Violoncello da Spalla

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J. S. Bach, cantatas featuring violoncello piccolo solo - part 6
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J. S. Bach, cantatas featuring violoncello piccolo solo - part 6

For the first time, undoubtedly in the continuo group!

Daniela Gaidano & A. Visintini
Jun 24
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J. S. Bach, cantatas featuring violoncello piccolo solo - part 6
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On the 13th of May 1725, Bach again used the violoncello piccolo as an obbligato instrument in a cantata written for the 6th Sunday after Easter and titled: “They will cast a spell over you”, or, more literally “, They will ban you”.

One entire month separates the Cantata BWV 183 from the previous one. The violoncello piccolo solo appears here in the second number of the cantata. It is a tenor aria, in Molto Adagio, in the scheme ABA.

The original part is in tenor clef and is on an independent sheet. The violoncello piccolo introduces the aria, and since the entrance of the tenor they engage in dramatic dialogue. What is new in this cantata is that instead of what could be a pause or a tacet, whenever it doesn’t dialogue with the tenor, the violoncello piccolo doubles the continuo part.

You can download free parts and also the original handwritten score at this link.

Like many other arias, the C string is not used at all, so this is a part in the tenor range and adds to the continuo a tenor voice. Also, the G string is seldomly used. The proportions of notes on the fourth strings are similar to the previous two cantatas. From the 2nd of April (BWV 6) to the 13th of May 1725, Bach didn’t use the C string at all and used very little the G string. If present, the C string didn’t satisfy him. And probably he didn’t feel the G convincing as well.

The words of the aria are a statement of faith and braveness.

I fear not the terror of death

I don't shy away from any trouble.

Because Jesus' protective arm will cover me,

I follow him gladly and willingly;

If you don’t want to spare my life

And believe doing so to do God a service

He shall reward you himself

You can be sure.


Further readings:

Violoncello da Spalla
I get to help make music and get to be so close to where musical miracles happen
My passion has always been the works of J.S. Bach. I love all things Bach (not so much with his sons, though), and I even produce my own Bach T-shirts using his manuscript as the main design element. But what excites me the most as a musician is to perform Bach cantatas as a conductor with the musicians I respect and admire—I get to help make music and …
Read more
a year ago · Daniela Gaidano & A. Visintini
Violoncello da Spalla
Bleib bei uns, the Easter-Monday cantata (J. S. Bach Cantatas - part 4)
This Cantata is the fourth with an obbligato violoncello piccolo part. It was written for Easter Monday of 1725, so four months after the last time he used a Violoncello piccolo. It was probably performed again two years later. This cantata is written on the words of the Lutheran corale “Stay with us, Lord Jesus. It soon is evening, and night is falling…
Read more
5 months ago · Daniela Gaidano & A. Visintini
Violoncello da Spalla
J. S. Bach, cantatas featuring a solo for violoncello piccolo - part 5
15 of April 1725, Bach is using a Violoncello piccolo obbligato for the fifth time. This was the cantata for the second Sunday after Easter, previously we had the Easter Monday cantata BWV 6, so this is the second time in only two weeks. There are several common details between these two cantatas…
Read more
3 months ago · 3 comments · Daniela Gaidano & A. Visintini

News from da Spalla world

Do you like this video? Tomorrow the Glass Thistles will play live at the Bury Folk Festival!


Updates from our workshop

This week we visited friends in Cremona, we are going on with the necks of our instruments, and we are just taking it easy while keeping company with Alessandro’s mother, who spends the summer in her family home in Ortisei. Ortisei is famous for its wooden sculptors, check it out!


Featured video of the week

Kai, 13 year old, had his new Violoncello da Spalla last month and is sharing now his month of daily progresses!

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J. S. Bach, cantatas featuring violoncello piccolo solo - part 6
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