Ein feste Burg

Question 1

Johann Sebastion Bach

Answer 1

1685 - 1750 (Baroque period)

Question 2

When did Bach move to Leipzig? Why?

Answer 2

1723, he took up the position of Cantor of St Thomas Church (Thomaskirche)

Question 3

Which well renowned works did he compose while in Leipzig?

Answer 3

St Matthew and St John Passions and of course a vast quantity of cantatas

Question 4

What is a cantata?

Answer 4

A vocal composition with instrumental accompaniment and comprises many movements.

They became associated with the Lutheran Church in Germany during the baroque period.

Question 5

Give key facts Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott

Answer 5

• Consists of 8 movements
• Church cantata
• Both the text and music are based on a Lutheran hymn
• Composed by him while he was in Leipzig
• Based on Martin Luther’s hymn of the same name
• It uses a cantus firmus (fixed song or a pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition)

Question 6

When was the Ein feste Burg composed?

Answer 6

The exact date of composition is largely unknown however it is known that is was written for Reformation Day, celebrated on 31st October.

This Cantata was first performed between 1727 ad 1731.

Question 7

Describe the Texture in the first movement

Answer 7

• The texture is highly contrapuntal and written in a fugal style
• At the start of the movement there are fugal entries which are presented in a layered manner building up from tenor -> alto -> soprano and then bass.
• Its presented by the subject in the tenor (bars 1-3)
• Answer in the soprano (bar 6)
• The countersubject in bar 4 tenor (ein gute Wehr)

Question 8

Describe the Melody in the first movement

Answer 8

• The cantata uses a cantus firmus (pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition)
• The cantata is based on the bars 1-2 of Luther’s hymn tune composed in 1529
• Very closely related to the first phrase of the chorale from the eighth movement of the cantata just with an altered rhythm and added passing notes.
• The melody starts with repeated tonic notes in the key of D major before falling a 4th to the dominant and then rising back to the tonic.
• The theme is transposed down a 4th to provide an answer to the subject
• some ascending sequences (e.g bar 11 violin 1)
• Much of the melody is diatonic but with some chromaticism (e.g bar 99)
• SATB covers a wide range

Question 9

Describe the Tempo, metre and rhythm of the first movement

Answer 9

• The metre is 4/2 and is simple quadruple time
• The rhythms vary from semibreves through to quavers
• Melismatic passages contain continuous quavers (e.g bar 22-24)
• Tied notes occur in the main theme to give a forward drive to the music

Question 10

Describe the texture of the second movement

Answer 10

• Orchestral introduction and postlude have a melody- dominated homophony with the upper strings playing a semiquaver triadic line whilst the lower string accompany with quaver offbeat octave leaps and a walking bass
• The soprano and bass parts enter to form a highly contrapuntal texture, with the soprano singing a variation of the cantus firmus and the bas singing an ornate melody.
• The soprano and oboe often create a heterophonic texture.
• Long melismatic passages. (e.g solo bass part in second movement bars 9-10)

Question 11

Describe the texture of the 8th movement

Answer 11

• Typically of a chorale, the texture is homophonic and chordal

Question 12

Describe the Melody of the second movement

Answer 12

• Soprano soloist sings an ornamented version of the chorale melody
• Much of the soloists’ lines are scalic

- The bass line is highly scalic with melismatic running semiquavers and is considerably more ornate than the soprano melody
D Sequences (e.g descending sequence in bar 19 in continuo)

• Trills occur for oboes and soprano in bar 26

Question 13

Describe the Melody of the 8th movement

Answer 13

The melody bears most resemblance of that of Luther’s original hymn tune.

• The melody is conjunct and diatonic (typical of a hymn tune, with only very occasional small leaps)
• Reasonably narrow range of the SATB choir

Question 14

Describe the tempo, metre and rhythm in the second movement

Answer 14

• The metre is common time (4/4)
• Moto perpetuo semiquavers used in the opening
• Mainly semiquavers for the bass soloist
• Intricate decorative passagework includes demisemiquavers, dotted rhythms and syncopations

Question 15

Describe the tempo, metre and rhythm in the 8th movement

Answer 15

• The metre is common time
• starts with an anacrusis
• Typical of chorales, pauses are present at the end of each phrase where the cadence occurs and this halts the tempo

Question 16

Describe the structure of the first movement

Answer 16

• takes each phrase in turn and presents it first in a fugal way in the vocal parts before rounding it off with a canonic version for oboes and violone

Question 17

Describe the structure of the second movement

Answer 17

• Uses ritornello form i.e. a theme that recurs at various points throughout the movement (upper strings), sometimes touching on different keys.
• Imposed on this scheme are statements of the chorale (soprano) with a different parallel text in the bass

Question 18

Describe the structure of the eighth movement

Answer 18

• nine-line chorale with repetitions (e.g phrase 4 uses the same music as phrase 2, and phrase 9 has the same melodic line)

Question 19

Tonality in movement 1

Answer 19

• The chorale dominates throughout, meaning that the chorale’s key (D major) is of major structural importance
• Others keys are used for variety (e.g. bars 63-64 E minor)

Question 20

Tonality in movement 2

Answer 20

• Also in D major

- there are again modulations to closely related keys (e.g A major in bar 27)

Question 21

Tonality in movement 8

Answer 21

• provides insights into Bach’s ingenious handling of a theme that could have been largely harmonised

Question 22

Harmony

Answer 22

• clearly defined cadences
• Triads and 7ths in various positions
• Suspensions (e.g. 4-3 suspension in movement 8 bar 2.)
• Dissonances arising from freely moving lines and passing notes
• Diminished 7ths (e.g. movement 1, bar 71)