The universal composer

I would like to take the opportunity of being a guest columnist this week to remind everyone of the wonder and miracle that is J S Bach.

For the First Sunday in Lent (March 6), Saint Philip’s will present a Bach cantata. It is noteworthy that there are some 200 cantatas that were composed for weekly worship services in the two principal Lutheran churches of Leipzig, Germany. The most famous was St. Thomas Church where Bach was cantor from 1723 until his death in 1750. Think about it—Bach produced a new cantata every week for this time period, for every Sunday and festival of the Christian year. And there are many more thought to be lost!

Here is a link to Cantatas for the Epiphany season:

In his time, Bach was known principally as an organist, a recitalist and organ consultant who travelled widely within Germany to inspect and approve new organs by the most famous organ builders of the day. The organ compositions which are handed down to us existed largely in copies made by pupils or manuscripts written by Bach himself. Very little of Bach’s music was published in his lifetime.

The “free” organ compositions for instance—Toccatas, Preludes and Fugues—would have served as recital pieces to test out the “lungs” and the colors (registrations) of a new or rebuilt instrument under the hands of the composer. This Prelude and Fugue in D major illustrates the virtuoso Bach testing out the pedals!

The chorale-preludes—based on Lutheran chorales well-known to the congregations of Bach’s time—would have been played as “preludes” to the singing of the chorale by the whole congregation. In later life, Bach gathered collections of these chorales to bequeath to posterity the many forms which his genius would render in illustrating the texts and melodies of these chorales. Here is an early version of a famous chorale “By the waters of Babylon” that he later revised.

I like to think that every time we experience a piece of music by Bach we glimpse the light which comes through just a small crack in the doorway of Heaven. I learn constantly from the old master. Each time I play a work which I thought I knew well, some new facet of insight comes to me—even in the shortest piece of music. Bach is honing his craft but at the same time saying something spiritual.

I am privileged to be able to offer much Bach on the beautiful organ at Saint Philip’s during regular worship, as well as during our Pre-Evensong recitals. May this music continue to be a comfort and a light for all of us in these yet uncertain times.

I encourage you to explore the many genres in which Bach composed and excelled. Remember, it was Mendelssohn who began the Bach revival with a performance of the St. Matthew Passion in 1829. This revival continues to this day—337 years after Bach’s birth.

—Dr Jeffrey Campbell, Associate Music Director & Organist