A STUDY OF RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM IN JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH’S

WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER

A PROJECT REPORT

Presented to the Department of Music

California State University, Long Beach

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In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

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Master of Music

By Vemon G. Snyder

B.A., 2005, Southern Oregon University

May 2007

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 UMI N um ber: 1448174

Copyright 2007 by
Snyder, Vernon G.

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Copyright 2007

Vemon G. Snyder

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 WE, THE UNDERSIGNED MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,

HAVE APPROVED THIS PROJECT REPORT

A STUDY OF RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM IN JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH’S

WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER

By

Vemon G. Snyder

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

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Shun-Lin Chou, D.M.A. (Chair) IE Music

Roger Hickman, Ph.D. Music

'lACtilA, M. 0 M/
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Alicia M. Doyle, PhJT ^ Music

Mark Uranker, M.M. Music

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ACCEPTED AND APPROVED ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY

Jfjpi A. Carnahan, M.A.

Department Chair, Department of Music

California State University, Long Beach

May 2007

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 ABSTRACT

A STUDY OF RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM IN JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH’S

WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER

By

Vemon G. Snyder

May 2007

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Johann Sebastian Bach’s devotion to his Lutheran faith greatly influenced the type
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and quality o f music he composed. In The Well-Tempered Clavier, there are abundant

examples of religious symbolism that Bach incorporated to express his faith. This
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symbolism includes numerology, quotations from sacred hymns of the day, and

references to Bible verses.

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This study will focus on the most significant examples of symbolism found in

Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier in both volumes, thoroughly analyzing key preludes and

fugues. This will include the “Passion Fugues” and will also give an overview to the

many symbolic signatures of Bach, found in innumerable parts of The Well-Tempered

Clavier. Although brief score excerpts are included to guide the reader, one should read

this study with a full score of the preludes and fugues at hand and be familiar with the

chorales that are quoted.

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Kristine Forney for her invaluable advice and

unwavering ability to keep her students informed and on track. Many thanks also to Dr.

Alicia Doyle and Dr. Roger Hickman for their editing, knowledge, and advice that

allowed me to successfully complete this study.

I would also like to thank Dr. Shun-Lin Chou for all the efforts he made to make

my attendance at this University possible, as well as extremely rewarding and productive.

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His mentoring has allowed me to grow musically as well as personally.
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Finally, my most sincere gratitude to Dr. Alexander Tutunov for teaching me

what music-making is about, and giving me further insight into the music of Bach, which
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was the original inspiration for this Project Report.

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in

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................................ iii

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS........................................................................................... v

CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................. 1

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Music in the Judeo-Christian Tradition........................................................ 1

2. THE MUSIC OF J. S. BA CH ............................................................................... 4

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The Pietist Movement and Orthodox Lutheranism..................................... 4
Evidence o f Bach’s Spirituality in His Music.............................................. 6
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3. THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER................................................................. 11

“Passion Fugues” ........................................................................................... 11

Fugue No. 4 in C-sharp minor, BWV 849, Book 1............................... 14
Fugue No. 14 in F-sharp minor, BWV 882, Book I I ............................ 20
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Fugue No. 24 in B-minor, BWV 869, Book 1....................................... 23

Two Other Symbolic Fugues........................................................................ 28

Fugue No. 16 in G-minor, BWV 885, Book I I ..................................... 28
Fugue No. 8 in D-sharp minor, BWV 853, Book 1............................... 29

4. CONCLUSION..................................................................................................... 32

The Well-Tempered Clavier's Place in Keyboard Literature..................... 32

APPENDICES............................................................................................................... 34

A. RECITAL PROGRAM............................................................................ 35

BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................................................................................... 38
iv

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 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

ILLUSTRATION Page

1. Chorale O Haupt voll blut und wunden................................... 13

2. C-sharp minor fugue subject............................................................................. 14

3. C-sharp minor fugue m. 1 0 ............................................................................... 17

4. C-sharp minor fugue m. 102............................................................................. 17

5. C-sharp minor fugue ending.............................................................................. 18

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6. C-sharp minor fugue m. 3 6 ................................................................................
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7. F-sharp minor fugue subject.............................................................................. 20

8. F-sharp minor fugue m. 7 ................................................................................... 21

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9. F-sharp minor fugue m. 36................................................................................. 21

10. C-sharp minor fugue m. 6 9 ................................................................................ 22

11. F-sharp minor fugue m. 47................................................................................. 23

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12. B-minor prelude.................................................................................................. 24

13. B-minor fugue subject........................................................................................ 26

14. B-minor fugue m. 4 ............................................................................................ 27

15. G-minor prelude m. 1......................................................................................... 28

16. G-minor fugue subject........................................................................................ 29

17. Chorale Aus defer Noth schrei ’ ichzu dir........................................................... 30

18. D-sharp minor fugue subject................................................................................ 30

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 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Music in the Judeo-Christian Tradition

Music has always been an integral part of Judeo-Christian worship and devotion,

and much of the greatest music in the tradition of Western art music was created for the

Christian church. Given the strong connection between Western music and Christianity

during the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods, methods used to express the

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Christian faith grew to greater sophistication. In the Christian church, music abounding
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with religious symbolism has been employed by composers in a variety of ways.

Composers deeply devoted to their faith have used such devices as key signatures, time
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signatures, structure, and numerology to help express the profundity of the music’s

messages.

Johann Sebastian Bach was no exception. As a devout Lutheran, a large

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quantity of his compositions was written specifically for the church. Before the time of

Bach, the newly founded Lutheran church lacked the musical resources of the Roman

Catholic Church from which it sprung. In reference to the music of the Lutheran

Reformation, Paul Hindemith noted that it “suffers from obvious weaknesses if one

compares its musical possibilities to those of the Roman Catholic Church.”1 This

'Pelikan, Jaroslav, Bach Among the Theologians (Philadelphia: Fortress Press

1986), 27.
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 changed dramatically with the music of Bach, breathing new musical life and vibrancy

into the reformed Lutheran church.

Many o f Bach’s sacred compositions are inscribed by his hand with religious

phrases. Common examples include Jesu, Juva (Jesus, help), Soli Deo Gloria (To God

alone be the glory), In nomine Jesu (In the name o f Jesus), and most importantly

Christus Coronabit Crucigeros (Christ crowns those who bear His cross). Because of

Bach’s passionate devotion, his faith and the type and quality of his music are

inseparable. It is not surprising that he tirelessly used every aspect of his music,

including a wide array o f symbolism and lusus ingenii (intellectual games) to express

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his religious fervor, whether it was vocal or instrumental.

This study will focus on the most significant examples of Christian symbolism
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found in Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, in both volumes, thoroughly analyzing

selected preludes and fugues. This will include the previous described “Passion
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Fugues” and will also give an overview to the many symbolic signatures of Bach, found

in numerous parts of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Although brief score excerpts are
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included to guide the reader, one should read this study with a full score of the preludes

and fugues at hand and be familiar with the chorales that are quoted.

In The Well-Tempered Clavier and other instrumental works, the symbolism

must lie in the pitches themselves without any aid from texts used in vocal music. The

“B-A-C-H” motive (from Die Kunst der Fuge), in which Bach spells his own name with

the pitches B-flat, A, C, and B-natural, is a prominent example. It is also an example of

a musical chiastic: downward half-step, upward skip of a minor third, and downward

half-step (Illustration 2). This is an element frequently used in Bach’s music, including

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