Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767)
Seele, lerne dich erkennen!Cantata for high voice, alto recorder (violin) and basso continuo
From “Harmonischer Gottesdienst”, TVWV 1:1258
Edited by Franz Müller-Busch
Realization of the thorough bass by Eckhart KuperGirolamo G 11.006, score and 3 parts, € 18,00
ISMN 979-0-50084-022-0
Preface
In 1725 Georg Philipp Telemann’s cantata cycle was published in Hamburg under the title:
Harmonischer / Gottes-Dienst / oder / geistliche / Cantaten / zum allgemeinen Gebrauche /
welche / zu Beförderung so wol der Privat-Haus- / als öffentlichen / Kirchen-Andacht /
auf die gewöhnlichen Sonn- und Fest-täglichen / Episteln durchs ganze Jahr / gerichtet sind / … /
In die Musik gebracht, und zum Druck befördert / von /
Georg Philipp Telemann / Chori Musici Hamb. Direct. / …The cantata Seele, lerne Dich erkennen! was written for the Sunday Estomihi (earlier Quinquagesimae) – the last sunday before Passiontide. In the TVWV the cantata is recorded under the number 1:1258.1) The text is by Matthäus Arnold Wilkens (1691–1745)2) and refers to the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 13.
The print of 1725 served as a draft for this edition, which is kept in the Royal Library of Copenhagen in the Giedde’s Music Collection under the shelf mark [mu 6208.0586 (XI, 8)3). My special thanks are due to the direction of the music library and in particular to Mrs. Susanne Thorbek for their friendly support and kind permission to print this edition.
The notation (including keys and accidentals etc.) has been modernized according to nowadays customary rules. The text has deliberately not been modernized. Additions and corrections made by the editor are indicated directly in the music or in foot notes.
In the foreword of his Harmonischer Gottesdienst Telemann elaborates on various aspects of performance practice. The present cantata is written for high voice meaning expressly for soprano or tenor. It is possible that during the ripieno parts which are marked with forte, the recorder is supported by a violin that plays one octave lower than notated. The recorder part can entirely be played by a violin. In this case at least the ripieno parts should be played one octave lower.
Telemann goes into great detail about how to treat the voice in the recitatives and demonstrates by many examples in the music that the notation often deviates considerably from the desired performance. This concerns in particular the last two notes before rests, but transition notes and suspensions can nevertheless be inserted in other places. In all cases the recitative enjoys rhythmical freedom. Detailed information on the performance of recitatives in church is to be found among others in Tosi/Agricola’s Anleitung zur Singkunst.4)
Translation: J. Whybrow
Wiesbaden, May 1998, Franz Müller-Busch
1) Menke, Werner: Thematisches Verzeichnis der Vokalwerke von Georg Philipp Telemann, Vol. I; Frankfurt/M., 2nd reprint 1988; p. 115
2) see above, p. 115 as well as: Menke, Werner: Thematisches Verzeichnis der Vokalwerke von Georg Philipp Telemann, Vol. II; Frankfurt/M., 2nd reprint 1995; p. 119
3) Catalogue of Giedde’s Music Collection in the Royal Library of Copenhagen, compiled by Inge Bittmann; Copenhagen, 1976; p. 118
4) Tosi, Pier Francesco/Agricola, Johann Friedrich: Anleitung zur Singkunst; Berlin, 1757; facsimile-new print: Wiesbaden, 1994; p. 150–164
Arie:
Seele, lerne dich erkennen!
lauter Stückwerk ist zu nennen,
was der Menschen Witz vermag.
Zur Vollkommenheit zu dringen
sind der ird’schen Klugheit Schwingen
viel zu schwach, viel zu schwach.Rezitativ:
Ein Vögelchen, dem noch die Glieder
zu zart und weich,
erhebt umsonst sein zitterndes Gefieder,
den Alten gleich,
den höhern Kreis der Lüfte zu zertheilen,
obgleich der Wille da,
denselben nachzueilen:
Nicht anders gehts allhier
mit unserm Witz und Wissen:
Die nimmer-ruhende Begier
ist nach dem Höhern stets beflissen;
der angebohrne Stolz
will auch die schwer’sten Sachen
sich Federleicht,
ja, was unmöglich fällt,
sich möglich machen,
da unserm Witz, wie unserm Leben,
von Gott doch hier ein Ziel gestellt,
das nicht zu überstreben.
Es kennt die Welt nur einen Salomon,
den Gott, um dessen Thron
die höchste Weisheit stral’t,
den Weisesten genennet,
der doch sein Schwachseyn selbst bekennet.
Ach ja, in dieser Zeit
steigt das Erkänntnis nicht zu seiner Völligkeit.
Gott lässt uns durch das Sterben,
das uns zu nichts zu machen scheint,
erst alles erben;
was dunkel war, wird dann ein heller Schein;
was Stückwerk hieß, wird ganz;
was kindisch, männlich seyn.Arie:
So will ich dich mit Freuden küssen,
du Herold der Vollkommenheit!
Du zeigst uns Gott in seinem Lichte,
von Angesicht zu Angesichte,
und bringst uns ein vollkomm’nes Wissen,
bey so vollkomm’ner Seligkeit.Aria:
Learn to know yourself, oh soul!
mere fragments are all
that man’s genius can create.
The momentum of earthly wisdom
is too feeble, far too feeble
to attain perfection.Recitative:
A fledgling whose limbs are still
too weak and tender
will flap his trembling feathers in vain
when trying to emulate his elders
and cleave the loftier realms of air,
even though the will is there
to follow them:
it is no different
with our wit and knowledge:
our restless desire
is always fixed on higher things;
our innate pride
strives to make the heaviest tasks
light as a feather,
to make the impossible
possible.
But God has set limits
to our wit, as to our life,
which cannot be exceeded.
The world has known only one Solomon,
whom God, whose throne
is illuminated by the ultimate wisdom,
called “the wisest”.
Yet even Solomon acknowledged his human weakness.
Ah yes, in this life
our perception remains imperfect.
It is through death,
which seems to reduce us to nothing,
that God allows us at last to inherit all;
what was dark then becomes a bright light;
what was a fragment becomes a whole;
what was a child becomes a man.Aria:
Thus will I kiss you joyfully,
oh herald of perfection!
You bring us face to face
with God in his glory
and give us perfect knowledge
and perfect happiness withal.Translation: Julia Whybrow
