The twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. The cantatas for this day in the Lutheran church year are based on the contrast between faith and doubt as told in the Gospel account of the healing of a nobleman's son: Jesus' spoken assurance to a royal official leads to the healing of the official's son, which in turn becomes the occasion for him and his family to begin to believe. One could say that the readings for this day are about the perseverance of faith in the face of adversity.
There are four Bach cantatas for this Sunday.
Readings:
Ephesians 6:10–17, "take unto you the whole armor of God"
John 4:46–54, healing the nobleman's son
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)
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[Healing the royal official's son by Joseph-Marie Vien, 1752]
Cantatas:
- Ich glaube, lieber Herr, hilf meinem Unglauben, BWV 109, 17 October 1723
Chorus: Ich glaube, lieber Herr, hilf meinem Unglauben
Recitative (tenor): Des Herren Hand ist ja noch nicht verkürzt
Aria (tenor, strings): Wie zweifelhaftig ist mein Hoffen
Recitative (alto): O fasse dich, du zweifelhafter Mut
Aria (alto, oboes): Der Heiland kennet ja die Seinen
Chorale: Wer hofft in Gott und dem vertraut
"I believe, dear Lord, help my unbelief"
Text & translation
Scored for alto and tenor soloists, a four-part choir, cor du chasse (corno da caccia or corno da tirarsi), two oboes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
This cantata revolves around the contrast between faith and unbelief, inspired by the pericope of the nobleman's son. The father of a boy afflicted with epileptic seizures implores Jesus for aid. Jesus responds, asserting that all things are possible for those who believe. In reply, the father utters, "I believe, dear Lord, help my unbelief!" These poignant words serve as the opening of Bach's cantata BWV 109.
The anonymous poet emphasizes the faith that made the healing possible. Beginning with a quotation from the Gospel of Mark, the following movements create a dialogue between fear and hope, or faith and doubt, similar to Bach's compositions in later works such as "O Eternity, thou thundering word," BWV 60, and "Rejoice, O Hearts," BWV 66. Movement 2 is a dialogue, Movement 3 is an expression of fear, Movements 4 and 5 turn to hope.
The opening chorus embodies the contrast between faith and unbelief through the juxtaposition of smaller and larger groups of instruments, similar to a concerto grosso. Vocal parts alternate between solo and duet, expressing faith with upward melodies derived from the ritornello theme and doubt with downward movements.
In the tenor recitative and aria, the struggle between faith and doubt unfolds dramatically. Bach heightens the contrast by using two opposing voices, both sung by the tenor, one marked forte and the other piano, alternating phrase by phrase. The recitative culminates in an intense final question, "Ach Herr, wie lange?" The tenor aria captures the agitated mood of doubt through jagged melodies, unstable harmonies, and persistent dotted rhythmic figures.
However, the mood shifts in the following alto recitative and aria, emphasizing the certainty of God's promises and His help in overcoming doubt. The alto aria, accompanied by two obbligato oboes, exudes geniality and projects an aura of abundance - and gives heart to the doubter.
Instead of the typical four-part chorale, the cantata concludes with an elaborate rendition of one of oldest and most famous Lutheran hymns, Lazarus Spengler's "Durch Adam's Fall" (1524).
P.S. The website of the Netherlands Bach Society adds an interesting note: In the year Bach composed this cantata, a major controversy erupted near Leipzig. In 1721, a German philosopher who is now regarded as one of the most eminent German philosophers between Leibniz and Kant, gave a lecture on Chinese philosophy to an audience of 1,000 at the University of Halle. This professor, Christian Wolff, argued that through Confucianism the Chinese could attain the same high moral and ethical standards as Christians. Implicitly, his message suggested that belief in a god was not essential to being a virtuous individual. Chaos ensued, leading to years of debate and the publication of nearly three hundred polemical writings. Wolff's opponents accused him of being an atheist in disguise. Shortly after the premiere of Bach's cantata in November 1723, Christian Wolff was dismissed from his position and exiled from Prussia. However, in 1740, at the request of Frederick the Great, he returned to Halle in triumph and received an extremely generous salary. The Enlightenment finally reached Germany!
Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German) / Netherlands Bach Society - Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir, BWV 38, 29 October 1724
Coro (Chorale): Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir
Recitative (alto): In Jesu Gnade wird allein
Aria (tenor): Ich höre mitten in den Leiden
Recitative (soprano): Ach! Dass mein Glaube noch so schwach (chorale theme)
Aria (Terzetto; soprano): Wenn meine Trübsal als mit Ketten
Chorale: Ob bei uns ist der Sünden viel
"Out of deep distress I cry to you"
Text & translation
Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), a four-part choir, four trombones, two oboes, two violins, viola and basso continuo. This is one of three Bach cantatas that use four different trombone parts (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). The instruments play colla parte with the voices in the outer movements in the style of Bach's motets.
The theme of this cantata is the Lutheran idea that humanity is sinful, as Martin Luther writes: "We are all in deep and great misery, but we do not feel our condition. Weeping is nothing but a strong and earnest longing for God's grace, which does not arise in a person unless he sees in what depth he is lying". The cantata is based on a 1524 Lutheran penitential hymn, a paraphrase of Psalm 130, which was also played at Luther's funeral. (Lutheran hymns were the focus of Bach's second annual cycle in Leipzig). It was a major Sunday hymn in Bach's day. The lyrics of the first and last verses are unchanged, and as usual, Bach designed them as an opening chorale fantasy and a four-part final chorus. An unknown lyricist rewrote the remaining three verses into four movements, alternating between recitative and aria.
The hymn lends itself well to fugal treatment, and that is exactly what Bach does: the first movement is a magnificent fugal setting of the austere and severe chorale, with the full orchestra doubling the chorus. The movement combines the structure of a motet with chromatic and dissonant harmonies in the Phrygian mode. Bach uses the old style of scoring, with all instruments doubling the vocal parts. The lower voices begin each line with an imitation of the melody to come, which is then presented in long notes by the soprano as a cantus firmus.
An anguished secco recitative for alto is followed by a melancholy aria for tenor, accompanied by piquant oboes - a relief after the heavy opening chorus. Unusually, Bach uses the chorale melody not only in the outer movements, but also as motivic material in the recitative and aria.
Another secco recitative (with instrumental chorale), this time by the soprano, leads us to a nervous and flighty trio for soprano, alto and tenor, a rare combination in Bach's cantatas. In this movement, "despair, like chains, fetters one misfortune to another" is contrasted with "shall my Savior suddenly free me from all this," presented as a kind of morning following night.
The cantata ends with a harmonization of Luther's chorale "Ob bei uns ist der Sünden viel," in which all instruments emphasize the vocal lines. As Gardiner comments: "With all the voices given full orchestral doubling (again, those four trombones!), this chorale is impressive, terrifying in its Lutheran zeal.
Text of Luther's hymn.
Video: J.S. Bach-Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German) - Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, BWV 98, 10 November 1726
Chorus: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
Recitative (tenor): Ach Gott! wenn wirst du mich einmal
Aria (soprano): Hört, ihr Augen, auf zu weinen
Recitative (alto): Gott hat ein Herz, das des Erbarmens Überfluß
Aria (bass): Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht
"What God does is done well"
Text & translation
Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir, two oboes, taille (tenor oboe), two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
While the previous two cantatas for this Sunday were both based on doubt and need, this short chorale cantata focuses on trust in God. The poet Christoph Birkmann refers to general ideas from the Gospel and emphasizes that a prayer for salvation will be answered. It is one of three cantatas that Bach wrote under this title. The cantata opens with the first stanza of the chorale "Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan" (1674) by Samuel Rodigast, but it is not a chorale cantata in the strict sense of Bach's second cantata cycle, cantatas based on the stanzas of a chorale.
The opening chorus is a mostly homophonic elaboration of the chorale melody, accompanied by orchestral phrases that seem detached from the chorus lines and dominated by the first violin as an obbligato instrument. The movement is written in a flowing and lyrical style that Bach based on contemporary Italian practice.
The two recitatives are both secco. The beautiful soprano aria, which expresses reassurance, is accompanied by an obbligato oboe with which the singer engages in appealing counterpoint. The first two bars of its theme are derived from the chorale melody and the harmonic language is very chromatic.
The confident bass aria is based on a new chorale melody. It again has a great string accompaniment that weaves lines and phrases around the melody.
Unfortunately, the final chorale, which undoubtedly closed the cantata, has been lost in the mists of time - the chorale "Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan" is often repeated here.
Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German) / Johannsen - Ich habe meine Zuversicht, BWV 188, 17 October 1728
Sinfonia
Aria (tenor): Ich habe meine Zuversicht
Recitative (bass): Gott meint es gut mit jedermann
Aria (alto): Unerforschlich ist die Weise
Recitative (soprano): Die Macht der Welt verlieret sich
Chorale: Auf meinen lieben Gott
"I have placed my confidence"
Text & translation
Scored for four solo voices (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, two oboes, taille, two violins, viola, organ, and basso continuo.
This cantata is one of the few surviving pieces from Bach's fourth annual cycle, often referred to as the Picander cycle after the librettist. Even in this case, the score was fragmented and distributed to private individuals during the 1800s, requiring meticulous reconstruction to preserve it in its current form. The central message of the cantata revolves around God's constancy despite human failings.
The composition begins with an enchanting Sinfonia, in which the third movement of the keyboard concerto BWV 1052 is adapted for the organ.
The extended tenor aria features a lovely pastoral melody, notable for its similarities to the Polonaise from the French Suite in E major and the Sarabande from the English Suite in E minor. It begins with a string ritornello accompanied by an oboe, which changes into a counterpoint between the two parts when the tenor enters.
After a secco recitative for bass that ends with a pastoral arioso, a somber and intense alto aria unfolds, accompanied by cello and a compelling organ obbligato. This section serves as the emotional core of the cantata.
A brief soprano recitative follows before the cantata concludes with a four-part setting of the anonymous chorale melody.
Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)