Lot 7: BACH, JOHANN SEBASTIAN

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THE LOST MANUSCRIPT OF THE TRANSPOSED CONTINUO PART OF THE CANTATA 'ES IS EIN TROTZIG UND VERZAGT DING', BWV 176, FROM THE ORIGINAL SET OF PERFORMING MATERIALS FOR THE PREMIERE IN LEIPZIG ON 27 MAY 1725,

BACH, JOHANN SEBASTIAN.

in the hand of an unidentified copyist (Anon. I Id), extensively and thoroughly revised and annotated by Johann Sebastian Bach, including the addition of continuo figuring throughout, phrase and expression marks, tempo and dynamic indications (some evidently added at a later date), pauses, corrections to notes, at least one movement cue and Bach's personal motto at the end ("Fine S[oli]D[eo] G[loria]"); notated in brown ink, on twelve-stave paper, with (incorrect) note of authenticity at the foot of the final page: "Handschrift von Joh: Sebast. Bach Zeuge dessen F.W. Jähns, Königl Preuss: Musikdirektor"

4 pages, large folio, (32.5 x 21.5cms), Leipzig, shortly before 27 May 1725; paper strengthened at right-hand edge, a little paper-loss through ink deterioration, otherwise in good condition

NOTE

This is an important Bach rediscovery. The manuscript was last recorded as being auctioned by Otto Haas in London in 1935. It was formerly in the possession of Edward Speyer, the friend of Elgar, who died in 1934. The manuscript was not available for scrutiny by scholars and appears as among the 'lost' sources in the Neue Bach Ausgabe (I/15, 1965) and in the Kritischer Bericht (1968). Other original parts for this cantata, formerly in the possession of Bach's eldest son Wilhelm Friedmann Bach, were sold in these rooms on 11 November 1982 (Lot 6). Those parts included three untransposed continuo parts, none of which had figuring in Bach's hand, though they (and most of the other parts) had been reviewed by the composer. The autograph full score (which was once owned by Bach's second son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach), survives in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Mus. Ms. Bach P 81.

There are a number of extremely interesting features about this new manuscript. First, the extent of Bach's work on the manuscript: Bach's annotations are present in practically every bar. While he often added his own personal motto at the end of the full scores of his cantatas, it is very unusual for him to do this at the foot of the separate parts. Perhaps its inclusion reflects the amount of work Bach himself devoted to this instrumental part. Secondly, uniquely, this part has the word "Coro" at the head of the manuscript (This is not present in the autograph full score). This word does not appear to be in either Bach's or the copyist's hand.

The cantata was performed at least once later in Bach's career in Leipzig: there are markings in his later hand on this manuscript, notably the piano and forte marks. The other instrumental parts contain similar annotations.

Es ist ein trotzig und verzagt Ding was composed for Trinity Sunday 1725. It is scored for four-part chorus, two oboes, oboe da caccia, strings and bass. It is in six movements, an opening chorus, two recitatives, two arias and chorale.

We should like to acknowledge the assistance of Dr Peter Wollny in the cataloguing of this manuscript.