Johann Sebastian Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BWV 1046

Johann Sebastian Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BWV 1046
First Christian Church, Colorado Springs, CO
March 2020
Audio and Video Michael Lascuola
Program Notes Mark Arnest

Overview: J. S. Bach
Born March 21, 1685, Eisenach, Germany; died July 28, 1750, Leipzig, Germany
Work Composed: Between 1713 and 1721

In 1719, Bach visited Berlin, where Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt (and the king of Prussia’s half-uncle), complimented Bach’s music. Two years later, Bach presented a set of six concertos to Christian Ludwig – in appreciation of the Margrave’s kindness, surely, but also because the no-longer-quite-young Bach was on the lookout for a better job.
Alas, it was a terrible moment to be looking for a job as court composer in Prussia. The ascension to the throne in 1713 of Frederick William I – known as “the soldier king” – ushered in a period of royal frugality, as the king set the royal purse to funding an enlarged military. Christian Ludwig lacked the resources to perform Bach’s extravagantly scored concertos, and they disappeared into the archives of Brandenburg for well over a century. Since their 1849 discovery, they’ve become known as the richest set of Baroque concertos.
The concertos were probably not new in 1721, and No. 1 may date from as early as 1713. It’s as far as possible from the Romantic concerto, with its heroic soloist. It is a true ensemble concerto, featuring the most lavish ensemble of the Brandenburg concertos: Ttwo natural horns, three oboes, bassoon, violino piccolo (a small violin, tuned higher than a regular violin), two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
With this ensemble, it’s no surprise that one of the concerto’s most prominent traits is density: The textures in the first movement range from thick to very thick. But the relentless busyness doesn’t lead to monotony. There is some of the old-fashioned consort style of instrumentation, with the horns, oboes, and strings treated as separate choirs; but Bach’s treatment of the instruments in this concerto is often imaginative, as various instruments couple and de-couple: In one bar, the first oboe may double the first violin, while they go their separate ways the next bar. It creates an almost shimmering effect despite the overall thickness. (Almost a century-and-a- and a half later, Wagner would go to town with this type of orchestration.)
The concerto is concise, with the first three movements each lasting about 4four minutes and only the relaxed finale noticeably longer. The first movement is a jolly jumble in which it sounds as if everyone is talking at once, but about the same thing. The horns rest during the slow second movement. It’s essentially a duet with the first oboe and the violono piccolo, with the other instruments providing support; and it features some of the most poignant dissonances in all of Bach. In the joyful third movement, the horn parts refer to their ancestry as instruments used in the hunt. The textures are lighter here; and they become lighter still in the genial rondo finale, which features an episode featuringwritten for a pair of oboes with bassoon, and one featuringshowcasing the two horns with three unison oboes.
Bach thought highly of this concerto. In 1726 he repurposed at least two of the movements: the first movement as the opening movement of the Cantata No. 52, and the third movement as the opening chorus of Cantata 207.

Видео Johann Sebastian Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BWV 1046 канала Chamber Orchestra of the Springs