The WTF Bach Podcast Passion Music for His Son: The F Minor Sinfonia, BWV 795
Yes, that recording at the end is none other than Jascha Heifetz with Primrose and Piatigorksy, who apparently recorded three of the sinfonias. The wonderful pianist with that golden sound playing before the string trio arrangement is (I think!) Marcelle Meyer recorded sometime around 1948.
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Today’s episode focuses on the ‘black pearl’ of the inventions and sinfonias. The f minor sinfonia is highly complex piece of passion music embedded within a seemingly innocent collection of music intended for the beginner. Here, rather than the more typical obligato upper voices with the bass occasionally joining in with a theme here and there, the f minor sinfonia relies on convertible counterpoint where all three voices are judged— and juggled— equally. Bach shows us this technique using different themes:
A lament bass:
Musical crosses:
And a wildly avant-garde motif, which I refer to as the wailing motif:
Writing certainly exists on these three motifs seen as “God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.” Not for any particular reason, I refrain from making such an analogy in this episode.
As mentioned in the episode, Bach changed some of the enharmonics when transfering the piece from the Notebook for W.F. Bach into the Aufrichtige Anleitung. Here are some examples:
The E-double-flat (middle voice) in the notebook for his son:
is later changed to a D natural:
The B-double-flat in the top voice in the previous examples remain, but Bach will change the spelling in the bass voice of the same note (again, in the notebook:)
to an A natural:
There are a few other similar changes throughout.
Thanks for listening! Have you told your high-school band teacher you’re super into Bach?
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Concepts Covered:
The F minor Sinfonia, BWV 795, stands out among Bach’s inventions and sinfonias, showcasing his counterpoint techniques and expressive depth. Elements like the lament bass, musical crosses, and the haunting wailing motif, this work reveals Bach’s ability to embed passion music into seemingly simple pieces. Through an analysis of enharmonic changes and Bach in revision, we gain insight into his intricate writing, preserved in the W.F. Bach notebook. Legendary musicians such as Jascha Heifetz and Marcelle Meyer have interpreted these works. Join the Bach fan community to continue to explore his legacy through Bach music scholarship, uncovering new dimensions of his sacred motifs and theoretical innovations.
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