Cantata Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott - Bach

Question 1

Ein feste burg - Context?

Answer 1

> Late Baroque
Ein feste burg ist Unser gott = a mighty fortress is our god
Composed for Lutheran reformation day celebrations
Performed before sermon and reflected topic of the day (Revelations)
Cantata - means sung - extended multi-movement piece - soloist, chorus, duets , accompanied by small orchestra and continuo + chorale for congregation to sing
Text for Mvt 1,2+8 - Lutheran Hymn ‘A Stronghold For Sure’ rest of text poems by Franck

Question 2

Ein feste Burg - Instrumental forces

Answer 2

Mvt 1
>STAB chorus, 3 oboes, violin 1+2, viola, cello + violone (like double bass) + continuo (organ + cembalo (harpsichord))
>Violins + viola double SAT line + Cello shadows Bass line elaborate heterophony

Mvt 2
>Vocal duet for S+B - Sop doubled by oboe in heterophony
>Violins + Violas provide an obbligato line (essential independent melody line)
>Bach cantata no.140 Wachet auf - bass and sop duet

Mvt8
>Chorale STAB - each part doubled by an instrument - S+A by oboe and violins , T - Viola and tallie(oboe) and B - by continuo instruments

Question 3

Ein Feste Burg - Notation

Answer 3

No dynamics - typical baroque

Harmonic content indicated by figured bass - Thy hand Belinda - Purcell

Various forms of traditional stave notion
-Mvt 1
>stave for each vocal + instrument- cello and cembalo share and then violone and organ

-Mvt 2
>violins + violas share

-Mvt 8
>open score

Question 4

Ein Feste Burg - Tempo, metre and rhythm ?

Answer 4

> No tempo indications - rely on time signatures

> Mvt 1 - cut common time - indicates brisk pace

> Mvt’s 2+8 - 4/4

> Mvt 2 - motto perpetuo - semi quavers + walking bass quavers in + florid shorter values in vocal line

Mvt 8 - moderate tempo for congregation- flowing quavers in bass parts - pauses at cadences + significant note lengthening

Question 5

Ein Feste Burg - Melody ?

Answer 5

> Luthers chorale provides melodic basis

> Mvt 1

• loose variation of melody in vocal parts
• oboes in canon with violone
• sequence cello bar 1
• chromaticism 97 - 99 + word painting - devil
• extended melisma in choral writing

> Mvt 2

• heavy ornamentation
• extended melisma in bass solo
• angular almost instrumental writing for bass in the counter melody

> Mvt 8

• powerful repeated notes
• mainly conjunct
• forceful descending scale end of 1st phrase + final phrase
• only one not outside D major - G#

Question 6

Ein feste burg - Harmony ?

Answer 6

> Functional harmony

• clear cadences
• Pedal points
• Suspensions - 4/3+7/6+9/8
• triad with added 7ths in various inversions
• dissonance - free moving lines and passing notes
• diminished 7th chords

Question 7

Ein feste burg - tonality?

Answer 7

Mvt1 
- tonic D major - of major structural importance
- variety:
.E minor bar 63 
.B minor 65
.F# minor 67
.A major 90

Mvt 2 
>mainly D major
>does modulate:
. A major 27 
.B minor 46 

Mvt 8 
>Mainly D 
>Modulates:
.A major 5
.E minor 10

Question 8

Ein feste Burg - Structure?

Answer 8

Mvt 1
>each phrase in Turin fugal canonic treatment

Mvt 2
>Ritornello form - recurring theme (upper strings)

Mvt 8
>9 line chorale - constant repetitions

Question 9

Ein feste Burg - Texture?

Answer 9

Mvt 1
> no instrumental prelude
>contrapuntal - imitative fugal canonic treatment
>heterophony in cello bar 20 - elaborate imitation of bass line

Mvt 2
>contrapuntal with ritornello theme (upper strings) supported by a walking bass
>heterophony between embellished sop line and oboe

Mvt 8
>Homophonic - though lower parts are rhythmically independent

Question 10

Ein feste burg - wider listening

Answer 10

> Bach Canta No.140 Wachet Auf

• sop and bass duet - heterophony , heavy ornamentation in vocals and violin , imitation
• chorale = Gloria se dir gesungen = cadences + long pauses

> Bach tocata and fugue

> Handels Messiah for religious nature