The eighteenth Sunday after the Trinity. The readings for this Sunday concern the dual birthright of Jesus as the Son of David and the Son of God. The lines from Matthew also include the "Great Commandment": "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind," and the second commandment: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself".
There are two cantatas for this Sunday.
Readings:
1 Corinthians 1:4–8, Paul's thanks for grace of God in Ephesus
Matthew 22:34–46, the Great Commandment
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)
There are two cantatas for this Sunday.
Readings:
1 Corinthians 1:4–8, Paul's thanks for grace of God in Ephesus
Matthew 22:34–46, the Great Commandment
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)
[The Sermon on the Mount, Carl Bloch, 1877]
Cantatas:
- Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn, BWV 96, 8 October 1724
Chorale: Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn
Recitative (alto): O Wunderkraft der Liebe
Aria (tenor, flute): Ach, ziehe die Seele mit Seilen der Liebe
Recitative (soprano): Ach, führe mich, o Gott, zum rechten Wege
Aria (bass, oboes, strings): Bald zur Rechten, bald zur Linken
Chorale: Ertöt uns durch dein Güte
("Lord Christ, the only son of God")
Text & translation
Scored for soprano, alto, tenor and bass soloists, a four-part choir, horn or (later) trombone to enforce the hymn tune, flauto traverso, flauto piccolo or (later) violino piccolo, two oboes, two violins, viola, cello, and basso continuo.
This chorale cantata begins with a sparkling opening chorus in a lilting meter based on the 1524 hymn "Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn" by Elisabeth Cruciger. Although originally an Epiphany hymn praising Christ as the Morning Star (as in Cantata BWV 1), it also has a traditional association with the 18th Sunday after Trinity, since the readings for that day deal with Christ's discussion with the Pharisees about the meaning of the phrase "Son of David." An unusual element is the flauto-piccolo accompaniment that twinkles above the musical texture - symbolizing, of course, the morning star that appeared to the Magi over a pastoral landscape. The alto sings the cantus firmus, rather than the soprano, to better set off the flauto piccolo.
The light and charming da capo aria for tenor that follows after a short recitative is accompanied by a traverso (probably the same player as the flauto piccolo in Bach's day - he must have had an excellent flutist for these performances). The flute's ritornello melody provides most of the musical material for this aria.
In the pompous, operatic bass aria we have some musical painting: the words "Soon to the right, soon to the left lean my erring steps" (these are the lurching steps of the misguided soul) are illustrated by the use of jagged motifs and sudden changes between the strings and the oboe chorus.
The closing chorale,"Ertöt uns durch dein Güte" (Kill us through your goodness), is a four-part setting for the choir, horn, oboes and strings playing colla parte with the voices.
Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)
- Gott soll allein mein Herze haben, BWV 169, 20 October 1726
Sinfonia
Arioso: Gott soll allein mein Herze haben
Aria: Gott soll allein mein Herze haben
Recitative: Was ist die Liebe Gottes
Aria: Stirb in mir, Welt, und alle deine Liebe
Recitative: Doch meint es auch dabei
Chorale: Du süße Liebe, schenk uns deine Gunst
("God alone shall have my heart")
Text & translation
Scored for alto, a four-part choir only for the closing chorale, two oboes, taille (tenor oboe), two violins, viola, organ obbligato and basso continuo.
Cantata for alto, ending with a chorale. The first five movements are about the love of God; the commandment to love one's neighbor is expressed in a short recitative, leading to the chorale, which asks for the help of the Holy Spirit. The cantata begins with a Sinfonia based on the first two movements of Bach's E major Clavier Concerto BWV 1053 (itself a reworking of a lost oboe concerto) - the keyboard part here is played by the organ (in Bach's own performance this would have been ably played by his son Carl Philip Emanuel).
After an extended arioso, we have a gentle and beautiful alto aria, "Gott soll allein mein Herze haben," accompanied by the organ and a simple continuo.
The second alto aria "Stirb in mir, Welt, und alle deine Liebe" follows after a simple secco recitative. Here again we find a wonderful adaptation from the above concerto, with the voice attractively interwoven with the solo organ and strings. Like the first alto aria, this is truly great music - it has been called a farewell to earthly life, but also a mystical contemplation of heavenly love.
A simple chorale harmonization to the famous melody "Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist" brings the chorus into the cantata for the first time. Perhaps the most beautiful of Bach's four alto cantatas.
Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German) - Homage to the Organ
Bach Cantata Index