BWV 24 - Ein ungefärbt Gemüte

Week 24 (18 June – 23 June 2013)

Recording: Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir; Bogna Bartosz, alto; Gerd Türk, tenor; Klaus Mertens, bass

The first item on the agenda this week was clearly the translation of ein ungefärbt Gemüte. Upon the subtle distinctions in the possible equivalent English words rests the flavor of the cantata, not to mention the approach to the gentle alto aria that opens the piece. Selecting the translation that best captures the poet’s intent, in the context of the composer’s time, is not an easy choice. For starters, the word Gemüte does not necessarily need to be translated literally since it is used to satisfy the rhyme scheme with Güte in the following line. Another consideration is that the text of the aria’s B section states that the ungefärbt Gemüte is the foundation for one’s life work. The phrase also links to the chorale (No. 6) where one seeks ein unverletzte Seel und rein Gewissen in a gesunden Leib. The prefix un-, which has the effect of negation in both English and German, may be a false path here, leading to a slew of “un” words: unadorned, undisguised, untarnished, unstained – any of which could justifiably be used. For me, the clue lay in a succeeding line, where vor denotes “before” – as in standing before God. In that position, what makes you beautiful? Not brilliantly-colored clothing or other artifices that distract from one’s true character, but attributes such as forthrightness, humility, and integrity. Given all this, I selected the translation “an honest character” – it probably won’t pass muster with a German-speaking expert in 17^th-century poetry, but it works for me.

The singer should also be aware that the word in the second line of the aria is indeed deutscher, as in "German". No exclusion is intended here, rather the broadest possible inclusion for the cantata writer’s entirely German-speaking audience. The adjective is an acknowledgment of a recognizable ideal of national character and a shared value system, albeit in a different sense than would prevail after 19^th-century unification created "Germany". The intention is similar to sayings such as “a British stiff upper lip”. So now I am up to “an honest character, full of German faith and goodness”.

A lot of analysis to arrive at those words! But once the context is established, the alto aria is an excellent Bach study, with one melismatic passage in M. 43-48 (coincidentally – or maybe not! – occurring on the word Handel) requiring some breath management. Otherwise the phrasing is not difficult and several pitch challenges provide good exercises. Ms. Bartosz in the Koopman recording chooses to use a trill on the dotted quarter-eighth combination in M. 11 and each similar occurrence; I prefer to take it as written, in keeping with the straight-forward nature of the text. As with all Bach’s music, recordings can make the piece seem simpler than it is, but this is a selection that would be appropriate for introducing a voice student to Bach arias. The text is general as well as uplifting, and the aria could be used either for recital or church (at just about any time of year).

The central choral movement is framed by tenor and bass recitatives, both of which conclude with arioso sections. The recitatives contrast the concepts of sincerity (tenor) and hypocrisy (bass). Both recitatives enumerate a perennial complaint as true today as in poet Erdmann Neumeister’s time: few people are sincere while many are devious. A fine onomatopoeic moment occurs in the bass recitative with gehecket (describing the “coughing up” of the beast Hypocrisy). Note that the public domain vocal score substitutes other words for gehecket as well as the surrounding text in M.3-5, you can get the correct words from online resources.

The lovely, short chorus based on text from the Sermon on the Mount provides a challenge for any choir. Following the opening statement of the Biblical text, a fugal section with concertist/repienist structure repeats the verse, but now emphasizing the instrumental effect of the interweaving voices and concluding with flourishes of trumpets. Koopman chose to use a male alto as the quartet soloist in this section, apparently to better balance the voices in this heavy texture. The ability to cram so many musical concepts into such a small package illustrates one of the more mysterious facets of the master’s craft. He somehow – through experience or intuition – knew the “correct” length for any given idea. There’s never too much music, and there’s never truncation.

The tenor aria in an A-B-A dal segno format is short and to the point, this also is a good choice for a singer just entering the Bach repertoire and wanting a recital or church aria. Technique is improved by the concluding repetitions of Gütig sein und tugendreich/Macht uns Gott und Engeln gleich, each increasingly complicated. The opening measures of the aria are shown in the interesting items below which come from the Bach Digital Archive. The perils of quill and ink were part of writing be it church music or love letters – both the copy with the spill and the re-written fragment are notated by one of Bach’s pupils and chief copyists at Leipzig, Johann Andreas Kuhnau (nephew of the Kuhnau who served as Thomaskantor prior to Bach).

 

Ach, Scheisse!

 

 

 

The closing chorale bears the weight of the moral with upwardly surging strings alternating with choral lines. A nice touch is the repetition in the alto and tenor parts of the concluding words und rein Gewissen bleib.

Some commentators criticize the text for BWV 24, which is a lot like criticizing the literary quality of the average 19^th-century opera libretto. It’s about the music, Bach started with the words as impetus, but he went on from there – these are not words that would still be given attention if not for their service as the framework for Bach’s music. In cases where that framework is wobbly, the music has shored it up: Neumeister’s words are ecclesiastical poetry intended to express theological concepts in simplistic terms that would resonate with a native 17^th-century audience. They are given depth and broader meaning for the 18^th-century and beyond by Bach’s music.

There is something to be said for living with a cantata for a week – playing it as I drive to and from work, listening while I work, practicing the appropriate sections, and reading over the texts before bedtime. This eliminates the tendency to dismiss the piece based on one or two hearings, as could easily happen if there was a deadline to get through a certain number of cantatas. Plunging into the details defines the entire character of the cantata, and I have been surprised at how repeated hearings have opened doors that I didn’t see on a first or second pass. BWV 24 is at first glance one of the more conventional cantatas: perhaps J.S. was still testing the Leipzig waters to determine how far he could push the envelope. However, in study and listening, it gradually reveals itself to be a personable, if introverted, statement of a basic, ecumenical principal of life. All you really have to do is act the way you wish others would act, with honesty, integrity and respect: the same principals animating the music of BWV 24.