Gubaidulina: Meditation on the Bach Chorale “Vor deinen Thron tret’ ich hiermit” (1993)

I'm not saying the Scottish Ensemble are sexist or anything, but Three Parts Bach does tuck away the female composer's contribution between the two big boys of relaxing Christmas classical composition. I suppose Arvo and JS are the star names, but Gubaidulina deserves a bit more love. 

Oh, she is responding to a Bach choral (“Vor deinen Thron tret’ ich hiermit”). So I suppose the name isn't unfair. Plus Three Parts Bach is a pretty cool tag.

Anyway, Gubaidulina is a rare remnant of the Soviet system: she is still at large, but won a Stalin fellowship, but got bollocked by the USSR for 'inappropriate tunings'. If getting in trouble from a totalitarian state for being experimental isn't cool enough (it's one thing if they don't like your politics, but winding them up because of the notes you use is magic), then the support of Shostakovitch really raises the bar.

Gubaidulina's compositions nod towards the god-awful racket that passes for serialism, but her exploration of sound is more mischievous than pompous. Her Meditation on the Bach Chorale sounds like she has cracked open JS' harpsichord and let all the other notes burst out. Then there's the bass/harpsichord duel in the middle, when the other strings try to get in on the action. Sweet.

Between Bach and Part, Gubaidulina is a little more abrasive, roughing up the consciousness to allow the calmer voice of Arvo (and Bach's polite mysticism) to attach to the mind.

Arvo versus Noddy

My Christmas with Arvo Part

 Tintinnabulation is an area I sometimes wander into when I am searching for answers - in my life, my music, my work. In my dark hours, I have the certain feeling that everything outside this one thing has no meaning. The complex and many-faceted only confuses me, and I must search for unity. What is it, this one thing, and how do I find my way to it? Traces of this perfect thing appear in many guises - and everything that is unimportant falls away.

 

Time and timelessness are connected. This instant and eternity are struggling within us. And this is the cause of all of our contradictions, our obstinacy, our narrow-mindedness, our faith and our grief.

Your Christmas with Noddy Holder
I don’t think a day goes by when someone doesn’t shout, ‘It’s Christmas’, at me. Merry Xmas Everybody is 41 years old. It’s a pension plan we never realised would happen. 

We were never a cool band, we were a successful band. We wanted to be a commercial band and to sell our music around the world. We wanted number one singles and albums, from the day we formed in 1966. We weren’t bothered about what the critics said about us.

Christmas is not just for good times

Bah, humbug. This year I am going to have a religious Christmas, because it suits my counter-cultural miserabilism and means I can forget that the enlightenment happened. I've been reading Diderot lately (see previous blog-posts) and anything that allows me to ignore the rise of capitalist consciousness is a Vile Favourite this month.

After I have seen my last pantomime, that's it: I'm pretending that is is about 1500, and the only art I'm allowed is Christian. Beat that, ascetics.

On the positive side, I totally win the music. The oft-repeated phrase 'the devil has all the best tunes' is tested by Christmas. Apart from that one song by her off Titanic, Christmas music is rubbish, and mostly celebrates the secular side of the season. So you can have Roy Wood, Chris De Burgh and Slade. I've got Bach and Arvo Part. 


And I've got the Scottish Ensemble. Three Parts Bach is their Christmas offering, and there's plenty of Jesus stuff there. Have some of this for starters.

Here's the lyrics.


German text

Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein
und wissen nicht, wo aus und ein,
und finden weder Hülf’ noch Rat,
ob wir gleich sorgen früh und spat:
So ist das unser Trost allein,
daß wir zusammen ingemein
dich rufen an, o treuer Gott,
um Rettung aus der Angst und Not.
Sieh nicht an unser Sünden groß,
sprich uns der selb’n aus Gnaden los,
steh’ uns in unserm Elend bei,
mach’ uns von aller Trübsal frei.
Auf daß von Herzen können wir
nachmals mit freuden danken dir,
gehorsam sein nach deinem Wort,
dich allzeit preisen hier und dort.
Paul Eber, 1566 based on In tenebris nostrae by J. Camerarius, c.1546
 

English translation
When we in deep distress and grief,
knowing not where to seek relief,
can find no help nor comfort here,
tho’ we have sought it far and near.

Then this alone our comfort be,
that we may all in unity
still call on Thee, true God, and know
Thou’lt save us from all fear and woe.

See not, thou’ great our sins may be,
but by Thy grace, Lord, set us free,
be near us in our misery
and keep us all from sorrow free.

That we with all our hearts may raise,
once more our joyful, grateful praise,
submissively Thy word declare,
and ever praise Thee, here as there.


Seriously, check the rhymes. 'Deep distress and grief... no help nor comfort here'. I'm just asking - what sounds more like the UK in December 2015: this, or that bloke with sideburns bellowing 'It's Christmaaaaas!!!!'?

Okay, I am against the bombing of Syria, and the best way I can imagine to combat ISIL is to celebrate the best of the western tradition. David Cameron might think that an elite group ignoring both common sense and the opinion of a large proportion of the populace is part of the western tradition (and yes, that has been a bit of a theme, especially in the twenty-first century), I am going to listen to the compositions of reverential composers.