latin Magnificat in two versions: one version with only the Latin text of the Magnificat for Marian feasts such as Visitation, and another version expanded with four German and Latin '' laudes'' relating to Christmas.Dennis Shrock
Choral Repertoire
Oxford University Press, 2009, pp. 277–280.
When Bach presented his Latin Magnificat in 1723 (E-flat major version, BWV 243a) it had the same expandable format: without ''laudes'' for Visitation, and with four ''laudes'', on the same text as Kuhnau's, for Christmas. Another composition presented by Bach at that year's feast of the Visitation was ''Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben'', BWV 147, an expanded version of an Advent cantata composed before his Leipzig period ( BWV 147a). A repeat performance of BWV 243a may have accompanied the first performance of BWV 10 on 2 July 1724. The libretto of the cantata performed in Leipzig at the feast of the Visitation of 1725 survives.
Maria Aurora von Königsmarck Countess Maria Aurora von Königsmarck (sv: ''Aurora Königsmarck'') (28 August 166216 February 1728) was a Swedish and German noblewoman of Brandenburg extraction and mistress of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Life A ...
is the possible author of this Magnificat paraphrase. Around a decade before the libretto was reprinted in Leipzig it had already been set by Reinhard Keiser and Johann Mattheson. It is not known whether Bach set the libretto, neither which setting of the libretto was used for the 1725 Visitation feast in Leipzig. A year later Bach performed ''Der Herr wird ein Neues im Lande'', JLB 13, a Visitation cantata by his second cousin
Johann Ludwig Bach Johann Ludwig Bach ( – 1 May 1731) was a German composer and violinist. He was born in Thal near Eisenach. At the age of 22 he moved to Meiningen eventually being appointed cantor there, and later Kapellmeister. He wrote a large amount of musi ...
. Picander's libretto for the Visitation cantata of 1728 may have been set as part of
Bach's fourth cantata cycle Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suite ...
: the libretto, surviving without music, starts with a '' dictum'' quoted from Luther's German translation of Luke 1:46–47. Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici)
''Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte'', Volume III.
Leipzig: Joh. Theod. Boetii Tochter (1732; 2nd printing 1737)
pp. 153–155
/ref> Around 1733 Bach transposed his Latin Magnificat to D major ( BWV 243). Besides transposing, he also applied a few modifications: for instance in the movement that has Luke 1:54 as text he replaced the trumpet as performer of the cantus firmus by two oboes. Around a decade later Bach prepared two Latin Magnificats by other composers for performance ( BWV 1082, BWV Anh. 30).Kirsten Beißwenger (ed.
''Werke zweifelhafter Echtheit, Bearbeitungen fremder Kompositionen''
(Volume 9 of Series II: Masses, Passions, Oratorios from the
New Bach Edition The New Bach Edition (NBE) (german: Neue Bach-Ausgabe; NBA), is the second complete edition of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, published by Bärenreiter. The name is short for Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): New Edition of the Complete W ...
).
Bärenreiter Bärenreiter (Bärenreiter-Verlag) is a German classical music publishing house based in Kassel. The firm was founded by Karl Vötterle (1903–1975) in Augsburg in 1923, and moved to Kassel in 1927, where it still has its headquarters; it also ...
, 2000.
Probably around the same time Bach performed BWV 10 again. Several characteristics of the Magnificats and Visitation cantatas of the first half of the 18th century are combined in Bach's German Magnificat: it uses text of Luther's translation of the Magnificat, like BWV Anh. 21 and Picander's 1728 libretto, and it uses text paraphrased from the Magnificat like BWV 189 and the 1725 Visitation cantata. Like the
Meiningen libretto On Trinity Sunday 27 May 1725 Johann Sebastian Bach had presented the last Church cantata (Bach), cantata of his Bach's second cantata cycle, second cantata cycle, the cycle which coincided with his second year in Leipzig. As director musices of th ...
used for JLB 13 the cantata not only starts with a ''dictum'' but also has a second ''dictum'', directly quoted from Luther's translation of the
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
, near the middle of the cantata (movement 4, "Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn", in Johann Ludwig's cantata, and movement 5, "Er denket der Barmherzigkeit" in BWV 10).Maria Zadori, Kai Wessel,
David Cordier David Cordier (born 1 May 1959) is an English countertenor. He made an international career based in Germany, and appeared both in concert and opera. While focused on roles by Handel such as Radamisto, he has also performed in contemporary oper ...
, Wilfried Jochens, Hans-Georg Wimmer, Stephan Schreckenberger, Harry van der Kamp, the
Rheinische Kantorei The Rheinische Kantorei is a German vocal ensemble of baroque music accompanied by an instrumental ensemble called Das Kleine Konzert. History The Rheinische Kantorei and Das Kleine Konzert were founded in 1977 by the German conductor Hermann M ...
, the Kleine Konzert and Hermann Max (conductor
''Missa Brevis "Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr"''.
Capriccio, 2004
This characteristic sets BWV 10 apart from Bach's other chorale cantatas, which as a rule contained quotes from Lutheran hymns, not from biblical prose. Some musical similarities between BWV 10 and Bach's Latin Magnificat have been described.
Philipp Spitta Julius August Philipp Spitta (27 December 1841 – 13 April 1894) was a German music historian and musicologist best known for his 1873 biography of Johann Sebastian Bach. Life He was born in , near Hoya, and his father, also called Phil ...
sees a similar musical treatment at the end of the respective movements based on the Luke 1:51 text, which are the central "Fecit potentiam" movement of the Latin Magnificat and the third "Des Höchsten Güt und Treu" movement of BWV 10.
Philipp Spitta Julius August Philipp Spitta (27 December 1841 – 13 April 1894) was a German music historian and musicologist best known for his 1873 biography of Johann Sebastian Bach. Life He was born in , near Hoya, and his father, also called Phil ...
. '' Johann Sebastian Bach: His Work and Influence on the Music of Germany, 1685–1750'', translated by Clara Bell and J. A. Fuller Maitland â€
Vol. 2.
Novello & Co, 1899
pp. 380–381
/ref> The movements with respectively the German and Latin text of Luke 1:54 present the tonus peregrinus melody associated with Luther's German Magnificat as a cantus firmus played by
wind instrument A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator (usually a tube) in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into (or over) a mouthpiece set at or near the end of the resonator. The pitc ...
s. The "Suscepit Israel" movement of the BWV 243a version of the Latin Magnificat has that cantus firmus performed by a trumpet. In the later BWV 243 version of the same movement the trumpet has been replaced by two oboes. In the corresponding movement of BWV 10 (" Er denket der Barmherzigkeit") the cantus firmus is performed by the trumpet and the two oboes. Masaaki Suzuki assumes that this should be interpreted as trumpet for the original 1724 version, replaced by two oboes in the 1740s revival version, the same modification that occurred to the related movement of the Latin Magnificat.


Place of BWV 10 in Bach's chorale cantata cycle

Bach followed a specific structure for most of the cantatas of his
chorale cantata cycle Johann Sebastian Bach's chorale cantata cycle is the year-cycle of church cantatas he started composing in Leipzig from the first Sunday after Trinity in 1724. It followed the cantata cycle he had composed from his appointment as Thomaskantor after ...
, especially the 40 he presented consecutively from the first Sunday after Trinity of 1724 to Palm Sunday of 1725. In this chorale cantata format he retained the original text and melody of the chorale on which the cantata was based in the outer stanzas, typically treating the first as a
chorale fantasia Chorale fantasia is a type of large composition based on a chorale melody, both works for organ, and vocal settings, for example the opening movements of Bach's chorale cantatas, with the chorale melody as a cantus firmus. History Chorale fantas ...
and the last as a four-part chorale setting, while the inner stanzas were reworded by a librettist as the basis for recitatives and
aria In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
s, usually with music independent of the chorale tune. 19th-century Bach scholars were largely unaware of the composition history of the chorale cantatas, and how Bach conceived the cycle of these cantatas: * When Alfred Dörffel listed Bach's chorale cantatas as a cycle in 1878 he ranged ''Meine Seel erhebt den Herren'' between the cantata for the sixth Sunday after Trinity ( BWV 9) and the one for the seventh Sunday after Trinity ( BWV 107). Dörffel, Alfred (1878).
Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe Joh. Seb. Bach's Werke () is the Bach Gesellschaft's collected edition of Johann Sebastian Bach's compositions, published in 61 volumes in the second half of the 19th century. The series is also known as Bach-Gesellschaft edition (german: Bach-Gese ...
Volume 27: '' Thematisches Verzeichniss der Kirchencantaten No. 1–120''. Breitkopf & Härtel
"Vorwort" (Preface)
p. VII
* Spitta described Bach's chorale cantatas rather as a group than as a cycle, and thought that most of them, including BWV 10, were not composed before the mid-1730s.
Philipp Spitta Julius August Philipp Spitta (27 December 1841 – 13 April 1894) was a German music historian and musicologist best known for his 1873 biography of Johann Sebastian Bach. Life He was born in , near Hoya, and his father, also called Phil ...
. '' Johann Sebastian Bach: His Work and Influence on the Music of Germany, 1685–1750'', translated by Clara Bell and J. A. Fuller Maitland â€
Vol. 3.
Novello & Co, 1899
pp. 89–99
an
endnote 3 pp. 285–287
/ref> Details about the history, organisation and coherence of the cycle were only elucidated in the second half of the 20th century, by scholars such as Alfred Dürr. According to this research the chronology of the first six chorale cantatas Bach presented in 1724 is updated as follows (K numbers of the first edition of the chronological Zwang catalogue are given between brackets):Günther Zedler
''Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach: Eine Einführung in die Werkgattung''.
Books on Demand, 2011.
p. 32
/ref>Philippe (and Gérard) Zwang. ''Guide pratique des cantates de Bach''. Paris, 1982. # 11 June, Trinity I: ''O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort'', BWV 20 ( K 74) # 18 June, Trinity II: ( K 75) # 24 June, St. John's Day: ( K 76) # 25 June, Trinity III: ( K 77) # 2 July, Visitation (in 1724 coinciding with
Trinity IV The Christian theology, Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines Monotheism, one God existing in three wikt:coequal, coequal, wikt:coe ...
): ''Meine Seel erhebt den Herren'', BWV 10 ( K 78) # 9 July, Trinity V: ''Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten'', BWV 93 ( K 79) The strong coherence between the first four cantatas of this series, as belonging to the same set, has been described for instance by Christoph Wolff. The first of these cantatas begins with a chorale fantasia in the form of a
French overture The French overture is a musical form widely used in the Baroque period. Its basic formal division is into two parts, which are usually enclosed by double bars and repeat signs. They are complementary in style (slow in dotted rhythms and fast in f ...
, with the soprano singing the cantus firmus of the chorale. The opening movement of the cantata for the next Sunday is in
motet In Western classical music, a motet is mainly a vocal musical composition, of highly diverse form and style, from high medieval music to the present. The motet was one of the pre-eminent polyphonic forms of Renaissance music. According to Margar ...
style, with the cantus firmus sung by the alto. For the next occasion, St. John's Day, Bach wrote a cantata with an opening movement in the style of an Italian
violin concerto A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin (occasionally, two or more violins) and instrumental ensemble (customarily orchestra). Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up thro ...
, in which the cantus firmus was given to the tenor. The next day followed a cantata opening with a movement in vocal and instrumental
counterpoint In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...
with the cantus firmus sung by the bass. Conductor John Eliot Gardiner writes about these first four cantatas of the chorale cantata cycle: "Together they make a fascinating and contrasted portfolio of choral fantasia openings." Libretto publications in Bach's Leipzig more than once grouped the first four cantatas after Trinity, or started a new publication with the cantata for the fifth occasion after Trinity.Tatiana Shabalin
"Recent Discoveries in St Petersburg and their Meaning for the Understanding of Bach's Cantatas"
pp. 77–99 i
''Understanding Bach'' 4
2009, pp. 88–89
In 1724 that fifth occasion was Visitation, for which Bach composed . It is not a typical second cycle chorale cantata in the sense that it was based on a prose text (lacking the
metre The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its pref ...
of a hymn text) and a
Gregorian chant Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregorian chant developed mainly in western and central Europe durin ...
melody (lacking a musical metre). Further, the unmodified canticle text and chant melody not only appeared in the outer movements but also in one of the middle movements (the duet, No. 5). The text of the final movement was a generic doxology which could be appended to any religious chant, while other chorale cantatas commonly ended with a text that only appeared in the hymn from which it was quoted.
BWV 125 Johann Sebastian Bach composed the cantata (; "With peace and joy I depart"), , for use in a Lutheran service. He composed this chorale cantata in Leipzig in 1725 for the feast for the Purification of Mary, which is celebrated on 2 February and ...
, Bach's chorale cantata for Purification based on the ''
Canticle of Simeon The Nunc dimittis (), also known as the Song of Simeon or the Canticle of Simeon, is a canticle taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, verses 29 through 32. Its Latin name comes from its incipit, the opening words, of the Vulgate t ...
'' (Luke 2:29–32), does not have these exceptions to the second cycle format: it is based on Luther's versified paraphrase of the canticle and its metrical hymn melody. Nonetheless, Dürr writes about BWV 10 (here rendered in
Richard D. P. Jones Richard Douglas P. Jones is a British musicologist and editor, known especially for his work as a Bach scholar. After graduating from the University of Oxford, he has taught at Cardiff University and Sheffield University. Selected publications E ...
' translation): "if ever a work deserved the description 'chorale cantata' it is this, for it is based on a genuine (Gregorian) chorale melody". In 1724 the feast of the Visitation fell on the fourth Sunday after Trinity, thus the next cantata Bach composed was a chorale cantata for the fifth Sunday after Trinity. Bach did apparently not compose a cantata for the sixt Sunday after Trinity in 1724 while absent from Leipzig. Bach's second year in Leipzig passed without composing a chorale cantata specifically for the fourth Sunday after Trinity. He composed one for this occasion in 1732, ''Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ'', BWV 177, one of the later additions to the chorale cantata cycle. Also for Trinity VI Bach composed a chorale cantata at a later date (BWV 9).


Music


Structure and scoring

Bach structured the cantata in seven movements. The first and last are set for four-part choir, and are based on the chant melody. They frame recitatives, arias and a duet of the soloists: (
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
(S),
alto The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
(A),
tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...
(T) and
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...
(B). The orchestra of typical baroque instruments is listed on the folder containing the original parts as follows: ''"Festo Visitationis , Mariae , Meine Seel erhebt den Herren. , â , 4. Voc: , Tromba. , 2. Hautbois. , 2. Violini. ,
Viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
, e , Continuo , di Sigl. , J. S. Bach."'' The "tromba" or trumpet is only used to highlight the cantus firmus and may have been a
tromba da tirarsi The slide trumpet is an early type of trumpet fitted with a movable section of telescopic tubing, similar to the slide of a trombone. Eventually, the slide trumpet evolved into the sackbut, which evolved into the modern-day trombone. The key dif ...
, a slide trumpet. Alfred Dürr gives the duration of the piece as 23 minutes. In the following table of the movements, the column "text" links to the '' World English Bible'', adding "Luther" for the movements kept in his translation, and "anon." for paraphrased and expanded versions of the unknown librettist.


Movements


1

The opening
chorale fantasia Chorale fantasia is a type of large composition based on a chorale melody, both works for organ, and vocal settings, for example the opening movements of Bach's chorale cantatas, with the chorale melody as a cantus firmus. History Chorale fantas ...
is marked
vivace In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
(lively). Bach begins the movement with an instrumental introduction that is unrelated to the psalm tone. It is a trio of the violins and the continuo, with the oboes doubling the violin, and the viola filling the harmony. The main
motif Motif may refer to: General concepts * Motif (chess composition), an element of a move in the consideration of its purpose * Motif (folkloristics), a recurring element that creates recognizable patterns in folklore and folk-art traditions * Moti ...
stands for joy and is set in "rhythmical propulsion". The chorus enters after 12
measure Measure may refer to: * Measurement, the assignment of a number to a characteristic of an object or event Law * Ballot measure, proposed legislation in the United States * Church of England Measure, legislation of the Church of England * Mea ...
s with "" (My soul magnifies the Lord). The cantus firmus is in the soprano, doubled by a trumpet, whereas the lower voices add free
polyphony Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, h ...
on motifs from the introduction. Bach treats the second verse similarly, but with the third verse, "" (for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid), the cantus firmus appears in the alto. Certain words, such as "freuet" (rejoice) and "selig preisen" (call me blessed) are adorned with melismas. The movement is concluded by a vocal setting without cantus firmus embedded in the music of the introduction, framing the movement.


2

The soprano aria "" (Lord, you who are strong and mighty) is a concerto of the voice and the oboes, accompanied by the strings. It is the first soprano aria in the chorale cantata cycle.


3

The recitative "" (The goodness and love of the Highest) ends on an arioso. Spitta compares the end of this movement with the end of the 7th movement of Bach's Latin Magnificat: textually both movements treat the same part of the Magnificat (the end of Luke 1:51), and, although the other movement is set for five-part chorus and tutti orchestra, he considers the closure of this recitative of the ''German Magnificat'' cantata "equally picturesque".


4

The following aria "" (The mighty God casts from their thrones) is set for bass and continuo. A descending bass line in the continuo over two
octave In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
s illustrates the fall, which the voice also suggests in descending phrases. The second aspect of the text, the exaltation of the humble, is shown by rising figures, and the final emptiness ("bloß und leer", bare and empty) by pauses.


5

In the fifth movement, "" (He remembers his mercy), the text returns to the original German Magnificat, and the music to the psalm tone. It is played by oboes and trumpet as the cantus firmus, while alto and tenor sing in imitation.
Klaus Hofmann Klaus Hofmann (born 20 March 1939) is a German musicologist who is an expert on the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Born in Würzburg, Hofmann studied after graduation (1958) from 1958 to 1959 at the University of Erlangen. He then continued his ...
interprets the bass line of "emphatic downward semitone intervals" as "sighs of divine mercy".


6

The recitative for tenor, "" (What God, in times past, to our forefathers), referring to God's promise, begins
secco Secco is a surname of Italian origin, which means ''dry''. It may refer to: *Alessio Secco (b. 1970), Italian professional football manager *Deborah Secco (b. 1979), Brazilian actress * Louis Secco (b. 1927), Canadian Olympic ice hockey player *Se ...
.


7

In the final movement, the two verses of the doxology are set on the psalm tone for four parts, with all instruments playing
colla parte A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
. Wind instruments and violin I join the soprano part. The setting is mostly in homophony, but turns to
polyphony Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, h ...
for the final "von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit" (for ever and ever).


Manuscripts and editions

Both Bach's autograph score and the parts used for the cantata's first performance survive. The score, previously owned by
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (22 November 17101 July 1784), the second child and eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach, was a German composer and performer. Despite his acknowledged genius as an organist, improviser and composer ...
, Philipp Spitta and
Paul Wittgenstein Paul Wittgenstein (November 5, 1887March 3, 1961) was an Austrian-American concert pianist notable for commissioning new piano concerti for the left hand alone, following the amputation of his right arm during the First World War. He devised nove ...
, among others, came in the possession of the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
in 1948.Gerhard Herz
''Bach-Quellen in Amerika'' / ''Bach sources in America''.
Neue Bachgesellschaft, 1984 (reissued in 2010 by the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
as ), p. 24
The original parts remained in Leipzig, where they were entrusted to the Bach Archive in the 20th century. BWV 648 is a chorale prelude for organ transcribed from the cantata's fifth movement. It was first published around 1748 as fourth of the '' Schübler Chorales''. The music of the cantata's closing movement is included in the Dietel collection, a 1730s manuscript containing 149 of Bach's four-part chorales. C. P. E. Bach published the same music of BWV 10 as No. 357 in Part IV of his 1780s collected edition of four-part chorales by his father. The entire cantata was published in 1851 in the first volume of the
Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe Joh. Seb. Bach's Werke () is the Bach Gesellschaft's collected edition of Johann Sebastian Bach's compositions, published in 61 volumes in the second half of the 19th century. The series is also known as Bach-Gesellschaft edition (german: Bach-Gese ...
(BGA), edited by
Moritz Hauptmann Moritz Hauptmann (13 October 1792, Dresden – 3 January 1868, Leipzig), was a German music theorist, teacher and composer. His principal theoretical work is the 1853 ''Die Natur der Harmonie und der Metrik'' explores numerous topics, particular ...
. The
New Bach Edition The New Bach Edition (NBE) (german: Neue Bach-Ausgabe; NBA), is the second complete edition of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, published by Bärenreiter. The name is short for Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): New Edition of the Complete W ...
(Neue Bach-Ausgabe, NBA) published the score in 1995, edited by
Uwe Wolf Uwe Wolf (born 10 August 1967 in Neustadt an der Weinstraße) is a German football coach and former professional player. Honours Necaxa * Primera División de México The Liga MX, officially known as the Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons, ...
, with the critical commentary published the same year. The cantata was also published with a singable English version of the text: * ''My soul doth magnify the Lord'' – English version by E. H. Thorne and G. W. Daisley * ''Magnify the Lord, my soul'' – critical edition by Christoph Großpietsch, published by
Carus Marcus Aurelius Carus (c. 222 – July or August 283) was Roman emperor from 282 to 283. During his short reign, Carus fought the Germanic tribes and Sarmatians along the Danube frontier with success. He died while campaigning against th ...
. * ''Now my soul exalts the Lord'' – based on the NBA edition for the score.


Concert performances and recordings

Karl Richter programmed BWV 10 along Bruckner's 150th Psalm at his first concert in Ottobeuren in 1957. In the 1960s,
Paul Steinitz Paul Steinitz OBE (25 August 190 â€“ 21 April 1988) was an English post-war organist, best known as an interpreter of Johann Sebastian Bach's music. He founded the London Bach Society and Steinitz Bach Players, performing among other signif ...
's and
Fritz Werner Fritz Werner (15 December 1898 – 22 December 1977) was a German choral conductor, church music director, conductor, organist and composer. He founded the Heinrich-Schütz-Chor Heilbronn in 1947 and conducted it until 1973. Career Born in Berli ...
's recordings of the cantata were released on LPs which also featured another German cantata by Bach.Steinitz LP: e.g. ; CD: e.g. Werner LP: e.g. BnFbr>38609051
CD: e.g.
On Richter's 1978 LP release BWV 10 was also combined with other German Bach cantatas.Richter LP: e.g. ; CD: e.g. Karl Münchinger's 1968 recording and
Hans-Joachim Rotzsch Hans-Joachim Rotzsch (25 April 1929 – 25 September 2013) was a German choral conductor, conducting the Thomanerchor from 1972 until 1991 as the fifteenth Thomaskantor since Johann Sebastian Bach. He was also a tenor and an academic teacher. Bi ...
's 1978 recording of BWV 10 were issued on LPs which included their respective performances of Bach's Latin Magnificat.Münchinger LP: e.g. ; CD: e.g. Rotzsch LP: e.g. ; CD: e.g. Also Michael Gielen's concert at the 1991 combined Bach's German and Latin Magnificat.Cantata: Johann Sebastian Bach Magnificat + Kantate BWV 10 Michael Gielen
at
Christoph Prégardien Christoph Prégardien (born 18 January 1956) is a German lyric tenor whose career is closely associated with the roles in Mozart operas, as well as performances of Lieder, oratorio roles, and Baroque music. He is well known for his performances an ...
website
Teldec's, Hänssler's, Koopman's, Brilliant Classics' and Suzuki's complete Bach cantata recordings include a recording of BWV 10.Leonhardt LP: e.g. ; CD: e.g. Rilling LP: e.g. ; CD: e.g. Éva Pintér
Kantaten Vol. 11: Erato 8573-80215-2
at '' Klassik Heute'' (1 August 2001)
2005, 1999, German, Sound, Recorded music edition: Complete cantatas. Vol. 11 / Bach
at
Trove Trove is an Australian online library database owned by the National Library of Australia in which it holds partnerships with source providers National and State Libraries Australia, an aggregator and service which includes full text document ...
website;
; pp. 23–24 (liner notes by Dingeman van Wijnen), 64 (sung texts) and 185 (tracklist) of Brilliant Classics
''J.S. Bach Complete Edition: Liner Notes, Sung Texts, Full Tracklist''.
/ref>
Roland Büchner Roland Büchner (born 16 February 1954) is a German church musician and conductor. He has been the director (') at the Regensburg Cathedral, conducting the boys' choir Regensburger Domspatzen. Career Born in Karlstadt, Büchner studied at the ...
's 2000 recording, with the
Regensburger Domspatzen The Regensburger Domspatzen (literally: Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows) is the cathedral choir at the Regensburg Cathedral in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. The boys' choir dates back to 975, and consists of boys and young men only. They perform in ...
, combined Bach's ''German Magnificat'' with the 1723 Christmas version of his Latin Magnificat (BWV 243a).Norbert Rüdell
J.S. Bach: Glissando 779 019-2
at '' Klassik Heute'' (1 April 2001)
Magnificat (DBX6040)
at
Gardiner's
Bach Cantata Pilgrimage The Monteverdi Choir was founded in 1964 by Sir John Eliot Gardiner for a performance of the ''Vespro della Beata Vergine'' in King's College Chapel, Cambridge. A specialist Baroque ensemble, the Choir has become famous for its stylistic convic ...
featured BWV 10 in a concert recorded in 2000.
Ton Koopman Antonius Gerhardus Michael Koopman (; born 2 October 1944), known professionally as Ton Koopman, is a Dutch conductor, organist, harpsichordist, and musicologist, primarily known for being the founder and director of the Amsterdam Baroque Orches ...
's concert at the 2003 Leipzig Bach Festival combined BWV 10 with the Christmas versions of Bach's and Kuhnau's Magnificat, thus allowing to compare similar works of two consecutive Thomaskantors.Yo Tomita
Bachfest Leipzig 2003
at
Cantatas Magnificat (DBD0026)
at
Sigiswald Kuijken recorded BWV 10 for his ''Cantatas for the Complete Liturgical Year'' series in 2007.Cantatas (DBX8925)
at
The same year, a concert at the
Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...
combined Bach's ''Meine Seel erhebt den Herren'' cantata with a 2005 Magnificat by
Sven-David Sandström Sven-David Sandström (30 October 1942, in Motala – 10 June 2019) was a Swedish classical composer of operas, oratorios, ballets, and choral works, as well as orchestral works. Life and career Sandström studied art history and musicology at ...
.
Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...
, Program 2007–2008, no. 420:
Sven-David Sandström
at
Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, or simply Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana University and, with ...
website
Gustav Leonhardt Gustav Maria Leonhardt (30 May 1928 – 16 January 2012) was a Dutch keyboardist, conductor, musicologist, teacher and editor. He was a leading figure in the historically informed performance movement to perform music on period instruments. Leo ...
, Pieter-Jan Leusink and Ton Koopman used period instruments for their complete Bach cantata recordings.Bradley Lehman and Andrew White (2009)
"Bach Cantatas"
in Recording Reviews section, pp. 508–511 of ''
Early Music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad musical era for the beginning of Western classical m ...
'', Vol. XXXVII, No. 3.
Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
Also
Musica Florea Musica Florea is a Czech Baroque music ensemble in Prague, founded in 1992 by conductor and cellist Marek Å tryncl. Profile The group of young professionals with a common interest in the study and authentic performance of Baroque music engage ...
, the orchestra on Büchner's recording, performs on historic instruments.


Notes


References


Sources

''By author or editor'' * (first edition of BWV 648, '' Schübler Chorale'' No. 4: transcription of BWV 10's 5th movement as chorale prelude for organ) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Grundlage einer Ehren-Pforte (Mattheson, Johann) at Scores * * * ''By title as issued'' * (: description of US-Wc ML30.8b.B2 M4, Bach's autograph score of BWV 10) * (: description of D-LEb Thomana 10, Bach's performance parts of BWV 10) * (facsimile and description of the performance parts of the ''Kleine Magnificat'') * (: description of D-B Mus. ms. autogr. Hoffmann, M. 3 N, performance parts of the ''Kleine Magnificat'') * (facsimile of D-B Mus. ms. autogr. Hoffmann, M. 3 N, performance parts of the ''Kleine Magnificat'') * With English liner notes by
Klaus Hofmann Klaus Hofmann (born 20 March 1939) is a German musicologist who is an expert on the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Born in Würzburg, Hofmann studied after graduation (1958) from 1958 to 1959 at the University of Erlangen. He then continued his ...
(pp. 6–11) and Masaaki Suzuki (p. 11) * (facsimile and description of Bach's performance parts of BWV 10) * (description of Dietel's collection of four-part chorales by Johann Sebastian Bach) * (BDW 303, with links t
libretto
and manuscript descriptions) * (BDW 12, with links t
libretto
and manuscript descriptions) * (BDW 736, with links to descriptions of the first print and later manuscript copies) * (facsimile and description of US-Wc ML30.8b.B2 M4, Bach's autograph score of BWV 10) * (description of US-Wc ML30.8b.B2 M4, Bach's autograph score of BWV 10)


External links


Meine Seel erhebt den Herren, BWV 10
performance by the
Netherlands Bach Society The Netherlands Bach Society ( nl, Nederlandse Bachvereniging) is the oldest ensemble for Baroque music in the Netherlands, and possibly in the world. The ensemble was founded in 1921 in Naarden to perform Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach's ''St Matthew ...
(video and background information) * * * *