Christian Friedrich Henrici(January 14, 1700 – May 10, 1764), writing under the pen namePicander,was a German poet andlibrettistfor many of thecantataswhichJohann Sebastian Bachcomposed in Leipzig.
Christian Friedrich Henrici | |
|---|---|
 Plaque in Leipzig | |
| Born | Christian Friedrich Henrici January 14, 1700 Stolpen,Germany |
| Died | May 10, 1764(aged 64) Leipzig,Germany |
| Pen name | Picander |
Henrici was born inStolpen.He studied law atWittenbergandLeipzig.He wrote to supplement his income from tutoring and continued even after obtaining regular employment as a civil servant.
Librettist for Johann Sebastian Bach
editBach moved to Leipzig in 1723. There is uncertainty as to who was writing the libretti he set during his first years in the city. The authors of the libretti for theChorale cantata cycleof 1724/25 are anonymous. By 1725, Henrici and Bach were working together. Some of Bach's most important works used Henrici's libretti. Most notably their collaboration was on religious works in aLutherantradition such as theSt Matthew Passion(BWV 244). However, they also produced secular works such as theShepherds' Cantataof 1725 and the laterCoffee CantataandPeasant Cantata.
Sammlung Erbaulicher Gedanken
editFor a year from the start of Advent 1724 Picander had published spiritual poetry in weekly editions, which he collected in 1725 asSammlung Erbaulicher Gedanken.This caught Bach's eye who started using Picander's poetry for his cantatas from 1725, and used poems from Picander's first collection in hisSt Matthew Passion.[1][2]
Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte
editAll volumes of Picander'sErnst-schertzhaffte und satyrische Gedichte(Leipzig, 1727–51) contain texts set to music by J. S. Bach, including those for theSt Matthew Passionand its associated funeral music for Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen (Klagt, Kinder, klagt es aller Welt,BWV 244a).[3]
Volumes and editions:
- Vol. I: 1727, reprinted in 1732 and 1736.[4]
- Vol. II: 1729, reprinted in 1734.[5]
- Vol. III: 1732, reprinted in 1737.[6]This volume contained texts published in 1728 asCantaten auf die Sonn- und Fest-Tage durch das gantze Jahr.[7]
- Vol. IV: 1737.[8]
- Reworked fourth edition, containing a selection of previous editions, in two volumes: 1748.[9]
- Vol. V: 1751.[10]
Lost scores and reconstructions
editIn some cases, Henrici's texts have survived and Bach's settings have not. The lost scores include cases where the music has vanished without trace and others where there are clues as to what music Bach used to set the words, allowing the possibility of reconstruction.
Lost scores
editIn the preface to the third volume (1732) Picander claimed that J. S. Bach set a whole cycle of his cantata texts in 1729.[11]Only nine of J. S. Bach's settings are known to have survived (they include the cantatas for ChristmasEhre sei Gott in der Höhe,BWV 197a,New YearGott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm,BWV 171,Whit MondayIch liebe den Höchsten von ganzem Gemüte,BWV 174,and the feast of St MichaelMan singet mit Freuden vom Sieg,BWV 149) the statement made in the preface has been debated.[11][12]
Reconstructed scores
editExamples of reconstructions include the funeral music for Prince Leopold and theSt Mark Passion(BWV 247) where Bach's music can be reconstructed because it is known to have been used in surviving pieces. Bach sometimes returned to compositions commissioned for one-off occasions and recycled the music. Picander was able to help the composer in this process by providing metrically similar new texts, effectively setting words to Bach's music.
References
edit- ^Flossman 1899,p. 44–46
- ^Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici).Sammlung erbaulicher Gedancken über und auf die gewöhnlichen Sonn- und Festtage.Leipzig: 1724/25
- ^Alberto Basso.Frau Musika: La vita e le opere di J. S. Bach,Volume 2:Lipsia e le opere de la maturità (1723–1750).Turin: EDT, 1983.ISBN88-7063-028-5,p. 395
- ^Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici).Ernst-Scherzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte,Volume I. Leipzig (1727);2nd printing1732; 3rd printing 1736.
- ^Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici).Ernst-Scherzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte,Volume II.Leipzig (1729); 2nd printing 1734.
- ^Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici).Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte,Volume III.Leipzig: Joh. Theod. Boetii Tochter (1732);2nd printing 1737.B/W copy at archive.org (1732 edition)
- ^Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici).Cantaten auf die Sonn- und Fest-Tage durch das gantze Jahr.Leipzig (1728)
- ^Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici).Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte,Volume IV.Leipzig: Friedrich Matthias Friesen (1737).B/W copy at archive.org
- ^Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici).Picanders bis anhero herausgegebene Ernst-Scherzhafte und Satyrische Gedichte:Volume I–Volume II.Leipzig:Johann Gottfried Dyck(1748).Other MDZ scan (Vol. I);B/W copy at archive.org (Vol. II)
- ^Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici).Picanders neu herausgegebene Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte,Volume V.Leipzig:Johann Gottfried Dyck(1751).Other MDZ scan;B/W copy at archive.org
- ^abBiography of Picander at Last.fm
- ^However, since those compositions which have survived are spread widely over the liturgical year, it is not impossible then that J. S. Bach did indeed set to music all the texts in that volume, as claimed by the preface, and that those compositions are now lost.
Sources
edit- (in German)Paul Flossman.Picander (Christian Friedrich Henrici).Leipzig: Liebertwolkwitz (1899)
External links
edit
GermanWikisourcehas original text related to this article:Christian Friedrich Henrici
Media related toChristian Friedrich Henriciat Wikimedia Commons- "Henrici, Christian Friedrich (Pseudonym: Picander)",Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon(registration required)(in German)
