WEEK #2 | September 7 & 9, 2021

BWV 78: "Jesu, der du meine Seele"

ASSIGNMENT DUE Thursday: Personal Objectives (Beginning of the Term)

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EXIT TICKETS: At the end of many of our class sessions, students will have the opportunity to submit “exit tickets.” These can be anonymous or not, and are an opportunity for students to write down questions, ideas, suggestions, or reflections. These tickets will help shape conversations, readings, and assignments throughout the course. Note that exit tickets will not be graded.

Materials from our first class (9/2) can be found on this modules page:
Week 1: Performing Bach Cantatas - An Introduction

Listening

Listen (briefly: 1-2x) to one of two early Bach Cantatas:
1. BWV 106: Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit "Actus Tragicus"
  - Vocal Score
  - Performance Recording
2. BWV 131: Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir
  - Vocal Score
  - Performance Recording
BWV 78 Jesu, der du meine Seele
- - Vocal Score and Recordings can be found under Modules:
    Week 2: TUE Sept 7 & THU Sept 9
  - Consult this guide: How To Study For This Course
    - Listen to at least two of the recordings, ideally three
Make note of any differences that you notice (style, form, etc.) between the earlier cantata and BWV 78.

Readings & Resources

REQUIRED

Wolff 2020 Chapt 4.pdf
Watch this film by Tuesday, September 14.
Emmanuel Music: "What is a cantata?"

RECOMMENDED (Optional)
Oxford Music Online / Grove Music Online is a comprehensive and helpful online resource for music studies (and free for Harvard affiliates). Here are two entries worth exploring for more background on the development of the cantata, as well as the life and music of Johann Sebastian Bach

Cantata
J.S. Bach

Topics next week:

What is a Cantata? Context, musical elements, form, text source, function.
Singing in German
Introduction to the 1724-25 Leipzig Chorale Cantata Cycle