141: Bach's Orchestral Debut

As part of his new job, the 22-year-old Bach had to provide music for Mülhausen’s city council elections. For the first time, he officially had an occasion to write for a large orchestra: brass, timpani, woodwinds, flutes, strings, two choirs— this is BWV 71, Gott ist mein König. Scoring so largely on the page must have been exciting for the young Bach:

That’s a lot of parts! The first time Bach writes for brass and drums! Notice the ‘J.J.’ in the upper left corner, Jesu Juva, ‘Jesus help me.’ We see it spelled out on the title page and get to see Bach’s fancy handwriting:

I didn’t go into this in the episode, but is there an S.D.G. inside the big G on the title?

Write That Fugue!

One of the most striking features of this cantata are the multiple instrumental ‘choirs,’ the groups of instruments which Bach placed in separate areas of St. Mary’s church to achieve stereophonic effects. Bach, the organist, expands his knowledge of registration onto a full orchestra that required two conductors! To hear this music in quick succession from separate areas must have been thrilling:

Three trumpets and drums! Then immediately:

Woodwinds somewhere else! And then two choirs together, singing from opposite lofts:

Still more groups of instruments follow, now the flutes:

And finally the strings:

What a bold and exciting way for Bach to begin his orchestral career.

Links to the performances: Suzuki and Koopman

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