Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen, BWV 248 III
Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen | |
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Part III of BWV 214 | |
Occasion | Third day of Christmas |
Bible text | Luke 2:15-20 |
Chorale |
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Performed | 27 December 1734 Leipzig : |
Movements | 13 |
Vocal |
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Instrumental |
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Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen (Ruler of heaven, hear our babble),[1] BWV 248III (also written as BWV 248 III), is a 1734 church cantata for the third day of Christmas (27 December) which Johann Sebastian Bach composed as the third part of his Christmas Oratorio.[2] The Christmas cantata was first performed in 1734, in Leipzig.[2] Bach was then Thomaskantor, responsible for music at four churches in Leipzig, a position he had assumed in 1723.
The cantata follows the
Bach led the first performances at the Nikolaikirche, the main churches of Leipzig, on 27 December 1734, during a morning service.
Background
In 18th-century
The prescribed readings for the third day of Christmas were from the
- In 1723, as part of his first cantata cycle: Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget, BWV 64[9]
- In 1724, as part of his second cantata cycle: Ich freue mich in dir, BWV 133[10]
- In 1725, as part of his third cantata cycle: Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt, BWV 151[11]
In 1733,
- Laßt uns sorgen, laßt uns wachen, BWV 213 , also known as Hercules am Scheidewege (Hercules at the Crossroads), on a libretto by Picander, was performed on 5 September 1733, the 11th birthday of the son of the elector;[14][15]
- Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten! BWV 214 (Resound, ye drums! Ring out, ye trumpets!),[16] a cantata for the elector's wife, Maria Josepha, to honour her 34th birthday on 8 December.[17] The cantata is also known as "Glückwunschkantate zum Geburtstage der Königin" (Congratulation cantata for the Queen's birthday), although Maria Josepha was not crowned Queen of Poland until January 1734.[14]
Bach drew on these two cantatas for choral movements, arias and duets of the oratorio's parts I to IV.[18][19] The Bach scholar Christoph Wolff noted that Bach reused music with similar affect, "rescuing it for more durable purpose".[20] Bach composed for part III the recitatives of the Evangelist, the chorus of the shepherds, the reflecting bass recitative, the chorales, and the alto aria "Schließe, mein Herze", as the only aria in the oratorio.[18]
Christmas season 1734–35
Bach composed
Text
Departing from the usual readings for 27 December, the text of Part III deals with the
The identity of the librettist of the Christmas Oratorio cantatas is unknown,[22] with Picander, who had collaborated with Bach earlier, a likely candidate.[24] The oratorio's libretto was published in 1734.[21] The quotations from the Bible are rendered in Martin Luther's translation. The librettist included three stanzas from Lutheran hymns: "Dies hat er alles uns getan" from Luther's "Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ",[25] "Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren" from Paul Gerhardt's "Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen",[26] and for the conclusion "Seid froh, dieweil" from Christoph Runge's "Laßt Furcht und Pein".[27][28] The Bach scholar Klaus Hofmann noted that the traditional melodies of the chorales, which are still in use, connect the music to the present time.[18]
Bach led the first performance at the Nikolaikirche during the morning service.[18]
Music and content
The work is structured in 13 movements. Unlike the other cantatas in the Christmas Oratorio, the opening chorus of the cantata is repeated as the closing movement. The alto aria is perhaps the only newly composed aria in the entire oratorio.
The scoring in the following table follows the
No. | Title | Text | Type | Vocal | Brass | Winds | Strings | Key | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
24 | Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen | anon. | Chorus | SATB | 3Tr | 2Tra 2Ob | 2Vl Va | D major | 3/8 |
25 | Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren | Luke 2:15 | Recitative | T | |||||
26 | Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem | Luke 2:15 | Chorus | SATB | 2Tra 2Oa | 2Vl Va | A major | 3/4 | |
27 | Er hat sein Volk getröst' | anon. | Recitative | B | 2Tra | ||||
28 | Dies hat er alles uns getan | Luther | Chorale | SATB | 2Tra 2Ob | 2Vl Va | A major | ||
29 | Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen | anon. | Duet | S B | 2Oa | A major | 3/8 | ||
30 | Und sie kamen eilend | Luke 2:16-19 | Recitative | T | |||||
31 | Schließe, mein Herze, dies selige Wunder | anon. | Aria | A | Vl (solo) | B minor | 2/4 | ||
32 | Ja, ja, mein Herz soll es bewahren | anon. | Recitative | A | 2Tra | ||||
33 | Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren | Gerhardt | Chorale | SATB | 2Tra 2Ob | 2Vl Va | G major | ||
34 | Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um | Luke 2:20 | Recitative | T | |||||
35 | Seid froh dieweil | Luke 2:20 | Chorale | SATB | 2Tra 2Ob | 2Vl Va | F# minor | ||
24 | Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen (da capo) | anon. | Chorus | SATB | 3Tr | 2Tra 2Ob | 2Vl Va | D major | 3/8 |
Movements
24
The cantata begins with a chorus, Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen (Ruler of Heaven, hear the murmur),[28] in D major and a triple meter like the opening of the first cantata of the oratorio. It is based on the closing chorus of BWV 214, Blühet, ihr Linden in Sachsen, wie Zedern[18] (Bloom, you Saxon lindens, like cedars!).[31] In the original, three solo voices enter one after the other, tenor, soprano, alto, which is copied in the oratorio for the choral parts.[30]
This chorus is repeated at the end of the cantata, for a conclusion of the three days of Christmas.[32]
25
The Evangelist tells that, after the angels left, Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren (And when the angels went away from them towards heaven),[31] the shepherds spoke to each other.[32]
26
The following Biblical sentence is set as a turba chorus, Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem (Let us go now towards Bethlehem),[28] in complex polyphony. The hurried walk of the shepherds is depicted in a walking bass, and an almost continuous fast movement in flute and first violin.[30]
27
A bass recitative, Er hat sein Volk getröst't (He has comforted His people)[28] reflects that shepherds played a role in many stories between God and his people.[30]
28
The scene is closed by a chorale stanza, Dies hat er alles uns getan (All this He has done for us),[28] the seventh stanza from Luther's "Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ", published in Wittenberg in 1524.[25]
29
A
30
The Evangelist continues the narration with the shepherds finding the baby, "Und sie kamen eilend und funden beide, Mariam und Joseph, dazu das Kind in der Krippe liegen" (And they came hastily and found both Mary and Joseph, along with the child lying in the manger).[28] The Gospel of Luke points at Mary's reaction to what the shepherds said: "Maria aber behielt alle diese Worte und bewegte sie in ihrem Herzen" (Mary however kept all these words and pondered them in her heart).[28]
31
In an alto aria, Mary seems to tell herself "Schließe, mein Herze, dies selige Wunder fest in deinem Glauben ein!" (Enclose, my heart, these blessed miracles fast within your faith!),[28] which is an invitation to the listener to do the same. The intimate setting, with an obbligato solo violin, is the only aria which Bach newly composed for the oratorio.[29]
32
The alto continues the determination to remember in an accompanied recitative: "Ja, ja! mein Herz soll es bewahren" (Yes, yes, my heart shall cherish this)".[28] Two flutes are the obbligato instruments.
33
A chorale supports the intention: "Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren" (I will cherish You assiduously).
34
The Evangelist reports that the shepherds returned, praising God: "Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um" (And the shepherds went back again).[28]
35
A chorale concludes the story, requesting to rejoice: "Seid froh, dieweil" (Meanwhile, be happy).
See also
References
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 131.
- ^ a b c Bach Digital 248 III 2021.
- ^ Wolff 2000, pp. 237–257.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 23–26.
- ^ a b Stauffer 2016, p. 272.
- ^ Wolff 2000, pp. 253–254.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 121.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 121–133.
- ^ Bach Digital 64 2022.
- ^ Bach Digital 133 2022.
- ^ Bach Digital 151 2022.
- ^ a b Rathey 2016.
- ^ Wolff 2000, pp. 361–364, 366.
- ^ a b c Wessel 2015, pp. 25–44, 47, 99–100.
- ^ Bach Digital 213 2021.
- ^ Bach Digital 214 2021.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 102, 820, 827–830.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hofmann 2005, p. V.
- ^ Wolff 2000, p. 366.
- ^ Wolff 2000, pp. 383–384.
- ^ a b Bach Digital Libretto 2022.
- ^ a b Bach Digital 248 II 2021.
- ^ a b Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 131–133.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 104.
- ^ a b Dahn 28 2018.
- ^ a b Dahn 33 2018.
- ^ a b Dahn 35 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Dellal 2021.
- ^ a b Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 133.
- ^ a b c d e f Werkeinführung 2021.
- ^ a b Dellal 214 2021.
- ^ a b Hennerfeind 2021.
- ^ Dellal 213 2021.
Cited sources
Bach digital
- "Lasst uns sorgen, lasst uns wachen (Dramma per musica) BWV 213; BC G 18". Bach Digital. 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- "Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten! BWV 214: Secular cantata (Birthday)". Bach Digital. 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- "Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend / (Christmas oratorio, part 2) BWV 248.2 II; BWV 248 II; BC D 7 II". Bach Digital. 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- "Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen / (Christmas oratorio, part 3) BWV 248.2 III; BWV 248 III; BC D 7 III". Bach Digital. 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- "Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget BWV 64; BC A 15". Bach Digital. 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- "Ich freue mich in dir BWV 133; BC A 16". Bach Digital. 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- "Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt BWV 151; BC A 17". Bach Digital. 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- "Leipzig, Bach-Archiv Leipzig / D-LEb Rara I, 7a [Textdruck]". Bach Digital. 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
Books
- ISBN 978-0-19-929776-4.
- Carus. CV 31.248/53.
- Rathey, Markus (2016). Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio: Music, Theology, Culture. ISBN 978-0-19-027526-6.
- Stauffer, George B. (2016). "Leipzig: A Cosmopolitan Trade Center". In Buelow, George J. (ed.). The Late Baroque Era: Vol 4. From the 1680s to 1740. ISBN 978-1-34-911303-3.
- Wessel, Jens (2015). "Köthen (1717–1723)" (PDF). J. S. Bach und die italienische Oper / Drammi per musica für das kurfürstlich-sächsische und polnische Königshaus zwischen 1733 und 1736 (dissertation) (in German). Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg.
- ISBN 978-0-393-32256-9.
Online source
- Dahn, Luke (2021). "BWV 248.28". bach-chorales.com. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- Dahn, Luke (2018). "BWV 248.33". bach-chorales.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- Dahn, Luke (2018). "BWV 248.35". bach-chorales.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- Dellal, Pamela (2021). "BWV 248-III - "Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen"". pameladellal.com. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- Dellal, Pamela (2021). "BWV 213 - "Laßt uns sorgen, lasst uns wachen" - Herkules auf dem Scheidewege [Hercules at the Crossroads]". pameladellal.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- Dellal, Pamela (2021). "BWV 214 – "Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!"". pameladellal.com. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- Hennerfeind, Markus (2021). "Johann Sebastian Bach / Weihnachtsoratorium BWV 248, Kantate Nr. 3 ("Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen")". Tonkünstlerverein. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- "J. S. Bach, Weihnachtsoratorium / Werkeinführung und Libretto". schoenewolf.com. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
External links
- Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen (in German) bachipedia.org