J. S. Bach’s Magnificat in Es-dur, Bwv243a: dialogue with tradition
By the time of the creation by I. S. Bach in 1723 of the first version of the Latin Magnificat (BWV243a, Es-dur), this genre in Germany had the long established strong regional traditions. Some of them were of a general nature, for example, the use of Latin on special occasions or the insertion of Christmas tropes into the canonical text, others, on the contrary, were more private, strictly local (especially if it concerned the structure of the choir or orchestra or individual compositional details). Therefore, there is not the slightest doubt that Bach chose such genre format that was familiar to his new listener for his first Magnificat, created in connection with the taking office of Leipzig Cantor. Objectives. From the foregoing, two following questions naturally follow: 1) what were the signs of the "Leipzig" type of magnificat? and 2) what’s new in this genre prototype is made by J. S. Bach? These questions stipulate the goal of this article, which is limited to defining the boundaries and principles of interaction between the "traditional" and the "new" – at the semantic and structural and compositional levels – in the Bach’s Magnificat BWV243a. The task of the work also includes the clarification of a number of interrelated genre-historical issues relating to both the external and the intra-style plans of the work. Results. For J. S. Bach, the early version of the Latin Magnificat could have an independent meaning as an autonomous votive – Christmas – cycle, possessing a number of distinctive features that extend much further than a simple change of tonality and the presence of lateral parts (compared with the traditional Latin text). As E. Rimbach notes, since the end of the 16th century, in some regions of Protestant Germany, especially in the south of the country, Latin was forbidden during the divine service, but in some other areas, particularly in Leipzig and Nuremberg, the Latin repertoire persisted steadily up to the 18th century [8, 27]. With regard to the Magnificat, it can be said with certainty that the German text of Mary’s prayer in the translation of Luther’s “Meine Seele erhebt den Herren”, in the antiphonal alternation between the choir and the community, from the beginning was everywhere (and remains to this day) as an integral part of Vespers at the Lutherans. However, on the days of the great holidays (Christmas, Easter and Pentecost), as well as the "small ones" that are directly related to the subject of the Magnificat (Annunciation, Visitation to Mary Elizabeth and Candlemas), the established order was violated. The solemn morning service was traditionally accompanied by the choral fulfillment of the German Magnificat, and at evening time parity (and even often of high priority) was given to works in Latin. Therefore, it is not surprising that in the works of many German authors of the 16th and 18th centuries (including JS Bach himself), there are Magnificents both on German and Latin, while some German composers never addressed Latin. One of the most probable reasons for this could be the lack of demand (and in some cases, even unacceptability) of a repertoire of this kind in the region. It is known that the main canonical Latin text could often include tropes: special additional comments on the contents of the current verse (strophe) of the Magnificat, quite autonomous text-musical inserts in Latin or German. According to the study of R. M. Kammarota, devoted to the sources of Christmas interpolations in the early version of the Bach’s Magnificat, which interests us, the origins of this tradition in Germany date back to at least the 14th century, unambiguously reflected in the collection of spiritual songs "Das Seckauer Cantionarium", published in 1345 in Zekkau, which includes two magnificats with Latin Christmas tropes [3, c.79]. This nascent tradition passed safely through the next four centuries and was still quite viable in Leipzig in the first quarter of the 18th century, so much so that when composing its Magnificat, Bach was forced to reckon with it. In any case, we can speak with sufficient confidence about the "Leipzig" model of the magnificat. As for the composition structure, it should be noted that the Bach’s interpretation takes into account the most diverse approaches of its predecessors. First, it is obvious that the traditions of I. Kunau are continuing with regard to the "dynamization" of the general structure of the cycle due to the alternation of a number of solo parts, with a characteristic tendency to gradually increase their quantitative composition. It is especially necessary to point out a certain influence of G. Schutz in the skill of building choral scenes as dynamic, in the full sense of the word, developmental, large-scale canvases. However, in general, J. S. Bach follows the path of not copying or summarizing the previously perceived tradition but creative reinterpreting and synthesing of traditions, again boldly entering into a dialogue with them, which results in a finely thought out compositionsemantic plan for the cycle as a whole. Thanks to the inclusion of four insert, "Christmas" parts, the individual principles of combining the cycle in two versions of the Magnificat (BWV 243a and BWV 243) are both similar and different. In the research literature, the ideal compositional symmetry inherent in both versions is noted. An additional composition-semantic arch in the early version of the Bach’s Magnificat forms a pair of symmetrically arranged in the cycle of the third and the tenth parts, where once in the cycle the sounding of the Protestant chorale in the upper voice is used according to the cantus firmus principle ("Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her" in the third part and "Meine Seele erhebt den Herren" in the tenth) [6]. Unusual in the latter case is that this most famous German Protestant chant turns out to be included in the context of the Latin magnificat, and, probably, for this reason, his melody is presented exclusively instrumentally. Conclusions. So, the Magnificat of I. S. Bach BWV243a, Es-dur, based on strong successive links with the extensive tradition of the Latin magnificat in the works of the previous generation of composers and its older contemporaries, at the same time enters into an active creative dialogue with it in relation to practically any possible aspects. Thus, although both German and Latin Magnificats were created by I. S. Bach, and moreover, the latter is available in two separate versions (with traditional Christmas inserts and without them), nevertheless, in both Latin versions there is a special "symbol" – the theme of the German Magnificat "Meine Seele erhebt den Herren". Applying inherited from predecessors the reception of troping, J. S. Bach skillfully inweaves the parts taken from the outside into the common and dramatic fabric of the work, perceiving the tradition as a special artistic task. The result of this intense creative work is the creation of a carefully calibrated structurally grand composition containing an inexhaustible potential for further research intentions