Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750)

See below for the anecdote about Bach
and Geyersbach, the Zippelfagottist

 

 

This page lists works in which bassoon is the specified instrument, together with many works in which bassoon can be used, depending on performance practice and preference, with wide differences between various directors, eg Koopman, Suzuki, Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Rilling.

 

Full scores of his cantatas and other major works are accessible on-line.

Search IMSLP Petrucci, then seek name of work or cantata.

 

The following website gives the texts and structure of the major JS Bach works that require

obbligato bassoon: http://webdocs.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/ainst7.html

 

An asterisk (*) indicates that bassoon is not specified in the published source. 

YouTube and CD sources in which bassoon is used are listed with each work.

Note re YouTube:

The aria in question may not be at the beginning of the track.  (e.g. +1.05 min)

If the aria is “withdrawn” or the link appears to be inactive, use the YouTube search function.

BWV 12 Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen.  "Sei getreu, alle Pein" *

Tenor, trumpet, continuo

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN566rf3Lfk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsxYAG7BtMk&feature=related

 

BWV 14  Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit. "Gott, bei deinem starken Schützen" *

Bass, 2 oboes, continuo

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcPEZzrV0AM&feature=related

 

BWV 19 Es erhub sich ein Streit. “Gott schickt uns Mahanaim zu” *

Soprano, 2 oboes d’amore, continuo

No current YouTube link uses bassoon; these CD performances do use bassoon:

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=1015831   (Suzuki)

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=225319     (Milnes)

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=7839         (Rilling)

 

BWV 20 O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort, #5 “Gott ist gerecht” *

Bass, 3 oboes, continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8l0ATDWklk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqGfDqsCvXQ (+10.15 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIxSylFD9FY

 

BWV 26 Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig, #4 “An irdische Schätze” *

Bass, 3 oboes, continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbTl2lJy7vE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYnG961zcHM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKNRLxATT9k&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL3C830D7D81DE71BE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsJw7WFYtdQ

 

 

BWV 41 Sie werden euch in den Bann tun.  #2 “Lass uns o höchster Gott” *

Soprano, 3 oboes, continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWG4gW6JuFM

 

BWV 42 Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats.

The sinfonia has a challenging original bassoon part.

Use of bassoon in the chorale  #4 “Verzage nicht, O Häuflein klein” is variable.            

Soprano, tenor, cello+bassoon, continuo

YouTube: No use of bassoon on current links. Performances with bassoon:

CD: www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=479751  (Suzuki)

www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=468293 (Gardiner)

 

BWV 43 Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen

#9 "Ich sehe schon im Geist" *  alto, 2 oboes, continuo

You Tube: (+14.10 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q0pI77sYHY&feature=related

 

BWV 49 Ich geh und suche mit Verlangen. #4 “Ich bin herrlich, ich bin schön” *

Soprano, oboe d’amore, violoncello piccolo (viola), continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmGI8V23yIc

 

BWV 52  Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht

Aria “Ich halt es mit dem lieben Gott” *

Soprano, 3 oboes, continuo

 

BWV 56 Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen. #3 “Endlich wird mein Joch” *

Bass, oboe, continuo 

CD Haenssler CD 98.459 Rilling

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=931672 disc 4, #4

CD Harmonia Mundi HMA 1951365 Herreweghe

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=807238  track 8

CD Capriccio C67190 Schneider

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=694250 track 12

YouTube: (+ 2.00 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbkQLLWN5bg&feature=related

(Koopman, Mertens, Ponseele, Vallon)

 

BWV 68 Also hat Gott die Welt geliebet. #4 “Du bist geboren mir zugute”  *

Bass, 2 oboes, oboe da caccia, continuo

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ6t3o6KsKk

 

BWV 74 Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten.  #7 “Nichts kann mich erretten” *

Alto, 2 oboes, oboe da caccia, continuo.

YouTube: (+ 0.20 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaW0eCtPMHk

 

BWV 84 Ich bin vergnügt mit meinem Glücke.  #3 “Ich esse mit Freuden” *

Soprano, solo violin, oboe, continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxl6EVCFYGk

 

BWV 86 Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch. #3 “Und was der ewig gütig Gott” *

Soprano, 2 oboes, continuo

YouTube: (+7.30 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6363DheSoI

 

BWV 87 Bisher habt ihr nichts gebeten. #3 “Vergib, O Vater, unsre Schuld” *

Alto, 2 oboes da caccia, continuo

 

BWV 97 In allen meinen Taten. #2 “Nichts ist zu spät und frühe” *

Bass, continuo.

CD (BWV 86, 87 and 97) Gardiner, SDG 144, CD 1, tracks 3, 9,15

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=608965

 

BWV 101  Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott.  "Warum willst du so zornig sein?" *

Bass, 2 oboes, oboe da caccia, continuo

YouTube: (+ 2.00 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnD1nozQauA

 

BWV 104 Du Hirte Israel, höre.  #3 “Verbirgt mein Hirte” *

Tenor, 2 oboes d’amore, continuo.

YouTube: (+5.00 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyCTYtL5A-M

 

BWV 121 Christum wir sollen loben schon.  #2 “O du von Gott erhöhte Kreatur” *

Tenor, oboe d’amore, continuo.

YouTube: (+3.10 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeOdBFR9jPs

 

BWV 126 Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort. #2 “Sende deine Macht von oben” *

Tenor, 2 oboes, continuo.

YouTube: (+3.00 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODYE97sdXtk&feature=related

YouTube (+2.45 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSHx52uDOnY

 

BWV 129 Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott.

#4 “Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott, der ewig lebet” *

Alto, oboe d’amore, continuo

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH6X3si-t1w

 

BWV 140 Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme. #6, "Mein Freund ist mein" *

Duet, soprano, bass, oboe, continuo 

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us7_DO4M4pM

 

BWV 143 Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele.  #6 “Jesu, retter deiner Herde”                       

Tenor, bassoon, strings, continuo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuwVMpzZ27A (+8.30 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKYTlOSO-1w

 

BWV 146 Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal.  #5 “Ich säe meine Zähren” *

Soprano, flute, 2 oboes d’amore, continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJp6sBFEgA0&playnext=1&list=PLF19FD0F83A3EBE7A&feature=results_video (+2.00 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFKkh_pNG0M

 

BWV 147 Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben.  #3 “Schäme dich, O Seele, nicht” *

Alto, oboe d’amore, continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgLmLuRSDl8

 

BWV 148 Bringet dem Herrn Ehre sienes Namens.  #4 “Mund und Herze steht dir offen” *

Alto, 3 oboes, continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN7cT1WI9I4

 

BWV 149 Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg. 

*# 2 “Kraft und Stärke sei gesungen”  Bass, continuo.

YouTube:  (+4.25 min) (Frans Robert Berkhout)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpxQFcsMEAk

#6 “Seid wachsam” alto, tenor, bassoon, continuo

YouTube: (+1.55 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8w_ZnYpSrA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV1uzb1Vu7U

CD Challenge CC72220, Koopman, CD2 tracks 2 & 5

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=635920

CD SDG 124, Gardiner CD 2, track 17 & 20.

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=257734     

 

BWV 155 Mein Gott, wie lang, ach lange.

#2 “Du musst glauben, du musst hoffen”               

Alto, tenor, solo bassoon, continuo

YouTube: (+1.55 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEn4BSqTv3w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_ym1GImYhs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoMsrOyfFMo

CD:http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=7610

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=224880

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=603158

 

BWV 160 Ich weiss, dass mein Erlöser lebt"

See Telemann TWV 1:875

 

BWV 173a Durchlauchster Leopold.  #7 “Dein Name gleich der Sonnen geh”                        

Bass, cello+bassoon, continuo

CD DOR-90199 Les violons du Roy track 7.

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=899934

 

BWV 177  Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ.

#3 "Verleih, dass ich aus Herzensgrund" *

Soprano, oboe da caccia, continuo

YouTube: (Milan Turkovic)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lArYxA5zOk0&feature=PlayList&p=789206A943D0F3D6&playnext=1&index=2

#4 “Lass mich kein Lust noch Furcht”                          

Tenor, solo violin, solo bassoon, continuo

YouTube: (Milan Turkovic)                       

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it-0pPWPzLc

 

BWV 178   Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält

"Sie stellen uns wie Ketzern nach" *

Tenor, 2 oboes d’amore, continuo

YouTube: (+3.30 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwxFE6dRAQI&feature=related

 

BWV 179 Siehe zu, dass deine Gottesfurcht  #5 “Liebster Gott erbarme dich” *

Soprano, 2 oboes da caccia, continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLQ0EOY-eg0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iNdh3oUZ2g

 

BWV 194 Höchsterwünschstes Freudenfest  "O wie wohl ist uns geschehen" *

Soprano, bass, 2 oboes, continuo

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2NWWUVIUsc&feature=related

 

BWV 197   Gott ist unsre Zuversicht   #6 “O du angenehmes Paar” *              

Bass, oboe, strings, fagotto obbligato, continuo

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eVh8ofiHMw&feature=related

 

BWV 202  Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten 

#3 “Phoebus eilt mit schnellen Pferden” soprano, continuo *

#7 ”Sich üben im Lieben” soprano, oboe, continuo *

CD Corona Classic 0001312CCC Schreier, track 8   

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=770118

CD Naxos 8.550431 Istropolitana, tracks 11, 15.

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=2021

CD Berlin Classics, Gewandhaus, tracks 8, 12

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=740827

YouTube: (Sich üben)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsQ6eGX7uqc&feature=fvw

 

BWV 208 Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntere Jagd 

#7 “Ein Furst ist seines Landes Pan!” *

YouTube: (+2.50 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_KKnStxRl8

 

Collected volume of parts from the cantatas:

“Bach Cantatas for Bassoon” compiled by Kevin Hall of Fort Worth, Texas

nivekh@sbcglobal.net brings together the specific bassoon parts with

some of the continuo parts in which bassoon can be used.

The publication is available from TrevCoMusic@msn.com

http://www.trevcomusic.com/

 

Masses, Passions, Oratorios

BWV 232 H moll Messe,  B minor Mass

“Quoniam tu solus sanctus”

Bass, horn, two bassoons, continuo

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh25TgT0LYo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eytB4RnUVr8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZLSMl_As8I&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nYEPIOJPDs

*"Et in spiritum sanctum" 

 

BWV  246 St Luke Passion (authorship doubtful)

#39, “Den Fels hat Moses’ Stab geschlagen”,

Tenor, oboe, bassoon, strings, continuo.              

#50, “Das Lamm verstummt vor seinem Scherer”

Tenor, 2 oboes, bassoon, strings, continuo.

CD CPO 999 293-2 Helbich, Bremen CD1, track 47, CD2, track 20

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Apocryphal-Passion-BWV-246-Anh-II/dp/B000001RYV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1269769106&sr=1-1

 

BWV 245 St John Passion

Part 1 “Von den Stricken meiner Sünden” *

Alto, 2 oboes, continuo.

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpoLEPMJH2Y&feature=related (+0.40 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni3_a8o8vks&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuP5ER8CXt0  (+5.50 min)

Part 2 “Zerfliesse mein Herze” *

Soprano, flute, oboe da caccia, continuo

CD Haenssler CD92.075, Rilling, CD1 track 7, CD2, track 9.

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=7908
YouTube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dgM_U-oD97I&feature=related

 

BWV  248 Weihnachtsoratorium, Christmas Oratorio

Part 1,“Er ist auf Erde kommen arm” *

Soprano, bass, 2 oboes d’amore, bassoon               

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NGpLMWPZtg

Part 5, “Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen” *

Bass, oboe d’amore, continuo

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImG3E1VKhwU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw6zNTIlGYo (+10.40 min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1zhSmCMcbo (+10.30 min)

Part 6, “Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde schrecken” *

Tenor, 2 oboes d’amore, cello+bassoon

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcF_WQFlDNk

CD Naxos  8.550428-30 CD1, track 7; CD3, tracks 5 & 20.                                     

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=2020

CD COR 16017 The sixteen, CD1, track 7, CD2 track 27.

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=5949

 

Fragments, pastiches

Wer ist der, so von Edom kömmt, Passionskantate includes BWV1088

(Pasticcio with movements by Graun, Telemann, Kuhnau, Altnikol, and JS Bach.)

 #20 Recit “So heb ich denn mein Auge sehnlich auf” BWV 1088

Bass, fagotto 1, fagotto 2, continuo,

Bärenreiter, BA 5096, 2000. pp 125-6.

CD 92.073, Rilling, Hänssler Verlag, 1995/99. track 15

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=7906#

This work also includes

#32, “Mich entseelt ein banger Schrekken” (attr. Carl Heinrich Graun)

Tenor, bassono solo, strings, continuo.

Both arias are recorded in Passions-Pasticcio, Rheinische Kantorei, Max

CDS 7 54244 2, CD 1 track 20, CD 2 track 8.

Both arias published in the Passionskantate (Pasticcio)

“Wer ist der, so von Edom kömmt”

Friedrich Hofmeister Verlag, Leipzig, pp 126-128, 166-170.

 

The Zippelfagottist anecdote, or the Geyersbach affair

In Arnstadt in 1705, when Bach was 20 years old, authorities investigated a dispute between Bach and a bassoon player called Geyersbach. A duel was apparently threatened when Bach called Geyersbach a “Zippelfagottist”, which has often been translated as “nanny goat bassoonist” or “greenhorn bassoonist”. However, in the slang German of that time Bach probably intended to call him a “prick of a bassoon player”. Geyersbach responded with: “he who insults me, insults my bassoon” and was apparently sufficiently annoyed to call Bach a “Hundsfott”, which refers to the genitals of a bitch.  Bach apparently drew his sword to defend himself, but a duel was avoided. Authorities in Arnstadt were apparently not impressed with either of them.

See Botwinick S. Newsletter of the American Bach Society, Fall 2005 #4, 8-9. Marshal Robert W “Towards a twenty-first century Bach biography”  Musical Quarterly 2000; 84:497-525