Black and Blublockers

After writing this I had decided against posting it, but as the hours have added up my better judgment has dwindled down. So here it is:

Black and Blublockers:

Taruskin's shady view of Bach

So you're telling me that Bach has a dark side? What's next, an article discussing the often overlooked Bill Nye the Science Guy episode on how to build a meth lab?

Taruskin's article "Facing Up, Finally, to Bach's Dark Vision" really sends the sacred cow to the slaughter house. He seems to revel in bringing to light the darkness and despair of this ignored element of Bach's compositional output and personality. He rips off the rose colored glasses of the enlightenment through which we look at Bach, and forces us to accept the black and blue nature of so many of his church Cantatas. Bloodied and bruised our perception of Bach tumbles down to earth, an earth that is "filth and horror" and to a "life that is pain."

This dark perspective allows for one to appreciate Nikolaus Harnoncourt's deep and heart wrenching interpretation of these Cantatas for Teldec. It suggests that these harsh sounds are an accurate depiction in music, of the fallen and sinful world as Bach perceived it. Taruskin rejects the ad hoc thinking that forces one to look at these works through our preconceived notion of a "hearty, genial, and lyrical" Bach. He suggests that from Bach's point of view, the world was essentially a dark place. It's here that I find myself conflicted: On one hand, Taruskin's analysis of these recordings seems right on the mark. The careful detailing of Bach's graphic text painting rightfully justifies Harnoncourt's interpretation. His assertion that not all music has to be fun and pretty strikes a chord of truth in my soul, but on the other hand it seems that Mr. Taruskin falls into the same pit that tripped up the "enlightened rediscoverers" in the first place. That is to create a perspective of Bach that ignores a great portion of his compositional output and personality. It's like mocking those who thought the world was flat without presenting a logical well reasoned alternative, and instead only suggesting that the world is really a giant undulating triangle. Yeah they might be wrong and stubborn, but so might you.

Another thing troubles me with this assertion that Bach is essentially dark. Why form a wholistic perspective on Bach and his worldview from a relatively small sample? It seems that he takes joy in destroying the short sighted view of others, while only offering up his own shortsighted perspective. Mr. Taruskin you condemn those who don't allow these particular Cantatas to inform their perception of Bach, but does St. Matthew's Passion and the B Minor Mass not inform yours as well? Is there no place in your view of him for the Cello Suites or The Musical Offering? Why must we exchange our rose colored glasses for a pair that are black and blue?

Looking at the texts that serve as a basis for the Church Cantatas allows for one to understand and appreciate the musical goals and affects of these dark works. But Mr. Taruskin has removed them from their greater context: First, in how these texts functioned in the services for which they were written, and how those services fit within the context of the church calendar. And second, how Bach's Lutheran view of the 'world' fit into the larger Lutheran cosmology.

1. The church calendar progresses in such a way as to prepare the christian for large, seminal moments and celebrations. For example, it is the forty days of Lent and ultimately the tragedy of Good Friday which prepare the christian for the celebration Easter. The season of Lent functions much like the dissonance of a suspension waiting to be resolved at Easter. Is it possible that these Church Cantatas functioned to create a dissonance that would ultimately be resolved in the glorious cantatas we know so well? Or is it possible that their role in the service was juxtaposed with chorales extolling the grace of God, allowing for those present to be all the more grateful for this grace? Did not Bach inscribe the initials SDG (Solo Deo Gloria - to God be Glory) on all his Cantatas, and doesn't that inscription shed some light on Bach's perception of these works, or should that be ignored as well?

2. Bach and other early Lutherans would have created a distinction between themselves and the "world of filth and horror" around them. This distinction would be between being IN the world, but not OF the world. The unwarranted application of God's grace, freeing them from sin and filth, was a foundational element of their faith, as well as a shift from the strikingly darker worldview of medieval Catholocism. Bach would have thought of himself residing in God's Mighty Fortress. To Bach, the church served as bulwark that would never fail to protect the faithful from the dark and sinful world. One must recognize the Lutheran's view of redemption through Jesus providing the ultimate resolution to the dissonance of the fallen world, to understand both Bach's vision of the world and how these pieces fit into that vision. Understanding this, can't we accept Bach's dark vision of the sinful world without viewing him as essentially dark?

Ultimately, isn't it possible to accept Bach as a character who is as complex and refined as his compositions? Mr. Taruskin, why go through all the trouble to break down a simple and one sided view of Bach, only to throw up an equally narrow perspective. I am indebted to your insight, which has enabled to me to appreciate Teldec's collection of these oft overlooked Cantatas, but I'd rather not trade in my rose colored glasses for a pair that are black and blue. I'll try listening to Bach without glasses, if you don't mind.