T H E JULY 2021 - Seven Oaks Presbyterian Church Columbia, South Carolina Cover feature on pages 18-19 - Michael Gailit
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THE
D I A PA S O N
JULY 2021
Seven Oaks Presbyterian Church
Columbia, South Carolina
Cover feature on pages 18–19
Organ music of Bach
Exploring the
unknown of BWV 565
Part 2
By Michael Gailit
Editor’s note: Part 1 of this series that shows a very similar structure of
appeared in the June 2021 issue of THE four consecutive tetrachords. Pitch nota-
DIAPASON, pages 18–19. tion of the opening phrase of the first
part had assisted to discover the 3 x 3
T he analysis of the first twelve mea-
sures revealed a compositional tech-
nique that can most aptly be described as
form of the nucleus idea. Pitch notation
of the current phrase now reveals a 4 x 4
structure (Examples 16 and 17). Both Example 15: the motives of BWV 565
metamorphosis. The list of the motives lines add another 4 x 4 notes as inserted
that appear in BWV 565, given in detail repetitions of the dominant tone.
in the first part of this article, shows how Simultaneous notation of the imma-
one motive becomes the other (Example nent two voices in measures 13 through
15). In the last consequence, the mordent 15 helps to understand the process.
motive creates all others. This evolution- Edition Peters gives the original text
ary style of composition appears on all lev- of the earliest manuscript. Bärenreiter
els. The mordent creates what we called and Breitkopf & Härtel in their Urtext
a nucleus idea, which in turn creates the editions align measures 14 and 15 by
next two phrases. A part of the nucleus substituting measure 14 with the octave
idea creates the ascending triplets, which transposition of measure 15. As we
in turn develop into the descending trip- observe now, this contradicts the overall
lets. The closing section varies measures 1 concept of continuous transformation.
and 2 and ends with the mordent motive. Measure 14 quotes the nucleus idea;
measure 15 prepares the next section by
From three to four changing the ending with the surprise of
The second section, measures 12 an eighth-note rest on beat one of mea-
through 30, continues this concept, only sure 16 (Example 18).
that the focus changes from three-note In 1845–1846, the complete organ
motives to four-note ones. In order to works by Johann Sebastian Bach
achieve a smooth transformation, the appeared in print for the first time. This
section starts with an upbeat to a trichord. release by Edition Peters is considered Example 16: tetrachord structure of measures 12 and 13
The following tetrachords are rhythmi- a milestone, due in part to the editorial
cally shifted in the same way, so that they policy of Friedrich Conrad Griepenkerl beginning of measure 16, however, obvi- without any reference to a manuscript
appear as trichords with upbeats. The (1782–1849), which abstained from any ously came as too great a surprise to the source. In view of the preceding three-
passage also prepares the fugue theme amendments. The eighth-note rest at the editor. He replaced it with a manual D31 fold thundering D2 on the pedals, the
eighth-note rest is only one of the many
skillfully calculated effects in BWV 565.
FREE TO EVERYONE • JOIN US IN AUGUST! The motivic substance of measures 16
through 20 consists of the tetrachord and
the turn motive. Both textures, the figu-
KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLORS rations as well as the syncopated chords,
will feature 15 pipe organs spanning three follow a harmonic progression commonly
known as the Phrygian cadence.2 This har-
centuries of builders, from across 14 states in monic pattern is frequently inserted after
the USA, played by a diverse group of organ- a slow movement in order to prepare the
ists. Join us each Sunday night in August for listener for a finale. The transition from
virtual organ recitals of glorious music in ven- Adagio to Allegro in a voluntary by John
ues that could not all be visited in one night. Stanley (1712–1786)—with quite similar
motives as BWV 565—demonstrates this
function (Example 19).
ORDER The Phrygian cadence in BWV 565
comprises four chords consisting of four
YOUR motives, two tetrachords and two turn
motives (Example 20). The middle
FESTIVAL voice can count for two as the doubling
of these notes in the thirty-second-note
figurations suggests.
PROGRAM The syncopated chords appear four
times, with a different pedal phrase each
BOOK time (Example 21). The evolutionary
concept of motive metamorphosis in
TODAY! BWV 565 requires abstention from the
editorial practice of unification, in this
case to replace phrase 2 by phrase 1. In
measure 17, the bass and tenor notes
are exchanged. The tenor varies the tet-
rachord E–D–C–B-flat in a new way by
K A L E I D O S C O P E . O R G A N H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y. O R G placing the first note at the end and an
octave lower.
12 Q THE DIAPASON Q JULY 2021 WWW.THEDIAPASON.COM
Example 17: tetrachord structure of the fugue theme
Example 22: comparison of measure 11 and measure 18 in pitch notation
Example 18: simultaneous notation of the two immanent voices, measures 13
through 15.
Example 23: first half of measures 19 and 21 in pitch notation
Example 19: Phrygian cadence Example 24: pedal line in measures 27 through 30 in pitch notation
Four descending tetrachords run into pedal surprisingly takes on a melodic
a halt on the diminished seventh chord, role, worthy of the designation Recitativo.
before a prestissimo tremolo breaks With the exception of the final cadence,
loose. The toccata returns here to trip- the pedal lines up ten seconds, the last
lets and the mordent, whose intervals one repeating the first (Example 24).
are stretched to thirds, with alternating Probably just a coincidence: we
upper and lower neighbor notes. The discover the first six notes of the pedal
Example 20: Phrygian cadence, BWV 565, measures 16–17 and 19–20.
June 15, 16, 17, 2022
1st prize (12K)
2nd prize ($6K) • 3rd prize ($3K)
Jury: David Briggs (Chair), David Higgs, Alan Morrison,
Carole Terry, Jean-Baptiste Robin
6 finalists will be invited to Atlanta (all expenses paid)
All details will be released online including repertoire
requirements and entry details on September 6, 2021.
Recorded round applications will be accepted from January 10
to February 25, 2022. Candidates will be notified of the result
of the recorded round on March 14, 2022.
Example 21: phrases, measures 16 through 21, tenor and bass
Whereas the Phrygian cadence aims to Pitch notation shows that the run in Recorded round jury:
the last note in measures 16 through 18, measure 18 is a variation of measure David Briggs (chair), Jens Korndörfer, Oliver Brett
its third and fourth appearances in mea- 11, with some added notes (Example
sures 19 and 20 shifts the accented beat 22). It consists of a collection of the
to the second note. This gives room for prime suspects—three tetrachords, a For more information, visit
another chord on the last eighth-note beat mordent, and a turn motive. Also, the
in measure 20. On this beat, the new note arpeggio appears, this time following prumc.org/organ-competition
of a G-sharp surprises; it gives the base the tonic chord.
for another diminished seventh chord. The passage ends in measure 19 with
The G-sharp descends to the dissonance a scale comprising the complete tone PEACHTREE ROAD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
G-natural of the dominant seventh chord material including the B-natural. This 3180 Peachtree Road NE • Atlanta, Georgia 30305
that spans over five more measures to be run is repeated in measure 21 without 404.266.2373 • prumc.org
resolved only in measure 27. the passing notes (Example 23).
WWW.THEDIAPASON.COM THE DIAPASON Q JULY 2021 Q 13
Organ music of Bach
Example 25: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, first line
Example 26: pedal measures 27 and 28 in pitch notation, compared to the second
phrase in measure 1
Example 27: step-wise progressions and tetrachord groupings in measures 27
through 29
line in the Advent hymn, Nun komm, The impression is reinforced by the
der Heiden Heiland (Example 25). inverted echos of the section. It is in the
More striking is that the pedal line cites nature of an echo that the return sounds
the nucleus idea in the form of the sec- weaker. However, in the Phrygian caden-
ond phrase in measure 1 (Example 26). tial measures in BWV 565, the reverse is
The manual parts, note repetitions, and true. The harmonic pattern is introduced
voice doubling omitted, consist only of with a thin texture of broken chords, only
seconds, which in turn are condensed to be answered with heavy chords above
tetrachords (Example 27). a pedal line, plus hammering syncopa-
tions. Is this a provocation? The opening page of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV
The purpose Flawless part-writing includes avoid- 565, in Johannes Ringk’s manuscript.
On the second page of Ringk’s manu- ance of parallel octaves and fifths. Let us
script, the last four staves are left blank. imagine a student, required to submit a minor keys adding a flat to the key letter, 2. The Phrygian church mode has the half-
The fugue begins on a new third page. clean four-part piece, presenting the strict major keys adding a natural, not a sharp. tone step between the first and second and the
Ringk wrote, “Verte. Fuga.” (in Latin: teacher something hitherto unheard like The sharp could be a hint pointing to the fifth and sixth scale degrees. Church modes,
Turn! Fugue.) below the final cadence BWV 565. Seated at the organ console, unusual content, which is so-to-speak however, are melodic, not harmonic entities.
on page 2. So before we turn the page the teacher begins to play. On the first not natural, but sharp. In German, the
and continue with the fugue, let us look page parallel octaves as far as one can word for sharp is Kreuz, which conveys Michael Gailit graduated from the
at what has happened so far. BWV 565 is see. The first note isolated, nailed with a the saying, ein Kreuz haben, having University of Music and Performing
a work that undoubtedly attracts atten- mordent and a fermata, immediately fol- problems with something or someone. Arts in Vienna with both performance
tion. So what was the purpose of the lowed by a rest. Short phrases, constantly • The simple composition style: sim- and pedagogy diplomas in organ as
composition; why was it created? We interrupted with more rests. Laughter in plified overdrawing as a device of parody. well as in piano. Teaching piano at this
need to leave the objective path of note- the background, when the teacher has • The low C-sharp in measure 2 institute since 1980, he has also con-
by-note analysis here. The meaning of a to take note that his organ is missing the being a rare key on organs of the time: ducted the organ studio at the Musik
text cannot be grasped comparatively by bottom C-sharp. Broken chords are based deliberately pointing to the deficiency of und Kunst Universität in Vienna since
counting the letters or discussing gram- on parallel fifths. In the pedal, there are a missing key. 1995. As church organist he served at St.
mar and spelling. only three roaring Ds, above them long- • The late Peter Williams’s theory of Augustine’s Church, 1979–2008; in 2011
Measures 16–17 and 19–20 were held quadruple dissonances. Then one a lost piece for violin: an allusion to J. S. he was appointed organist at the Jesuit
the first to open a new perspective. As finds a run pointing to a D, but silence Bach’s skills as a string player. Church (Old University Church).
mentioned earlier, we often find the har- instead. The inverted echoes startle. The Following this theory, somewhere at Both in his performance and teaching
monic pattern of the Phrygian cadence Phrygian cadence remains without con- an early stage someone took the piece repertoire, Gailit includes all style areas on
by default as a bridge between a slow sequence, sounding seven times in vain. as serious. The consequences are outra- the base of their individual performance
movement and the following finale, as a There is no evidence whatsoever that geous and at the same time incredibly practices. He toured with solo recitals on
musical announcement, and to increase BWV 565 was intended as a joke or prank, humorous. It is singular that BWV 565 both instruments in Europe as well as in
the tension that a finale or something just as a joke does not have the caption, beats any other organ work in popularity. North America and appeared with lead-
similar is to be expected. In measures 16 “This is a joke.” The nature of a text can Then there are also all the discussions ing orchestras and renowned conductors.
and 17, the Phrygian cadence is repeated be discerned from its content and set- about the deliberately composed “misbe- Recordings, masterclasses, invitations to
four times, but it remains without con- ting alone. The amazing thing about this having” features, if they can be credited juries, musicological publications, editing
sequence. After an extended run, the theory is, however, that it can answer all to Bach or not. It is a work brilliant on sheet music, compositions, arrangements,
cadence is repeated again, a full three hitherto raised questions, among them: several levels: as a provocation, fun, or a supporting the piano-organ duo reper-
times, and it again remains without con- • Only one copy of the autograph prank with a highly skillful compositional toire, commissioned works, first perfor-
sequence. Is this a joke? A prank? survived, some of the notation is only technique not common in Baroque mances, and finally occasional trips into
sketched: BWV 565 was intended only music, but pointing to the future. the theatre and silent movie repertoire
for private use and not for publication. This theory may or may not be the should be noted.
• All compositional features described case, but the journey into the unknown Particular attention was received in
as problematic: deliberate violations of of BWV 565 is far from over. We now 1989 for the first performance of the
the rules to show a new style. turn the second page of the manuscript complete piano and organ works of Julius
• Bach named as author on the title and explore not only the fugue, but also Reubke, the performance of the complete
page, the work possibly not by Bach: lift the anchors on some findings that are organ works of Franz Schmidt the same
the most plausible explanation for this considered certain. Stay tuned. Q year, as well as in September 2005 a series
contradiction. of six recitals with the trio sonatas of
• The wrong key signature on the title To be continued. Johann Sebastian Bach, the organ sonatas
page “ex . d . # .:” one cannot seriously of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, and the
claim that someone copied a multi-page Notes organ symphonies of Louis Vierne. Cur-
piece in D minor and the same person 1. Note designations in scientific orthogra- rently Gailit is working on a book The
mistakenly writes D major on the title phy: C2-C3-C4-C5-C6 (= traditionally C-c°- Enigma BWV 565, a study elucidating
page. Furthermore, Ringk notated c′-c′′-c′′′). new answers and new questions.
14 Q THE DIAPASON Q JULY 2021 WWW.THEDIAPASON.COM
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