[151] Mattheson says, à propos of this stop: "The French have given to the Nachsatz (thus named on account of its high pitch, in contrast to the Untersatz of thirty-two feet) of the Netherlanders, the designation Nasard or Nasarde, 'a vulgar expression, of which use is made in comedy or burlesque,' says Boyer's dictionary."
[152] This register, composed of two ranks of pipes of tin or of composition, is a compound stop. The longer pipe gives the fifth of the octave, the shorter the third of the fifteenth; there is thus the interval of a major sixth between the two ranks.
[153] In Das neu eröffnete Orchester (1717). Mattheson was born in Hamburg in 1681; aside from his critical works on music he was an organist of ability; he knew Buxtehude, becoming acquainted with him in 1703. He even expected to succeed him, but renounced his aspirations in this direction upon learning that in accepting the position of the father he would be obliged to marry the daughter, Anna Margaretha, born in 1669, and therefore much too old for him; this was one of the conditions of the place, which also deterred Händel from presenting himself as a candidate.
[154] Certain organists abused this powerful combination; Adlung says, "There are many who, in playing the chorale or music in general, know only the noise of the plein-jeu. One may be content to continually wear the same clothes, but an organist who produces the same sounds every day will render himself insupportable by his monotony. In the chorale, in the last verse, one may play a little louder, to remind the minister to prepare for the resumption of his duties; especially in towns where it is no longer customary (as is still the honored usage in some villages) to rap with a bâton for this purpose, as though one by force would arouse him from slumber." Anleitung zur musikalischen Gelahrtheit, 1758.
[155] Premier livre d'orgue, 1665.
[156] Livre d'orgue, 1688.
[157] "Reed-stops are often Fool-stops; but if they be clear and bright, they are refreshing to heart and soul."
[158] Sechs Choräle von verschiedener Art auf einer Orgel mit 2 Clavieren und Pedal vorzuspielen, verfertiget von Johann Sebastian Bach, königl. Pohln. und Churf. Sächs. Hoff-Compositeur, Capellm. und Direct. Chor. Mus. Lips. In Verlegung Joh. Georg Schüblers zu Zella am Thüringer Wald.
These chorales are taken from the cantatas composed at Leipzig. They are, however, only transcriptions; it is interesting in registrating them to know their orchestration. In the chorale Ach bleib' bei uns! (B.-G. xxv, P. vi, 2) the melody is sung by the soprano, accompanied by a violoncello piccolo, the continuo sustaining the harmony. In Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn (Magnificat, P. vii, 42), the continuo is played by the pedal, the parts entrusted to the left hand corresponding to the duet between tenor and alto, while the chorale (dextra forte) is executed in the score by the first and second oboes and the trumpet.
[159] Musica mechanica organoedi (Langensalza, 1762).
[160] Der vollkommene Kapellmeister, part ii, chap. xxv.
[161] It appears that this carillon was not constructed; it is possible, however, that Bach had it in mind when writing the chorale. Moreover, it was to be found in other organs.
[162] Livre d'orgue contenant une messe et quatre hymnes pour les principales festes de l'année. Par Nicolas de Grigny, organiste de l'église-cathédrale de Reims. À Paris, chez Christophe Ballard, seul imprimeur du Roy pour la Musique. Rue Saint-Jean de Beauvais, au Mont-Parnasse. 1701. Avec Privilège de Sa Majesté.
[163] [The cornet here referred to is obviously a mixture, not the reed of the same name already mentioned.—Tr.]
[164] This organ was the only one with three manuals which Bach could have had in mind while he was in Weimar with Walther; it is natural that in his compositions he should be preoccupied with an organ whose restoration he had planned, and undoubtedly supervised—Weimar being not far from Mühlhausen—and which in all probability he looked forward to inaugurating. This remark, moreover, may apply to the composition of the chorale In dir ist Freude, although here Bach had been disappointed.
[165] That is, for playing the basso continuo of the orchestra.
[166] [En montre signifies literally "on show"; that is, in front. The French designation for a diapason, Montre, is derived from the custom of placing the pipes of that register in an exposed position.—Tr.]
[167] [The filling-out of the figured bass by the organ, made necessary in music with orchestra by the paucity of the instrumental numbers, was referred to as the "music."—Tr.]
[168] [The word swell I have used in the foregoing merely to designate the third manual; and it by no means implies that the pipes belonging to that keyboard were enclosed in a swell-box. Although this invention was applied to an English organ for the first time in 1712 (St. Magnus Church, London Bridge), its adoption in Germany has become general only within comparatively recent years, and then only in newly-built instruments.—Tr.]
[169] J. Th. Mosewius: J.S. Bach in seinen Kirchencantaten und Choralgesängen (Berlin, Trautwein, 1845), p. 25.
[170] This is what was done by Robert Franz. See Offener Brief an Eduard Hanslick (Leipzig, 1873).
[171] Deutliche Anweisung zum Generalbass (Halberstadt, 1772), p. 137.
[172] Anleitung zur practischen Musik (Leipzig, 1782).
[173] B.-G. iv. [The first and last numbers, respectively, of Part I. In the first the chorale is sung by a special chorus of sopranos, usually boys, while the two mixed choruses and the two orchestras are treated contrapuntally. In the other instance the two choruses are united in one, as are also the two orchestras, and the chorale is sung by all the sopranos, the counterpoint being assigned to the remaining three vocal parts, supported by the orchestra.—Tr.]
[174] B.-G. v.
[175] B.-G. xviii, 10.
[176] The organo obbligato was sometimes written with more delicate intentions; for example, in the alto aria with accompaniment of an oboe da caccia, from the cantata Wer weiss, wie nahe mir mein Ende? (B.-G. v.).
[177] We should add here, that the organs were not of the same pitch as the other instruments, for they were tuned to chorus-pitch, a whole tone lower than the normal diapason. The organ at Weimar, on the contrary, was a minor third higher.
[178] Oberwerk means literally the higher manual; in two-manual organs the stronger was, at that time, found above the other. The name Rückpositif came from the custom of placing the pipes behind the back (Rücken) of the organist. Finally, the swell bore the name Brustwerk, the pipes being placed facing the breast (Brust) of the player. In a three-manual organ the great keyboard was situated between the swell, which was above, and the choir, which was below it.
[179] This instrument was constructed in 1701, by J.F. Wender, an organ-builder of Mühlhausen. [The specification as compiled from the existing stop-handles by Mr. C.F.A. Williams ("Bach": J.M. Dent & Co.: London), differs slightly from the above, which is given by Spitta.—Tr.]
[180] A sort of Glockenspiel, which produced l'accord parfait [undoubtedly the major triad].
[181] This was a reed stop.
[182] Historische Nachrichten von der berühmten Residenzstadt Weimar. Weimar, 1737, p. 175, 176.
[183] [The Principal here referred to is undoubtedly the eight-foot Diapason.—Tr.]
[184] Undoubtedly larigot.
[185] Vogel, Leipziger Chronicke. Vol. iii, chap. vi, p. 110.
[186] In combination with the Quintatön of eight feet, says Adlung, the Geigenregal sounds almost like a stringed instrument.
[187] Cromorne. Also called lituus (clarion) by Praetorius (Syntagma musicum), Tome ii, chap. xv, p. 40. Adlung suggests this simple derivation: cor and morne (sad, reserved).
[188] Ueber J.S. Bach's Leben, Kunst und Kunstwerke.
[189] Die wahren Grundsätze zum Gebrauch der Harmonie (Berlin, 1773) p. 53. See also Mizler (Necrolog, p. 171) and Forkel (p. 22).
[190] Clavierbüchlein, vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach angefangen in Cöthen den 22. Januar, anno 1720.
[191] See A. Méreaux: Les Clavecinistes de 1637 à 1790. Tableau synoptique et comparatif de tous les agréments avec leur signes et leur effet. Heugel, Paris.
[192] L. Diémer: Les Clavecinistes français du XVIIIe siècle (Durand and Schönewerk).
[193] This work contains, with numerous examples, a study of ornamentation, from G. Diruta to J.S. Bach in the first part, from Ph. E. Bach to our own period in the second. (London: Novello, Ewer & Co.)
[194] P. vi, 9. B.-G.
[195] B.-G. xiii, p. xvi. We again encounter this grouping in the flute part of the et in unum Deum of the B minor Mass.
[196] The autograph was contained in the collection of Ph. Spitta.
[197] Toccata II (libro i).
[198] Toccata 6a (adagio), and Toccata 3a of the Apparatus musico-organisticus.
[199] Veit Bach was born in Gotha during the second half of the sixteenth century; he is considered the progenitor of the Bach family. He was the first representative of the race of musicians who furnished "cantors" and organists to the greater number of the central German cities. At Erfurt, for instance, the direction of the "council music" was in their hands from 1625 until 1735, and even after their disappearance the town musicians were still referred to as "the Bachs."
[200] This instrument was constructed in 1701 by Wender, an organ-builder in Mühlhausen. Wender had a certain local reputation, but was unskilful and not very conscientious.
[201] Besides a salary of 85 thalers, he had various perquisites "in kind."
[202] One of his cantatas, Gott ist mein König, was engraved in separate parts by Brückner of Mühlhausen.
[203] See Philipp Spitta: Johann Sebastian Bach, vol. i, p. 354.
[204] [Subsequent to the writing of the above, and during the progress of general disinterment incidental to the devotion to other uses of the land occupied by the cemetery, Bach's remains were found and identified by most scientific methods. In August, 1900, took place the official ceremony of reinterment in a stone sarcophagus, contained in a crypt constructed for the purpose at the foot of the chancel steps of the new Johanniskirche (St. John's Church). Upon this occasion the University Gesangverein zu St. Pauli sang. September 2d of the same year, at the close of the weekly "Abend-Motette" (the program on this occasion having been devoted entirely to works of Bach), the solo-quartet of the church sang in the crypt the chorale from the St. Matthew Passion Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden, in the presence of a few other reverent "friends of Bach's music." The following morning the lid of the sarcophagus was permanently closed and sealed.
By its side, enclosed in a similar receptacle, lie the ashes of Gellert, the poet.—Tr.]
[205] A small-sized violin, tuned a fourth higher.