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The chorale-tune upon which the work is based is Herzlich thut, a tune by
Hassler that had been converted from its secular origins to a chorale in 1613. J
.S. Bach, in the Saint Matthew Passion and other works, used it several
times, each with different words. It was the words of the standard English
version (Elgar-Atkins) of the Passion Chorale, "Be with me Lord when
dying, O part not Thou from me," that Morawetz found so appropriate, and it is
the music which goes with these words that forms the basis of the
Passacaglia. This fragment of the chorale undergoes fifteen variations which
are joined so smoothly that the listener feels only two main sections:
variations 1 to 8, where the extended melodic lines over the bass are mostly
based on the theme itself, and, starting with variation 9, where the chorale is
combined with Bach's Three Part Invention in C minor. From there a
crescendo achieves quite dramatic proportions through many other
contrapuntal devices and grows in tension and content until the last bar. This
work has a special place among Morawetz's compositions. He has intentionally
kept the harmonies of the Baroque period, but combines the emotional intensity
of the Romantic period. Program Notes, by Oskar Morawetz
Shortly after the tragic death of President John Fitgerald Kennedy I thought
of composing a work in his memory. It took me several months before deciding on
the form and style of this composition. Eventually, I wrote a work which is a
complete departure from my usual style: I took as the theme of the Passacaglia
the first four bars of one of the most moving traditional chorales, 'Be near me
Lord when dying, O Part not thou from me'.
These words are sung in Bach's St. Matthew Passion after the Crucifixion. In
order to retain the religious feeling of Bach's music, I decided to write my own
composition in the style of that period but using the colours of a full
symphonic orchestra.
Program Notes, by Mary I. Ingraham:
J.S. Bach's chorale 'Herzlich Tut' served as the inspiration for Morawetz's Passacaglia on a Bach Chorale,
a portion of which forms the repeated passacaglia melody. Often referred to as
the 'Passion chorale', this chorale is one of Bach's most famous, and may be
known to some as the melody of the hymn 'O sacred Head, sore wounded'. The text
of the English translation of the fourth verse of this hymn, 'Be near me when I
am dying, O show thy cross to me,' that inspired Morawetz's composition clearly
serves as the central theme of the Passacaglia: consolation in the face of
death. This text, set to the opening phrase of the chorale, forms the basis of
fifteen variations. In Variation 9, Morawetz introduces a further melodic idea,
the theme from Bach's Three-part Invention No. 2 in C Minor, and uses it
in combination with the chorale theme.
Contrapuntal devices, a propensity for building to a dramatic climax and the
melodic and rhythmic vitality of Morawetz' musical expression in the
Passacaglia on a Bach Chorale shows his absorption of a variety of styles,
from Baroque to twentieth century.
Quote from Apr. 30, 1976 article in the Onion, by Pauline Carey
(click here to read the full article):
When he remembers his Passacaglia on a Bach Chorale, dedicated to the
memory of John F. Kennedy, he chuckles. The work is a private joke for him. As
a student he always excelled in and delighted in writing fugues in the style
of Bach. When many composers began to orchestrate works of Bach in solemn
remembrance of President Kennedy, Oskar Morawetz decided to write an original
piece in Bach's style. It was easy for him and at the same time he was doing
something he always wanted to do. It would be so nice if one could always. . .
but people would laugh.
The Passacaglia on a Bach Chorale is dedicated to the memory of John
F. Kennedy. Here are some letters received by Morawetz after his dedication of
this work:
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