Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 02/26/2014, uploaded on 07/29/2014

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Bach originally composed the cantata Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 (“Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life”) in 1716, while in Weimar, for Advent. While it is unknown whether this version of the cantata was ever performed, it is certain that Bach revised and expanded it for performance during the feast of Visitation in 1723 in Leipzig. The text of the Weimar version, and of five of the movements of the later Leipzig version, was written by Salomo Franck for the fourth Sunday of Advent. Since the Leipzig churches observed tempus clausum, or time of silence, during Advent it was not possible for the cantata to be performed at that time. However, given the nature of the text it is essentially appropriate for any feast celebrating the Virgin Mary.

The Leipzig version of the cantata contains several changes. The opening chorus and four arias of the original Weimar score formed the basis, though the arias were reordered. To this were added three recitatives and the original chorale was replaced. The resulting ten movement cantata is broken into two parts. The first part, consisting of the first six movements, is to be performed before the sermon. The remaining four movements, forming the second part, are performed afterwards. The last movement of each part is based on the chorale Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne by Martin Luther.

It is this chorale movement, and the popular piano arrangement of it by Myra Hess, that remain one of Bach’s most well-known compositions. It is often recognized under the arrangement’s title Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, which approximates the German title of Jesus bleibet meine Freude (“Jesus shall remain my gladness.”) The words of these two movements come from the sixth and sixteenth verse of Luther’s chorale set to a melody by Johann Schop. (Incidentally, Bach used the same melody to different words in the St. Matthew Passion.) In this movement, the simple four-part harmonization of the chorale occurs within a peaceful orchestra setting of pastoral triplets.      Joseph DuBose

____________________________________________________________

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring       Bach, arr. Dame Myra Hess

To mark the anniversary of the birth of Dame Myra Hess, this program begins with the beautiful, well-known Hess transcription for piano solo of the final chorale from J.S. Bach’s Cantata No. 147, “Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben”, commonly known as “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”. Bach himself often recycled or reworked his own works, as well as the works of other composers. Following in his footsteps, virtuoso pianists of the late 19^th century and early 20^th century (such as Busoni, Petri, and Siloti) revived this tradition by arranging choral, orchestral and instrumental works by Bach for solo piano. Hess, renowned not only for her stellar musicianship but also for organizing a series of lunchtime concerts at London’s National Gallery throughout the dangerous years of World War II, frequently performed this peaceful, gentle piece in her own recitals during that period. She referred to it as “my own prayer”- an act of courage and resilience in dark times.      Benjamin Hochman

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.