Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost, BWV 114
Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost | |
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Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost" by Johannes Gigas | |
Performed | 1 October 1724 Leipzig : |
Movements | seven |
Vocal | SATB choir and solo |
Instrumental |
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Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost (Ah, dear Christians, be comforted),[1] BWV 114, in Leipzig for the 17th Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 1 October 1724.
Bach created the work as part of his
History and words
Bach composed the cantata in his second year as Thomaskantor (director of music) in Leipzig for the 17th Sunday after Trinity.[2] That year, Bach composed a cycle of chorale cantatas, begun on the first Sunday after Trinity of 1724.[3] The prescribed readings for the Sunday were from the Epistle to the Ephesians, the admonition to keep the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:1–6), and from the Gospel of Luke, healing a man with dropsy on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1–11).[4]
The cantata is based on a song of penitence, "
Bach first performed the cantata on 1 October 1724,[2] only two days after the first performance of his chorale cantata Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir, BWV 130, on the feast of Michael, the archangel, 29 September 1724.[8]
Music
Structure and scoring
Bach structured the cantata in seven movements. The chorale tune is used in movements 1, 4 and 7, as a
In the following table of the movements, the keys and time signatures are taken from the Bach scholar Alfred Dürr, using the symbol for common time (4/4).[4] The instruments are shown separately for brass, woodwinds and strings, while the continuo, playing throughout, is not shown.
No. | Title | Text | Type | Vocal | Brass | Woods | Strings | Key | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost | Gigas | Chorus | SATB | Co | 2Ob | 2Vl Va | G minor | |
2 | Wo wird diesem Jammertale | anon. | Aria | T | Ft | D minor | 3/4 | ||
3 | O Sünder, trage mit Geduld | anon. | Recitative | B | |||||
4 | Kein Frucht das Weizenkörnlein bringt | Gigas | Chorale | S | G minor | ||||
5 | Du machst, o Tod, mir nun nicht ferner bange | anon. | Aria | A | Ob | 2Vl Va | B-flat major | ||
6 | Indes bedenke deine Seele | anon. | Recitative | T | |||||
7 | Wir wachen oder schlafen ein | Gigas | Chorale | SATB | Co | 2Ob | 2Vl Va | G minor |
Movements
1
In the opening
2
The first aria is set for tenor with a virtuoso flute, "Wo wird in diesem Jammertale" (Where, in this valley of suffering).[1] It contrasts again the anxious question "Wo wird ... vor meinen Geist die Zuflucht sein?" (Where ... is the refuge of my spirit?)[1] and the trusting "Allein zu Jesu Vaterhänden will ich mich in der Schwachheit wenden" (However, to Jesus' fatherly hands I will turn in my weakness),[1] The anxious question returns in the da capo form.[2]
3
The first recitative, "O Sünder, trage mit Geduld" (O sinner, bear with patience),[1] begins secco, but expresses the contrasting words "erhebst" (exalt) and "erniedrigt" (humbled) from the Gospel as an arioso.[11]
4
The chorale stanza, "Kein Frucht das Weizenkörnlein bringt" (The grain of wheat bears no fruit),[1] is set for the soprano, accompanied only by the continuo.[4] In its "starkness of the unembellished chorale", it is the centerpiece of the cantata.[11]
5
The alto aria, "Du machst, o Tod, mir nun nicht ferner bange" (You make me, o death, no longer fearful now),
6
A final recitative "Indes bedenke deine Seele" (Therefore, consider your soul) invites to turn body and soul to God.[1]
7
The cantata ends with a four-part setting of the chorale melody, "Wir wachen oder schlafen ein" (Whether we wake or fall asleep),[1] expressing "confidence in God".[2]
Recordings
The listing is taken from the Bach Cantatas Website.[12] Ensembles playing period instruments in historically informed performance are marked by green background.
Title | Conductor / Choir / Orchestra | Soloists | Label | Year | Orch. type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Die Bach Kantate Vol. 52 | Helmuth RillingBach-Collegium Stuttgart | Hänssler
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1974 | / 1981Chamber | |
J. S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk • Complete Cantatas • Les Cantates, Folge / Vol. 29 – BWV 43–46 | Gustav LeonhardtKnabenchor HannoverLeonhardt-Consort |
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Telefunken | 1980 | Period |
Bach Edition Vol. 5 – Cantatas Vol. 2 | Holland Boys ChoirNetherlands Bach Collegium
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Brilliant Classics | 1999 | Period | |
J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 12 | Ton KoopmanAmsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir | Antoine Marchand | 2000 | Period | |
Bach Cantatas Vol. 9: Lund / Leipzig / For the 17th Sunday after Trinity / For the 18th Sunday after Trinity | John Eliot GardinerMonteverdi ChoirEnglish Baroque Soloists | Soli Deo Gloria | 2000 | Period | |
J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 25 – Cantatas from Leipzig 1724 – BWV 78, 99, 114 | Masaaki SuzukiBach Collegium Japan | BIS | 2003 | Period
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References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Dellal, Pamela. "BWV 114 – Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hofmann, Klaus (2003). "Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost, BWV 114 / Ah, dear Christians, be comforted" (PDF). Bach Cantatas Website. p. 8. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
- ^ Wolff, Christoph (2000). Chorale Cantatas from the cycle of the Leipzig / church cantatas, 1724–25 (III) (PDF). Bach Cantatas Website. p. 9. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ ISBN 9780198167075.
- ^ "Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost / Text and Translation of Chorale". Bach Cantatas Website. 2006. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ "Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält". Bach Cantatas Website. 2006. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ a b Gardiner, John Eliot (2009). Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Cantatas Nos 47, 96, 114, 116, 148 & 169 (Media notes). Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website). Retrieved 11 November 2018.
- ^ Gardiner, John Eliot (2006). Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Cantatas Nos 17, 19, 25, 50, 78, 130 & 149 (Media notes). Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website). Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ^ Bischof, Walter F. "BWV 114 Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost". University of Alberta. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ Grob, Jochen (2014). "BWV 114 / BC A 139" (in German). s-line.de. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ a b c d Mincham, Julian (2012). "Chapter 18 BWV 114 Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost / Beloved Christians, take comfort". jsbachcantatas.com. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Oron, Aryeh (2015). "Cantata BWV 114 Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
Sources
- Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost, BWV 114: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost BWV 114; BC A 139 / Chorale cantata (17th Sunday after Trinity ) Bach Digital
- BWV 114 Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost: English translation, University of Vermont
- Luke Dahn: BWV 114.7 bach-chorales.com