10042 – Jesu Joy of Mans desiring from Cantata 147

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Arranged by Roger Harvey

Difficulty: Medium

Price: £20

Programme notes:

Bach’s treatment of material in his large output of sacred cantatas covers many styles but the predominant feature is his use of the Protestant chorale. Almost all have a simple setting of the chorale as a final movement in order that the congregation could participate. But nay have movements using the chorale melody as the basis of something more sophisticated and developed. The Chorale Prelude as a keyboard style was developed in parallel with this.

‘Jesu Joy of Man’s desiring’ comes from Cantata 147. It was written in 1716 but revised in Bach’s early days as Capellmeister at St Thomas’s in Leipzig in 1723. This cantata is in 2 parts with a version of the chorale at the end of each. This version has a florid obligato that at first alternates with the chorale melody and then acts as an accompaniment to it.

Performance notes:

The triplet obligato should be sempre cantabile and in a seamless line. Use the breathing points suggested if preferred and double the parts if extra players are available in order to achieve a smooth line.

The bass line should be expressively played and should stand out from the texture at all times.

As the music is very clearly divided between tow groups of instruments, you may separate the groups on the stage in order to really establish the two strands of the texture.