J.S. Bach - Pastorale in F major, BWV 590 (c. 1720)

Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March [O.S. 21 March] 1685 - 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations as well as for vocal music such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. Since the 19th-century Bach Revival he has been generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.
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Uploaded with special permission by performer Peter Watchorn
www.musicaomnia.org
Pastorale in F major, BWV 590 (1720 or later?)
1. Alla Siciliana (0:00)
2. Allemande (2:20)
3. Aria (5:52)
4. Alla Gigue (9:11)
PETER WATCHORN, pedal harpsichord
(Hubbard & Broekman after Ruckers/Blanchet/Taskin,
1990/after J.A. Hass, 1734)
Details by Peter Watchorn:
This beautiful work consists of four movements, only the first of which
requires obbligato pedals. Given the nature of the plucked string, and the resultant decay of the sound, I have opted to arrange the second movement, a kind of pastoral lullaby, to include the pedal also, as the long bass strings help to sustain the “drone” effect that the “pastoral” title implies. The origins of this work are mysterious, as are the circumstances surrounding the form in which it has been transmitted to us. It appears to be half-way between a sonata and a suite and contains characteristics of both. After the opening movement, which concludes in A minor, the “lullaby” proceeds with the general rhythmic atmosphere of an allemande, minus the initial upbeat that defines the dance.
The expressive third movement resembles the slow movement of an Italian concerto (akin to Bach’s arrangements of works by Marcello or Vivaldi, perhaps providing a clue as to the date of BWV 590), while the finale is a genuine dance movement, a gigue of the type that Bach composed for the English Suites (as well as the third Brandenburg Concerto), in which the theme is inverted in the second half. Though it is often played on the organ due to the pedal part in the opening movement, the work is perhaps more idiomatic to the harpsichord, the pedal harpsichord providing the best of both worlds.
Notes on IMSLP:
First movement incomplete
Possibly first published in the Peters Organ works series? Peter Williams (The Organ Music of J. S. Bach, from p.196) gives for sources, as the autograph does not survive.
"complete in P 287 (J P Kellner, after 1727?); also, via CPE Bach (P290, P277?, Am.B59?), and [a] lost MS used in Peters I; first movement only [survives] in copies via Kittel(?)" (note: the Darmstadt digitized collection, of works by JS and CPE Bach, is possibly one of the above- P290, P277 or Am.B59?).
(Not the only work in regards to which Williams mentions the possibility that Griepenkerl may have used a source in preparing his edition that is now lost. This is also possible in regards several of Rust's editions for the BGA but with Rust as editor other issues arise.)

[@davidsaborit5091]

Even the most unknown pieces from Bach are gems. Great performance!! Thanks

[@peterwatchorn411]

This work is well known to organists. Like the C minor Passacaglia, BWV 582, it is unique among Bach's output. Its composition date is unknown (possibly the various movements once had a separate existence before fining their place in this work), but the third resembles the slow movements of Italian concertos that Bach arranged around 1714 in Weimar. The final movement, which echoes the Gigues from the English Suites (c. 1714-1720) may be from c. 1720, as it features Bach's interest in inverting his theme in the second section of the piece (as also in the last four, and later-composed, English Suites, BWV 808-811). Perhaps, as occurred in works like the B Minor Mass, BWV 232, Bach chose movements composed at different times and compiled them to form this unique and very beautiful "nativity" work, with its hypnotic drone effects. In any case, it is an organ work that achieves a new, more intimate dimension when played on the pedal string instruments (harpsichord and clavichord) that were well known to Bach and all German organists of his day. PW

[@fransmeersman2334]

Magnificent rendition of this very beautiful work. Thanks !

[@user-fu7zf4ck9z]

One of the most beautiful Bach works

[@hildalynch741]

Wow. -I'd just randomly tuned in on the off chance. - Once again another delightful surprise from you, dear chap. Many thanks. 🙂

[@Vingul]

Wonderful. Peter Watchorn is a great interpreter.

[@notaire2]

Wunderschöne und detaillierte Interpretation dieser fein komponierten Pastorale in verschiedenen Tempi mit schimmerndem doch warmherzigem Klang des technisch perfekten Cembalos und mit sorgfältig kontrollierter Dynamik. Die Pedaltechnik ist wahrlich ergreifend. Faszinierend vom Anfang bis zum Ende!

[@foolim1]

it's great that you're posting Bach's works that I never heard

[@piotrnycz-wasilec6628]

Eine wunderbare Interpretation 🎹🎶👍

[@mvmarchiori]

The siciliana reminds me of bwv 1020 second movement. Thanks, Peter and Bartje.

[@geoycs]

Wow, I didn’t even know about this piece. How lovely!

[@shin-i-chikozima]

This our world isfull of sorrow.
Will this music soothe our sorrow？

[@chessematics]

Is F major the trademark key of all pastoral music?

[@MrInterestingthings]

There is so much Bach that is not in thestandard reperrtoire . Pedal Harpsichord Amazing ! I must write some Boulez like stuff for it maybe add a bassflute and electric guitar with glockenspiel and alto saxophone!

[@NanaKwame96]

A fairly unknown piece played on a fairly unknown instrument. Never heard of a Pedal Harpsichord before.
But it is a wonder to hear this instrument being used.
Curious if this idea was done for the piano. Similar to an organ but still retaining the main elements to a piano.

[@peterwatchorn411]

In Bach's day pedal clavichords and (less commonly, as they were more complex and expensive) pedal harpsichords were used for organ practice at a time when organs had to pumped manually and churches were cold during many months of the year. This pedal harpsichord, designed by Hendrik Broekman, technical director of Hubbard Harpsichords, is based on surviving descriptions by, among others, Jakob Adlung (1699-1762). Though no original pedal harpsichords survive, this one is modelled on the scaling and geometry of an original German harpsichord with 16' register (sub-octave strings) by Johann Hieronymus Hass (1689-1752). The pedalboard instrument has a range of 2 1/2 octaves (C-F) and three sets of strings: 4', 8' and 16'. There are two alternative sets of jacks for the 8' register. In the opening movement of the Pastorale, you hear the 8' register that is further away from the player and, therefore, a rounder and more "hollow" sound, very effective for creating a "pastoral" drone effect in this piece. This same pedal harpsichord is used throughout my complete Bach series, especially in the seven Toccatas (BWV 910-916) and the various Fantasias, preludes and fugues that have all be included online with scores. PW

[@bartjebartmans]

@Nana Kwame check this video and google the instrument you will be amazed. th-cam.com/video/vW9mhB5qm70/w-d-xo.html

[@NanaKwame96]

@@bartjebartmans Thank you for your recommendation!

[@roelofvandermerwe1147]

Pedal pianos do exist😊😊

[@winsomelau6188]

Is this the only pastorale he ever written?

[@filmscorefreak]

He ended the first movement in A minor! He's obviously a bad composer, hope he didn't have children. (/jokes)

[@hugoclarke3284]

Because the second movement beings in C major