Evening in the Palace of Reason Page 28
7 weavers of the cosmic tapestry The most comprehensive discussions of the esoteric in Baroque music theory are in Yearsley’s Bach and the Meaning of Counterpoint and in his dissertation. Bukofzer, Bartel, and Leisinger are also very useful.
8 “smells of the church” Burney, Vol. 2, 92.
8 Bach’s chorales … “dumb stuff” Georg Thouret, Friedrich der Crosse als Musikfreund und Musiker (Leipzig, 1898), 29; cited in Helm, 75.
9 “One hears from Potsdam” Spenersche Zeitung (Berlin, May 11, 1747); NBR, 239.
9 “one single canonic imitation” See Schoenberg. All quotations from Schoenberg, in this and later chapters, are in Style and Idea.
11 “‘making fun of you’” Voltaire, Mémoires pour servir à la vie de M. de Voltaire écrits par lui-même, suivis de lettres a Frédéric II, Jacques Brenner, ed. (Paris, 1988); cited in Macdonough, 224.
II. BIOGRAPHY OF A TEMPERAMENT
16 wood nymphs, mermaids, and goblins Bainton, 19.
16 “if a stone be thrown” For this quotation, those that immediately follow, and the detail on Frederick’s relics, I am indebted to Bainton.
17 “so why are you standing about idly?” Oberman, 188.
19 “the water [running] with so mighty a force” A Wonderful and most Lamentable Declaration of the great hurt done, & mighty losses sustained by Fire that hapned; & mighty stormes of Winde, Thunder, Lightning, Haile & Raine, etc. (London, 1613); cited in Young, 22.
21 Thus was born the College For the information of the musicians’ union after the Thirty Years War, see Spitta, I, 144–151.
21 “to sue for” Ibid., 29.
22 “There may be conditions” Ibid., 31.
22 “perhaps the only [twins]” “Origin of the Musical Bach Family,” by J. S. Bach (c. 1735). This passage was added by Carl. NBR, 288.
24 “Both parties appeared” For documents in the dispute between Johann Christoph Bach and Anna Cunigunda Wieneren, see Spitta, I, 159–162.
25 several keepers of the town clocks Composition of the town council is in Young, 64.
26 “a simple creature” Spitta, I, 174.
26 he could have bought Wolff, Johann Sebastian Bach, The Learned Musician (hereafter Wolff, JSB), Appendix 3, 539–541.
III. THE HOHENZOLLERN REAL ESTATE COMPANY
27 a baptismal gown made of silver For details of the baptism and previous crown princes see Carlyle, I, Book I, Chapter 3, 20ff.; Asprey, 3; Lavisse, ‘3ff.
28 trouble with teething Lavisse, 2.
28 a funny bunch For early Hohenzollern history, see Carlyle, Fay, Haffner, Reddaway.
30 twelve thousand ducats The negotiation between Albert and the pope is in Bainton, 57.
33 Albert was a secret admirer For the story of Albert, Luther, and the Teutonic Knights, see Fay 32–33.
36 “Alliances … are good” Ibid., 66.
38 “our good master is dead” Baron Karl Ludwig von Pöllnitz, The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pöllnitz, 4 vols., translated from the French (London, 1745); Macdonough, 17.
IV. A SMALL, UNREADY ALCHEMIST
40 “farmers … know their instruments” Georg Michael Pfefferkorn, Merkwürdige und auserlesene Geschichte von der berühmten Landgrafschaft Thüringen (1685); cited in Oesner, 37.
40 “They sang popular songs” NBR, 424.
41 the two men did not get along Marshall, MQ, 507.
41 One of Sebastian’s favorite works Wolff, JSB, 29.
42 severely punished For this and several other insights, in particular related to Bach’s feelings about being orphaned, I am indebted to Marshall.
42 eighty-one children NBR, 32.
43 “You will find that from the beginning” Music in the Western World: A History in Documents, edited by Piero Weiss and Richard Taruskin (New York: Schirmer, 1984), 101. Hereafter referred to as MWW.
44 Pietism, an influence that took hold of him here For Bach’s attachment to Pietism, see Schrade.
45 he finished his first year Bach’s class placements in Ohrdruf are in NBR, 34.
46 Walther complains that his teacher Yearsley, Bach, 66.
46 the practice of learned counterpoint and that of alchemy Ibid., 42ff.
47 “One day he was out walking” Godwin, 9–10.
49 “I waver between the danger” Saint Augustine, Confessions;
MWW, 32. 49 “we have become deaf” Yearsley diss., 164. 49 Kepler gave Luther’s Ibid. 49 “Now one will no longer” Godwin, 221–234. 51 a prophecy in musical code Kees van Houten and Marinus
Kasbergen, Bach en hetgetal (Zutphen, 1985); Tatlow, 1.
51 “powerful, ever-living Agent” Gay, Science, 141.
51 “We marvel when we hear music” Walter Buszin, Luther on Music, edited by J. Riedel, Pamphlet Series no. 3 (St. Paul: Lutheran Society for Worship, Music and the Arts, 1958), 6; cited in Bartel, 4.
51 “The heavens are now revolving” Yearsley diss., 180; Bach, 20.
52 “beginning and end bound together” Bokemeyer in Critica Musica, I, 328; cited in Yearsley, Bach, 24.
53 “consistence, oleosity and aquasity” Paul Monroe, History of Education (New York: Macmillan, 1933), 487; cited in Chiapusso, 10.
56 dukedom of Celle Wolff has raised doubt about Carl’s assertion that Bach went to Celle, arguing that his education in French music came mainly at the castle in Lüneburg.
56 Like everything else at Versailles For the substance and details of this discussion of music in the court of Louis XIV, I am indebted to Isherwood.
57 “knew perfectly well the necessity” Isherwood, 333.
58 “This hero triumphs” Ibid., 230.
58 “I declare quite frankly” Ibid., 240.
V. GIANTS, SPIES, AND THE LASH: LIFE WITH “FATTY”
61 fifty horses … 2,547 thalers Fay, 91.
61 “Every day his majesty” Diplomatic dispatch cited by ibid., 92.
62 “The General Directory” Lavisse, 57–58.
62 “A king needs to be strong” Ibid., 45.
62 Powerful nations … “will always be obliged” Ibid., 94.
63 “Fatty’s heart is in my hands” Diplomatic dispatch cited but not annotated in Simon, 69.
63 “The variable moods of the King” Diplomatic dispatch cited in Lavisse, 77.
63 “Follow the example of your father” Recalled by Frederick William in conversation with French minister La Chétardie; cited by Lavisse, 88.
66 “[Frederick] is to rise at seven” Memo from Frederick William titled “Regulations for Schooling,” September 3, 1721; cited in Carlyle, I, Book 4, Chapter 8, 395–396.
66 convinced it would lead to desertions Ergang, 34.
66 They must “infuse into my son” In Oeuvres, I; cited in Carlyle, I, Book IV, Chapter 8, 390.
71 dispatch from the Saxon minister Diplomatic dispatch from Ulrich von Suhm cited in Asprey, 22. See also Lavisse, 128.
72 “The people are greatly discontented” Diplomatic dispatch from Rothenberg cited in Lavisse, 120.
73 Augustus’s greatest gift Wonderful detail on Frederick’s teenage romp in Dresden is in the memoirs of Pöllnitz and Wilhelmina, both referred to in Carlyle, II, Book VI, Chapter 3, 115–116.
74 “For a long time” Ibid., II, Book VI, Chapter 4, 134–135; this translation is Simon’s, 60.
74 “You know very well” Ibid.
75 The king came unexpectedly The source of the story, according to Carlyle (II, Book VI, Chapter 7, 187–189) was Quantz.
76 Augustus gave a dinner Ibid., II, Book VII, Chapter 3, 157–258; Lavisse, 215.
76 “Had I been so treated” Ranke, Neun Bücher Preussischer Geschichte, 3 vols. (Berlin, 1847), Vol. I, 297; cited by Carlyle, II, Book VII, Chapter 3, 253; Reddaway, 31.
76 “I have reason to believe” Diplomatic dispatch in Reinhold Koser, Friedrich der Grosse ah Kronprinz (Stuttgart, 1886); cited in Asprey, 43.
VI. THE SHARP EDGES OF GENIUS
77 promising to hang his tutors Ergang, 25.
79 a hint of self-dealing For the irregularities surrounding Bach’s hiring in Arnstadt, see Glöckner.
79 “much incorrectness” Ibid., 52.
79 “the affairs and dealings of the world” See Leaver, Calov Bible Commentary.
81 “the Holy Spirit was at work” MWW, 105.
82 “through which something ascending” Walther, Musical Lexicon; cited in Bartel, 180.
82 “through which lowly, insignificant” Ibid., 215.
82 “meant to express sorrowful” Yearsley diss., 235.
83 “by the spirits which are contained” MWW, 214.
83bells that rang themselves For amusing detail on Kircher’s background and theories, see Chiapusso, 125ff.
83 “Music is nothing other” Ibid., 129.
84 Kircher invoked the four humors See chart, Bartel, 37.
84 This animal-spirit-gas flows into the nerves Bartel, 36ff.
84 “When the harmonic numerus” Leisinger, 190.
85 “With nothing more than gigue” MWW, 219.
85 Far from being anachronistic Bartel, 33–34.
85 “It cannot be otherwise” Ibid., 16.
87 “They have no respect for their masters” Diakonas Weissgerber, Johann Sebastian Bach in Arnstadt (Arnstadt, 1904), 5; Terry, 64.
88 According to the consistory’s account “Excerpts from the Proceedings of the Arnstadt Consistory,” NBR, 43ff.
88 “might very well have refrained” Ibid.
88 “[Bach] must get along” Ibid.
89 “Handel arrives from Hamburg” Spitta, I, 262.
90 Extra security was required Details on Buxtehude’s Abendmusiken are in Young, 79; Snyder, 69–70; and Schweitzer, I, 77.
90 several thriving musical lives Wolff, Bach Studies 2, 196–199; Wolff, JSB, 95. Also see Snyder.
90 music … could seem to be from different continents Wolff, Bach Studies 2, 196.
92 its subject is time For this interpretation I am indebted to Chafe, Tonal Allegory, 91–123.
97 eighteen bushels of wheat Bach’s Weimar compensation is in Konrad Küster, Der Junge Bach (Stuttgart, 1996), 186ff.; NBR, 59.
VII. WITNESS TO AN EXECUTION
100 Frederick … put in writing a secret promise The letter is translated in full in Carlyle, II, Book VII, Chapter 2, 241.
101 “The Crown Prince is loading me with favors” Diplomatic dispatch cited in Asprey, 27.
101 “I pretend never to speak to the prince” Diplomatic dispatch cited in Lavisse, 166.
101 “[Frederick William] is absolutely hated” Diplomatic dispatch cited in Asprey, 29.
101 “Profit by the relations” Diplomatic dispatch cited in Lavisse, 169.
101 “The other day the King asked the Prince” Diplomatic dispatch cited in Carlyle, II, Book VI, Chapter 8, 191.
102 “I am in the utmost despair” Ibid.
102 Frederick and Katte acted like lovers Asprey, 51; Pöllnitz, cited in Macdonough, 49.
103 The escape attempt in Muhlberg See Carlyle, II, Book VII, Chapter 3, 253ff.
103 Frederick said, “I prefer to go to France first” Diplomatic dispatch from British envoy Guy Dickens cited in Lavisse, 223.
103 in a smashing new red cape Macdonough, 62.
104 “I thought you would be in Paris” Carlyle, II, Book VII, Chapter 6, 308.
104 his first interrogator The interrogation is similarly translated but not attributed in either Lavisse, 242–243, or Gooch, 114.
105 “He said he wished to go incognito to Landau” Diplomatic dispatch quoted in Lavisse, 235.
105 “Fritz has attempted to desert” Carlyle, II, Book VII, Chapter 7, 317.
106 “The door [to his cell] must be well closed” Letter from Frederick William to the governor general of Küstrin, cited in Lavisse, 244.
106 “What does he deserve” Wilhelmina, 215.
107 with the daughter of a cantor Carlyle, II, Book VII, Chapter 8, 329–330.
107 “If the King of Prussia persists in these sentiments” Lavisse, 249.
108 “This little knave” Ibid., 259.
108 “They must judge according to the law.…” Details and quotations relating to the various appeals for Katte and Frederick are from ibid., 272ff.
109 “Oh my prince” De Cart, I, 61–62.
110 “burghers of a respectable standing” Letter to the governor-general of Küstrin from Frederick William, cited in Lavisse, 291.
111 “The king thinks he has taken Katte” See Wilhelmina, 245n., letter from the governor of the Küstrin fortress to Frederick William; also Lavisse, 292; Simon, 100.
VIII. SONG OF THE ENDLESSLY ORBITING SPHERES
112 as if he was marrying back For this insight I am indebted to Marshall, MQ, 512.
113 a second Pachelbel Mattheson, Critica Musica, II, 175; Spitta, I, Book III, 383.
114 Carl told the story in a letter Forkel; NBR, 435.
116 “a heavenly-philosophical … science” J. G. Walther, Praecepta der musicalischen Composition, MS. 1708, new edition, edited by P. Benary (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1955), cited in Bartel, 10.
116 Leibniz received a letter Leisinger, 82.
116 “Perfection is the harmony of things” Ibid.
117 “the hidden arithmetical exercise” Translation of Leibniz in Mizler, Musikalische Bibliothek; Butt, “A Mind Unconscious,” 60.
117 most famous in his lifetime Yearsley, Bach, 42–43.
118 Houdemann canon looks like this The illustrations and realizations of the Houdemann canon are from Timothy Smith’s illuminating and smart Web site on the Bach canons, http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~tas3/bachindex.html.
122 “Many an honest bore” Friedrich Erhardt Niedt, Musicalischer Handleitung dritter und letzter Theil, edited by Johann Mattheson (Hamburg, 1717); translated by Pamela Poulin and lrmgard Taylor as The Musical Guide (Oxford, 1989); cited in Yearsley, Bach, 263.
123 “There are doubled” Niedt, Musical Guide; cited in Yearsley diss., 43–44.
123 “could hardly eat” Johann David Heinichen, Der General-Bass in der Composition (Dresden, 1728), reprint (Hildesheim, 1969); cited in Yearsley diss., 82.
123 “Do not expect that after all that quill-chewing” Critica Musica, II, 39; Cannon, 146.
123 “Rules are valid as long as I consider it well” Critica Musica, I, 338; cited by Neumann, 258.
123 One particularly incendiary article Yearsley, Bach, 53ff.
124 “When I look at my old ideas” Ibid., 55.
126 he was more than “influenced” For insight into Bach’s absorption of other composers’ work, I am indebted to Dreyfus, Patterns.
126 best hotel in town Glöckner, 65.
126 thirty quarts of beer Wolff, JSB, 152.
127 Bach had never been seriously considered Glöckner, 66.
128 “I tried to get a word with Mr. Handel” Terry, 129.
128 “On November 6, [1717] the quondam concertmaster” NBR, 80.
128 a passing reference by one Ernst Ludwig Gerber Wolff, NBR, 321.
129 “like a surly foreigner” Dreyfus, 42.
131 the orchestra, representing the collective society For this discussion of the politics of the concerto, I am indebted to McClary.
134 a dedicatory poem by himself NBR, 129.
135 “the earliest regular summer festival” Wolff, 210–211.
135 no realm of neutrality or middle ground for action For this discussion of Bach’s relation to the Enlightenment I am indebted to Pelikan, Schrade, and Stiller.
136 “How good a bit of smooching” Pelikan, 64.
136 Martin Luther … hymnal of 1524 Stiller, 208.
136 “the restoration of the heart” The German phrase Recreation des Gemüths is usually translated differently, often as “recreation of the soul.” While perhaps less precise as a direct translation, this translation from Stiller, 208, seems to evoke more fully the intended meaning of the phrase.
136 even in his filing system Stiller, 208.<
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137 his tombeau or epitaph for Maria Barbara Herbert Glossner, “The Most Arcane Secrets of Harmony,” and Helga Thoene, “A Secret Language—Hidden Chorale Quotations in J. S. Bach’s ‘Sei Solo a Violino,’” articles (translated by J. Bradford Robinson) accompanying the CD entitled Morimur, Christopher Poppen’s interpretation of the Chaconne from the solo violin sonata in D minor.
137 paper he had bought at a mill near Karlsbad Thoene, 50.
137 numerological evidence in all six Glossner, lbid., 39.
137 hidden in a cryptograph Thoene, 50.
138 Leopold was being pressed so hard for funds Glöckner, 74.
IX. A CHANGELING AMONG THE SWANS
139 when the event was “right fresh” Lavisse, 291.
139 Müller brought … poison From an account by Pastor Miiller’s son; translated in Carlyle, II, Book VIII, Chapter 1, 343–344.
139 both men cried as they read Asprey, 75.
140 “I know his wicked heart” Lavisse, 296.
140 he tearfully made Grumbkow the gift Ibid., 301.
140 “happy as a lark” Ibid., 303; Asprey, 78.
141 “Frederick knows perfectly Aristotle’s poetry” Variously translated from Koser by Lavisse, 312, and Asprey, 79.
142 predestination, a tenet he quickly renounced Lavisse, 307.
142 visit to the crown prince Grumbkow’s first-person account is in Carlyle, II, Book VIII, Chapter 5, 375–378; also see Lavisse, 314–318; Asprey, 81–82.
143 “My dear son Fritz” Complete letter is translated in Carlyle, III, Book IX, Chapter I, 12–13.
145 there were tears in his eyes Lavisse, 388.
147 men before a bonfire Carlyle, III, Book IX, Chapter 2, 30.
147 he … bombed the pastor’s home Ibid., III, Book IX, Chapter 2, 30–31.
149 Frederick William was furious Asprey, 108.
151 he did repay as king Ibid., 128n.
152 “ways not pleasant to his Father” Carlyle, VI, Book VI, Chapter 3, 119.
157 The scholar Adrienne Hytier “Frédéric II et les Philosophes Recalcitrants,” Romantic Review 57 (1966); cited in Asprey, 116.