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Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681 - 1767): "Französischer Jahrgang 1714/15 - Complete Cantatas Vol. 1"
Julie Grutzkab, Elisabeth Scholla, soprano;
Larissa Botosb, Rebekka Stolza, contralto;
Fabian Kelly, tenor;
Hans Christoph Begemannb, Julian Dominique Clementa, bass
Gutenberg Soloists; Neumeyer Consort
Dir: Felix Koch
rec: Dec 7 - 10, 2020a, April 13 - 16, 2021b, Kaiserslautern, Studio SWR
CPO - 555 436-2 (© 2021) (2.13'43")
Liner-notes: E/D; lyrics - translations: E
Cover & track-list
Scores
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Ach, sollte doch die ganze Welt (TWV 1,32)a;
Christus hat einmal für die Sünde gelitten (TWV 1,140)b;
Der Herr verstößet nicht ewiglich (TWV 1,288)a;
Gott schweige doch nicht also (TWV 1,678)b;
Herr, wie lange wilt du mein so gar vergessen (TWV 1,777)b;
Ich werfe mich zu deinen Füßen (TWV 1,882)a;
Jesu, meine Freude (TWV 1,966)a;
Muß nicht der Mensch immer in Streit sein (TWV 1,1146)b;
Valet will ich dir geben (TWV 1,1458)a
Wer ist der, so von Edom kömmt (TWV 1,1585)b
Although I have not checked it, it seems to me that most recordings of sacred cantatas by Telemann focus on those he composed during his time in Hamburg (from 1721 until his death). That is understandable as there he worked for most of his life. However, his earlier output is just as interesting, as the first instalment of a project concerning the recording of the complete cantata cycle 1714/15 shows. At that time he worked in Frankfurt am Main, where in 1712 he had been appointed city director of music and Kapellmeister at the Barfüsserkirche, the city's main Protestant church, and since 1718 also at the St. Katharinenkirche.
The so-called Französischer Jahrgang comprises 72 cantatas for all the Sundays and feastdays of the ecclesiastical year 1714/15. They were written for performances in Frankfurt as well as in Eisenach. There he had worked from 1708 to 1712, but when he left for Frankfurt, the connections to Eisenach were kept alive. In 1716 he visited Eisenach and in 1717 he was appointed composer von Haus aus, which means that he delivered each two years a cyle of cantatas and other music to the Eisenach court; this lasted until 1730. The French cantata cycle may well have been performed in Eisenach as well.
Two features are important to mention. The first is that all librettos are from the pen of one author: Erdmann Neumeister, who published several collections of cantata texts in the course of his life. The texts for this particular cycle are taken from Geistliche Poesien, mit untermischten Biblischen Sprüchen und Choralen, published in 1714. The second feature concerns the name given to this cycle (it is not entirely clear whether it comes from Telemann himself or was given to it by scholars). It is well-known that Telemann was a great admirer of the French style, which he preferred to the Italian style. He was one of the most prolific composers of orchestral suites or overtures, which were rooted in French opera. Even his concertos did "smell of France", as he himself stated. In this cycle of cantatas he makes regularly use of elements that are hallmarks of the French style. One of them is that the sections of the cantatas follow the model of a suite in that they are almost always in the same key. That is in contrast to the Italian cantata, where composers liked to use different keys, as we also find them in Bach's church cantatas. This also explains that many sections, whether choruses or arias, are based on French dances, such as allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue. Notable is also the way he treats the recitatives, which include frequent meter changes and are often interspersed by episodes of a more lyrical nature, in particular ariosos. The choruses also often include episodes for one or more solo voices. Moreover, Telemann regularly turns to the form of the rondeau, used as a kind of refrain.
Let's have a look at each of the cantatas included here, in the order of their appearance in this production (which is rather odd - more about that at the end of this review).
Jesu, meine Freude is intended for the 20th Sunday after Trinity. The Gospel of the day is from Matthew 22, where Jesus tells the parable of the royal wedding feast. The hymn is well suited for this occasion, as the first stanza refers to Jesus as the bridegroom. This cantata could be considered a chorale cantata, as the hymn is the core of this work. However, Neumeister treats it with considerable freedom. Only the first stanza is used, which is split up in three different sections. The opening section is a sequence of chorale, accompagnato and aria. Telemann set the first Stollen (lines 1 to 3) for the tutti, the accompagnato and aria for bass. The text urges to do away with all earthly pleasures, which refers to the fourth stanza of the chorale ("Weg mit allen Schätzen"). The second section opens with the second Stollen (lines 4 to 6), again scored for the tutti, after which the soprano in an aria expresses a longing for Jesus, linking up with the second Stollen ("Ach, wie lang, ach lange ist dem Herzen bange und verlangt nach dir!"). The second line of the aria - "Knock on his heart" - is depicted by repeated notes in the recorders. There is extended coloratura on the word "umfangen" (embrace [my bridegroom]). The Abgesang of the chorale is then sung by the tutti. It is followed by a chorus in the form of a motet on verses from Psalm 73; it is scored for double choir and closes with a fugue. A recitative for alto leads to an aria for bass, in which the orchestra from start to finish imitates the sound of a clock, depicting the phrase "Schlage bald, gewünschte Stunde" (strike soon, desired hour). The cantata closes with the last stanza of the chorale Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern.
The Gospel for the 19th Sunday after Trinity was from Matthew 9, which tells about Jesus's healing of a man sick of the palsy. In Ich werfe mich zu deinen Füßen, the palsy is used metaphorically for the sinful state of mankind. The tenor is summed up at the start of the first section, marked affettuoso: "I throw myself at your feet, my Jesus. Ah, have mercy!" In the orchestral accompaniment a descending figure returns regularly. Both this and the second aria, scored for tenor (separated by a recitative for alto) omit a dacapo. The heart of this cantata is a chorus, again in the form of a motet, on verses from Psalm 103. It is scored for four voices, but has the traces of a double choir, due to the independent phrases of the orchestra, taking the role of a second choir. The ensuing recitative for bass refers to Jesus's words in Matthew 11: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.". The cantata closes with two chorales: first the sixth stanza of Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt, then two stanzas from Wo soll ich fliehen hin, interestingly the same chorale on which Bach's cantata of the same title (BWV 5; also for this Sunday) is based, and which closes with the same stanza as Telemann's cantata: "Führ auch mein Herz und Sinn".
Valet will ich dir geben is a cantata for the 17th Sunday after Trinity. The text shows no specific connection with the Gospel of the day, which is from Luke 14, which tells about the healing of a man with dropsy on Sabbath and a call for modesty. The tenor is expressed in the first lines of the chorale that opens the cantata: "Farewell I want to bid you, you evil false world". The lines of the chorale are interrupted by madrigalian texts which are sung by alto, tenor and bass respectively, in the form of accompagnati. It is followed by an aria for soprano, in which the word "falsch" ([for the world is much too] false) is depicted by a false chord, which is repeated a few times, played forte, in order to emphasize it. The much shorter bass aria is notable for its obbligato organ part. After a short recitative for soprano, the cantata closes with a chorus, in which each second line is repeated by the sopranos.
Der Herr verstößet nicht ewiglich is intended for the 21st Sunday after Trinity. The Gospel of the day - from John 4 - is about Jesus' healing of the son of a courtier: the latter shows his faith when Jesus says that his son is well already. The cantata is about the need to have faith, as is expressed in the bass aria, which precedes the closing chorale: "Being quiet and hoping in faith make God's heart open, so that it grants every wish that our heart desires". The opening chorus is a motet about three verses from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, which are divided into three sections: "The Lord does not cast forever / But he feels sorrow and again shows mercy in keeping with his great kindness / For he does not from the heart plague and torment us men". The first section is a fugue, in which Telemann makes use of the medieval hoquetus technique, undoubtedly with the aim of depicting the word "verstößet" - literally: "bumps away". In the second section, scored for soprano, alto and tenor, the strings illustrate the sorrow by playing tremoli. The third section is another fugue. The ensuing aria for soprano has an uplifting character, marked contentivole: "Trust in God's kindness, which he cannot refuse". Then follows a stanza from the hymn Nun lasst uns Gott dem Herren. The following long recitative is a specimen of the French style. It is divided into three sections. Each is scored for one voice - bass, tenor and alto respectively - and each ends with the last line from the preceding chorale, sung by the choir, in the way of a French rondeau. The bass aria, mentioned above, and a chorale, the opening stanza of Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, close the cantata.
Ach, sollte doch die ganze Welt is for the 18th Sunday after Trinity. The influence of the French style manifests itself in the opening section of this cantata. It is marked 'aria', but in fact it is a French overture, in which Telemann has inserted an accompagnato for tenor: "Ah, if only the whole world would have the true faith!" The Gospel of the day is an episode from Matthew 22, in which Jesus debates with the Sadducees and Pharisees. The alto aria emphasizes the importance of faith: "It is better to be without money and goods than to know no faith". In the ensuing recitative man is compared with animals: the latter are without the gift of reason, but are better off than man who, without the faith, has to face the Last Judgement. The bass aria has the form of a quartet: the singer is accompanied by two violins and basso continuo. The following recitative for tenor specifically refers to Sadducees and Pharisees, who believe, but not the right way: "Not every faith suffices (...) He who measures his faith merely by his own fancy, not by God's word as the true standard, is far removed from faith". An aria for soprano, full of coloratura, is a song of praise for the gift of faith. The cantata closes with the fourth stanza of the hymn Ich dank dir lieber Herre.
The cantatas discussed so far are on the first disc of the physical production. The remaining cantatas (in the physical production CD 2) are written for Lent, the period of forty days leading to Easter. However, the first, Christus hat einmal für die Sünde gelitten, is for Sunday Estomihi, the last Sunday before Lent. The Gospel of the day is from Luke 18, and tells about Jesus's going to Jerusalem, accompanied by his disciples, to suffer and be crucified. The tenor of this cantata is expressed by the hymn which is at its centre: Jesu, meines Lebens Leben, in which the faithful thank Jesus for his Passion. The last lines of stanzas 1 to 7 are the same: "Thanks be to you for this, dearest Jesus, a thousand, thousand times". These lines are used as a refrain, as each of the three recitatives close with them, much in the way of a rondeau, as was the case in Der Herr verstößet nicht ewiglich. Jesus' Passion is treated here as a past event; the opening chorus is a dictum, taken from the first letter of Peter (ch 3, vs 18): "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." The three arias are in G major - according to Johann Mattheson this key was suitable for both serious and cheerful things. They are all based on a French dance: the tenor aria is a sarabande, the bass aria a rigaudon and the soprano aria a pastorale. The bass aria has a belligerent character, as it refers to the devil: "Henceforth heaven is mine. Devil, hell belongs to you". In the soprano aria harmonic means are used to single out the word "sterbe" ([when I] die, [I do not die]). The cantata closes with the last stanza of the above-mentioned hymn, the only one which has a different ending: "For your suffering and profound agony I will always be thankful".
Muss nicht der Mensch immer im Streit sein is for Sunday Invocavit, the first Sunday in Lent - that was on 10 March in 1715. The tone of this cantata is very different from that of the previous one. It opens with a tumultuous chorus in fugal form on a text from Job 7: "Must man not always be in strife on earth?" One is reminded here of the stile concitato, which since the days of Monteverdi has been used so often for pieces about war and conflict. This cantata is about the misery of mankind ("Miserable are the children of man, miserable, for they are called sinners" - aria for tenor) and the role of the devil as God's adversary. This is the link with the Gospel of the day, from Matthew 4, vs 1-11, which tells that Jesus is tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Jesus beats him with the Word of God: "God's Word is for the devil like a murder. This sword is a proven weapon for every type of battle", as the bass sings in his aria. Again the latter has a belligerent character. The cantata ends fittingly with a stanza from Luther's Vater unser im Himmelreich: "Do not, Lord, lead us in temptation, when the evil spirit fights with us".
The second Sunday of Lent is Sunday Reminiscere. For this day Telemann composed Herr, wie lange willst du mein so gar vergessen, which opens with a chorus on the first verses of Psalm 13: "Lord, how long will you so entirely forget me?". The cantata is in the key of E minor, which Mattheson connected with grief and sadness. The character of this cantata shows the strong influence of the French style; Karl Böhmer, in his liner-notes, sees a reflection of the French grand motet in the opening chorus. The Gospel of the day is from Matthew 15 (vs 21-28), which tells about a Canaanite woman who asks Jesus for help as her daughter is possessed by a demon. The connection with the cantata is indirect as it is about the tribulations of life and the need for God's help. It includes three dialogues, in which one of the participants complaints, and the other tries to cheer him up. The first is a long recitative of tenor and bass: "Ah! Then God has forgotten his merciful nature? / No, no. The grace of God will remain as long as he is God". The tenor sings to an accompagnato of the strings, the bass part has the form of a secco recitative. The section ends with the choir's singing the first two lines of 'Wer hofft in Gott und dem vertraut', the seventh stanza of the hymn Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt. The second duet is between soprano and bass: "I must sigh! I must lament! / God hears laments and sighs". Then the key changes from E minor to E major, with a chorale, a recitative of tenor and bass and a duet of alto and tenor; in this duet the two participants agree that God "truly makes all things good". The choir joins in at the last lines.
Gott schweige doch nicht also is a cantata for Sunday Judica, the fifth Sunday of Lent. The Gospel of the day is from John 8, vs 46-59, which is a debate between Jesus and those who refuse to believe in him. At the end the latter "picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds." This may be the reason that the cantata is about the persecution of the faithful, as expressed in the chorale 'Sie stellen uns wie Ketzern nach', the fourth stanza of the hymn Wo Gott, der Herr, nicht bei uns hält: "They pursue us like heretics and thirst for our blood". The cantata opens with a brilliant orchestral piece in French style, in which a tenor solo is inserted; he urges God not to be silent with the opening verses of Psalm 83: "For, behold, your enemies rage, and those who hate you lift up their heads". He is joined at the end by the choir, and the image of lifting up the heads is musically depicted. Böhmer connects this piece with an operatic thunderstorm, and the bass aria with a tempête in French operas. The latter refers to the devil again, who is called here the dragon, inciting other serpents. The cantata ends with a chorus in the form of a courante en rondeau: "Let us suffer with Christ. No Christian is without suffering".
The last cantata may be the best-known of this recording; at least the opening chorus is, as it was used for the Passion pasticcio Wer ist der, so von Edom kömmt. This cantata was written for Palm Sunday 1715 and is entirely written in D minor. The Gospel of the day is from Matthew 21, which tells about Jesus's entry into Jerusalem. The choir asks questions, the bass, acting as vox Christi, answers them. "Who's the one who comes from Edom (...) and enter in his great power? Who? / It is I, I, the one who teaches righteousness and is a master to help". The word "Ich" [I] is emphasized through repetition. It is a quite disturbing piece, which - as the other cantatas in this production - should contradict once and for all that Telemann was a light-weight in comparison with Bach. Strong dynamic chords as we find them in this chorus return in the tenor aria: "He who seeks a path to heaven without Jesus Christ is cursed". The cantata ends with the hymn O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn.
The importance of this project cannot be overstated. The more of Telemann's sacred music comes to light, the clearer it is that he was in no way inferior to Bach; it is just that he often uses different means to communicate the message to the audience of his time. The cantatas in this production show his command of all the means in vogue in his time, and in his French approach to the libretti by Neumeister he is highly original, proving once again that he was a creative genius. Two further instalments have been released since this one came on the market, and I hope to review them here in due course.
I am happy to tell that overall the performances are excellent. The soloists do an excellent job; I am particularly impressed by Elisabeth Scholl and the performances of the two basses, which especially shine in the belligerent arias. The only issue is that the secco recitatives are rhythmically too strict; the singers should have taken more liberties here. The choruses are performed with three singers per voice: the soloists with two ripienists per voice. The orchestra plays an important role in these cantatas, especially the oboes, which participate in each of them. The playing is very good, and there are some nice obbligato parts. So this is a very convincing and promising start of a major recording project. I am very much looking forward to the further development of this project.
Lastly, a note about the production. As I mentioned above, the way the programme has been ordered is a little odd. The first disc consists of cantatas for Sundays after Trinity, which is the first Sunday after Whitsun. The second disc includes the cantatas for Lent. It seems as if these two discs may have originally been conceived as separate releases. The two teams of singers are different, with the exception of the tenor. The booklet also includes two essays, different in structure and tenor and by different authors. It is rather odd that the second essay explains why this cantata cycle is called 'French'. If you purchase this production, which I strongly recommend, I urge you to start with the second disc and read the essay in the booklet connected to it. It may also be useful to read the introductory paragraphs of the first essay, as these are about the texts and Erdmann Neumeister.
Johan van Veen (© 2024)
Relevant links:
Hans Christoph Begemann
Larissa Botos
Julie Grutzka
Fabian Kelly
Rebekka Stolz
Neumeyer Consort