J. S. Bach, Actus Tragicus: Analysis

[@mysticmouse7261]

Why does the beauty of everything Bach writes make me cry?

[@prototropo]

The first impression that races across my mind in the first few measures of a Bach composition is something like emotional arrest with cognitive paralysis--the sudden realization, though by now repeated a thousand times--that someone from another world, on a higher plane, has permitted me to gaze through his window of selfhood, to look out upon the shores of a much kinder, more highly reasoned yet still deeply human, world. His grasp of 18th century music theory, of his own generative powers, of spiritual grace and moral conviction, is dazzling and irresistible. As Samuel says, Bach offers us mentorship in life itself. He is an angel of perfection with the humility of a wise philosopher-teacher. I feel fortunate even to share a universe with such a man.

[@LesterBrunt1983]

What also boggles my mind about Bach's productivity is that everything had to be written by hand on paper. I once transcribed the first piece of the St. Matthew passion and it was so much work. Insane work ethic.

[@Barde_Jaune]

Just so you know, he wasn't alone and had a lot of people or student copying for him. :)

[@Abernathythedull]

Yes, he had plenty of helpers to write out the music. But in addition to that, I heard a professional in the sphere of classical music composition say that composers at that time were so proficient at composition that they could write out a new piece of music faster than most people today couple copy it out on paper.

[@cahopwood]

Bach and his two wives had a total of 20 children; however, only 10 lived to adulthood. Bach’s wife, older children and some older students were his copyists. Can you imagine how difficult it was to read this hand written music in a very dimly lit balcony on a Sunday morning with very little rehearsal? If you think Bach wrote many cantatas, his contemporary, Telemann kept up the tradition of a new cantata every week for over 20 years!

[@Tylervrooman]

Writing by hand is the only way. Discipline equals freedom.

[@Tizohip]

@@Tylervrooman yes

[@vparseval]

So, occasionally a very subtle but pleasant sense of humor shines through in the way Samuel presents the material, methinks. I couldn't help but chuckle over the knee-slapper remark.

[@robkunkel8833]

🦉Four musicians and a drummer walk into a bar ... yes, I wonder too.

[@chrismcwilliams2778]

As a musician composer AND carpenter i loved the carpenter metaphor and often think about the usefulness and abundance of raw materials that can be found literally laying on the ground in the waste heap...enjoy your videos very much

[@galahadthreepwood9394]

The way Bach builds to the soprano on its own, is absolutely stunning! It’s really ethereal and other worldly.

[@alovision]

Thank you sincerely for introducing me to this contata. The understadning of the context and meaning of the piece that you impart here greatly adds to my appreciation of it

[@LouisGuillotYT]

Also, Bach quotes the choral "Ich hab mein' Sach Gott heimgestellt" in the "Es ist der alte bund" in the violes and recorders parts in cantus firmus. So it adds, to this movement, an other text which is dialoguing with the soprano's and the chorus texts. And at the time, everyone in Germany knew this choral so the symbolism was understood.

[@samuel_andreyev]

Thank you for pointing this out.

[@giandomenicolupo372]

That is one of the most beautiful moments in this cantata imho.

[@mustuploadtoo7543]

i love these types of videos. please keep making them :)

[@paxwallacejazz]

From the moment that all 12 tones were available all at once the world was irrovacably changed. Bach truly really understood this. The levels of chromaticism i.e. notes outside the key in his music ,at times, is truly astounding. The man let the cat out of the bag. Perhaps this isn't the best example. But it's a knee slapper!

[@robkunkel8833]

Does that take us to counterpoint? Just asking for a friend.

[@bronktug2446]

Fantastic analysis! Would love to see more of his work analysed

[@ReneBroekhoven]

Beautiful and interesting comments on this great piece. Thanks again! As you say, it is beyond comprehension that Bach wrote so much of such quality EVERY WEEK for 2 years. It is more than beyond comprehension. The utter discipline and dedication, whilst doing all his domestic stuff in circumstances in that era, all those children around and writing it all down with just his pen and ink on a sheet of paper. I think that the brain processes and the intellect of this great man (also through rigorous training from early childhood) are of a level which is unique to humankind. I must be that he could "see" and "hear" things in his mind that we (or at least I ...) cannot grasp. He had to be very efficient in his thinking and comprehending what he was doing on several levels at the same time.

[@samuel_andreyev]

Rene Broekhoven Being one of a long line of composers in the Bach family (which counted over 50 members) surely has something to do with it. He didn't spring from nowhere.

[@kpisney]

I've thoroughly enjoyed discovering your lectures and watching your analyses over the past few months. Thank you for making these videos with such a high quality of content and presentation.

[@andrewashdown3541]

The 'Sonatina' - played at my brother's funeral - highly dramatic then, hard to listen to since

[@alcyonecrucis]

Loved the video and very nice production. Bach is truly great to listen to and very simple (from the German lyrics perspective). Soli Deo Gloria!

[@Daniel_Zalman]

This was absolutely wonderful!

[@michaelcalder9089]

This style of cantata is an early work of Bach at 22. Typically modelled upon the music he studied of composers a generation before. No recitative. A very beautiful work.

[@d3a1990]

Your painstaking work and efforts have helped me appreciate granddaddy Bach and his sublime genius even more. I love your analyses.

[@samuel_andreyev]

Glad to hear that!

[@zachheilman784]

I don’t know why the algorithm decided to send me to your channel but I’m glad it did!

[@samuel_andreyev]

Me, too.

[@Philippos414]

Always a sheer pleasure to follow your exposé. A Great thank you

[@mohammedfrancis]

Samuel, I really enjoyed your breakdown of the Actus Tragicus. Thank you so much. The piece is sublime and sends me into raptures every time. Your superb unraveling beautifully explains why.

[@samuel_andreyev]

Thanks!

[@alexidarraga5788]

GOD HIMSELF CREATED J.S BACH AND HE SAW THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD!!

[@piotrmalik4908]

So do you think that anything which is not God, hasn't been created by Him? If so, your statement is a blasphemy!

[@TheGloryofMusic]

This cantata and another early one, Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV 131, are both through-composed, a procedure that Bach eventually abandoned. Some of Buxtehude's most impressive cantatas are also through-composed, and I wonder if Bach was influenced by them.

[@hruh2241]

Thank you so much. This is so well done, it helped me a lot for my studying. Greetings from Germany

[@samuel_andreyev]

Kein Problem. Grüße aus Elsass.

[@jakobpetropoulos8850]

Perfekt presentation. Thanks a Million.

[@roryreviewer6598]

What do you use to edit your videos? I really like this style.

[@hanskellerhuis5910]

Great video. Thank you for the work Samuel

[@mariamykonos3107]

proximity to heavenly things ** beautiful

[@thelonious-dx9vi]

How ambitious it is possible to be. To say about Bach. Indeed. Good one.

[@ryanhull9940]

Thanks for such a great analysis

[@nigeledwards5713]

Thank you - very well presented and interesting

[@GeoffreyGraham2]

Hey Samuel I only recently found your channel and I love it! Your very knowledgeable and I love hearing your passion!!!! P.s. I hope you don't mind the compassion but you remind me of Robert Sean Leonard from Dr. Gregory House from the TV series!

[@magnusloven2041]

The perfect vision/imperfect world dichotomy is reminiscent of Visions Of Johanna by Dylan, "jewels and binoculars hang from the head of the mule / and these visions of Johanna make it all seem so cruel"

[@ikmarchini]

Bravo on presenting this mini-masterpiece. Intense composition? In the course: "Bach Cantatas" at Westminster Choir Coll., Dr. William Hays showed us through contemporary billings that Bach only received the paper for that Sunday's music supplied by the Town on Friday mornings. That means he wrote the entire score down, then handed it to copyists to make parts for the orchestra and singers, and then they rehearsed it and presented in on Sunday morning. That is, all of it created, prepared and presented in less than 48 hours. Surely, like Mozart, he had it all organized in his head, but that kind of genius stuns. As to the three note rhythmic motiv it is also a melodic piece of Baroque Affekt - it always descends as in weeping, mourning, even dying. Another Affekt, tho not heard here, is the Godless are depicted minus the bass line- without a base. Bach repays a lifetime of study, and is wondrously beautiful, of course.

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Amazing channel, thanks for your work!

[@samuel_andreyev]

Thank you, Denis.

[@chtellez]

The texts- (both compiled and created) address the Gospel reading of the day. As played in the Lutheran liturgical service, they were, in a way, a commentary parallel to the sermon of the day. The approach to the concept of life and death is Lutheran. For some scholars, the cantatas amount to theological commentary. For example, "getting the house in order" is probably an allegory for "getting your soul in order" before facing God.

[@tesahe4035]

Great! I would like to see and hear one of your orchestral scores!

[@samuel_andreyev]

Hello, for the time being I can't upload any of my orchestra pieces to KZbin due to rights restrictions, but as soon as I have a recording that's free of rights I'll be sure to upload it. In the meantime, check out some of the chamber pieces on my channel. Thanks for writing.

[@mayarasmussen2599]

I love this

[@tribudeuno]

I have heard that the mystic nun, Hildegard von Bingen, is credited with writing the first opera. I was wondering if there was any evidence that she had influence on J.S. Bach, especially since she was German...

[@Daniel_Zalman]

As a composer, what would you like the audience to get out of your music? Should they be able to hear all of it's complexity and understand everything that is happening from a structural and harmonic perspective? I've always wanted to understand music in a more educated way. I'm currently doing a e-course by Yale via a site called Coursera. It goes through the basic elements like Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, Color, Texture, and Form. It also provides a history of the different periods of composition. Is this enough to be a more educated listener? Do you have suggestions for someone who wants to listen to music with a greater sense of intellectual involvement? Or do you think this isn't completely necessary? Sorry for this long comment.

[@samuel_andreyev]

Danny B. Hi Danny. You mean with regards to my own music? I would simply hope it would open up new perspectives for a listener. The technical stuff (construction / structure) helps the piece to hold up, much like the posts and beams in a building. But that's not its essence and I would hope that the listener engages with it as an experience, not as an intellectual object to be unravelled. For those who still have difficulty entering into that world, some context and perhaps a brief discussion of my esthetics might prove helpful. I'll be posting a video dealing with one of my own pieces soon. Thanks for listening.

[@ninurutanin2728]

I would like to hear one of your pieces. I'm new to symphonies and stuff but I am really starting to love them

[@samuel_andreyev]

Thanks -- here's a piece for two vibraphones I wrote 10 years ago. I have other pieces on my youtube channel as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZmwg2tnntGXf5Y

[@mathewhill5556]

Thank you.

[@iMordie]

awesome!! thank you!!

[@andreasschneider3488]

Da freuen sich viele viele Musikstudenten, die, eine Nacht vor dem Abgabetermin zu dem Thema " Was ist eine Kantate" ( bei einer Grillparty mit viel Bier und Wein) diese wundervolle Vid finden, und dann morgens um 6 abschreiben und abgeben :))) Kleiner Spaß! Großartiger Kanal!

[@ikmarchini]

Trotzdem, Bach hat nicht diesen Werke genannt Kantaten. Dass kommt von Verlag.

[@andreasschneider3488]

@@ikmarchini Sorry, das verstehe ich nicht

[@ikmarchini]

@@andreasschneider3488 Sorry for my bad Deutsch. What I meant is Bach never called these works "Kantate". That name was given by editors and publishers later on. He did not name them.

[@mrhenu]

Excellent talk, thank you Samuel. Which cantatas should one prioritise in your opinion? They are sublime but there are so many!

[@samuel_andreyev]

Christ lag in Todesbanden!!

[@youngpossum]

Why is the key signature of the Sonatina notated as B-flat, but it's clearly in E-flat, with the A-flats added as accidentals?

[@brianm3052]

Hello Samuel, Your videos have been an unbelievable help to me as I venture into classical music. First, I want to thank you greatly for this. Have you considered including a recommended recording of each piece you discuss? I am aware that Glenn Gould was able to cast new light on Bach's obscure Goldberg Variations with his recording. Also, he reinterpreted the piece greatly between his 1956 and 1981 recordings of the piece, changing the short piece's length by more than ten minutes. How common is it for a performance to have such a significant effect on a piece of music? Is it possible that a listener can obtain the wrong recording of a piece and miss out on the greatness of the composition? Thank you for your help, Brian

[@crystal4o681]

I would love it if you made a video about a late Beethoven sonata or string quartet!

[@ValzainLumivix]

Helpful analysis.

[@3John-Bishop]

Yes

[@johnk8174]

Thank you!

[@timojolivet]

The organ bass lines are played exactly like on the score, but how much does the basso continuo part varies from a performer to another? There are no "intervalic instructions" on the score. I really like the sound of the organ in this recording, I'm curious to know how much this was thought in advance by Bach.

[@samuel_andreyev]

Good questions. The exact voicings and placement of occasional passing tones in the continuo part will vary from one performance to the next, but on a fairly modest scale, and anyway, the average listener probably doesn't pay that much attention to the organ anyway as it's mostly just filling out the texture. It can be quite interesting to compare different performances to get a sense of this -- there are many good ones available on KZbin. Regards, Samuel

[@kenlagace7612]

Curious - at 13:40, and in all the manuscripts, the key signature is Bb, but the music is definitely in the key of Eb. All the Ab's are written in. Reason?

[@smguy7]

Viols are associated with heaven and recorders with funeral music. Combining them in this cantatas was a master stroke by Bach.

[@TrumpetPlayerRayban]

I love your videos

[@samuel_andreyev]

Angelo Salgado Thank you so much.

[@tesahe4035]

Hello! I would love to see a score of your orchestral works!

[@galahadthreepwood9394]

2d, the soprano part is from the book of revelation, the last sentence in the bible. Come, lord Jesus.

[@lindacowles756]

I always thought that Dietrich Buxtehude was Danish, not German. Which is correct?

[@ikmarchini]

Born in Denmark, active in Germany.

[@iraeich]

@@ikmarchini Buxtehude wanted either JSB or Handel to marry his daughter and he in return would give them his organ job when he died. Well, the sight of Buxtehude's daughter sent JSB and Handel running for the tall grass. True story.

[@derrik-bosse]

Bestellan dein Haus: "Throw away your porn in case you die."

[@riverstun]

Your expressions remind me of "Wilson" in "House"

[@TheGloryofMusic]

"The best proof we have that life is good, and therefore that there may perhaps be a God after all, who has our welfare at heart, is that to each of us, on the day we are born, comes the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. It comes as a gift, unearned, unmerited, for free." --J. M. Coetzee

[@davidaraujo927]

No wonder the great man turned diabetic, consequentially blind, with that workload... even if he had help!

[@wantingthesky]

24:46 weeb

[@wids]

Meat Machine smh