Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn, BWV 119
Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn | |
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Nikolaikirche, Leipzig | |
Occasion | Ratswechsel |
Performed | 30 August 1723 Leipzig : |
Movements | 9 |
Vocal | SATB |
Instrumental |
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Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn (Praise the Lord, Jerusalem),[1] BWV 119,[a] is a sacred cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig for Ratswechsel, the inauguration of a new town council, and first performed it on 30 August 1723.
Bach composed the cantata in his first year as
The cantata is structured in nine movements, three of them choral (1, 7, 9), the others alternating arias and recitatives. The orchestra is large and representative, with four trumpets, timpani, two recorders and three oboes, in addition to strings and basso continuo. Bach led the Thomanerchor in the first performance.
In 2015 the cantata was performed by the Thomanerchor at the place of its premiere on 12 June, opening the Bachfest and celebrating both the 1000th anniversary of the first recorded mention of Leipzig and the 850th anniversary of the Nikolaikirche.
History and words
As
The cantata was Bach's first for the occasion in Leipzig.
The text was written by an unknown librettist who included psalm verses (from Psalms 147, 85 and 126) and lines from Martin Luther's German Te Deum "Herr Gott, dich loben wir". To suit the event for which it was written, these are all turned into hymns of thanking and praising God for Leipzig's prosperity and asking him to protect the city in the future.
Bach led the Thomanerchor in the performance on 30 August 1723.[5]
Scoring and structure
Bach structured the cantata in nine movements with choral movements as a frame and in movement 7, otherwise alternating recitatives and arias. He scored it for four vocal soloists (soprano (S), alto (A), tenor (T) and bass (B)), a four-part choir, and an orchestra of four trumpets (Tr), timpani (Ti), two recorders (Fl), three oboes (Ob), two of them also playing oboes da caccia (Oc), two violins (Vl), viola (Va), and basso continuo (Bc).[4][5][6]
In the following table of the movements, the scoring follows the , using the symbol for common time (4/4). The instruments are shown separately for winds and strings, while the continuo, playing throughout, is not shown.
No. | Title | Text | Type | Vocal | Winds | Strings | Key | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn | Psalm 147,12–14 | Chorus | SATB | 4Tr Ti 2Fl 3Ob | 2Vl Va | C major | 12/8 |
2 | Gesegnet Land, glückselge Stadt | Recitative | T | |||||
3 | Wohl dir, du Volk der Linden | Aria | T | 2Oc | G major | |||
4 | So herrlich stehst du, liebe Stadt | Recitative | B | 4Tr Ti 2Fl 2Oc | ||||
5 | Die Obrigkeit ist Gottes Gabe | Aria | A | 2Fl (unis.) | G minor | 6/8 | ||
6 | Nun! wir erkennen es und bringen dir | Recitative | S | |||||
7 | Der Herr hat Guts an uns getan | Chorus | SATB | 4Tr Ti 2Fl 3Ob | 2Vl Va | C major | ||
8 | Zuletzt! Da du uns, Herr, zu deinem Volk gesetzt | Recitative | A | |||||
9 | Hilf deinem Volk, Herr Jesu Christ | Luther | Chorale | SATB | unknown | 2Vl Va |
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Music
Even among other festive music written by Bach, this work's scoring for four trumpets is unusual. It is characterised by a very solemn character and the attributes of courtly homage music, such as the opening chorus in the form of a French overture or fanfare-like trumpet interjections in the bass recitative.[7] Bach created a work that in musical terms corresponds less to sacred music and more to the type of secular music for a princely court, as had been required of him during his time in office in Köthen. Only in its final two movements does Bach again use simple forms to emphasize the work's character of a church cantata, implying that earthly powers do not last, but God – the supreme ruler – is entitled to have the last word.[8]
1
The cantata opens with a French overture, unusual in featuring the chorus in the faster middle section. At the time of
2
A
3
The oboes da caccia present a dotted-rhythm ritornello to introduce the tenor aria. The vocal entry is before the ritornello cadence, "Wohl dir, du Volk der Linden" (Good fortune, you people of the lindens),[1] a reference to Leipzig sometimes being called Lindenstadt.[9]
4
The bass recitative, "So herrlich stehst du, liebe Stadt!" (So gloriously you stand, dear city!),[1] is introduced and concluded with a fanfare-like trumpet and timpani line,[9] further wind instruments, recorders and oboes da caccia add colour to the middle section, in an unusual movement for the Leipzig congregation.[2]
5
The alto aria, "Die Obrigkeit ist Gottes Gabe" (Authority is God's gift),[1] is accompanied by two obbligato recorders in unison.[2] It is the only minor-mode movement of the cantata. The obbligato presents high repeated notes beginning midway through the ritornello theme, which recurs as episodes and at the conclusion of the movement.[9] The movement is, in effect, a trio sonata.[10]
6
A soprano recitative, "Nun! Wir ekennen es und bringen dir" (Now! we acknowledge it and bring to You),[1] expresses thanks for God's gift and acknowledgement of the burden on the people serving as town council, those who did it the last year and those who succeed.[9]
7
A choral movement confirms "Der Herr hat Guts an uns getan" (The Lord has done good things for us).
8
A very short alto recitative, "Zuletzt! Da du uns, Herr, zu deinem Volk gesetzt" (Finally! Since You have established us as Your people),[1] is harmonically "adventurous".[9]
9
The cantata ends with the ninth stanza from Luther's German Te Deum, "Hilf deinem Volk, Herr Jesu Christ" (Help Your people, Lord Jesus Christ),[1] a prayer for further help and preservation.[2] It is a four-part setting "with the subtlest touches of flamboyance" in a chorale.[9] No individual parts for the cantata have survived; and the score provides only the four-part setting without mentioning which instruments would play with which voice. Hofmann imagines that there might have been additional parts for trumpets and timpani for an ending to match the opening of the cantata.[2]
Recordings
The entries in the table are taken from the selection on the Bach Cantatas Website.[4] Ensembles playing period instruments are marked by green background.
Title | Conductor / Choir / Orchestra | Soloists | Label | Year | Orch. type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bach Made in Germany Vol. 1 - Cantatas IX | Gewandhausorchester
|
|
Eterna | 1953 | |
J. S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 119 & BWV 129 | Diethard HellmannBach-Chor (Kurrende of the Christuskirche)Bach-Orchester Mainz | Da Camera | 1967 | ||
Die Bach Kantate Vol. 66 | Helmuth RillingGächinger KantoreiBach-Collegium Stuttgart |
|
Hänssler
|
1978 | |
J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 10 | Ton KoopmanAmsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir | Antoine Marchand | 1998 | Period | |
J. S. Bach: "Wir danken dir, Gott" | Philippe HerrewegheCollegium Vocale Gent | Harmonia Mundi France | 1999 | Period | |
J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 16 | Masaaki SuzukiBach Collegium Japan | BIS | 1999 | Period | |
Bach Edition Vol. 19 – Cantatas Vol. 10 | Holland Boys ChoirNetherlands Bach Collegium
|
Brilliant Classics | 2000 | Period
|
2015 performance
The cantata was performed in the opening concert of the Bachfest Leipzig on 12 June 2015, celebrating 1000 years since the first recorded mention of Leipzig and the 850th anniversary of the Nikolaikirche. A line from the libretto was the festival's motto for the occasion: "So herrlich stehst du, liebe Stadt!" (So gloriously you stand, dear city!). The cantata was performed at the Nikolaikirche by Ute Selbig, Britta Schwarz, Patrick Grahl, Jochen Kupfer, the Thomanerchor and the Händelfestspielorchester Halle, conducted by Gotthold Schwarz.[11]
Notes
- ^ "BWV" is Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's works.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dellal, Pamela. "BWV 119 – Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Hofmann, Klaus. "Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn, BWV 119" (PDF). Bach Cantatas. pp. 6–8. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d Hofmann, Klaus. "Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir / Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, BWV 29" (PDF). Bach Cantatas. pp. 7–8. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
- ^ a b c Oron, Aryeh. "Cantata BWV 119 Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn". Bach Cantatas. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn BWV 119; BC B 3 / Sacred cantata (Council election)". Bach Digital. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ Bischof, Walter F. "BWV 119 Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn". University of Alberta. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ von Wijnen, Dingeman. "Liner notes for Bach Cantatas, Vol. 10" (PDF). Bach Cantatas. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Wolff, Christoph. "Liner notes to Bach Cantatas, Vol. 29" (PDF). Bach Cantatas. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mincham, Julian. "Chapter 83 BWV 119". jsbachcantatas. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Leonhard, James. "Johann Sebastian Bach / Cantata No. 119, "Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn," BWV 119 (BC B3)". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Bachfest Leipzig / ARD Radio-Festival 2015". ARD. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
Sources
- Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn, BWV 119: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Cantata BWV 119 - Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn (Johann Sebastian Bach) ChoralWiki
- Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn (in German) history, scoring, Bach website
- BWV 119 Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn English translation, University of Vermont
External links
- Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn, BWV 119: performance by the Netherlands Bach Society (video and background information)