The Cantata Trail

A listening journey through Bach's vocal music

Advocating for his artistry

Geschwinde, ihr wirbelnden Winde
BWV 201

This great man would be the admiration of whole nations if he had more amenity,
and if he did not deprive his pieces of naturalness through a bombastic and confused substance,
and obscure their beauty through too much art.

Johann Adolph Scheibe, 1737

Given how we now see him as representing the peak of the high baroque, it may come as a surprise that Bach’s music was criticized at several points during his life. As a young composer, during his Arnstadt years, the church authorities lamented that Bach’s organ playing was “confusing to the congregation”. After his death, even his sons literally and metaphorically filed away the old man’s material under lock and key and moved on from it, evolving into musical styles that were quickly becoming fashionable and quite departed from the learned and sophisticated architectures that characterize Bach’s masterpieces.

In this secular cantata, according to Dürr, Bach is “campaigning against the ignorant attitude that rests content with a light diet.” The cantata has been dated to 1729, and there are references to additional performances in the late 1730s and 1749 – all timeframes which can be connected to events that criticize Bach’s music directly or even musical education in general.

The libretto of the cantata is a spin on the Greek myth of the musical contest between Phoebus (aka Apollo) and Pan, as narrated by Ovid in his Metamorphoses and then picked up by Picander. Presumably in close collaboration with Bach, Picander made some significant alterations to Ovid’s tale. Tmolus, god of the mountain, sides with Phoebus in the contest, and King Midas (of golden touch fame) roots for Pan. Instead of performing on their characteristic instruments (cithara and pan-flute respectively), Bach’s setting has Phoebus accompanied by flute, oboe and strings, while Pan receives a much simpler treatement of unison strings. Could this be driving the message of sophistication versus simplicity? Phoebus wins the contest, and Midas, who had voted for Pan, gets donkey ears.

Picander also adds two characters not in Ovid’s version of the myth – Momus, god of satire, and Mercury, god of merchants – the latter representing the Leipzig bourgeoisie who, in order to drive Bach’s point home, Picander portrays as siding with Phoebus in the contest.

So, in all, there are six characters – Momus (soprano), Mercury (alto), Tmolus and Midas (tenors), and the two contestants, Phoebus and Pan (basses). The rich orchestration calls for 3 trumpets, timpani, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, strings and basso continuo, probably made possible by performing the cantata with musicians associated with the Leipzig Collegium Musicum.

Before diving into the narrative, the cantata opens with a “prologue” of sorts – a magnificent choir in 6 parts with the whole band, urging the “whirling winds” to retreat to their cave so that the music can please Echo. The runs of sixteenth note triplets in all instrument groups, even in the basso continuo, illustrate the winds very effectively. In section B, the triplets stop, driving the point of the text.

The plot starts in the second movement, a recitative in which Phoebus and Pan are arguing over their respective talents. Pan describes his flute and mentions how the Nymphs like it – to which Phoebus retorts that while Nymphs could be impressed, it is not enough to please the gods. Pan goes on to describe the effect of his song on Nature, only to be interrupted by Momus who mocks him in the next aria (“It’s just wind!”). It’s interesting how this mocking aria is set to just voice and continuo – but what a bass line! With its jumps, staccatos and trills it sounds just like it’s joining Momus in her mocking.

In the next recitative, Mercury intervenes and proposes a contest, suggesting that each contestant chooses a judge. Phoebus chooses Tmolus and Pan, Midas.

The next movement is Phoebus’ aria, lavishly scored for flute, oboe d’amore and muted strings, expressely marked “Largo” in the score. It’s a mourning song for Hyacinth, who had been killed by Zephyrus out of jealousy. Bach displays all of his artistry, utilizing upward leaps of sixths and sevenths, grace notes and trills, the soft sonority of the wind instruments and strings, all creating this beautiful lament in a great display of artistic emotion.

In a short recitative, Momus then invites Pan to sing. Pan’s aria is completely different from Phoebus’ – much more rustic and dance-like, scored just for violins in unison, voice and continuo. The text references dancing and jumping, and Bach sets it to a rhythmic and catchy tune, with leaping and repeated notes that seem to be a response to the earlier mocking that Pan had been object of. In section B, in a radical change of character, the text criticizes music that “sounds too difficult”, musically illustrated by long notes, chromaticism and slow-resolving dissonances, which will all be dismissed as the aria goes “da-capo” to the opening tune. In doing this, Picander and Bach take the position of their critics in order to set them up to lose the contest.

In a recitative, Mercury prompts the judges to come forward. Tmolus expresses his preference for Phoebus, and follows with an aria set as a trio for the voice, oboe d’amore and basso continuo, which includes canonic imitations when the text mentions “understanding the art”.

Pan then calls on Midas to chime in. Midas states his vote for Pan, using words to describe Phoebus’ singing like the ones Bach had heard about his own music – “too colorful” or “too ornate”, instead of being “easy” and “without effort”. His aria is similar to Pan’s earlier one, accompanied by unison violins, with a jumpy and agile theme. It’s filled with obvious references to the donkey ears that he’s about to earn: the opening note of the tenor phrase that resembles braying (on the word “Pan”), and the long note on “Ohren” (ears) during which the strings get their turn to bray.

In shocked reaction, Momus, Mercury and Tmolus express their disconcert with Midas’ verdict. Phoebus punishes Midas by giving him donkey ears, and Pan and Midas lament the outcome of the whole episode.

Mercury’s delightful aria, accompanied by two flutes and continuo, delivers a reflection whose text can also be seen through the lens of Bach’s reaction – “Whoever does not understand sailing…”. A reference to the “dunce’s cap” (“Schellenmütze”) set to rapidly alternating notes continues to mock the poor king.

Momus takes the floor in seriousness, for a change, to deliver the final statement in a recitative accompanied by the strings. We can almost hear Bach himself when she says, “Both ignorance and lack of reason / now wish to be peers to wisdom”.

The cantata closes with another 6-part chorus accompanied by the full orchestra, which Dürr describes as “an enthusiastic hymn to music”. It’s set to verses that encourage “art and delight” to harmonize and please the gods.

The Judgment of Midas
Jan van den Hoecke (1640)

Maria Cristina Kiehr, soprano (Momus)
Andreas Scholl, alto (Mercurius)
James Taylor, tenor (Tmolus)
Kurt Azesberger, tenor (Midas)
Roman Trekel, baritone (Phoebus)
Peter Lika, bass (Pan)
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
RIAS-Kammerchor
René Jacobs