A handy chart of J. S. Bach’s violoncello piccolo cantatas
It looks like we have quite an anniversary coming up soon!
Three hundred years of violoncello piccolo cantatas!
The anniversary is coming up close, so I thought to make and share the following chart for the benefit of those that are in the position to organise a circle of Violoncello da Spalla cantatas. It will have its resonance on media, so if you want to be part of the party, you’d better start planning!
There are two other cantatas of interest for us: the BWV 23 was performed at Bach’s application for the role of Thomaskantor, and in it Bach for the first time, and quite unusually, explicitly called for violoncello in the continuo group. In the set of separate parts there is one part for continuo, one for bass, and three separate independent parts for violoncello (same part, only copied). No obbligato parts here.
The BWV 199 is a famous soprano cantata. The obbligato part of the corale was given on different occasions to the viola, the cello, and the gamba. In the Leipzig set of parts, there is one in treble clef, likely to be for the violoncello piccolo, but the instrument is not specified, so we have no confirmation. However, it’s an excellent cantata to include in a violoncello piccolo celebration.
Further readings:
For a detailed study of the role of violoncello piccolo in Bach’s cantatas and its development, read: “J. S. Bach's violoncello piccolo” Koji Otsuki, Indiana University, 2020
For the BWV 23:
Updates from our workshop
This week I played my new Violoncello da Spalla in white. I made a new bridge and some adjustments, and we both are satisfied with it. The voice may seem a bit rough (but we like it!). That’s normal for a white instrument and will get more round with varnish on. It has great resonance, and I like that it speaks easily even on pianissimo, without losing its richness of tone.
If you are interested in trying it once it’s varnished, get in touch with us by answering to this email or writing in the comments. Do it now: it will be ready in almost one month and it will not stay here for long.
You can reach us at anyone of our links, just click here.
Featured video of the week
Enjoy this video by violinist and multi-instrumentalist Chiharu Abe. You will recognise this as the famous Vivaldi concert in A minor from l’estro armonico, which was also transcribed by J. S. Bach for organ. There is another edition of this work by Bärenreiter as "Concerto for Violoncello". Chiharu Abe took the hint and made the arrangement herself as "concerto con molti strumenti".
