Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Bach’s Oboe
Xenia Löffler (oboe, oboe d’amore)
rec. 2024, Historischer Reitstadel, Neumarkt, Germany
Reviewed as download
Accent ACC24406 [61]

There can be no doubt that Johann Sebastian Bach valued the oboe very much. He included it in his compositions early on, and in many cantatas there are obbligato parts for it. Unfortunately, he did not write any concertos or sonatas for the instrument. No problem, thought Xenia Löffler, I’ll just make them myself. Not from nothing, of course, but from Bach’s own oeuvre. She took two sonatas for harpsichord and transverse flute and two of the trio sonatas for organ, and arranged them for oboe and other instruments; she also included four further organ works.

There is nothing wrong with such arrangements. After all, the great composers of the Baroque period arranged their own works – or works by colleagues. Bach is one of them. We know both the arrangement and the original of several works. There are secular models for several sacred cantatas, and five of the six Schübler Choräle for organ are arrangements of arias from cantatas. In the case of the trio sonatas for organ, it is also suspected that they are – in whole or in part – arrangements of earlier works. They were written in 1730, in all probability as practice material for Wilhelm Friedemann. In any case, the Sonata in E minor (BWV 528) could have been conceived as a trio sonata for two melody instruments and basso continuo. There are several recordings of these works as chamber music, and these sound quite natural, which reinforces these assumptions. Here, two of these sonatas are performed with different instrumentation: the upper voices of the Sonata in C (BWV 529) are performed on oboe and violin, those of the Sonata in E minor on oboe d’amore and viola da gamba. These combinations are well chosen: in the former, the bright sounds dominate, in the latter, the darker colours.

One of the most important works of the Baroque flute literature is the Sonata in B minor (BWV 1030), in which the harpsichord plays an obbligato role. Since there is a copy of the harpsichord part in G minor, which is considered to be the first version, and in this key the sonata is unplayable on the transverse flute, it is assumed that Bach conceived this work primarily for the oboe. In any case, it sounds wonderful in this version, also because of the brilliant interpretation. Not only Xenia Löffler shines here, but also Flóra Fábri on the harpsichord, who realizes the rhythmic pulse excellently, which gives the work a tangible dance character.

The authenticity of the Sonata in E flat (BWV 1031) is doubtful. There are speculations that it could have been written by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, but someone like Barthold Kuijken does not believe this. In his opinion, neither Johann Sebastian nor his two eldest sons could be considered as composers. But who, then, composed the work? We may never know. Be that as it may, it is a beautiful piece that has a permanent place in the repertoire and can hold its own here in a version for harpsichord and oboe.

Finally, there are three chorale preludes for organ in a successful combination of oboe or oboe d’amore, violin, viola da gamba and violoncello. Here, you can admire Xenia Löffler’s vocal style of playing. Then there is the Canzona in D minor (BWV 588), which is played by a wind ensemble of oboe, taille and two bassoons. There is evidence that woodwind ensembles existed in Bach’s time; in Telemann’s oeuvre, for example, there are works in versions for wind instruments with and without strings.

Not all recordings of arrangements of Bach’s music are convincing, but this one is. The arrangements are well done and the playing of all those involved is top class. This disc is a delight from start to finish. No Bach fan should miss this CD and lovers of the oboe have the opportunity to enjoy their favourite instrument in some of Bach’s most beautiful instrumental works.

Johan van Veen
www.musica-dei-donum.org
twitter.com/johanvanveen

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Contents
Sonata in G minor (BWV 1030b)
Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (BWV 639)
Trio sonata in C (BWV 529)
Canzona in D minor (BWV 588)
Sonata in E flat (BWV 1031)
Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel auf (BWV 617)
Trio sonata in E minor (BWV 528)
Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sein (BWV 641)

Other performers
Michael Bosch (taille), Daniel Deuter, Julia Scheerer (violin), Vittorio Ghielmi (viola da gamba), Katharina Litschig (cello), Györgyi Farkas, Christian Beuse (bassoon), Flóra Fábri (harpsichord)