How to perform Bach's BWV 867?
Free Be-a-Maestro Newsletter 42 - 30 June 2014 - Be a maestro!
by Reinier Maliepaard
This newsletter presents some thoughts on performing Bach's harpsichord piece, the Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor, BWV 867, from the Well-Tempered Clavier Book I (1). We all know that a notated score needs interpretation by the performer. When we are able to get in touch with a composer, we can ask him or her. Unfortunately, we can't ask Bach (1685-1750). In addition, Bach did not write anything on performance practice. So what decisions should you make when performing Bach's compositions?
Of course, we can listen to gifted performers, to Bach adepts. This strategy often leads to copy-and-paste/imitation behaviour: we try to perform as they perform. Another option is to make our decisions intuitive - which might just be the worst option. The last option we have, is to read 18th century sources. I did and found the following information about the Baroque meaning on keys and rhythmical patterns.
In Baroque music, keys represent -as German theorists would say- an Affekt, a passion. D major is for example the key of triumph (see St. John Passion 'The hero of Judah triumphs with power' - 'Der Held aus Juda siegt mit Macht'), and E minor is associated with sighs and tears (see Crucifixus in Bach's Mass, BWV 232). For the 18th century composer and theorist Heinichen, the key B flat minor was exceptional. But what does this key express? I found some statements about the character, about the Affekt, of B flat minor:
'Obscure and terrible' (Charpentier, 1692) and 'Sad' (Rameau, 1722).
Are these French descriptions relevant to German music? What about the description in 'Ideen zu einer Aesthetik der Tonkunst (1806)' of the German poet Christian Schubart:
'A quaint creature, often dressed in the garment of night. It is somewhat surly and very seldom takes on a pleasant countenance. Mocking God and the world; discontented with itself and with everything; preparation for suicide sounds in this key.'
I do not know if this really helps. So, the last question is where does Bach use the key B flat minor? The answer is that there are only 20 Bach examples of B flat minor. In most cases, they are found in a recitative, with texts about suffering and darkness. The most impressive example is the B flat minor in Bach's St. Matthew Passion when Jesus speaks: 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani', in a wrong translation (which Bach follows): 'My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?'. Of course, we can not say for sure whether Bach chose B flat minor due to these affections. But the association of Bach's Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor with the 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani'-Affekt is -at least for me- not problematic.
In the Prelude we hear a prominent rhythmical pattern. It is the long-short-short figure, by 18th century theorists defined as the 'figura corta'. This pattern is meaningful: Bach often used this figure as an expression of 'hope' and 'trust' (in God) as in 'With peace and joy I go on my way' ('Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin', BWV 616). And not without reason: the Lutheran song 'With peace and joy' is about Simeon who was prepared to die when he knew that the Messiah would come. In this context, it is interesting to know that 'sabach' in 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani' is connected to peace and calmness.
Back to the topic: Bach uses B flat minor in Cantata BWV 106, on the text 'Into thine hands do I commit my soul' ('In deine Hände befehl ich meinen Geist'). Is this a coincidence? I do not think so.
I believe that in Bach's Prelude and Fugue BWV 867, the key B flat minor and the 'figura corta' in the Prelude are a wonderful combination,
representing death and suffering, hope and trust. Then, after the Prelude, Bach added a five-part Fugue, in a heavy and emphatic, alla breve style,
in the so-called 'stile antico'. It sounds to me as a musical translation of 'despite problems common to our life, our future will be peaceful'.
What I am trying to say is: always avoid a meaningless performance and find (historical) clues to make decisions about your interpretation of a notated score.
Listen on YouTube (2) to Bach's Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor, BWV 867: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4e1WZRGAlY
Notes
(1) A performance of Bach's Prelude and Fugue BWV 867 by a piano student -who showed no knowledge on historical playing practice- gave rise to these thoughts.
(2) To me, this is the best harpsichord performance I could find on YouTube. I can imagine a better performance regarding the ideas discussed above.