Tonight's presentation of solo and ensemble works from the Court of Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen explores J. S. Bach's years from 1717-1723 as composer for a virtuoso Princely ensemble.
During the Cöthen years, Bach composed numerous secular works that are now considered as the supreme masterpieces of the eighteenth century: two of the Orchestral Suites, all six Brandenburg concerti and as well as concertos for one and two violins. From these years also date the first part of the Well-Tempered Clavier and the sensationally experimental Chromatic Fantasie and Fugue for solo harpsichord.
At the time Bach arrived in Cöthen, he had just been released from almost a month in the Weimar jail where Duke Wilhelm, his previous patron, had consigned him as punishment for "too stubbornly forcing the issue of his dismissal" upon signing the more lucrative Cöthen contract. Putting his achievement as a composer of cantatas and his ambitions to develop a "well-regulated Church music" aside for the length of his employment at Cöthen, a Calvinist court which tolerated no elaborate music in church settings, Bach was now charged with the development of chamber and orchestral music to please a cosmopolitan bachelor Prince of age twenty three. An avid musician, Leopold enjoyed playing violin and keyboards, sang with a good baritone voice, and above all was devoted to playing the viola da gamba.
The Cöthen instrumental force, a 'Collegium Musicum' of eighteen, were superior in sophistication as well as number to those previously at Bach's disposal. Prince Leopold frequently joined them in trying new works, and made sure Bach as Kapellmeister acquired the finest instruments for his l00-seat castle hall, including a new harpsichord from the builder Michael Mietke as heard tonight. Bach typically directed from the violist's chair or led while playing harpsichord. The principal musicians played trios and chamber works, inspiring with their talents many of Bach's finest compositions.
Tonight's program features two trio sonatas wholly or partially by Bach, and 'trios' featuring a single flute, violin or viola da gamba with obbligato harpsichord. Since the Baroque 'trio' refers to the number of melodic voices (typically two trebles and bass), trio sonatas may have three or four players, depending on whether the bass of the harpsichordist is also reinforced by a melodic instrument like the violoncello or viola da gamba. As individual display pieces for the flute, violin or viola da gamba virtuosi at Cöthen, these demanding 'trio' works were cast with three melodic voices, two of which are assigned to the harpsichord. Sonata I in B Minor (BWV 1014) for violin with obbligato harpsichord belongs to a set of six written for Josephus Spiess, the principal court violinist. The three sonatas for viola da gamba, of which we hear tonight Sonata II in D Major (BWV 1028) were composed to honor Prince Leopold's interest in the instrument, and were played by Christian Ferdinand Abel. The Sonata in A Major for flute and obbligato harpsichord (BWV 1032) presumably honors the great Dresden flutist P. G. Buffardin, and must often have also been played by Cöthen's premiere flutist, Johann Heinrich Freytag. In each case, it would have been Bach himself who played the harpsichord in these 'trios'.
While Bach's years at Cöthen are regarded as his happiest, the period was also marked by tragedy. In 1720, returning from a six-month long visit to Karlsbad Spa with Leopold and the Kammermusici (a chamber band of the six principal musicians), he discovered his wife Maria Barbara has passed away in his absence, leaving him in charge of four small children, including the future composers Friedemann (age 10) and Emanuel (age 6). Despite the difficulties of holding his family together, Bach's productivity continued at fever pitch, with seventy-five works completed in 1720 alone. One and a half years later, Bach married the twenty year old singer Anna Magdalena Wülckeln, who eventually presented him with thirteen more children during the next twenty years. Bach's companionship and musical mentoring of his young bride resulted in keyboard works and scores for family music-making which are still popular today.
© 1995, Linda Burman-Hall