As the readings below show, the New Year's celebrations are already over, and instead we are talking about the suffering of Christians - based on the story of the flight to Egypt.
Including Part V of the Christmas Oratorio, there are 3 cantatas for this Sunday.
Readings for this day:
1 Peter 4:12–19, Suffering of Christians
Matthew 2:12–23, the Flight into Egypt
Cantata Studies:
Bach Cantatas Website | Simon Crouch | Emmanuel Music | Julian Mincham | Wikipedia | Eduard van Hengel (in Dutch) | Bach Companion (Oxford U.P.) | Bach: The Learned Musician (Wolff) | Music in the Castle of Heaven (Gardiner)
[Flight into Egypt by Rembrandt, 1627]
Cantatas written for this day:
- Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind, BWV 153, 2 January 1724
Chorale: Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind
Recitativo (alto): Mein liebster Gott, ach laß dichs doch erbarmen
Arioso (bass): Fürchte dich nicht
Recitativo (tenor): Du sprichst zwar, lieber Gott
Chorale: Und ob gleich alle Teufel
Aria (tenor): Stürmt nur, stürmt, ihr Trübsalswetter
Recitativo (bass): Getrost! Mein Herz
Aria (alto): Soll ich meinen Lebenslauf
Chorale: Drum will ich, weil ich lebe noch
"Behold, dear God, how my enemies"
Text & translation
Scored for alto, tenor and bass soloists, a four-part choir, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
This cantata was part of Bach's first Leipzig cycle. The unknown poet took Herod's massacre of the innocents and the flight to Egypt as a starting point to reflect in general on the situation of Christians faced with enemies. The cantata draws a contrast between life on earth, made miserable by the attacks of our enemies, and the peace of heaven, and prays for God's protection and guidance. There are 9 movements, all very short. It is structured around 3 chorales, but contains no virtuoso choruses (Bach may have wanted to ease the choir's workload during this busy period).
The cantata opens with the first stanza of David Denicke's chorale "Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind". Movement 5 is stanza 5 of Paul Gerhardt's "Befiehl du deine Wege" (1656) (known as movement 44 of the St. Matthew Passion). The cantata ends with verses 16-18 of the chorale "Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid" (1587), attributed to Martin Moller.
Movement 3 is marked Arioso by Bach, but is almost an aria. The biblical text from Isaiah 41:10, "Fear not, for I am with you," is given to the bass as vox Christi. The opening ritornello of eight bars is present throughout most of the movement, transposed into various keys.
The cantata also contains two arias, No. 6 for tenor (depicting the "enemies" in fast violin passages and dotted rhythms played in unison) and No. 8 for alto, a minuet depicting eternal joy. Twice the instruments play a section of the alto aria, then repeat it with the voice interwoven. In the second vocal section, the words "Daselbsten verwechselt mein Jesus das Leiden mit seliger Wonne, mit ewigen Freuden" are presented on a new theme marked Allegro, then the instruments repeat their second section as a postlude.
Video: Amphion/Gesualdo - Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid, BWV 58, 5 January 1727
Duetto: "Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid" for soprano & bass soloists, oboes, strings, and continuo.
Recitativo: "Verfolgt dich gleich die arge Welt" for bass and continuo.
Aria: "Ich bin vergnügt in meinem Leiden" for soprano, violino and continuo.
Recitativo: "Kann es die Welt nicht lassen" for soprano and continuo.
Chorale: "Ich hab für mir ein schwere Reis" for soprano & bass soloists, oboes, strings, and continuo.
"Ah God, how many a heartache"
Text & translation
Scored for soprano, bass, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
At the beginning of this cantata, Bach shifts from the joy of Christmas to a somber tone. It's the first Sunday after New Year's Day, and the sermon delves into the story of the Massacre of the Innocents. Fearing a threat to his throne from Jesus, Herod ordered the slaughter of all the children of Bethlehem. Fortunately, Joseph was forewarned and fled to Egypt with Mary and Jesus, while the others met a tragic end. The reading from the First Letter of the Apostle Peter updates this text: Christians should expect suffering and trials in the world, but they can count on God's support and reward.
According to the inscription "Dialogus," Bach placed BWV 58 in the genre of dialogue cantatas, which were popular in the seventeenth century and featured two allegorical characters in conversation with each other. In Cantata 58, the characters of the soprano and bass are not specified, but it is logical to interpret them as the soul and Christ.
Despite its brevity, Cantata 58 is a jewel of Bach's cantata art. There is a central aria in which the soprano confesses her confidence in God's support. The aria is flanked by the two secco recitatives. The corner movements are both duets. In them, the soprano sings verses from two different chorales that use the same melody, while the bass comments on the chorale texts with freely composed lines.
The text was attributed in 2015 to Christoph Birkmann, a theologian and student of Bach. He was also the librettist of the two famous, textually high-quality bass solo cantatas BWV 56 (Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen) and BWV 82 (Ich habe genung), as well as several other cantatas that Bach composed in 1726/1727.
The sad theme is captured in the opening aria, a slow sarabande with simple instrumentation. The soprano, representing the suffering soul, sings the melancholy words of the first verse of the chorale, "Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid," accompanied by a descending, mournful bass line. Jesus, portrayed by the bass, interrupts with a more hopeful tone, urging patience on the difficult path to salvation. This is music of mysterious, otherworldly beauty.
The secco recitative for bass emphasizes the difficulties of the journey ahead to illustrate the need for God's helping hand.
The cantata takes a poignant turn with an exquisite soprano aria in which the tormented soul, now aware of Jesus' safety, reconciles herself to her suffering under God's hand: "I am cheerful in my grief".
The soprano recitative first laments the persecution of the world, but then melts into a gentle arioso sung over a walking bass line as she declares that God is leading her to paradise.
The final chorale is interestingly fused with soprano and bass solos so that it is again a duet, but now the mood is exuberant: the festive fanfare signifies the soprano's acceptance of devotion and anticipation of eternal comfort from Jesus.
We could also say that the text of this cantata traces the soul's journey through a life "full of sorrow" to the salvation of heaven. In an ongoing dialogue, one voice symbolizes the sadness of this world, while the other brings a message of consolation that gradually wins out throughout the cantata. The beauty of this 1727 masterpiece lies in Bach's skillful use of limited resources (again, to allow the performers to rest) and the solitude evoked by suffering.
Video: Netherlands Bach Society - Interview conductor Van Veldhoven /
J.S. Bach-Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German) - Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen 2 January 1735 (Christmas Oratorio Part V)
Chorus: Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen
Recitative (Evangelist, tenor): Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem
Chorus / Recitative (alto) / Chorus: Wo ist der neugeborne König der Juden
Chorale: Dein Glanz all' Finsternis verzehrt
Aria (bass): Erleucht' auch meine finstre Sinnen
Recitative (Evangelist, tenor): Da das der König Herodes hörte
Recitative (alto): Warum wollt ihr erschrecken
Recitative (Evangelist, tenor): Und ließ versammeln alle Hohenpriester
Trio (sopr., alto, ten.): Ach! wann wird die Zeit erscheinen?
Recitative (alto): Mein Liebster herrschet schon
Chorale: Zwar ist solche Herzensstube
"Let honor to you, God, be sung"
Text & translation
Scored for soloists SATB, chorus SATB, 2 oboes d'amore, 2 violin parts, 1 viola part and continuo.
The fifth cantata of the Christmas Oratorio, composed for the Sunday following New Year's Day, is a relatively less-known segment of the celebrated cycle. Departing from the traditional readings for the day, it delves into the journey of the Magi as depicted in the Gospel of Matthew 1-6. This narrative portrays the unwavering pursuit of the newborn child by the wise men as a poignant symbol of the human yearning for divine enlightenment. Their quest shines even more brightly when contrasted with the sinister schemes of King Herod. As a result, the cantata, characterized by chamber music accompanied by oboes d'amore and strings, evokes introspective themes subtly juxtaposed with the lively perpetual motion of the opening chorus, "Glory be to you, God."
Following the spirited opening chorus, the first recitative introduces the Wise Men. In the subsequent recitative/chorus, they inquire about the whereabouts of Jesus and receive the answer "in my bosom." After a simple chorale, a recitative leads into a bass aria accompanied by an oboe d'amore, pleading for the divine light of Christ as a shield against sin. This, along with the ensuing trio, forms the moral core of the cantata.
Two more recitatives ensue; the first reproaches the people for their fear, while the second recounts Herod's reaction to the birth of Christ. In the subsequent trio, the soprano and tenor inquire about the timing of salvation, with the alto asserting that it is now. A final recitative praising Jesus leads to the concluding, straightforward chorale setting, which features the ninth verse of Johann Franck's song "Ihr Gestirn, ihr hohen Lüfte" (1655).
Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)