Chapter 101 BWV 209 Non sa che sia dolore He does not know what sorrow is.

Sinfonia--recit--aria--recit--aria. A cantata for soprano voice for an unknown occasion. Like its more concise sister work C 203, this cantata has generated doubts about its dating, function and authenticit ! some of these issues are addressed in chapter "00. #n fact, the two pieces sit we$$ together as a part of the same concert programme and shou$d be performed more often as such. %he reference to the town of Ansbach in the second recitative gives us a c$ue as to the cantata&s origina$ function. %he #ta$ian vio$inist and composer 'uiseppe %ore$$i, now $arge$ remembered for his trumpet concerti and sinfonias, had been appointed to the court of the (argrave of )randenburg-Ansbach in "*+, where he introduced a number of #ta$ian works. )ach certain$ knew some of his music, having transcribed a vio$in concerto of his at -eimer .)-/ +0+1. %ore$$i estab$ished a $iking of #ta$ian cu$ture and this seems to have permeated through to the setting of C 20+. -hether )ach was commissioned b someone from Ansbach, or wrote the cantata for a friend or co$$eague from that town cannot be estab$ished, but the #ta$ian connection is historica$$ substantiated. %he te2t indicates that its function was that of a va$edictor ode. %he work is conceived as two paired recitatives and arias preceded b a substantia$ sinfonia. %he use of a virtuoso f$autist in three of the five movements might indicate that it was written around "023-4 when the re$igious cantatas revea$ the e2istence of such a p$a er in Leip5ig. %he opening sinfonia is ver $ike$ to have been adapted or adopted from a $ost concerto and its man simi$arities to the 6rchestra$ Suite no 2, in the same ke , are obvious to an one who knows both works. A second connection ma be detected between the motive announced in the first bar of this piece and that from the doub$e vio$in concerto in 7m. #t is a$most certain$ coincidenta$, of course, and it $asts for si2 notes on$ . #n the second bar, )ach introduces the baro8ue 9weeping& figure which is notab$e for two reasons. :irst$ , it a$$ows room for and pre-empts the charming echoing between f$ute and vio$in that becomes a feature of the work .first heard in bars 2*-,1. Second$ , if it is a va$edictor work about parting, this simp$e idea encapsu$ates a brief f$ash of the pathos of farewe$$s. %his, perhaps a$$ied with the positivit and good wishes for one departing possib$ in order to better himse$f, is ver much ingrained in the character of the movement. ;eaders are a$erted to the various essa s in these vo$umes in which comments are passed on the particu$ar appropriateness of sinfonias to the te2ts or themes of the subse8uent works .see C 200 chapter +2 in this vo$ume and numerous e2amp$es in vo$umes " and 31. %here is no mistaking the energ and positivit of this piece, tinged though it is with moments of me$ancho$ . #t fo$$ows the da capo structure of a number of concerti e.g. the first movements of the < ma=or vio$in and harpsichord concerti and the $ast ones of )randenburgs 4 and *.

%he first recitative is a 8uasi-phi$osophica$ musing on the nature of human sorrow----he does not understand sorrow who parts from a friend .though not in death1----$ike the chi$d whose mother comforts him in distress----'o now and satisf (inerva. %he m thica$ reference provides another c$ue as to the genesis of the work. (inerva was the 'oddess of -isdom and the reference strong$ suggests a student from, or departing to, Ansbach in order to advance his studies. #ndeed, the ver tona$ p$anning of the movement supports such a view if on$ in genera$ terms. %he initia$ ref$ections on 9sorrow& take p$ace in the conte2t of the minor ke s ) and :> but when mention is made of the fu$fi$$ing of the 'oddess&s bidding, )ach moves 8uick$ into the positivit of A major and even the upper strings, hitherto emp$o ed in a pure$ sustaining ro$e, p$a a moderate$ more active part in the dia$ogue. )ut then the first aria cha$$enges this notion of the oung man departing for reasons of stud . %he references now are to his serving his father$and and crossing the seas? %his stan5a is packed with images, some of a contradictor nature e.g. sadness at parting, but p$easure in ambition and achievements. )oth themes ma under$ie the choice of the somewhat morose ke of <m, a$though the primar image that seems to have stimu$ated )ach&s imagination is that of favourab$e winds and waves. %he twe$ve-bar ritorne$$o theme .strings, continuo and f$ute1 is packed with musica$ interest and seems $onger than it rea$$ is. #ts charm $ies part$ in the =u2taposition of notes in groups of four semi-8uavers with those in groups of three .trip$ets1. #ts character is engaging, osci$$ating between the rather poignant opening motive on strings and f$ute and the streams of trip$ets which e2pand and deve$op $ike a burgeoning f$ower. %he 9A& section maintains the atmosphere of heav -heartedness sustained b the richness of te2ture .sometimes in five contrapunta$ parts1, despite the apparent =ovia$it of the f$ute ob$igato theme. %he 9)& section is much more rooted in ma=or modes, particu$ar$ the re$ative ke of '. %he te2ture becomes $ess dense, particu$ar$ from bar *2 when a gent$e rocking motion between f$ute and strings suggests the motion of propitious .and c$ear$ non-threatening1 waves. )ut the f$ute trip$ets return, rooted in the ma=or mode for the $ast five bars before the reprise of the first section. .6ne tin technica$ detai$ wi$$ interest few $isteners but ma encourage students. #n bar "4 the f$ute and voca$ $ines move together for a few notes in consecutive octaves. <ven )ach made occasiona$ technica$ errors?1 %he brief, second recitative is addressed direct$ to the individua$ in whose honour the work is performed, a$though its sense remains obscure. -hat is one to make of the statement---- our wisdom contrasts with this age but our virtue and courage wi$$ triumph@ #s it a reference to a creative mind, an origina$ thinker working outside the confines of convention and tradition@ :o$$owing this, advice is proffered----who wi$$ progress our present greatness@ -h the wise men of Ansbach? %his cou$d mean that the oung man is retiring to that town in order to advance himse$f. #t ma a$so refer to his upbringing and education which has so we$$ e8uipped him for his $ater $ife. -e cannot know! and the m steries of the te2t do not $essen as we e2amine them more c$ose$ .

)ach retains minor modes for this short secco movement, thus giving a nod to the seriousness and sadness of the event as we$$ as ensuring an immediate contrast between it and the conc$uding aria. #ndeed, this is the on$ one of the five movements to be ebu$$ient$ ma=or. #t retains the da capo structure in which the outer sections dec$aim----$eave trepidation and a$arm behind ou, as does the boatman when the wind is ca$m. %he 9)& section paints a fina$ picture of the departing individua$----no $onger fearfu$, he faces ahead and sings as he makes his vo age. #t is a fu$$ and mature$ deve$oped aria, over three hundred bars $ong, in which energetic strings and f$ute provide the instrumenta$ support as before. %he character of the ritorne$$o theme is main$ positive and optimistic, a bo$d, s mmetrica$ me$od in c$ear four-bar phrases. Aowever, it is not without its moments of trepidation, most notab$ the une2pected chromatic 'erman si2th chord .bar "31 and the rh thmica$$ inverted 9scotch snaps& in that and the fo$$owing bar. An concerns must be $eft behind as the future is faced, but f$ashes of their memories remain. Associations with dread and forgiving are confirmed with the e2tended use of this rh thmic idea from bar 04. %here are other transient moments of word painting throughout such as the une2pected bb in bar 34. A passing moment of particu$ar de$ight is the hemio$a .the voca$ part suggesting 3B3 bar across two bars of 3B,1 in the approach to the cadence .bars ++-"001. %he main feature to catch the ear in the 9)& section is the $ong me$isma on cantando----a representation of the singing as one traverses the waves .from bar "*,1. 7espite the minor modes, ca$$ed upon principa$$ for the purposes of musica$ variet , and the reminders of the mi$d$ nervous 9scotch snap& rh thm, the section contrives to end in a triumphant C ma=or before $eading to the reprise. %he reservations which some peop$e ma have about hearing )ach&s music set to #ta$ian te2ts are touched upon in the previous chapter. 6ne shou$d not, however, dismiss either of these intriguing and entertaining pieces $ight$ . 6nce ac8uainted with them, $isteners are $ike$ to want to revisit them. L#CDE httpEBBwww.bach-cantatas.comB)-/20+.htm
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