A Neglected Guide to Bach's Use of Number Symbolism —Part IV

Author(s): Randolph N. Currie

Source: Bach, Vol. 5, No. 4 (OCTOBER, 1974), pp. 3-8
Published by: Riemenschneider Bach Institute
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A Neglected Guide to Bach's Use of Number
- Part IV
Symbolism
By Randolph N. Currie
Ohio State University,Newark

Numbersin thePATREM
SomeAdditional
In PartsI and II of thisarticle,therewere mentioned(mostlyin
asidesand notes) certainnumberswhichseemto supportand extendthe
symbolism of theprincipalnumber.At thispoint,theauthorwouldlike
to directattention to a fewadditionalnumber-symbols whichhavea more-
or-lessindependent significance.
-
123 As 41 X 3, thisnumberstrongly Bach'sefforts
suggests multi-
pliedby the also,
Trinity; it mightstandfor the dual concept
72
KYRIE-GLORIA through gematria(64 -j- 59). Noticethat
the digitsadd and multiplyto producethe same number,a
factwhichexplainsthestatusof 6 as a "perfect" number.
usesof thisnumber:
listcontainssomeof themorestriking
The following
1. Ob. I and II, measure1-21- obbligatoduo basedon thefac-
torem motivefromthefuguesubject
2. Continuopartdownthrough measure20a (theendof a system
in theholograph)- marksthecenterof theCredoandPatrem
sections
3. The numberof noteson thewordfactor em downthrough the
divisionof themovement at theend of measure4
4. Total in Tr. I, measure69a - end of the secondexposition;
and
5. The totalnotesin thechorusforthefinal7 measures, a pass-
age whichbeginsin the 123rdmeasureof theSymbolům.
129- As 43 X 3, thisnumber(Trinitarian faith?)makesa logical
pendant 123; however, primary is at a different
to its use level
of organization.Once again,the crosssum (12) and cross
product(18) areof interest, in relationto the"6"
particularly
generated by the comparisonnumber (6:12:18=1:2:3).
As Smendhas observed,73 the numberappearsthreetimesas a measure
Nicenum:
of the Symbolům
totalgeneratedby the internalorganization
1. Credoin unumDeum (45) plusPatremomnipotentem (84)
est (49)
2. Et in unumDominum(80) and Et in carnatus

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 3. Fromtheintroduction of thewordsEt expecto(meas. 121 of
theConfiteor)to theend of theCreed. As notedabove,the
mid-point in thefirstofthesepairsis markedbythe123 notes
in thecontinuo,thereby unitingthetwolevelsof organization.
378- This numberis restricted to a singleimportant use: thetotal
numberof notes in the continuopart in the Patrem. Its
numerical propertiesare particularlyinteresting:(1) it is the
sumof thenumbers from1 to 27; (2) it is theproductof 14
and 27, the same two numberswhichyieldBach'snumerical
signaturewhenadded;and (3) whencombinedwiththe353
tonesof thecontinuofromthepreceding movement, thetotal
is evenlydivisibleby43 (731 = 43 X 17), a strongechoof
the resultobtainedby addingthe numberof measuresfrom
thesametwomovements (see "129" above).
1763- The notescontainedin the six instrumental partswhichare
used throughout the Patrem;74 thisnumberfactorsjust one
way: 41 X 43!
Thereare surelymeaningfulnumberscontainedin thePatremother
thanthosediscussedhere. Onlysomeof thesehave,perhaps,been recog-
nizedby thiswriter(who doubtswhetherBach everwrotea movement
moreladen with numericalsignificance).In a way,the complexity of
the symbolism makesit moredifficult to achievea clearperceptionof
Bach's use of numbershere,than in some of his earlier,less involved
compositions.75Yet, thisverycomplexity makesit possibleto uncover
levelsof meaningwhichmightotherwise remainundetected; furthermore,
the studyof thisparticularworkis sanctionedby the clue whichBach
himselfplacedat theendof themovement.
However,once theselayersof meaninghave been penetrated and
albeit
understood, our
imperfectly, comprehension of Bach's achievement
expanded.In writing
is tremendously aboutCantata11, ManfredBukofzer
an
gives eloquenttestimony to the way one's listeningexperienceis en-
hancedbyan awarenessof theallusionscontainedin themusic:
Here it maytrulybe saidthatthereis nothingin thismove-
mentwithouta definitemeaning,justas in baroquepicturesof
everylinehasa positivefigurative
allegories sense.But themost
important point of all is thatthe music is real music. The alle-
gorieshave a concrete reality and are no pale constructionsin-
ventedforthenonce.This . . . overlaytakesplacesimultaneously
as can happen only in music,withoutbreakingthroughthe
artistic
unityof thepiece. For themovement is a self-contained

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 affair.When we recognizethe [multi-dimensional] complexof
meaning and hear it as a musical
simultaneous unity,we experi-
encea feelingof immenserichness.As we listen,it is as though
we wereperpetually leapingfromone meaningto another.This
multiplicity unity,this combination
in of spiritualand purely
aesthetic
pleasure,appears to me uniquein its intensity.76
SomeReflections on Bach'sUse ofNumberSymbolism
The extremeconcentration of meaningbroughtaboutby the inter-
playof severaldistinct levelsof symbolism in operationat thesametime
seemsto explainwhynumbersymbolism couldappeal to a composerlike
Bach. The economyof meansis suchthata singlepage of musicmight
represent ideas whichwould requirethousandsof wordsto expressver-
bally. Sinceall musicrequiresa certainnumberof measures, beats,notes,
in
etc., written form, the means for numerical expression is a readilyavail-
able aspectof notation.77 Froma numerical pointof view, these quantities
eithercan be randomby-products of purelymusicalconsiderations, or
be
can,themselves, subject to a meaningful organization. That Bach might
findsuch manipulation an attractive courseof actionis understandable;
thathe couldcarryoutthiskindof organization on sucha vastscalewith-
out disrupting the flow and logic of his musical ideas is themarkof his
genius.
Fromall indications, the use of numbersymbolism was an ancient
and well-established (althoughsecret) tradition in Bach's day; further-
more,thepracticehadmusicaland mystical associationsdatingbackto the
timeof Pythagoras. In thewordsof Christopher Butler,"We mustbe on
the alertfor [numerical]composition when we findcontextsin which
cosmology, music,astronomy, astrology, Biblicalstoriescontainingnum-
bers,references to creation,and so on, are partof the subjectmatter."78
In thelightof thetraditions involved, it is hardto imaginea moreappro-
for an elaborate numerical playthantheone Bach selected -
priateplace
a musicalsettingof an ancienttextproclaiming faithin the Creatorof
heavenand earth,thevisibleand theinvisible.
Throughtheuse of "signature" numbers, Bachwas able to personalize
the Christianarticlesof faith;nevertheless, he seemsto have made no
attemptto expressideascontrary to orthodoxChristiantheology.On the
contrary, he used numbers to expand and personalizethe commonly
accepted beliefs.It seems likelythatBach mayhave used numbersym-
bolismas a meansof communicating an ineffable,mysticalexperience.
The greatJewishscholarand authority on mysticism, GershomScholem,
has observedthat"a mystic's background and education lead himto trans-
latehis experience quitespontaneously into traditional
symbols."79

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 Scholemelaboratesas follows:

Symbols, by theirverynature,are a meansof expressing an

experience that is in itself .
expressionless. . . The mystic who
lendsnew symbolicmeaningto his holytexts,to thedoctrines
and ritualsof his religion- and this is just what almostall
mysticshavedoneandwhataccountslargelyfortheirimportance
in the history - discoversa new dimension,
of religions a new
depthin his own tradition.In employingsymbols to describe
his own experience and to formulatehis interpretations of it,he
is actuallysettingout to confirm religiousauthority by reinter-
pretingit. . . . But by thusopeningup thesymbolic dimensions,
he transforms andhissymbolism
religiousauthority, is theinstru-
mentof thattransformation. He bows to authority in pious
veneration, but thisdoes notpreventhimfromtransforming it,
sometimes radically.80

AssumingthatBachusednumbers as a wayto expresshiswell-known

mystical his
inclinations, painstaking devotion to numerology becomes
readilycomprehensible, as does the secrecy withwhich he shrouded his
activities.The composermay have had an excellentreason,otherthan
protecting his innermostthoughts and feelings,formaintaining silenceon
thesubject:in thesixteenth and seventeenth number
centuries, mysticism
had become"contaminated" withoccultand demonicassociations, so much
so thatanyoneengagingin thepracticeran theriskof beingaccusedof
heresy.Thattheseassociations couldstillbe perceivedin ourown century
is evidentin the works of Thomas Mann,particularly in DoctorFaustus.
In thatnovel,Mann has his Adrian
protagonist, Leverkühn, in decidingto
leavetheseminary(in Halle) to the
pursue study of music (in Leipzig),
observe:
The 'stepaside'to herwere[sic] no longone. MyLutheran-
ismagrees,forit seesin theologyand musicneighboring spheres
and close of kin; and besides,musichas alwaysseemedto me
personallya magicmarriage betweentheology and theso divert-
ing mathematic. Item,she has muchof the laboratory and the
insistentactivityof the alchemistsand nigromancers of yore,
whichalso stoodin thesignof thetheology, butat thesametime
in thatof emancipation and apostasy.... 81

As thisinquiryhas demonstrated,thereis abundantevidenceto sug-

gest thatBach engaged in numericalcomposition overa long periodof
time. Nevertheless,acceptanceof this idea poses manynew problems.
If one assumes,as does theauthor,thatthepatterns then
are intentional,

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thequestionarises:How did thesenumberscome intobeing? Are they
outgrowths of a numericalmasterplan used to generateentirecomposi-
tions,or do thesepatternsrepresent a personal
an externalrestriction,
challenge,imposedupon the compositionby the composer? It would
seemthata greatdeal moreinformation will be neededbeforetheseand
answered.For thepresent,
otherquestionscan be satisfactorily thiswriter
tendsto agreewiththeassessment of NikolausHarnoncourt:
This aspectof Bach's compositiondeservesconsideration
above all becausethemusichas not had to sufferat anysingle
pointbecauseof thisProcrustean bed. His mastery of compo-
sitionwas so consummate thathe musthave soughtsuchextra
with actualpleasurein orderto testhimselfwith
difficulties
them.82

A further is thatsuch numericalrestrictions

possibility mightvery
of Bach'smusic.
to thekinetictensionso characteristic
wellcontribute

Anotherquestionwhichhas been raisedin some quarterscan, per-

haps,be answerednow. Does thisline of inquiryaffordanybenefitfor
the seriousBach scholarand performer? Or is it merelya parlorgame
withno real significance?It would seemthatanyawarenessand under-
standingof Bach'suse of numbersdefinitely holdsmuchpromisein sev-
eralareasof Bach research. it
First, a
offers uniqueopportunity to observe
some of the composer'sdeepestthoughts and convictions in a palpable
form.Second,it has tremendous potentional as a criticaltool. Assuming
an understandingof thenumerical constructs in forcein a particularpass-
age, it wouldenablescholarsto makea rationalchoicebetweendisputed
readingsin theeventthatone fitsthepatternwhiletheotherdoes not.83
Finally,it mighthelpus furtherunderstand thecompositional procedures
of one of theworld'sgreatestcreativeminds.

Therecan be littledoubtthatBach wantedhis numbersymbolism to

be understood.Had he intendedotherwise, he mighteasilyhave invented
new numericalmeaningswhichonlyhe could comprehend.Instead,he
usedthetraditionalnumbers withtheirestablishedmeaningsintact,seem-
inglycontentto augment thehistorical
number-vocabulary withadditional
symbols,most of which were derivedby means of simpleletter-
relatively
numberrelationship. In manyways,Bach'snumerical compositionparallels
his manipulationof theelementsof music. "Complex,traditional,logical,
inventive,highly concentrated, and deeplyreligious"- the descriptive
phrasesapplyequallyto boththemusicand thenumericalstructures (if
indeedthe two can be separated).And justas no one personis able to
fathomthe richesof Bach's music,so, also, no singleindividualhas the

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powerto understand, let alone explain,the wealthof ideas suggestedby
Bach'snumbersymbolism. Thereis roomforhope,nonetheless, thatthe
composer'snumericallanguagecan be reconstructed with the "Rosetta
Stone"of thePatrem- provideda sufficient numberof mindscontribute
to theeffort.In viewof thepotentialbenefits,theworkinvolvedpromises
to be morethanworthwhile..

Footnotes
72Thenumber forKYRIE-GLORIA-CREDO-SANCTUS
equivalents (64 + 59 +
43 + 92) addto 258 or 43 X 6, a factwhichmayhavesomebearing on the
number ofmeasures in thefirst foursections oftheSymbolům (45 + 84 + 80
+ 49 = 258).
73Kirchen-KantatenIV,p. 13f.
74Thatis, theoboes,strings, and continuo. The strictly obbligatotrumpets and
tympani arenotincluded in thistally.
75Forexample, theD MinorOrganToccata confuga( BWV 565) ortheС Major
FuguefromWTC,Bk.I, bothofwhichseemquiteobvious in comparison tothe
Patrem.
76Manfred Bukofzer,"Allegory inBaroque Music," Journal oftheWarburg Institute,
3 (1939): 18.
77Strangelyenough, Bukofzer didnotnamenumber symbolism as a "suitable
sub-
ject"formusicalexpression (seeop.cit.,p. 4) , althoughhisexample fromCantata
77 containsa clearnumerical referenceto theCommandments, whichBukofzer
dulynoted.
78ChristopherButler,Number Symbolism (NewYork:Barnes andNoble,1970),
p. 133. Butler'schiefconcern is Englishpoetry; however, hisobservations are
quiteapropos andservetopointup theuniversality ofnumerical traditions.
79Gersholm G. Scholem,OntheKabbalah andItsSymbolism, trans.RalphManheim
(NewYork:Schocken Books,1965),p. 22.
80Ibid.
81Thomas Mann,DoctorFaustus : TheLifeoftheGerman Composer AdrianLever -
kühnas Toldbya Friend, trans. H. T. Lowe-Porter (NewYork:Alfred A. Knopf,
1948),p. 131.
82NikolausHarnoncourt, Entstehungsgeschichte derMatthäus "Introduction"
Fassion,
toDas AlteWerkrecording (Vienna, 1970),p. 13.
83VanCrevel madea strong caseforthemusicological ofa knowledge
applications
ofnumber symbolism in hisedition oftwooftheObrecht Masses( seenote71).
However, theuseofthisinformation hasbeenlargely neglectedbytheeditors of
NBA. A notable exception is thedecision HansKlotzmadeat thesuggestion of
Werner TellofMagdeburg -
(seenote60,BACHV, 3) a numerical choicecor-
roboratedbydatapresented above.

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