The concert “J.S. Bach: the Circle of Creation” was held on January 25th at the Vancouver Playhouse with Elisa Citterio the music director, Alison Mackay in charge of creation, script, and programme, and Kevin Bundy as the narrator. There were 24 works presented in total, including almost all of the music forms in the Baroque era, including the cantata, sonata, orchestral suite, concerto, and canon.
One may be curious why there was a narrator in the concert. This is actually the most impressive part of the concert: by having an actor/narrator, this was no longer a soporific, boring orchestral concert, where the audience watches the show quietly; instead, it was fun, educational, comprehensive and innovative. To enhance the theme, “the circle of creation,” a storyline ran through the concert, helping audiences understand Bach, his lifetime, the social context, and the development of musical instruments while listening to the masterpieces, thereby purposefully encouraged the audience’s engagement by stimulating their vision and auditory. A little story was inserted between every piece and this essential storyline was linked by the narrator; if he was the branch, then the orchestra was the leaves grown on it. Besides, he also helped to heighten the audience’s emotions: take the Canon triplex on the first 8 notes of Goldberg Variations, BWV 1087/13, for instance. He invited audiences to join him in singing a simple tone. It was the first time I felt that “classical music” can also be interesting and colorful. My favorite two pieces of the night were the Brandenburg Concerto no. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048 and the Canon triplex on the first 8 notes of Goldberg Variations, BWV 1087. which I will examine briefly.
Brandenburg Concerto no.3 in G Major, BWV 1048
The Brandenburg Concertos are a collection of six instrumental works. The works were presented in 1721 and then became some of the best orchestral compositions of the Baroque era. As a typical chamber music concert, there were three violins, three violas, three cellos, and a basso continuo that also included a harpsichord in this case. The melody of the first movement brought me back to 18th century Europe: I could imagine the nobility in fancy clothes chatting in a magnificent room. The key in G major left audiences with solemn but hopeful impression. The second movement had a faster tempo. It reminded me of the hustle and bustle of city life if anything. The outer movements use the rit, which was popular at the time and that reminds audiences of the beginning of the concerto, thus forming a coherent structure.
Canon triplex on the first 8 notes of Goldberg Variations, BWV 1087
This work was discovered in 1974 with an appendix in the form of fourteen canons built on the first eight bass notes from the aria. It is quite a simple piece. The narrator invited audiences to join and learn the melody just as Bach once taught his students. The audience learned that this type of canon was used for teaching, as a lot of musical instruments were new in this era. The canon, as we have learned in class, is a contrapuntal compositional technique that employs a melody with imitations of the melody played. In this case, the first 8 notes of Goldberg, like the title indicates, were played repeatedly. I was surprised about the audience engagement during the concert, as this was the first time I saw the audience singing in a classical music concert!
Overall, this was an excellent event. Actually, it is also my favorite concert as it surprised me in stage performance and design. Concerts of this type should be presented! They would definitely change people’s attitudes toward classical music. Even children would enjoy the show.