Before looking specifically at the symbolism of flutes in Bach’s works, several examples will be shown of flutes in works of art from the Renaissance and Baroque period, so a comparison can be made between the general associations regarding the flute, and those of Bach himself.
The symbolism of flutes in works of art
Flutes in general were frequently used to symbolize specific aspects of life in art works from the Renaissance and Baroque period. As will be seen, flutes are strongly associated with love and the pastoral. However, whereas the transverse flute is used in depictions of war, the recorder is the instrument that symbolizes death.
In Venus and the Lute Player (ca.1565-70) by the Italian painter Titian (?-1567) “Venus holds a recorder, representing both sacred and profane love.”1
The engraving Simphonie du tympanum, du Luth, et de la Flûte d’Allemagne (1692) by Robert Bonnart (1652-1733) shows how the transverse flute is associated with love. The text under the engraving says: Un Consert est charmant lorsqu’il est bien d'accord, Et qu’on sçait justement suivre sa tablature; Mais il est bien plus doux, ou je me trompe fort, Quant l’Amour prend plaisir de battre la mesure.2
Transverse flutes also appear in pastoral scenes, as can be seen in Shephard Piping to a Shepherdess (ca. 1749) by François Boucher (1703-1770).3
In Belshazzar's Feast (ca. 1636-8) by the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), the Babylonian King Belshazzar is using the stolen sacred vessels from the Temple of Jerusalem as plates during his celebrations. Suddenly, a divine message appears on the wall. In Hebrew, it reads: “You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting.”4 A few hours later, Belshazzar is dead. The recorder player in the shadows (on the left) symbolizes Belshazzar’s imminent death.
In an anonymous German woodcut from 1555, two soldiers are shown with their instruments. One plays the drums and the other plays the flute. In the case on his back, he seems to have space for at least three more flutes.5
In Christoph Weigel’s Musicalisches Theatrum (1720, Nuremberg), every instrument is accompanied with a short poem. For the Travers-Flaute it reads :“I can amuse many a great cavalier at will, as Mars sometimes gives peace after blood and fury: so my sound can put the free spirit at rest; indeed, I am always popular with almost everyone, even the delicate womenfolk honor me and often listen to me with pleasure in the quiet of the night.”6
For the Flûte Douse it says: “The sweetness of the sound is already announced by the flute’s name, which serves as courtesy on star-filled nights. It is her who often moves many a pleasant lady when a serenade is softly brought to her, that she often even leaves her soft bed and rushes towards the sweet sound at the window.”7
Both descriptions speak of amorous spirits, but only the traverso is associated with war.
The symbolism of flutes in Bach’s music
Bach seemed to have had a special connection with the recorder. “No other instrument identifies itself so closely with the simple piety of Bach. It voices his tenderness for his Saviour, his serene contemplation of death as the portal to bliss eternal.”8 In BWV 122, the recorders only appear in the soprano recitative, symbolizing the angels im höhern Chor.9
The recorders and continuo in the soprano aria from BWV 127 create the sound of death bells (Ach ruft mich bald, ihr Sterbeglocken).10 Bach uses flutes more often for this purpose, namely in BWV 161/4, BWV 8/1 and BWV 198/4.11 Possibly, BWV 198 (the Trauer-Ode) was performed with recorders as well. Although recorders are not mentioned in the original sources, Christoph Ernst Sicul (1681-1732) reported that he witnessed both fleutes douces and fleutes traverses in the first performance of the cantata in 1727.12 The flute parts from the 4th movement of BWV 198 are perfectly suited for the recorder, even though they are not written in the usual French violin clef. Given that Bach connected the recorders so strongly with death, I find the idea that all death bell motifs were played on recorders not unlikely. This also supports my earlier claim that BWV 8.1 should be played on the recorder instead of on the traverso.
Other connections between recorders and death are most obvious in BWV 106 and BWV 161. In BWV 106 (the Actus Tragicus), the text from the recorder aria says: Ach, Herr, lehre uns bedenken, daß wir sterben müssen.13 And in BWV 161, the title says it all: Komm, du süße Todesstunde.14
When looking at Bach’s use of flutes in pastoral scenes, an interesting pattern emerges. When Jesus is depicted as the Good Shepherd, an instrument from the oboe family often has a prominent role,15 like in BWV 85 (1. Ich bin ein guter Hirt16 and 3. Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt17), BWV 92 (8. Meinem Hirten bleib ich treu18) and BWV 104 (3. Verbirgt mein Hirte sich zu lange19).
However, when the focus is on people as a herd of sheep, flutes are used. This can be seen in BWV 34a (5. Wohl euch, ihr auserwählten Schafe20), BWV 175 (1. Er rufet seinen Schafen mit Namen21) and BWV 184 (1. Erwünschtes Freudenlicht22). BWV 34a and 184 are with two flutes, and BWV 175 with three recorders. For the depiction of actual sheep, Bach uses recorders, like in BWV 208 (9. Schafen können sicher weiden23) and BWV 249.1 (7. Wieget euch, ihr satten Schafe24).
When the word Flöten appears in the libretto, Bach chooses the transverse flute. This happens a total of three times. In BWV 210 (6. Schweigt, ihr Flöten25), the text shows that the traverso has no place in the joyful wedding celebrations. Its sound is associated with death: Doch, was erklingt dort vor ein Klagelied?26 and Eilt durch die geschwärzte Luft, bis man euch zu Grabe ruft!27 Apparently, only one flute was available for this secular cantata. In BWV 214 (3. Blast die wohlgegriffnen Flöten28), the flutes are strongly associated with war, as seen in lines such as Tönt mit eurem Waffenklang!29 In BWV 206 (9. Hört doch! der sanften Flöten Chor30), Bach employed three flutes to depict the choir, like in BWV 122.