Review

Johann Sebastian Bach
Bist du bei mir BWV 508:

Arranged by Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel/Philip Brink


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2023
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

J.S. Bach’s “Bist du bei mir, geh ich mit Freuden” (“If you are with me, I go with joy”) for solo voice and continuo comes from book two of the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, dating from 1725. While the first notebook contains exclusively original works by Bach, the second book is filled with a mix of original compositions and music by some of Bach’s contemporaries. “Bist du bei mir” was originally an aria in the opera Diomedes by Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel (1690-1749). One could speculate that Bach was an admirer of Stölzel’s works because he used some of his other compositions for church services in Leipzig where he was the music director at St. Thomas’s church from 1723-1750.

The piece is straightforward and short, with a performance time around three minutes. It is highly melodious and will give the performer ample opportunity to showcase their musicality, particularly when it comes to phrasing and dynamics. In the process of arranging the work for the bass trombone or tuba, Philip Brink kept it simple by adding breath marks, marking phrases, and writing out the trills. Nothing more was necessary.

“Bist du bei mir” could certainly be added to a recital or used for a special occasion. The melodic range (D to a-flat) will likely not present any challenges and the brevity of the work should not cause any issues with endurance. A review of the text is highly recommended before practicing the piece as is listening to the interpretation of the work by great singers. Finally, a student may what to consider playing the piece with continuo for a more authentic experience.