Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Magnificat in D, BWV 243
1. Magnificat	2.Et exsultavit	3.Quia respexit	4.Omnes generationes
5. Quia fecit	6.Et misericordia	7.Fecit potentiam	8.Deposuit potentes
9. Esurientes	10.Suscepit Israel	11.Sicutlocutus	12. Gloria Patri

For Bach, Christmas 1723 provided a Heaven-sent opportunity to demonstrate his worth as a musician, and gave him with the chance to live down the embarrassment surrounding his selection earlier that year as Kantor of the famous Thomaskirche in Leipzig. He had after all, been the third choice candidate, appointed on sufferance because of the unavailability of Telemann and Graupner, the preferred contenders: “Since the best man could not be obtained,” as one Leipzig councillor infamously remarked, “mediocre ones would have to be accepted. The irony of setting the Magnificat with its recurrent theme of exalting the lowly and meek would not have been lost on Bach, a devout Biblical scholar. Indeed its text inspired him to incorporate all manner of religious symbolism into the score, ranging from the simplest word-painting to arcane mysticism and references so esoteric as to be unfathomable to all but the most knowledgeable of musicians. The original key of the work was E flat major. It also incorporated four carol settings interpolated into the text, a customary feature of Christmas Vespers in Leipzig which was, even then, old-fashioned. By the time Bach revisited the work, a few years later, slightly altering some of the orchestration, the new key of D major seemed more appropriate, especially for the clarino trumpets then available, and the interpolations were dropped so as to make the setting useful for any time of year. It is this later version that is used in tonight’s concert. Scored for three trumpets, two flutes, two oboes, strings, continuo and timpani, accompanying a five-part choir with solo parts for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, Magnificat required one of the largest ensembles ever assembled at the Thomaskirche in Bach’s time. Not only does it amply demonstrate Bach’s mastery of a wide range of vocal and choral writing, it also points up his extraordinary gift for sensitive word-setting, a talent which extends also to his orchestration. With the exception of the pivotal choruses Nos 1, 7 and 12, for example, which appropriately employ Bach’s full orchestral resources, each of the remaining nine movements is uniquely orchestrated to achieve its special effect within the work. Scurrying string semiquavers and exultant trumpets and drums herald the start of the first movement, Magnificat, in the manner of a concerto movement. It maintains its exciting momentum, using the voices almost instrumentally, with constant contrasts between polyphony and homophony, rapid changes of key, and constant interplay between the instrumental and choral parts. The second movement, Et exultavit spiritus meus, for soprano solo, strings and continuo, continues this buoyant mood in triple time. With absolute mastery of expression, Bach has the soloist repeat the lively but somewhat earthbound opening phrase, before allowing unbridled exultation to take wing in a rapturous outpouring of coloratura. Bach chose a minor key and the plangent timbre of an oboe d’amore obbligato to accompany Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae, an evocation of the Virgin’s humility. The beautiful soprano melody is by its falling sixth and descending minor scale, signifying lowliness, yet simultaneously using an augmented interval to denote being “raised up”. Thus the melody does more than express the words; it is in effect a musical allegory of them. The final words of the soprano are virtually wrested from her and taken over by a vigorous contrapuntal chorus depicting Omnes generationes using all five voices. Its representation of a multitude of generations becomes progressively more animated and its choral entries closer together, becoming almost frenetic until they unite in a sudden unaccompanied outburst before the movement’s dramatic closing cadence. Quia fecit Mihi Magna, embodies a reassuringly solid view of the deity in its structure. Scored only for bass voice and a bass line (though custom would suggest another continuo intrument also) the movement is built upon a ground bass given in the first five bars and then repeated with minor alterations a total of seven times. The interplay between voice and bass line is a mixture of imitation and free coloratura in which Bach singles out the key words,potens (mighty), magna (great) and sanctum (holy), for especially elaborate treatment. Equally apposite is Bach’s treatment of the lovely, Et misericordia, a duet for alto and tenor in the pastoral style of a siciliano in which a pair of flutes is added to the texture of muted strings. The close harmony of the flutes and strings (mainly in thirds) is echoed by the voices throughout the movement, but the comfort and mercy Bach portays seems briefly threatened at the words timentibus eum (them that fear Him) by the introduction of chromaticism and tremulous repeated notes for the tenor, the musical portrayal of trepidation. The ensuing chorus, Fecit potentiam, is built on a simple recurring motif in four of the parts and a continuous semiquaver melody sounding against it, beginning with the tenor and being passed to a different voice at each sequential repetition of the declamatory figure Fecit potentiam. The scattering of the proud is graphically portrayed in closely staggered choral entries at the word dispersit and brought to a sudden hiatus with the word superbos (the proud), which Bach harmonises with a diminished chord, a characteristically symbolic gesture. It finishes with an awesome homophonic choral adagio made all the more poignant by the searing effect of an augmented chord to denote the vain imaginings of the proud. By contrast, Deposuit potentes, for tenor solo, appears to employ the most naïve literalism to achieve its effect. A falling scale denotes the casting down of the mighty, while the exaltation of the humble and meek is given a rising coloratura sequence. This eloquently economical composition, built on these two simple ideas, combines the tenor voice with violins and continuo. For all its simplicity, it is a most powerful expression of the text. Esurientes implevit bonis, scored for alto soloist, two flutes and continuo, has an almost humorous feel about it. It begins with a perky instrumental ritornello setting out Bach’s thematic material for the entire movement and maintains our interest with the intriguing interplay between the two flutes and the soloist. The sending of the rich away inanes (empty) is marked in a final tongue-in-cheek gesture in which the two flutes drop out of the accompaniment, leaving only the bass to complete the ritornello. In Suscepit Israel, an etherial trio for two sopranos and alto, Bach evokes a sense of Biblical history, setting a plainsong cantus firmus played on the oboes against the imitative writing for the voices. The melody chosen, the ancient Tonus Peregrinus, would be well known to Bach’s congregation for its use as a simple Magnificat setting. Bach himself, however would most likely have been aware of its even earlier derivation from ancient Jewish chants. Bach’s use of archaic forms and techniques to represent Old Testament tradition continues in the chorus Sicut locutus est, a five part old-style fugal chorus with continuo accompaniment alone, in which the rigidity of Old Testament law and custom is represented by the severity of its musical form. The final extraordinary movement, Gloria Patri, is rich in detail and expression and replete with mystical references. The Gloria occurs three times, each time powerfully declaimed by the chorus and followed by a melody consisting of a series of triplets, melodic reminders of the Holy Trinity. The first two instances, referring to the Father and the Son, have a rising melody, seemingly alluding to the power of God in Heaven, while a falling melody in the third refers to the continuing power of the Holy Spirit on earth. The power of the Trinity is recognized by the return of trumpets and timpani to the orchestra which in turn heralds the most apt reprise of the opening Magnificat music, this time sung to, Sicut erat in principio (as it was in the beginning). As each voice enters with the words et in saecula saeculorum (forever and ever) it is given a long note, held until all voices finally unite in a closing flourish and an affirmative Amen.

Magnificat anima mea Dominum Et exultavit spiritus, meus in Deo salutari meo Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae: ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est:et sanctum nomen ejus Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in brachio suo: dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles; Esurientes implevit bonis:et divites dimisit inanes; Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae; Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini ejus in saecula Gloria Patri, et Filio,et Spiritui Sancto Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum Amen.

My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden For behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed For he that is mighty hath magnified me and holy is his Name And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meek; he hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away; He, remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end Amen.

© J. S. Whitehead, January 2003

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