- Magnificat (Bach)
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The Magnificat in D major, BWV 243, is a major vocal work of Johann Sebastian Bach. It was composed for orchestra, a five-part choir and four or five soloists. The text is the canticle of Mary, mother of Jesus, as told by Luke the Evangelist (see Magnificat for more).
Bach composed an initial version in E flat major in 1723 for Christmas Vespers in Leipzig. He later removed the Christmas-specific texts to make it suitable for year-round performance, as well as transposing it to D major, providing better sonority for the trumpets in particular. The new version, which is the one usually performed, had its premiere at the Thomaskirche on July 2, 1733, the fourth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, which was the Feast of the Visitation at the time. The Feast was later moved to the end of May.
The work is divided into twelve parts which can be grouped into three movements, each beginning with an aria and completed by the choir in a fugal chorus. Its performance lasts approximately thirty minutes. The indented parts below indicate the removed Christmas texts.
The five soloists are Soprano I, Soprano II, Alto, Tenor and Bass.
- Choir — "Magnificat“
- Aria (soprano II)[1] — "Et exsultavit spiritus meus“
- A. Choral motet — "Vom Himmel hoch“
- Aria (soprano I) — "Quia respexit humilitatem“
- Choir — "Omnes generationes“
- Aria (bass) — "Quia fecit mihi magna“
- B. Choir — "Freut euch und jubiliert“
- Duet (alto, tenor) — "Et misericordia“
- Choir — "Fecit potentiam“
- C. Choir — "Gloria in excelsis Deo“
- Aria (tenor) — "Deposuit potentes“
- Aria (alto) — "Esurientes implevit bonis“
- D. Duet (soprano, bass) — "Virga Jesse floruit“
- Trio (soprano I/II, alto) — "Suscepit Israel“
- Choir or five soloists — "Sicut locutus est“
- Choir — "Gloria Patri“
Notes
- ^ Mezzosopran (mezzo-soprano) in Peters Edition
External links
- Magnificat: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.
- Magnificat – Omnes generationes – number symbolism (YouTube Video)
- Magnificat (MIDI), with practice files (MP3) for choristers
Categories:- Compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach
- Choral compositions
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