The Double Reed Archaeologist

Chamber Music and Concertos for Oboists and Bassoonists
Charles-David Lehrer, General Editor

Volume XVI - No. 78

No. 78. Johann Sebastian Bach: Ouverture No 1 in C Major, BWV 1066:
2 Oboes, Bassoon, 2 Violins, Viola, and Continuo

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This work was composed during Johann Sebastian Bach’s tenure as Kapellmeister at the Court of the Princes of Anhalt-Cöthen, a position which he held from 1717 until 1722. Musicians at that court who would have been among the 18 in residence at the Schloss chosen to play in the premiere of this particular concerto within the Collegium [Kapelle] include performers on the following 12 instruments:

1st Oboe
2nd Oboe [Recorder: two were available: possibly one of these performers played the Oboe II part]
Bassoon

1st Violin 2 players
2nd Violin 1 +1 ripieno
Viola ripieno
Viola da Gamba
Cello
Violone: there is no specific mention of this instrument or of a Contrabasso, but the ripieno viol player, Christian Ferdinand Abel, could have handled it
Harpsichord: Johann Sebastian Bach

First Movement: Ouverture

The usual bisectional French Ouverture initiates this ordre. Its second part is a quick-moving fugue with episodes allotted to two oboes and bassoon, and it is followed by an additional slow dotted section. Some of the episodes are rather lengthy, while others are strikingly short. In addition, the bassoon part is quite idiomatic, containing a rather wide tessitura. When the oboes and bassoon are not concertizing in the episodes, they are doubling the strings [set à 4] in the ritornelli; in fact both oboes double the 1st violin part while the bassoon joins the continuo.

Second Movement: Courante

Set in rounded binary form à 4, this Courante finds the oboes and bassoon doubling as in the ritornelli of the fugue in the first movement. This opens the possibility for alternatum practice of having the 1st oboist play its line above the continuo of just bassoon & harpsichord the first time around, with the full ensemble joining in for the second go-round.

Third Movement: Gavotte

This Gavotte is laid out in rounded binary form with an accompanying trio. The latter, also in rounded binary form and maintaining the tonic, features the two oboes over a trumpet signal in the upper strings. [The bassoon remains with the continuo here.] The internal canon between the oboes in the A section and its recapitulation is remarkable. It is details such as these that made Bach unique among his contemporaries.

Fourth Movement: Forlane

A rare Forlane is utilized for the third item in this ordre. Set in rounded binary form, it features the workout of the century for 2nd violins and violas whose independent parts move in diminution. The latter instruments were usually handled by players of modest talent, so called ‘ripieno’ or filler performers. It must have been quite a shock to these fellows when they first confronted Bach’s Folane in the music room of the Schloss at the Court of the Princes of Anhalt-Cöthen! One only wishes Bach had composed a Forlane II to lengthen this movement.

Fifth Movement: Menuet

Everything seems quite normal in this Menuet until the trio, Menuet II, is reached. Bach assigns the entirety of it to 4-voiced strings. At the start of both sections A and B, the 1st violin takes the primary line followed by mild imitation in the continuo. But because of its angularity, the 1st violin line it does not seem to actually lead. The entire trio comes off as quite mysterious.

Sixth Movement: Gavotte

Once again Bach has supplied a trio for an item in his C major ordre. In this case, Gavotte II is set in the parallel minor and is given over entirely to the oboes and bassoon. The light syncopation found in Gavotte I is greatly expanded here. The original version used a ‘partial’ key signature of 2 flats.

Seventh Movement: Passepied

A Passepied with a most-interesting trio brings this ouverture to a close. In fact the trio, Passepied II, is but a variation of Passepied I. Here, the primary line is placed the three upper strings, 1st and 2nd violins and viola, and a florid counterpoint in unison oboes is played against it. In addition, the variation is somewhat reharmonized via a new bass line.

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