'Twas much, that man was made like God before,
But that God should be made like man, much more.
John Donne, Holy Sonnet 1
Var. I. In Canone all'Ottava, a 2 Clav. e Ped.
Each of the five variations combines the Advent melody as cantus firmus with canonic elaboration of figures within that melody. Although the canonic treatment is strict, the music is energized by the canon and does not come off as academic. The first variation features the cantus firmus in the pedal with a canon at the octave entwined between the top two voices.
Var. II. Alio modo in Canone alla Quinta, a 2 Clav. e Ped.
Like the one before it, the second variation retains the cantus firmus in the pedals with canonic voices above. But in this variation the canon follower imitates the leader at the fifth rather than the octave. The studied counterpoint is reminiscent of what would have been considered, in Bach's day, to have been an old-fashioned style like that of the northman Samuel Scheidt.
Var III. L'altra sorte del Canone al roverscio: 1) alla Sesta, 2) alla Terza, 3) alla Seconda, e 4) alla Nona. (a 2 Clav. e Ped.)
Variation III consists of four canonic statements of the Advent melody--each statement in contrary motion and each employing a different pitch interval between canon leader and follower: alla Sesta (at the sixth), alla Terza (at the third), alla Seconda (at the second) and alla Nona (at the ninth). The first two statements, like Vars. 1 & 2, are for three voices. In the first statement the follower begins a minor sixth lower than the leader: alla Sesta.
In the second statement the follower begins a Major third lower than the leader: alla Terza. This M3 is the inversion of the m6 we encountered in the first section. The interval inversion is indicative of a grander process in which the concept of opposition (from heaven to earth?) operates at two musical levels: of registers (L'altra sorte) and of melodic directions (al roverscio). In other words, the second statement is not only the contrapuntal inversion of the first (soprano and alto swap registers), but also the melodic inversion (both soprano and alto move their intervals in the opposite direction).
So far Variation III has stated the Himmel hoch melody twice. Like the two variations which preceded them, these first two statements of Variation III have been in three voices--a symbol of the Himmel hoch (heaven above). Notice, too, that whereas the first two variations employed imitation at consonant (heavenly) intervals of the 8va and 5th, the first two statements of variation III involve imitation at consonant intervals of the 6th & 3rd. The conclusion of the second statement represents a turning point in the cycle--the point where heaven comes down to earth and the divine takes human form.
Like the two variations which will follow it, the last two statements of Variation III shall be in four voices. Since ancient times four has stood for things earthly--four winds, four directions, four elements, four seasons, etc.--and the transition to four voices may be seen in such a light as a symbol of the incarnation: da komm' ich her (I come down here). In contrast to the prior heavenly imitation at the 6th & 3rd, the second half of Variation III shall employ imitation at dissonant (earthly) intervals of the 2nd & 9th. So, the centermost variation is itself divided into heavenly and earthly halves.
The fourth statement's follower imitates its leader at the interval of a ninth. The mutating intervals of Variation III are reminiscent of Bach's use of canon in the Credo of his Mass in B Minor (see YouTube instructions) to represent Jesus Christ as "God of God," and "Light of Light" who was "begotten not created." Only there the emphasis is upon Christ's Deity and the follower never imitates at a dissonant interval. Here the emphasis is upon the incarnation of God as represented by the assumption of dissonant intervals of the 2nd, 7th and 9th.
After repeating the cantus firmus four times--in canon at the 6th, 3rd, 2nd and 9th--Bach appends a coda consisting of one more iteration of the fourth phrase. Then, at the end of the coda he contrives to state all four phrases of the melody simultaneously, terminating this grand finale with the musical equivalent of his name (B-flat, A, C, B-natural). Click colored portions of the following score to hear each of the phrases rendered first in a four-part setting then as in the grand finale.
Var. IV. In Canone alla Settima, a 2 Clav. e Ped.
In Variation 4 the canon is assigned to the pedal while the cantus firmus is given to the soprano. Between the two extremes, in the alto, Bach weaves a freely devised counterpoint. Significant in the intervallic symbols demarcating heaven and earth, Variation IV employs yet another dissonant (earthly) interval--the 7th--between canon leader and follower. At this point Bach abandons the idealized, but somewhat self-conscious, north-German counterpoint of the preceding variations for the more decorative--dare we say humanistic--manier of the French Rococo.
Var. V. In Canone all'Ottava per augmentationem, a 2 Clav. e Ped.
The final variation contains a canon in augmentation between the soprano and tenor voices, while the cantus firmus is returned to the pedal. The alto voice partakes neither of the canon nor the cantus firmus. Notice that the interval separating leader and follower has returned, full circle, to a Perfect octave with time proportions doubled between leader and follower. This expression of the 1:2 ratio in intervallic and rhythmic proportions may have been intended to represent the fullness of the Godhead dwelling in Christ (Colossians 2:9) who, according to Lutheran dialectics, was the exact representation of God (Hebrews 1:3).
In bar 20 of the fifth variation Bach spells his name (transposed) in the leader part. Nineteen bars later the BACH figure is reiterated in the follower and harmonized (untransposed) in a manner that makes it aurally recognizable as Bach's signature motive.
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