I think everyone could tell how blown away I was after our seminar with Professor Wollny—I really enjoyed it. One thing that made my heart burst was realizing that I had actually played BWV 33 “Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ” on continuo (bass) with Vito on baroque viola and the Early Music Princeton choir. I was truly amazed. But what really caught me off guard was learning that Bach originally wrote it in G minor, not A minor like it’s commonly performed today. Seeing the copies with all of his edits, scribbles, and crossed-out endings made me realize just how hands-on and experimental Bach was. It makes me wonder what the piece would have sounded like if he had kept some of those first ideas.
After finishing the first week of readings, and especially hearing Professor Wollny talk about Bach’s personality, I started to rethink the image I had of him. I used to think of Bach as really serious and almost untouchable. But now I see him as someone who could be funny, playful, and even a little rebellious. That came through both in his music and his life. Marshall explains in Young Man Bach, Bach had a temper, stood up to his bosses, and even once got into a sword fight with a student. He was also an orphan by age 10, which might have made him guarded and fiercely independent. It’s like he was constantly pushing against limits.
I’m not sure if the Bach that’s presented in Leipzig today—through statues, concerts, and museums—is always the full picture. Heller writes in Music in the Baroque, Bach’s image has been shaped over time by nationalism and tradition. We get the “great master” version of Bach, but not always the everyday, cheeky guy who made jokes in his Coffee Cantata or experimented with different keys. It’s easy to market the genius, but harder to show the full, messy, human side. I’m glad this seminar is helping us explore all of that, it makes me love his music even more.
I left so inspired that I decided to sight read the chorale from Bach du Großer Schmerzensmann on the bass. Doing this, I hope I can continue to adjust to this massive five string and help improve my intonation.
