Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, BWV 248 II
Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend | |
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Part II of BWV 248 II | |
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Performed | 26 December 1734 : |
Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend ("And there were shepherds in the same environs"),[1] BWV 248II (also written as BWV 248 II),[2] is a 1734 Christmas cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach as the second part of his Christmas Oratorio. Bach was then Thomaskantor, responsible for music at four churches in Leipzig, a position he had assumed in 1723.
The cantata follows the nativity of Jesus as narrated in the Gospel of Luke. It covers the annunciation to the shepherds. An unknown librettist added text for reflecting recitatives and arias and included stanzas from Lutheran hymns. Bach structured the cantata in 14 movements and scored it for four vocal parts and a Baroque orchestra with flutes, oboes and strings. He led the first performances at the two main churches of Leipzig on 26 December 1734 during morning and vespers services.
Part II of the oratorio begins, in contrast to the other parts, with the instrumental
History
In 18th-century
On the Second Day of Christmas, 26 December, Leipzig celebrated Christmas in even years and
Bach in Leipzig
Bach had become director musices in Leipzig in 1723.[3] Early in his tenure, he had composed these church cantatas for the Second Day of Christmas, which was held as St. Stephen's Day in uneven years:
- 1723: Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40, part of Bach's first cantata cycle[7]
- 1724: Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV 121, part of the chorale cantata cycle[8]
- 1725: Bach's third cantata cycle[9]
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;[11][12]
- A cantata for the elector's wife, Maria Josepha, to honour her 34th birthday on 8 December:[13] Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten! BWV 214 (Resound, ye drums! Ring out, ye trumpets!).[14] It 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.[11]
Christmas season 1734–35
Bach composed his Christmas Oratorio for the Christmas season from Christmas Day on 25 December 1734 to Epiphany on 6 January 1735.[15] Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, BWV 248 II, for the Second Day of Christmas in 1734, is the second of six cantatas (or parts) constituting this oratorio. Its first cantata, Jauchzet, frohlocket! Auf, preiset die Tage, BWV 248 I, had been performed the previous day.[2]
While Part I of the oratorio covers the birth of Jesus, Part II is focused on the annunciation to the shepherds.[16] The story is told following the Gospel of Luke, interspersed with reflecting recitatives, arias and chorales.[1] Deviating from the prescribed reading, the text of the cantata covers exclusively the announcement,[17] while the itinerary to Bethlehem and adoration are topics of Part III, Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen, BWV 248 III, first performed on the Third Day of Christmas, 27 December 1734.[18]
The identity of the
The three movements based on Lutheran hymn text used Lutheran chorale tunes associated with these hymns:[21][22][23]
- "Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist",
- "
Two extended movements of BWV 248 II are based on music from the BWV 213 and 214 cantatas:[30]
- the sixth movement of BWV 248 II, "Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet", is based on the aria "Fromme Musen! meine Glieder" from BWV 214;[30]
- the tenth movement of the cantata for the Second Day of Christmas 1734, "Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der Ruh'", is based on the aria "Schlafe, mein Liebster, und pflege der Ruh" from BWV 213.[30]
BWV 248 II was first performed in the Thomaskirche on 26 December 1734 and repeated during a vespers service at the Nikolaikirche the same day.[31]
Music
Structure and scoring
The work is structured in 14
The cantata begins with the instrumental Sinfonia, unlike all other parts of the oratorio. The tenor soloist narrates the story as the Evangelist. The soprano soloist appears for the first time in the oratorio as the angel bringing the news. The choir represents the angels singing "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe" (Glory to God in the Highest). The scene is reflected in two arias, an alto aria anticipating a lullaby for the newborn and a tenor aria calling to run to the manger in joy.[33]
The following table follows the
No. | Title | Text | Type | Vocal | Winds | Strings | Key | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | Sinfonia | 2Tra 2Oa 2Oc | 2Vl Va | G major | 12/8
| |||
11 | Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend | Luke 2:8–9 | Recitative | T | ||||
12 | Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht | Rist | Chorale | SATB | 2Tra 2Oa 2Oc | 2Vl Va | G major | |
13 | Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen Fürchtet euch nicht |
Luke 2:10-11 | Recitative | T S |
2Vl Va |
|||
14 | Was Gott dem Abraham verheißen | anon. | Recitative | B | 2Oa 2Oc | 2Vl Va | ||
15 | Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet | anon. | Aria | T | Tra | E minor | 3/8 | |
16 | Und das habt zum Zeichen | Luke 2:12 | Recitative | T | ||||
17 | Schaut hin! dort liegt im finstern Stall | Gerhardt | Chorale | SATB | 2Tra 2Oa 2Oc | 2Vl Va | C major | |
18 | So geht denn hin! | anon. | Recitative | B | 2Ob 2Oc | |||
19 | Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der Ruh | anon. | Aria | A | Tra 2Oa 2Oc | 2Vl Va | G Major
|
2/4 |
20 | Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel | Luke 2:13 | Recitative | T | ||||
21 | Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe | Luke 2:14 | Chorus | SATB | 2Tra 2Oa 2Oc | G major | ||
22 | So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt und singet | anon. | Recitative | B | ||||
23 | Wir singen dir in deinem Heer | Gerhardt | Chorale | SATB | 2Tra 2Oa 2Oc | 2Vl Va | G major | 12/8 |
Movements
10
The cantata begins with the instrumental Sinfonia.[1][34] Set in G major, it is in a triple meter in [[siciliana|siciliano] rhythm. Albert Schweitzer likened the music to a concerto of the shepherds, playing oboes, and the angels playing strings and flute in unison with the first violin. The movement is a ternary form, ABA', repeating the beginning modified after a middle section, and this a forerunner of the classical sonata form, as Dürr notes. Each section is in again three groups, taking the analogy to the sonata form further: string music, as a first theme, is followed by oboe music as a second theme and combined music as the closing group.[16] The movement is the only purely instrumental music in the Christmas Oratorio.[35]
The absence of a chorus in the first movement signifies the stillness of the nightly scene, giving more weight to the voices to follow. The major choral movement in this cantata is the representation of the angels' song.[16]
11
The
12
In the response to the shepherds being afraid, they are told in a chorale not to fear.[37] The stanza "Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht"[21] ("Break forth, o lovely light of morning"),[24] which Bach set for four parts, is taken from a hymn by Johann Rist, "Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist":[21]
Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht,
Und laß den Himmel tagen!
Du Hirtenvolk, erschrecke nicht,
Weil dir die Engel sagen,
Daß dieses schwache Knäbelein
Soll unser Trost und Freude sein,
Dazu den Satan zwingen
Und letztlich Friede bringen!
The shepherds are told that the weak child shall be comfort and joy to them and all (using the first person plural) and will conquer Satan and ultimately bring peace.[24] Markus Rathey notes that this is an apocalyptic outlook within the oratorio.[38]
13
The narration continues, first sung by the Evangelist, "Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen" ("And the angel said to them"),[24] then continued by the angel's message, given to the soprano soloist, who appears here for the first time in the oratorio: "Fürchtet euch nicht" ("Do not be afraid").[24] The angel's recitative is accompanied by strings.[39]
14
The announcement of the angel is interrupted after telling of the birth of the Saviour, by a recitative and following aria. The bass sings the recitative, accompanied by the oboes representing the shepherds: "Was Gott dem Abraham verheißen" ("What God promised to Abraham").[17] It connects the message to the shepherds to Abraham, who also was a shepherd.[39]
15
The tenor sings an aria, calling the other shepherds to run to see the child: "Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet" ("Joyful shepherds, hurry, oh hurry").[17] The aria in E minor is accompanied by solo flute.[17][40] The music is based on the aria "Fromme Musen, meine Glieder" from Bach's secular cantata Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!, BWV 214, for the birthday of Maria Josepha, Electress of Saxony.[15]
16
The announcement of the angel is continued: "Und das habt zum Zeichen" ("And this shall be a sign for you"),[17] mentioning swaddling-clothes and the manger.[17] The movement is marked to be sung by the tenor,[41] which shows, according to Dürr, the "essentially undramatic conception of the oratorio".[16]
17
At this point, the lowliness of the humble stable is reflected in a chorale:[42] "Schaut hin! dort liegt im finstern Stall" (Look, there lies in a dark stable),[17] a setting for four parts of a stanza by Paul Gerhardt, which is sung to the melody of Martin Luther's "Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her".[22] This chorale, in the low key of C major, is the central movement of this cantata and thus also the midpoint of the first three parts of the oratorio, performed on the three days of Christmas:[43]
Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall,
Des Herrschaft gehet überall!
Da Speise vormals sucht ein Rind,
Da ruhet itzt der Jungfrau'n Kind.
Its focus is on the dark stable, expressing amazement that the Almighty, the Virgin's child, rests where a cow had fed.[44] Bach illustrates power over all by a rising scale of more than an octave in the bass line.[43]
18
Another reflecting recitative of the bass, again interrupting the Biblical account, calls the shepherds to go and marvel: "So geht denn hin, ihr Hirten, geht" ("Then go forth, you shepherds, go"),.[17] It is accompanied by the oboes as the first bass recitative.[45]
19
The aria is assigned to the alto voice.[45] It is a lullaby, as if imagined: "Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der Ruh" ("Sleep, my most beloved, enjoy your rest").[46] Set in G major, the voice is doubled by a flute playing an octave higher, and all oboes and strings.[44] Bach based the music on "Schlafe, mein Liebster", a soprano aria from Laßt uns sorgen, laßt uns wachen, BWV 213.[15]
20
The Evangelist continues the narration:[47] "Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel" ("And suddenly there was with the angel"), telling of the heavenly hosts.[16]
21
The choir represents the angels singing the words after Luke:
22
The bass sings a third recitative, this time secco:[50] "So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt uns singet" ("Quite right, you angels, rejoice and sing"), calling to joyfully join the angels' song.[16]
23
The closing chorale[50] is another stanza by Gerhardt, to the same melody as the cantata's central chorale: "Wir singen dir in deinem Heer"[23] ("We sing to You within Your host"):[16]
Wir singen dir in deinem Heer
Aus aller Kraft Lob, Preis und Ehr,
Daß du, o lang gewünschter Gast,
Dich nunmehr eingestellet hast.
Using the first person plural, it includes everyone in singing praises with the angels because the long-awaited guest has finally appeared.[16] The chorale is set in G major, and instrumental motifs between the lines are taken from the opening Sinfonia, confirming the symmetry of the cantata's structure. The strings play in unison with the choir.[44]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 118.
- ^ a b c d Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend (Christmas oratorio, part 2) BWV 248 II at Bach Digital.
- ^ a b Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 23–26.
- ^ Buelow 2016, p. 272.
- ^ Wolff 2002, pp. 253–254.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 106.
- ^ Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes BWV 40: Sacred cantata (2nd Christmas Day) at Bach Digital.
- ^ Christum wir sollen loben schon BWV 121: Chorale cantata (2nd Christmas Day) at Bach Digital.
- ^ Selig ist der Mann, der die Anfechtung erduldet (Dialogus) BWV 57: Sacred cantata (2nd Christmas Day) at Bach Digital.
- ^ a b Rathey 2003.
- ^ a b c Wessel 2015, pp. 25–44, 47, 99–100.
- ^ Lasst uns sorgen, lasst uns wachen (Dramma per musica) BWV 213: Secular cantata at Bach Digital.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 102, 820, 827–830.
- ^ Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten! BWV 214: Secular cantata (Birthday) at Bach Digital.
- ^ a b c Hofmann 2005, p. V.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 120.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 119.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 131–133.
- ^ a b D-LEm I. B. 2a at Bach Digital.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 104.
- ^ a b c d Dahn 12 2019.
- ^ a b c Dahn 17 2019.
- ^ a b c Dahn 23 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Dellal 2021.
- ^ Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist BWV 248/12 at Bach Digital.
- ^ Zahn 1889–1893, III, pp. 516–517.
- ^ Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her BWV 248/17 at Bach Digital.
- ^ Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her BWV 248/23 at Bach Digital.
- ^ Zahn 1889–1893, I, p. 98.
- ^ a b c Wessel 2015, p. 47.
- ^ Wolff 2002, p. 254.
- ^ Bischof 2019.
- ^ a b Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 118–120.
- ^ Hofmann 2005, p. 34.
- ^ Bossuyt 2004, p. 87.
- ^ Hofmann 2005, p. 37.
- ^ Hofmann 2005, p. 38.
- ^ Rathey 2016, p. 60.
- ^ a b Hofmann 2005, p. 39.
- ^ Hofmann 2005, p. 40.
- ^ Hofmann 2005, p. 44.
- ^ Hofmann 2005, p. 45.
- ^ a b Rathey 2016, p. 216.
- ^ a b c d Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 121.
- ^ a b Hofmann 2005, p. 46.
- ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 119–120.
- ^ Hofmann 2005, p. 52.
- ^ Hofmann 2005, p. 53.
- ^ Hofmann 2005, p. 55.
- ^ a b Hofmann 2005, p. 59.
Cited sources
- "Christum wir sollen loben schon BWV 121: Chorale cantata (2nd Christmas Day)". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-03-11.
- "Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes BWV 40: Sacred cantata (2nd Christmas Day)". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-03-11.
- "D-LEm I. B. 2a". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2018-09-08.
- "Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist BWV 248/12". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2018-07-15.
- "Lasst uns sorgen, lasst uns wachen (Dramma per musica) BWV 213: Secular cantata". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-03-11.
- "Selig ist der Mann, der die Anfechtung erduldet (Dialogus) BWV 57: Sacred cantata (2nd Christmas Day)". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-03-11.
- "Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten! BWV 214: Secular cantata (Birthday)". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-03-11.
- "Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend (Christmas oratorio, part 2) BWV 248 II". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-03-11.
- "Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her BWV 248/17". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-01-18.
- "Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her BWV 248/23". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-01-17.
Books
- Buelow, George J. (2016). "The Late Baroque Era". The Late Baroque Era: Vol 4. From The 1680s To 1740. ISBN 978-1-34-911303-3.
- Bossuyt, Ignace (2004). Johann Sebastian Bach, Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248). ISBN 978-9-05-867421-0.
- 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.
- 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. pp. 25–44, 47, 99–100.
- ISBN 978-0-393-32256-9.
- Zahn, Johannes (1889–1893). Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder (in German). Gütersloh: Bertelsmann. Vol. I, Vol. II, Vol. III, Vol. IV, Vol. V, Vol. VI
Online sources
- Bischof, Walter F. (2019). "BWV 248II Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend / Weihnachts-Oratorium I". University of Alberta. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- Dahn, Luke (2019). "BWV 248.12". bach-chorales.com. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- Dahn, Luke (2019). "BWV 248.17". bach-chorales.com. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- Dahn, Luke (2019). "BWV 248.23". bach-chorales.com. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- Dellal, Pamela (2021). "BWV 248-II – "Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend"". pameladellal.com. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- Rathey, Markus (18 April 2003). "Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor: The Greatest Artwork of All Times and All People" (PDF). ism.yale.edu. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
External links
- Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Markus Schönewolf: Weihnachtsoratorium schoenewolf.com
- BWV 248 / II bachdiskographie.de
- Ambrose, Z. Philip: BWV 248II Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend (Weihnachts-Oratorium II) (translation) uvm.edu