Ophlie Gaillard

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

Pulcinella Orchestra

Remerciements: Michel Lucas, le CIC, Olivier Fadini, Guy Coquoz.

Enregistr les 17, 18, 19 septembre et 19 dcembre 2013 Paris, glise Bon Secours
Direction artistique: Nicolas Bartholome
Montage: Emilie Ruby (Little Tribeca)
Mixage et mastering: Emilie Ruby et Nicolas Bartholome
Assistants son: Maximilien Ciup, Damien Quintard, Ignace Hauville
Production excutive: Little Tribeca
Pianoforte de Johann Andreas Stein (1785) pistes 1 9
Pianoforte de Franz Baumbach (Vienne, 1790) pistes 10 12
English translation Mary Pardoe
Photos Caroline Doutre
2013 Apart Little TribecaPulcinella
1, rue Paul Bert 93500 Pantin France
www.littletribeca.com

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788)

1-3 Cello Concerto in A minor, Wq. 170 (H. 432)
Concerto pour violoncelle en la mineur
Allegro assai
1025
Andante
721
Allegro assai
640
4-6 Sinfonia no. 5 in B minor, Wq. 182 (H. 661)
Sinfonia n o 5 en si mineur
Allegretto
349
Larghetto
213
Presto
346
7-9 Cello Concerto in A major, Wq. 172 (H. 439)
Concerto pour violoncelle en la majeur
Allegro
618
Largo
751
Allegro assai
509
10-12 Trio Sonata in C minor for two violins and continuo, Wq. 161 (H. 579)
Sonate en ut mineur pour deux violons et basse
Sanguineus & Melancholicus
Allegretto - Presto
500
Adagio
435
Allegro
852
Total: 72'

Ca
Em

Son
Con

Pianoforte de Johann Andreas Stein (1785)

Carl Philipp
Emanuel Bach
Sonata, Sinfonia,
Concertos

For many years the composer-sons of Johann SebastianBach

were seen merely as pale and distant epigones of their
father, lacking in his genius a nonsensical view that can
only be explained by inadequate knowledge of their works.
Today, with better access to their compositions, hence
better understanding of their true value, particularly as
regards his two eldest sons, Wilhelm Friedemann and
CarlPhilipp Emanuel, it is clear that their only option was
to escape from the gigantic shadow cast over them by
their fathers greatness. Johann Nikolaus Forkel, J. S.Bachs
first biographer, who knew them personally, wrote in 1802:
Both he [C. P. E. Bach] and his elder brother admitted
that they were driven to adopt a style of their own by the
wish to avoid comparison with their incomparable father. 1
CarlPhilipp Emanuel Bach, who was a staunch admirer
of his fathers genius and an ardent propagandist of his
works, opened up a new path for himself in that new age
of vibrant sensitivity. Highly admired in his own century by
Haydn, Gluck and Mozart, he stands out today as a brilliant
and highly original composer.
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach frequented amateur musicians
much more than professionals, hence a desire to provide
the former, not only with the many keyboard pieces
hepublished, but also with chamber works intended for
per formance in social contexts at their homes. These
pieces were written for the most part during his Berlin
years. Fewer in number than his works for harpsichord or
fortepiano, they nevertheless form a substantial body of
almost a hundred scores: an original corpus and one of
5

quality, including sonatas for violin, viola da

gamba or flute with keyboard, duos and trios,
and diverse pieces calling for instruments
rarely in use at that time, such as the bass
flute, clarinet, bassoon and harp. These works
are dominated by the twenty or so extant
trios for various instrumental combinations.
C. P. E. Bach broke with many of the traditional genres practised by composers of his
fathers generation, but not really with the
trio sonata, his Trio Sonata in C minor for two
violins and continuo Wq.161 (H.579) being
a fine example. The piece, dated 1749, was
published two years later with the subtitle
Gesprch zwischen einem Sanguineus und
Melancholicus. As he explains in the preface:
It is an attempt to represent a conversation
[Gesprch] between two persons, the one
sanguine and the other melancholic, who,
throughout the first movement and until near
the end of the second movement, argue with
each other. Each tries to persuade the other
of his point of view, until they are reconciled
at the end of the second movement, when
Melancholicus finally concedes and accepts
the main idea of the other.
T his is therefore a quasi - progr ammatic
work, a rarity in C. P. E. Bachs output. The
first violin is Sanguineus and the second
6

violin Melancholicus. Melancholicus speaks

in an anguished and depressive allegretto
tempo and in C minor mode. Sanguineus
answers in a cheerful, ardent presto and in
the key of Eflat, the relative major, with
crisp, rhythmic effusions in 3/8. These two
contrasting yet complementary motifs are
juxtaposed and interwoven as they compete
in the opening Allegretto-Presto. The conflict
subsides in the second movement, Adagio,
carrying straight on from the first: we hear
Melancholicus gradually abandoning the
struggle; the musical texture is integrated
into one metre and key, and they finally come
together in agreement. In the final Allegro, the
two personae are completely united (Bachs
own words). They exchange a single motif
made up of the two previous motifs, thus
sealing their alliance. Their reconciliation is
manifested by Sanguineus, who moves in the
end from his usual E flat major to the relative
minor, Melancholicuss C minor.
This idea was not unique to Carl Philipp
Emanuel Bach. The humoral theory (the theory
of the four humours) per vades Handels
LAllegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato (1840,
based on poetry by Milton), which contrasts
a person given to excessive mirth (one who
is overly sanguine) with someone given to

excessive melancholy (owing to an excess of

black bile) and comes to the conclusion that
the moderate person (one whose humours
are balanced) is superior to both. Later, the
final movement, La Malinconia (Melancholy),
of Beethovens String Quartet no. 6 likewise
opposes two contrasting themes. But here
we cannot help being struck by the perfect
agreement reached in the end by the two
protagonists. Did C. P. E. Bach identify with
Sanguineus or Melancholicus? If so, with which
one? Or did he identify with both? Does this
piece actually depict the struggle in his
own personality between melancholy and a
sanguine temperament, which he attempts to
reconcile or, better, unite through music?

Austrian Empress Maria Theresa in Vienna.

Van Swieten had studied music, and even
composed, before embarking on a career as
a diplomat, ultimately becoming ambassador
to the court of Frederick the Great of Prussia
in Berlin (1770 -77). He returned to Vienna as
Prefect of the Imperial Library under JosephII
and during the 1780s he was also President
of the Court Commission on Education and
Censorship. He became the patron of Mozart
and later of the young Beethoven. C. P. E. Bach
had met him in Berlin when he was ambassador to the Prussian court and had given
him a copy of his fathers as yet unpublished
Wohltemperierte Clavier. The Baron was later
to entrust it to Mozart.

Eighteen sinfonias by C . P. E. Bach have

come down to us, composed over a period
of thirty-five years, from 1741, soon after
he settled in Berlin, until 1776. They are all
relatively short pieces, in continuous threemovement form. All of them except the last
four were written for a string orchestra. The
six sinfonias of 1773 were commissioned by
Baron Gottfried van Swieten (1733 -1803),
amusic lover who played a very active part
in the musical life of his time. Of Dutch birth,
he was the son of a distinguished doctor
who later became personal physician the

In 1773 van Swieten commissioned Carl Philipp

Emanuel Bach to write the six sinfonias for
strings, Wq. 182, directing him to give himself
free rein, without regard for the difficulties
of execution which were bound to arise.
These compositions are indeed very personal
and very free, in accordance with the barons
wishes, with many breaks, sudden changes of
key, uneven phrase lengths and strong and
unexpected contrasts in short, the many
surprises, constantly holding the listeners
attention, that were later to be cultivated
by Haydn. But before the six sinfonias were
7

despatched to van Swieten (who was very

pleased with them), they were given a private
performance in Hamburg before a circle of
the composers friends and admirers. In the
house of Professor Bsch a large band of
musicians was assembled by Eberling to make
a thorough study of those sinfonias before
they were sent away. Reichardt led from his
violin to the relief of the anxious composer.
One could hear with enchantment the original,
bold progression of ideas and the great variety
and novelty in the forms and modulations,
even if they were not entirely appreciated.
Seldom has a musical composition of higher,
bolder and more witty character flowed from
the soul of a genius. It would be a real loss
for art if these masterpieces were to remain
buried in a private collection. (Allgemeine
Musikalische Zeitung, 1814.)
The Sinfonia no. 5 in B minor Wq.182 (H.661)
uses a key commonly associated with sadness
or melancholy, which does not seem to apply
to the peaceful beginning of the Allegretto
movement; but then blocks of chords and
demisemiquaver runs begin to disrupt the
discourse, which turns out to be much less
serene than it at first appeared. The middle
movement, Larghetto, is in the bright key of
G major but it contains numerous borrowings
8

from the minor mode as well as rests and

unexpected modulations. The Presto, wavering
between major and minor, brings with it an
almost tragic mood, clearly affirmed by the
violence and unrest caused by the disruptions
of vehement chords.
C. P. E. Bachs abundant output includes no
fewer than sixty-seven concertante works
almost equalling the extraordinary output
of his godfather, Georg Philipp Telemann.
Hecomposed concertos from 1733 when
he was nineteen and still living in his fathers
home until 1788, the last year of his life. This
vast body of works is mainly for the keyboard
(harpsichord or fortepiano), in the form of
concertos and sonatinas with orchestra. But
there are also six flute concertos, two oboe
concertos, and one concerto in its original
version for cello.
The composer also adapted some of his
scores for other solo instruments, flute, oboe,
organ or cello. Thus three of his harpsichord
concertos became both flute and cello concertos, including the ones in A major and
A minor. The Harpsichord Concerto H.437
became in 1753 the Cello Concerto in A major
Wq.172 (H.439). The opening Allegro is at first
cheerful, before passing clouds cause it to
be overcast. The discourse is punctuated

by ascending arpeggios from an orchestra

with an abundance of tremolo passages supporting the very eloquent and virtuosic solo
cello. The Largo con sordini in A minor is in
complete contrast. The orchestra murmurs
a long and insistent lament. It exhales an
infinite sadness with poignancy in its expressive intensity. Melancholicus is clearly present
in the cellos almost sobbing melody. Then
return to A major for the final Allegro assai.
This movement is indeed quite bright, but
the discourse is broken up in places by brief
meditative episodes and it breaks off on a
question without an answer, before regaining
its vital energy which triumphs in the end.

Composed in Berlin in 1750, the year of the

death of J. S. Bach, the Cello Concerto in A
minor Wq.170 (H.432) was adapted by the
composer himself from his Harpsichord
Concerto H.430 in the same key. This piece
shows quite brilliantly the originality Carl
Philipp EmanuelBach had to develop in order
to avoid being overshadowed by the genius of
his father. The first movement is an exalted
Allegro assai with sharp contrasts in intensity
and a ritornello of almost monotonous triadic
arpeggios. With its furious rhythmic breaks
and modulations upsetting any traditional

phrase lengths, the orchestra opposes the

cello much more than it supports its nonchalant theme, but the soloist reacts vigorously
with virtuosic runs. The music here is suddenly
projected towards Romanticism. In the relative key of C major, the Andante presents an
introduction with an unpredictable scheme of
modulations, whereupon the cello expresses
a mournful phrase and seems unable to shake
off its melancholy, despite ver y rhythmic
behests from the strings. But in the finale,
Allegro assai, we encounter Sanguineus once
more. No long, melodic theme here, but a
fascinating mosaic of short, jagged motifs,
rhythmic figures, runs, a voluble discourse
exploding into multiple contrasts that leads
to quick exchanges between solo and ripieno.
Yet another masterpiece!

Gilles Cantagrel

1 Johann Sebastian Bach, his Life, Art, and Work (translation by

Charles Sanford Terry of Forkels Ueber Johann Sebastian Bachs
Leben, Kunst und Kunstwerke of 1802), p. 92.

Pianoforte de Franz Baumbach (Vienne, 1790)

Carl Philipp
Emanuel Bach
Sonate, Sinfonia,
Concertos

Longtemps, on na voulu voir dans les fils de Jean-Sbastien Bach

que de ples pigones fort loigns du gnie paternel. Ce total
contresens ne peut sexpliquer que par la mconnaissance
dans laquelle leurs uvres taient alors tenues. Aujourdhui,
on peut enfin apprcier la personnalit de premier plan de ces
crateurs, des deux ans en particulier, Wilhelm Friedemann
et Carl Philipp Emanuel. Et se rendre lvidence: lombre
porte du pre tait si crasante quil leur a fallu sen vader.
Ds 1802, le premier biographe de Jean-Sbastien, Johann
Nikolaus Forkel, qui les connaissait personnellement, pouvait
justement noter: Les deux fils ans de Bach taient unanimes
pour confesser ouvertement que la ncessit les avait obligs
de se choisir un style qui leur ft particulier, car il leur aurait
t impossible dgaler leur pre sils avaient voulu suivre
sa manire. Admirateur dvot du gnie paternel, ardent
propagandiste de ses uvres, Carl Philipp Emanuel sest
fray une voie nouvelle en cet ge nouveau de lexpression
dune sensibilit frmissante. Tenu en haute admiration en
son propre sicle par Haydn, Gluck et Mozart, il nous apparat
de nos jours comme un gnie totalement original.
Parce quil a frquent de nombreux amateurs, beaucoup
plus que des musiciens professionnels, Carl Philipp Emanuel
a tenu leur offrir des uvres jouer la maison en socit,
outre les trs nombreuses pages pour le clavier quil fit diter.
Ces pages datent en grande majorit des annes berlinoises
du compositeur. Moins nombreuses que les uvres pour le
clavecin ou le pianoforte, elles nen constituent pas moins
un corpus substantiel de prs dune centaine de partitions,
corpus original et de qualit: sonates deux, violon, viole de
11

gambe ou flte avec clavier, duos et trios, et

pices diverses faisant appel des instruments
peu usits alors comme la flte basse, la clarinette, le basson ou la harpe. Cet ensemble est
domin par la vingtaine de trios qui nous sont
parvenus pour diverses formations.
Contrairement aux autres genres de sa production, Carl Philipp Emanuel ne rompt pas
vraiment avec la tradition de la sonate en trio
hrite de la priode antrieure, celle de son
pre. Une exception notable, cependant, est
faite avec la Sonata en ut mineur pour deux
violons et basse Wq.161 (H.579). Date de 1749,
elle est publie deux ans plus tard, avec le titre
priori surprenant de Conversation entre un
Sanguin et un Mlancolique. le lire, le musicien
a voulu exprimer par les seuls instruments ce
que dordinaire on confie aux voix avec des
paroles intelligibles par tous. Dans lavertissement quil publie en prface ldition de sa
sonate, il prcise en effet: On a voulu reprsenter une conversation entre un Sanguin et
un Mlancolique en dsaccord durant tout le
premier mouvement et la plus grande partie
du deuxime, chacun essayant dattirer lautre
de son ct jusqu ce quils rsolvent leurs
divergences la fin du deuxime mouvement,
le Mlancolique renonant alors au combat et
faisant sienne la manire de lautre. Dans le
12

dernier mouvement, ils sont et restent entirement daccord.

Ce souci de musique programme est nouveau,
et rare dans luvre de Carl Philipp Emanuel. Mais
cest quil sagit dun programme bien particulier. Non pas quelque narration plus ou moins
descriptive, mais une sorte danalyse psychologique en musique. coutons. Deux motifs de
caractre oppos saffrontent: lun, allegretto
binaire en ut mineur, au profil dpressif, pour
le Mlancolique, lautre presto ternaire en mi
bmol majeur, le ton relatif majeur, lardente
dynamique. Opposs quoique complmentaires,
ces deux motifs sentremlent dans lAllegrettoPresto initial en de multiples mtamorphoses,
par des cheminements erratiques et imprvus
aux entrelacs trs imaginatifs. Le conflit entre
les deux affects tend se rsorber dans lAdagio
central qui enchane immdiatement, puisque
lon entend le Mlancolique renoncer peu peu
la lutte et se rendre aux raisons du Sanguin qui
lemporte sur lui. Et dans le finale, Allegro, les
deux personnages nchangent plus quun motif
unique qui scelle leur alliance, motif qui pour
nous rendre audible cette concorde procde des
deux motifs antrieurs. Leur rconciliation se
manifeste pour le Sanguin, qui dordinaire sexprime en mi bmol majeur, de conclure dans la
tonalit du Mlancolique, le relatif dut mineur.

Cette ide nest pas propre Carl Philipp Emanuel.

Elle se situe dans la perspective de la thorie
humorale. Venant de Milton, elle se trouve
reprise par Haendel un peu plus tt que Carl
Philipp Emanuel, en 1740, avec lantithse de
LAllegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato. Et lon
sait que plus tard, le finale du sixime quatuor
cordes de Beethoven, intitul la Malinconia
(la mlancolie), oppose de semblable faon
deux thmes antinomiques. Mais ici, on ne peut
qutre frapp par le parfait accord auquel se
rsolvent en musique les deux protagonistes.
La question se pose, alors: dans ce conflit entre
deux tempraments opposs, ne peut-on se
demander si le musicien ne pratique pas quelque
introspection, comme une auto-analyse? Se
reconnat-il dans lun des deux protagonistes?
Mais lequel moins quil ne soit lun et lautre.
Le combat entre ces deux caractres ne serait-il
pas en ralit le combat intrieur entre deux
tendances opposes du musicien? Lui-mme ne
serait-il pas la fois mlancolique et sanguin,
comme deux affects contraires de sa propre
personnalit, quil tenterait de rconcilier, ou
mieux, dunir grce la musique?
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach est lauteur de
quelque 18 symphonies, composes diverses
poques, depuis 1741, sitt tabli Berlin,
jusqu 1776. Ce sont toutes des pages relative-

ment brves, en trois mouvements seulement,

parfois enchans. lexception des quatre
dernires, elles sont crites pour ensembles de
cordes. Le recueil de six Symphonies de 1773
est le fruit dune commande passe par un
amateur de musique qui joua un rle important
dans la vie musicale de son temps, le baron
Gottfriedvan Swieten. De souche nerlandaise,
fils du mdecin de limpratrice Marie-Thrse,
il avait tudi la musique et mme compos,
puis fait une carrire dambassadeur avant de
se retrouver Vienne directeur de la censure
et de la bibliothque impriale. Il y sera entre
autres le protecteur de Mozart, puis du jeune
Beethoven. Carl Philipp Emanuel avait fait sa
connaissance Berlin lorsque celui-ci tait en
poste la cour de Prusse. Le musicien lui parla
de son pre et lui offrit une copie du Clavier bien
tempr, encore indit alors, copie que le baron
devait plus tard confier Mozart. Admirateur
de la musique de Carl Philipp Emanuel, van
Swieten lui passe en 1773 la commande de six
symphonies, en lui demandant de se laisser
compltement aller, sans tenir compte des
difficults dexcution qui en rsulteraient
ncessairement. Ce sont en effet des pages
trs libres et personnelles, comme le souhaitait
leur commanditaire. Elles abondent en ruptures, en changements brusques de tonalit, en
carrures impaires, en contrastes vigoureux et
13

inattendus bref, en ces multiples surprises que

cultivera Haydn et qui font sans cesse rebondir
lintrt de lauditeur. Van Swieten en fut particulirement satisfait. Un tmoignage rapporte
quune excution en avant-premire fut donne
devant le compositeur inquiet. Sans vraiment
les comprendre, on couta avec ravissement
des ides au droulement original et audacieux,
des formes et des modulations dune grande
nouveaut et dune infinie varit. Jamais sans
doute un esprit gnial na produit une musique
tmoignant de tant de grandeur, de hardiesse
et de fantaisie. On ne saurait mieux dire.
La Sinfonia n 5 en si mineur Wq.182 (H.661)
use dune tonalit trs gnralement associe un affect de tristesse ou de mlancolie.
Ce ne parat pourtant pas tre le cas ici, dans
le paisible dbut de lAllegretto initial. Mais
celui-ci se voit par moments violemment interrompu par des blocs daccords ou des traits de
triples croches qui en perturbent le discours,
beaucoup moins lgiaque quil ne semblait de
prime abord. Le mouvement mdian, Larghetto,
sclaire de la tonalit de sol majeur, mais une
fois encore travers de nombreux emprunts au
mode mineur, de silences et de modulations
inattendues. Quant au finale, Presto, oscillant
entre majeur et mineur, il ramne un climat
presque tragique, franchement affirm par la
14

violence et les troubles que provoquent les

ruptures daccords vhments.
Dans son abondante production, luvre concertante de Carl Philipp Emanuel ne compte pas
moins de 67 partitions, ce qui, numriquement,
est presque aussi important de ce qua crit
son parrain Telemann. Cest tout au long de son
existence cratrice que le musicien a compos
des concertos, ds 1733, lge de 19 ans il vit
encore au foyer paternel , jusqu sa dernire
anne. Ce vaste corpus sadresse principalement au clavier, clavecin ou pianoforte, en
concertos et sonatines avec orchestre. Mais
on dcompte galement six concertos pour
flte, deux pour hautbois, et un en version
originale pour violoncelle.
Le compositeur a en outre adapt certaines
de ses partitions pour dautres instruments
solistes, la flte, le hautbois ou lorgue, et le
violoncelle. Trois concertos pour clavecin ont
ainsi t transcrits et adapts, dune part pour la
flte, dautre part pour le violoncelle, dont ceux
en la majeur et en la mineur. Ladaptation du
concerto pour clavecin H.437 en Concerto pour
violoncelle et orchestre en la majeur Wq.172
(H.439) a t effectue, comme les autres, par
le compositeur lui-mme. Luvre date de 1753.
Si lAllegro initial impose un caractre enjou, il
sassombrit rapidement de nuages passagers. Le

discours est ponctu daccords arpgs ascendants dun orchestre qui abonde en passages
en trmolo pour soutenir le violoncelle soliste,
extrmement disert et virtuose. Contraste
total avec le Largo con sordini, en la mineur.
Lorchestre murmure une longue et insistante
dploration. Une tristesse infinie sexhale avec
une intensit expressive poignante. Cest ici le
Melancholicus qui sexprime dcouvert dans
le chant du violoncelle, en sanglots peine
contenus. Retour la majeur avec lAllegro assai
final. Trs joyeux? Oui, en effet, mais le discours est par moments hach de brefs pisodes
mditatifs, ou sinterrompt sur une question
sans rponse autre que lnergie vitale qui
reprend alors ses droits et finalement lemporte.
Compos par Carl Philipp en 1750, lanne de
la mort de son pre, le Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en la mineur Wq.170 (H.432),
adapt du concerto pour clavecin H.430 dans
la mme tonalit, montre de faon clatante
loriginalit qua d conqurir le musicien face
la figure paternelle. Le premier mouvement est
un Allegro assai exalt, aux vigoureux contrastes
dintensit, o le seul point de repre, comme
une sorte de refrain ou de rappel, est un violent
motif darpges ascendants. Avec ses furieuses
ruptures rythmiques et ses modulations dfiant
toute carrure traditionnelle, lorchestre sop-

pose au violoncelle beaucoup plus quil nen

soutient le thme nonchalant, mais le soliste
ragit vigoureusement par des traits virtuoses.
Voici la musique dun coup projete vers le
romantisme. Au ton relatif dut majeur, lAndante
mdian expose une introduction au parcours
modulant incertain. L-dessus slve la douloureuse phrase du violoncelle, qui ne parvient
pas se ressaisir malgr les injonctions bien
rythmes de lensemble des cordes. Mais on
retrouve le Sanguineus dans le finale, Allegro
assai. Pas de long thme mlodique, mais une
mosaque fascinante de petits motifs heurts,
de figures rythmiques, de fuses, discours volubile explosant en de multiples contrastes qui
gnre un prodigieux change de rparties
entre orchestre et soliste, dialogue plein de
verve et parfois de pointes vigoureuses. Encore
un chef-duvre!

Gilles Cantagrel

15

A conversation
between Melancholicus
and Sanguineus

ting his case, interrupts Melancholicus, who

nonetheless sticks to his views.

(from C. P. E. Bachs introduction to the Zwey

Trio [H. 578-579, Wq. 161/1-2])

[102] Instead Melancholicus slips in a passage

from his main argument.

Allegretto - Presto
[037] The half-cadence on the fifth signifies a
question: are Sanguineus and Melancholicus
in agreement? Sanguineus replies, making
it quite clear
[0 3 9] from what he says, and also by a
change of tempo and key, that his view is
very different.
[046] Here he deliberately moderates his vivacity in an attempt to win over Melancholicus,
but then the latter finds an opportunity, in
the middle of his apparent conversion, to
relapse into his former mood.
[049] The fifth again signifies a question. A
brief pause is intended so to speak to encourage Melancholicus to give his reply on this
whole topic, which is unpleasant to him, and
to answer the question he has been asked.
[058] Sanguineus grows impatient and, resta-

[101] Here Sanguineus breaks off and invites

Melancholicus to complete the phrase.

[108] Unsure whether Melancholicus did this

out of malice, ignorance or forgetfulness,
Sanguineus shows him how he should have
continued the phrase, but he manifests some
bitterness, for once again Melancholicus does
not let him to finish.
[110] At this point Melancholicus begins to
relent a little and at last to reply correctly.
[112] This small but difficult step for him
obliges Melancholicus to take a rest to overcome his fatigue and
[114] recover.
[123] Again Sanguineus interrupts him and
makes fun by comically imitating his thoughts.
[128] Here Melancholicus takes off the mute
and follows Sanguineus.
[15 6] In this pause Sanguineus expects
Melancholicus to lead for once, but instead
[158] he replaces his mute and reverts to his
17

original sadness.

ceeds in drawing him out of it immediately

[240] Here Sanguineus makes a completely

untoward answer to the question posed.

[323] with his response.

[244] Melancholicus, this time quite heatedly,

again provides what is missing with a passage
from his own proposition. At this
[246] Sanguineus loses his temper and ridicules Melancholicuss reply by repeating it
and expanding the phrase to span an octave.
After a short pause, however,
[ 2 51] S anguineus begins to play again;
Melancholicus
[253] answers correctly, but this causes him
[255] to slip back into his usual melancholy
state.
[304] Here Sanguineus, encouraged by his first
success, again tries to make Melancholicus
change his mind by making fun of his ideas.
[307] Once again he urges Melancholicus to
change, and the latter
[309] follows him, without the mute, until
[314] the same idea the one that had previously almost made him change his mind
makes him sink back into melancholy; but
fortunately Sanguineus, exasperated, suc18

[354] Here their conversation flags a little,

Sanguineus having once again moderated his
enthusiasm somewhat in order to win over
Melancholicus. But his coaxing
[405] gives rise to another fit of melancholy,
which is expressed here
[411] to its full extent. Sanguineus
[421] laughs and scoffs at this. Their respective states of mind remain the same until,
[442] Melancholicus, pensive and in a very
sombre mood, falls into a deep sleep.
[445] Sanguineus goes on making fun, but
twice he stops to listen for a response from
Melancholicus; hearing nothing, however,
[452] he continues his mockery until the end.

Adagio
[000] Thereupon Melancholicus begins to
mumble profound utterances to himself. Then
[033] Sanguineus replies in a playful, lighthearted tone. They both continue, sometimes
together, sometimes alter nating , until
S anguineus realises that this is leading

nowhere and
[409] begins to plead with Melancholicus to
change his mind. At one point
[415] he addresses Melancholicus harshly,
but meeting only with silence
[418] then repeats his request more politely.
Melancholicus now
[420] lets himself to be swayed and takes
up the others phrase, thereby indicating
a change of mind. Availing himself of this,
Sanguineus continues
[422] with the same idea, which
[424] Melancholicus repeats once more, thus
showing that he is firm in his intent. Then
[425] together they express the same idea
and conclude the adagio in perfect agreement.
Translation: Mary Pardoe

19

20

Une conversation
entre le Mlancolique
et le Sanguin

question pose.

(extrait de lintroduction de C. P. E. Bach aux

Zwey Trio [H. 578-579, Wq. 161/1-2])

[101] Le Sanguin sinterrompt ici pour demander lautre sil a lintention de complter
ce qui manque.

Allegretto - Presto
[037] La demi-cadence sur la quinte pose
une question: le Sanguin est-il ici daccord
avec le Mlancolique? Le premier fait assez
clairement comprendre,
[039] par le changement de tempo et par la
teneur de sa rponse, mais aussi en commenant dans un tout autre ton, quil est dun
tout autre avis.
[046] Ici le Sanguin perd dessein un peu
de sa vivacit pour appter dautant mieux le
Mlancolique, qui, par la suite, au milieu de
son apparente conversion, trouve pourtant
loccasion de retomber dans sa mlancolie
premire.
[0 49] Ici la quinte pose de nouveau une
question. Il a fallu pour ainsi dire encourager lautre, avec une pause, rpondre sur
tout ce sujet, qui lui dplat, ainsi qu la

[058] Le Sanguin simpatiente et, rptant

sa phrase, coupe la parole lautre, qui ne
change pas davis.

[102] Au lieu de quoi ce dernier substitue un

passage de sa phrase principale.
[108] Le Sanguin ne sait si le Mlancolique a
agi de la sorte par malice ou par ignorance, ou
encore par oubli. Cest pourquoi il lui montre
une nouvelle fois comment il aurait d rpondre,
mais avec amertume, puisque lautre, une fois
encore, ne le laisse pas finir sa phrase.
[110] Le Mlancolique commence ici cder
un peu et rpondre correctement, comme
il aurait d le faire bien avant.
[112] Ce pas pnible, quoique minime, oblige
le Mlancolique faire une pause pour se
reposer et
[114] retrouver ses esprits.
[123] De nouveau, le Sanguin lui coupe la
parole et se moque de lautre en imitant et
en raillant ses penses.
[128] Ici le Mlancolique te sa sourdine et
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suit lautre.

[307] Il linvite de nouveau, et le Mlancolique

[156] Lors de cette pause, le Sanguin sattend ce que lautre fasse une proposition,
pour une fois,

[309] le suit, sans se servir de la sourdine,

jusqu ce que

[158] mais le Mlancolique, profitant de loccasion, retombe dans sa tristesse.

[24 0] Ici le Sanguin fait de nouveau une
rponse tout fait inconvenante la question pose.
[244] Le Mlancolique, avec grande ardeur,
remplace une nouvelle fois ce qui manque
ici par un morceau de sa phrase. En raction
cela,
[246] le Sanguin se fche et rpte en la
moquant la rponse du Mlancolique sur une
octave entire, mais, aprs une courte pause,
[ 2 51] recommence aussitt jouer; le
Mlancolique
[253] rpond correctement, mais de ce fait
[ 2 5 5] retombe tout son aise dans sa
mlancolie.
[304] Ici le Sanguin, encourag par sa russite
premire et pouss par son ambition, essaie
une nouvelle fois de gagner le Mlancolique
sa cause en se moquant de ses ides.

22

[314] la mme ide, celle qui lavait auparavant fait changer davis, le fasse sombrer de
nouveau dans la mlancolie, do le Sanguin,
excd, arrive heureusement le faire sortir
aussitt
[323] grce sa proposition.
[354] Ici, leur conversation spuise un peu,
car le Sanguin, par complaisance, perd un peu
de sa fougue. Mais cette flatterie
[405] ouvre la voie une autre crise de mlancolie, qui sexprime ici
[411] pleinement, ce dont le Sanguin
[421] se rit et se moque. Ils restent tous
deux dans cet tat desprit, jusqu ce que
[442] le Mlancolique, pensif et sombre,
sendorme.
[445] Le Sanguin continue de se moquer,
mais sarrte deux reprises pour voir si le
Mlancolique reprend la parole, et, en labsence de signe perceptible,
[452] continue samuser jusqu la fin.

Adagio
[000] Sur quoi le Mlancolique commence
aussitt fredonner et se faire entendre de
nouveau, disant des choses profondes. quoi
[033] le Sanguin rpond sur un ton enjou et
badin. Tous deux continuent, tantt ensemble,
tantt en alternance, jusqu ce que le Sanguin,
comprenant quainsi ils ne parvienent rien,
[409] commence supplier le Mlancolique,
pour le gagner sa cause; un moment donn,
il sadresse lui
[415] svrement; mais comme la rponse est
faite de silence
[418] il le prie de nouveau; le Mlancolique
[420] se laisse alors convaincre, et, reprenant
de son propre gr la phrase de lautre, fait
comprendre quil a maintenant chang davis.
le Sanguin en profite et continue
[422] avec cette mme ide, que
[424] le Mlancolique rpte encore une fois,
afin de montrer sa constance, jusqu ce que
tous deux
[425] expriment la mme ide au mme moment,
et concluent ladagio dans cette parfaite entente.
Traduction: Dennis Collins
23

Pulcinella
Orchestra

LeaderViolon solo: Thibault Noally

ViolinViolon I: David Chivers, Jean-Marc Haddad, Anastasia
Shapoval, Inigo Aranzasti Pardo
ViolinViolon II: Nicolas Mazzoleni, Charlotte Grattard,
Roldan Bernab Carrion, Alexandrine Caravassilis
ViolasAltos: Patricia Gagnon, Pierre Vallet
CellosVioloncelles: Ophlie Gaillard, Claire Gratton
Double bassContrebasse: Joseph Carver
FortepianoPianoforte: Francesco Corti

Trio Sonata in C minor for two violins and continuo, Wq 161

Sonate en ut mineur pour deux violons et basse
Sanguineus & Melancholicus
Thibault Noally, violinviolon I
Nicolas Mazzoleni, violinviolon II
Ophlie Gaillard, cellovioloncelle
Francesco Corti, fortepianopianoforte

24

More information
Plus dinformations

www.opheliegaillard.com
www.pulcinella.fr

Ophlie Gaillard joue un violoncelle de Francesco Goffriller (1737) gnreusement prt par le CIC.
Ophlie Gaillard plays a cello by Francesco Goffriller (1737), generously loaned to her by CIC.

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