Bach Cantatas for Church Events without Date (66): Unspecified Occasions (BWV 150, 131, 117, 192, 100, 97 & 225)

In addition to wedding cantatas, funeral cantatas, and cantatas for the election of a new town council, the church cantatas without a specific (church) date also include a small number of cantatas for smaller services, such as penitential services (when the whole community did penance, for example after a catastrophe such as a great fire), as well as cantatas whose use is unknown or uncertain. We'll gather them together in this article.

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)

[Kirche St. Marien, Mühlhausen,
whose minister commissioned BWV 131]

Cantatas:

Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150, 1707

(1) Sinfonia
(2) Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (Chorus)
(3) Doch bin und bleibe ich vergnügt (Aria soprano)
(4) Leite mich in deiner Wahrheit (Chorus)
(5) Zedern müssen von den Winden (Aria Alto, Tenor, Basso)
(6) Meine Augen sehen stets zu dem Herrn (Chorus)
(7) Meine Tage in dem Leide (Chorus)s

"For Thee, O Lord, I long"
Text & translation

Scored for four vocal parts, two violins, bassoon (or Dulzian) and basso continuo.

This is an early work that exists only in a manuscript by another hand. Not surprisingly, there has been speculation that the cantata is not by Bach. The oft-heard argument that "only Bach could have written such an impressive work" is of course unconvincing, but a more reliable clue came in 2010, when an acrostic was discovered in the final four movements. This acrostic contains the name Merkbach, one of the councilors of Mühlhausen, who was a supporter of Bach. In this case, the cantata may have been written as a tribute to his 70th birthday in April 1707, or in July 1707, when Merkbach was elected mayor for another year. On this basis, the cantata can be dated to the young Bach's time in Arnstadt.

This makes it the earliest surviving cantata by Bach. It is scored for only two violins, bassoon and continuo. In this early work there are no recitatives, no da capo arias, and no chorale. But Bach makes extensive use of choral fugues and imitative polyphony, often changing the tempo and character of the music within movements.

The text, by an unknown author, is based on verses from Psalm 25 in movements 2, 4 and 6. In the remaining movements, rhymed verse with varied metrical structure expresses the theme that mankind faces many hardships, but salvation comes from trusting in God.

The short (15 min.) work begins with a melancholy string sinfonia that leads into a short opening chorus in the style of a motet; the text is taken from Psalm 25.

This is followed by an attractive soprano aria. The next chorus, also in motet style, begins with a bold ascending scale. Unusually, the following aria is a trio for alto, tenor, and bass, one of the few vocal trios in Bach's oeuvre. Another chorus follows.
.
The cantata ends with a powerful choral chaconne. When the Bach Gesellschaft volume containing this cantata was first published, Brahms was working on his Fourth Symphony. He was one of the few original subscribers to the Bach Gesellschaft edition and was so impressed with this movement that he quoted the bass line in the finale of his symphony. This is indeed the most beautiful part of the cantata.

Video: Netherlands Bach Society / Voces 8 / Kay Johannsen

Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV 131, 1707

(1) Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir (Sinfonia and Chorus)

(2) So du willst, Herr, Sünde zurechnen (Arioso e chorale; soprano and bass)
(3) Ich harre des Herrn, meine Seele harret (Chorus)

(4) Meine Seele wartet auf den Herrn von einer Morgenwache (Aria e chorale; alto and tenor)
(5) Israel hoffe auf den Herrn; denn bei dem Herrn (Chorus)

"Out of the depths I call, Lord, to You"
Text & translation

Scored for tenor and bass soloists, four-part choir,  oboe, bassoon, violin, two violas and basso continuo.

An early cantata by Bach, the earliest autograph of a complete major work by Bach, probably from his time in Mühlhausen. There is speculation that it was written for a penitential service in Mühlhausen shortly after a great fire destroyed much of the town in 1707 (shortly before Bach took up his position in the town), but this cannot be proven. Nor can it be ruled out that this is a funeral composition, like the Actus tragicus (BWV 106).

However, a note on the autograph score of the cantata indicates that the work was commissioned by Georg Christian Eilmar, pastor of the Marienkirche in Mühlhausen. This allows the work to be dated to 1707-08, the period when Bach lived in Mühlhausen. Bach was employed as organist at the city's other main church, Divi Blasii. He also had some involvement in performances at the Marienkirche, where civic ceremonies were held. One service there that Bach would have attended was that for the inauguration of the City Council in 1708, at which his cantata Gott ist mein Konig, BWV 71 was premiered. He may have had a close personal relationship with Eilmar, who was godfather to his daughter Catharina Dorothea (born 1708).

Eduard van Hengel remarks about the form of this cantata: "In terms of form, Aus der Tiefen, like other early cantatas (such as BWV 106, the Actus Tragicus), deviates sharply from what we have come to expect from Bach and his contemporaries after ± 1712. The instrumental line-up still has the simplicity of the 17th century 'geistliche Konzert': one violin, two violas, oboe, bassoon and continuo. We do not yet find any recitatives there, nor the traditional final chorale nor the da capo arias on free texts, following the example of the Italian opera arias; the solo parts here are not yet called 'aria'. On the other hand, the choir has a much larger share than in the later cantatas, where its role is often limited to an opening choir and a closing chorale. The lyrics are taken exclusively from the Bible and the Protestant church hymn; so there is no occasional lyricist involved (which greatly improves the text quality!). These early cantatas (which are not yet called a 'cantata' but 'motetto', 'concerto' or 'Kirchenstück') do not yet have the familiar number structure, the parts still flow (almost) uninterruptedly into each other [...]."

Like many 17th-century German sacred works, the cantata draws on two textual sources simultaneously. One is Psalm 130, one of the seven penitential psalms, which occupy a prominent place in the liturgy of the dead, not as a lament but as an expression of trust in God. Each movement of the cantata is based on one or two verses of this psalm. The second textual source is the chorale "Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut" by Bartholomäus Ringwaldt (1588). In the bass aria, the second stanza of the chorale is juxtaposed with the psalm, and in the tenor aria, the fifth stanza is used in a similar manner. The symmetrical work has the same general characteristics as BWV 150. Bach structured the cantata in five movements, three choral movements interspersed with an arioso and an aria.

As the website of the Netherlands Bach Society mentions: "Like most early cantatas, this one too is symmetrical, with the chorus ‘Ich harre des Herrn’ as the central point. This is also where the mood changes. The beginning focuses mainly on the misery, whereas the third movement holds out a ray of hope."

In the beginning was human suffering - or so the slow Sinfonia with its plaintive oboe seems to suggest. It leads directly into the first choral movement, in which the voices literally plunge into the deepest depths. This, in turn, leads directly into the bass aria, in which the chorus sings a chorale as a backdrop. The excellent tenor aria has the same form, with the chorus again providing accompaniment, and the final movement is for the chorus alone. The Fugue in G minor, BWV 131a is a transcription for organ of the fugue of this final movement, but it is not certain that the arranger was Bach.

Complete text Psalm 130 "De Profundis":

1 Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice;  let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
2 If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, O Lord, who could stand?
3 For there is forgiveness with you;  therefore you shall be feared.
4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; ⁠in his word is my hope.
5 My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, ⁠more than watchmen for the morning.
6 O Israel, wait for the Lord, ⁠for with the Lord there is mercy;
7 With him there is plenteous redemption, ⁠and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

P.S. This psalm has frequently been set to music. It was sometimes used for funeral services, especially under its Latin incipit "De profundis".

Video: Netherlands Bach Society / Interview with Stadler, Van Veldhoven and Daniels /  J.S. Bach-Foundation (St. Gallen) / Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German) / WDR Radio Choir (modern orchestra)

 

Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut, BWV 117, c. 1728–1731

(1) Chorale: Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut
(2) Recitative (bass): Es danken dir die Himmelsheer
(3) Aria (tenor): Was unser Gott geschaffen hat
(4) Chorale: Ich rief dem Herrn in meiner Not
(5) Recitative (alto): Der Herr ist noch und nimmer nicht
(6) Aria (bass): Wenn Trost und Hülf ermangeln muss
(7) Aria (alto): Ich will dich all mein Leben lang
(8) Recitative (tenor): Ihr, die ihr Christi Namen nennt
(9) Chorale: So kommet vor sein Angesicht

"Praise and honor be to the highest good"
Text & translation

Scored for three vocal soloists (alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, two flutes, two oboes, two oboes d'amore, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.

This cantata, based on a hymn by the poet Johann Jacob Schütz, was written somewhere between 1728 and 1731 for an unknown occasion. There are two possibilities: it could be an "all-purpose" cantata that could be used for almost any occasion with minimal changes, or it could have been written for a wedding ceremony.

The cantata is imbued with the spirit of dance - triple time is omnipresent. It is only 20 minutes long, but has nine movements. The opening chorus, composed as a chorale fantasy, begins with a long ritornello. The bass recitative is about thanksgiving, encouraging the listener to give glory to God. The tenor aria adopts the minor mode, although the text is still optimistic. It is accompanied by two oboes d'amore.

The main chorus takes the text from the original hymn, in a simple setting of the chorale melody (it is rare for Bach to have this in the middle of the cantata rather than at the end). The alto recitative is very similar to the preceding bass recitative, and the bass aria mirrors the earlier tenor aria, but now with violin accompaniment.

In the alto aria, the singer takes a personal view of devotion. The accompaniment consists of flute triplets that have been compared to "the pounding of an excited heartbeat. This aria is surely the jewel of the cantata!

The tenor recitative takes on the voice of a pastor preaching to his congregation. Unusually for Bach, the final chorus repeats the music of the first movement with a text that invites the listener to sing and dance.

Video: Netherlands Bach Society / J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)

Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 192, 1730 (June or September)

(1) Chorus: Nun danket alle Gott

(2) Duet aria (soprano and bass): Der ewig reiche Gott

(3) Chorus: Lob, Ehr und Preis sei Gott

"Now thank ye all our God"
Text & translation

Scored for soprano and bass soloists, a four-part choir, two flutes, two oboes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.

The original score and tenor part of this chorale cantata are lost. With three movements, this is one of Bach's shortest cantatas; however, the large-scale melodic phrases lead to a length that has a balancing effect. The cantata is based on Martin Rinckart's hymn of thanksgiving "Nun danket alle Gott". Scholars are divided on the matter of the occasion for this cantata: some think it was written for Trinity, others for an unknown wedding, and still others ascribe it to Reformation Day.

In the imposing first movement, which is in three-four time, the ritornello is not immediately followed by the chorale melody, but by an imitative preparation, after which the first phrase of the chorale melody appears in the soprano over further imitation in the lower voices and by staccato chords in the accompaniment.

The second movement, a complex duet aria, has a dance-like effect. The two soloists are now and then interrupted by the orchestra's ritornelles.

The third movement, again a choral fantasy, is characterized by a rollicking gigue melody. As in verse 1, the chorale melody is in the soprano and the lower voices sing imitative lines.

Video: Netherlands Bach Society

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, BWV 100, c. 1732–1735

(1) Choralfantasie (Chor): Es bleibt gerecht sein Wille
(2) Aria (Duett Alt, Tenor): Er wird mich nicht betrügen
(3) Aria (Sopran): Er wird mich wohl bedenken
(4) Aria (Bass): Er ist mein Licht, mein Leben.
(5) Aria (Alt): Muß ich den Kelch gleich schmecken
(6) Choral (Chor): Darbei will ich verbleiben

"What God Does Is Well Done"
Text & translation

Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass, a four-part choir, two horns, timpani, flauto traverso, oboe d'amore, two violins, viola, cello, violone and basso continuo.

Bach composed this choral  cantata between 1732 and 1735 in Leipzig for an unknown occasion. The work is considered to be one of the last surviving church cantatas by Bach. The text is based on the chorale "Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan" (1674) by Samuel Rodigast, which Bach had also used for BWV 99 some ten years earlier. He made the cantata extra festive by adding a second horn and timpani.

In dividing the cantata into movements, Bach followed the stanza division of the chorale. As usual with his chorale cantatas, he framed the solo movements between an initial chorale fantasy and a final chorale. There are no recitatives: four arias, one of which is a duet for alto and tenor, rejoice without interruption about God's goodness. This time no the pain or suffering, but encouragement and consolation are central.

The opening chorale fantasy essentially corresponds to the opening movement of BWV 99, but Bach adds horns and timpani, making the instrumentation more solemn. The movement begins with two instrumental themes that are repeated when the soprano kicks in with the chorale melody. Compared to the vocal part, the instrumental lines are complex.

The alto-tenor duet resembles an Italian chamber duet in terms of the motet-like arrangement of the text and the interwoven imitation of the voices. There is a lovely walking bass.

The soprano aria is accompanied by a technically extremely challenging flute obbligato. The jaunty bass aria is notable for the closing descending motif. The alto aria, set in 12⁄8 time, is accompanied by plaintive oboe d’amore and continuo.

The final chorale resembles the chorale that occurs twice in BWV 75, Bach's first cantata as Thomaskantor. For BWV 100, Bach also added horns and timpani, which makes the movement appear more solemn and creates symmetry with the first movement.

Bach performed the cantata again in 1737 and 1742.

Video: Netherlands Bach Society - Interviews conductor Jos van Veldhoven & flute player Marten Root

In allen meinen Taten, BWV 97, 25 July 1734 (5th Sunday after Trinity)

(1) Chorus: In allen meinen Taten
(2) Aria (bass): Nichts ist es spat und frühe
(3) Recitative (tenor): Es kann mir nichts geschehen
(4) Aria (tenor): Ich traue seiner Gnaden
(5) Recitative (alto): Er wolle meiner Sünden
(6) Aria (alto): Leg ich mich späte nieder
(7) Duet aria (soprano, bass): Hat er es denn beschlossen
(8) Aria (soprano): Ich hab mich ihm ergeben
(9) Chorale: So sei nun, Seele, deine

"In all my undertakings"
Text & translation

Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, two oboes, bassoon, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.

Bach wrote this chorale cantata in 1734, about a decade after his annual cycle of cantatas, in the same year as his Christmas Oratorio. He dated the manuscript himself, but the occasion is unspecified. The work may have originally been composed for a wedding, because the score shows on top of movement 7 the crossed-out words "nach der Trauung" (after the wedding). A later copy mentions however the fifth Sunday after Trinity.

The author of the chorale is Paul Fleming (1609-1640), who already turned out to be a gifted poet as a medical student in Leipzig. Before his departure on a risky journey to Moscow and Persia, he wrote a song of fifteen stanzas in which he confessed his confidence in God's providence. After Fleming died from the rigors of his journey shortly after returning home, nine verses of more general scope found their way into general songbooks.

The opening chorus is an overture in the French style with heavily dotted rhythms and an attractive vivace fugue and the closing chorale harmonization is of Isaac's exceptionally beautiful tune O Welt ich muss dich lassen. In between we find five arias and two recitatives - a bit hampered by the monotony caused by nine identically structured stanzas, without any striking imagery.

Supported purely by a sober continuo accompaniment, the bass in the first aria puts his fate in God's hand. Trust in God's unfailing love and protection defines the warm and carefree atmosphere of the tenor aria. The predominant affect of the alto aria is a resigned acceptance of one's destiny, trusting in God. The soprano shows herself willing to die when God wills. She forms a lovely quartet with the continuo and two oboes, that expresses her quiet acceptance of her fate.

Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)

Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225, 1727

Singet dem Herren ein neues Lied

"Sing unto the Lord a new song"
Text & translation

The text of this motet for double choir (in other words, eight voices divided into two four-part choirs) in three movements, by an unknown lyricist, consists of Psalm 149:1-3, Psalm 150:2, 6, and verses 3 and 4 of Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren by Johann Gramann.

The motet is in concerto form, and the two choirs are used in a most inventive way. After an exuberant fantasy on the word "Singet!" both choirs plunge into a complicated fugue. The slow movement is a chorale sung solemnly by Choir II, while Choir I weaves an ingenious 'aria' through it. At the end, everything is repeated, except that the roles of the two choirs are reversed. The ending is a kind of dancing question-and-answer game, which concludes with a four-part fugue performed together, entitled "Alles was Odem hat" ("All that have voice, praise the Lord!").

The event for which this motet was composed is unknown. It may have been composed as a choral exercise for Bach's students at the Thomasschule. The biblical text of the motet would have been suitable for this purpose.

Interestingly, this motet was heard by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart when he visited the Thomasschule in Leipzig in 1789. Mozart was told that the school had a complete collection of Bach's motets and kept them as a kind of sacred relic. Mozart asked for a copy of the motet, which he greatly admired.

Video: Netherlands Bach Society - Interview with conductor Stephan MacLeod and bass Sebastian Myrus

Bach Cantata Index

Bach Cantatas for Church Events without Date (65): Council Elections (BWV 71, 119, 194, 193, 120, 29 & 69)

In Bach's time, it was customary to inaugurate a newly elected city council with a festive service and cantata in the official city church. It may seem strange to find religious cantatas about what to us is a solidly secular subject, but in Bach's time - before the Enlightenment - there was no separation between the religious and the secular, and the governing authorities on earth were considered to be God's representatives.

This ceremony was called the Ratswahl or Ratswechsel, and in Leipzig it took place on the last Monday in August (around Trinity XII). In fact, the occasion had little to do with elections: the Leipzig City Council consisted of thirty councilors appointed for life, divided into three sections, one of which reigned for one year and two others "resting"; the mayor was the leader of the ruling group. The new council was inaugurated annually with a solemn service in the city's main church, the Nicolaikirche, at 8:30 a.m. on the Monday after St. Bartholomew's Day (August 24).

Bach was expected to perform a special cantata for the occasion. Trumpets and drums were often provided for the occasion. Five such cantatas have survived from Bach's Leipzig period: Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn, BWV 119 for the inauguration of the Leipzig City Council in 1723 (Bach's first year in Leipzig); BWV 193 (1727?); 120 (1728-29?); 29 (1731); and 69 (1748?). For some other similar Leipzig cantatas, only the text survives. It is also possible that some of the Trinity XII cantatas were performed at the celebration of the City Council election the next day. But since Bach, as the city's director of music, was commissioned annually to compose a new festive work for this occasion, for which he was paid separately, he must have performed this service 27 times during his tenure in Leipzig.

This shows how much has been lost - or rather, since Bach recycled a lot of existing music with new texts, probably not preserved on purpose. Anyway, once Bach was a bit older and more established as a composer, he probably had more social obligations and composed less than in the rather hectic 1720s; he made up for it by recycling earlier music, which was quite possible (and in my opinion entirely justified) since those pieces had not been published.

In Mühlhausen, the Ratswechsel service took place on February 4, and we have Gott ist mein König, BWV 71, for the inauguration of the Mühlhausen town council in 1708; another cantata, for the service the following year, has been lost.

These are all festive and lively works, and although they are occasional music, they are all first-rate Bach.

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)

[Nikolai Kirche, Leipzig]

• Gott ist mein König, BWV 71, 4 February 1708
  

  Chor: Gott ist mein König von altersher
  Aria Tenor und Choral Soprano: Ich bin nun achtzig Jahr
  Chor: Dein Alter sei wie deine Jugend
  Arioso Bass: Tag und Nacht ist dein
  Arie Alto: Durch mächtige Kraft
  Chor: Du wollest dem Feinde
  Chor: Das neue Regiment auf jeglichen Wegen
  
  "God is my King"
  Text & translation
  
  Scored for four soloists, a four-part chorus, three trumpets, timpani, two recorders, two oboes, bassoon, organ obbligato, two violins, viola, violoncello, viola da gamba and basso continuo.
  
  This is one of Bach's earliest cantatas and, thanks to the occasion, the first and only cantata published during his lifetime. The new city council must have liked this festive work enough to sponsor its printing! Stylistically, it shares characteristics with Bach's other early cantatas - with short movements that flow into each other, the cantata shows the characteristics of traditional 17th-century cantatas. The service was held on February 4, 1708, in the Marienkirche, Mühlhausen's largest church. The score indicates that Bach placed his musicians in various parts of the building.
  
  The author of the text is unknown, but both Archdeacon Georg Christian Eilmar, the pastor of the Marienkirche, and Bach himself have been suggested. The text is a combination of biblical quotations (mostly Psalm 74), a hymn (O Gott, du frommer Gott, Johann Heermann 1630), and original material (paying homage to old mayors). Movements 5 and 7 use specially written verses with references to Emperor Joseph I and the War of the Spanish Succession.
  
  The work begins with a rousing opening chorus accompanied by trumpets ("God is my King from long ago"). In the aria for tenor and soprano, we meet the mayor of Mühlhausen, Adolf Strecker, who is already 83 years old, but still gets a new term! He obviously had a lot of experience. "May your old age be like your youth," the choir sings next in a fugue that begins a capella (quite a curiosity).
  
  The attractive bass aria shows the right attitude towards God's government: "You set boundaries for every land." It has very nice woodwind and continuo accompaniment. The alto aria continues this theme with "With mighty power you maintain our borders. It is a lively piece with interjections from trumpets and percussion.
  
  The cantata concludes with two choral movements, the first simple ("a movement of extraordinary restraint, delicacy and the utmost tonal subtlety," as Gardiner remarked), the second one including a vocal fugue. The chorus asks a blessing for the new town council.
  
  Video: Kay Johannsen (1); Kay Johannsen (2 & 3); Kay Johannsen (4 & 5); Kay Johannsen (6 & 7);
  
  

• Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn, BWV 119, 30 August 1723
  

  Chorus: Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn
  Rezitativ Tenor: Gesegnet Land
  Arie Tenor: Wohl dir, du Volk der Linden
  Rezitativ Bass: So herrlich stehst du, liebe Stadt!
  Arie Alto: Die Obrigkeit ist Gottes Gabe
  Rezitativ Soprano: Nun! Wir erkennen es und bringen dir
  Chorus: Der Herr hat Guts an uns getan
  Rezitativ Alto: Zuletzt! Da du uns, Herr, zu deinem Volk gesetzt
  Choral: Hilf deinem Volk, Herr Jesu Christ
  
  "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem"
  Text & translation
  
  Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir, and an orchestra of four trumpets, timpani, two recorders, three oboes, two of them also playing oboes da caccia, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
  
  This cantata was written for the inauguration of the town council of Leipzig in the first year that Bach was working there. He clearly wanted to impress and provides spectacular music for the festivities. After all, such a service would have been attended by all the important dignitaries, so it was a good opportunity for Bach to show off his capacities as cantor.
  
  The magnificent opening chorus is based on a French overture (associated with the splendor of the French court), and is accompanied by the full orchestra of four trumpets, timpani, three oboes, two recorders, and strings. The choir makes its entrance at the moment when a fast fugue breaks into this French overture. The anonymous lyricist has based the words of the opening chorus on verses from Psalm 147, in which Jerusalem and its blessed children symbolize the city of Leipzig and its inhabitants. This metaphor continues in the following sections.
  
  The dance-like first aria with two English horns and tenor (accompanied by a pair of oboes da caccia) praises Leipzig as a great town, the chosen place of God ("blessed land, fortunate city"). Indeed, Leipzig was then a flourishing city of 27,000 inhabitants. The tenor also mentions the linden trees that line the streets of Leipzig.
  
  To shake up the congregation, the next bass recitative is grandly accompanied by all the wind and brass instruments, like a piece of ceremonial music for a pompous state occasion.
  
  Then follows another gentle piece, now for alto with two recorders, music of great refinement, but with an ideological text ("Authority is God's gift"). After a soprano recitative follows again a monumental chorus, a song of praise, accompanied by martial trumpets and drums.
  
  But this is not the end: the cantata's finale is a simple and humble choral setting, a quiet prayer as a call for help and blessing. The cantata which opened in a blaze of sound, thus ends in a spirit of contemplation.
  
  Video: Netherlands Bach Society - Interview with oboist Martin Stadler /
  J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)
  
  
  

  Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest, BWV 194, 2 November 1723

  
  I.
  Chor: Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest
  Rezitativ Bass: Unendlich großer Gott
  Arie Bass: Was des Höchsten Glanz erfüllt
  Rezitativ Soprano: Wie könnte dir, du höchstes Angesicht
  Arie Soprano: Hilf, Gott, daß es uns gelingt
  Choral: Heilger Geist ins Himmels Throne
  
  II.
  Rezitativ Tenor: Ihr Heiligen, erfreuet euch
  Arie Tenor: Des Höchsten Gegenwart allein
  Rezitativ (Dialog - Duett) Bass, Soprano: Kann wohl ein Mensch zu Gott im Himmel steigen?
  Arie (Duett) Soprano & Bass: O wie wohl ist uns geschehn
  Rezitativ Bass: Wohlan demnach, du heilige Gemeine
  Choral: Sprich Ja zu meinen Taten
  
  "Most highly desired festival of joy"
  Text & translation
  
  Scored for three vocal soloists (soprano, tenor and bass), a four-part choir (SATB), three oboes, bassoon, two violins, viola and basso continuo.
  
  A captivating cantata composed for the dedication of the church and organ in Störmthal, a village near Leipzig. The church was being extensively renovated and a new organ was being built. Bach was invited to test the new organ, give a public concert, and compose and perform a celebratory cantata for the occasion. The text of the cantata, written by an anonymous poet, includes two stanzas of Johann Heermann's hymn "Treuer Gott, ich muß dir klagen" (1630) and two stanzas of Paul Gerhardt's "Wach auf, mein Herz, und singe" (1647). The biblical point of departure for the text is Solomon's prayer of dedication (2 Chronicles 6-7). A central theme of the cantata is the concept of the church as God's dwelling place, where He can enter to ignite, strengthen, and preserve faith against human frailty and worldly challenges. The abundance of biblical references, with not a single line without such allusions, suggests that the unknown librettist was a theologian.
  
  The cantata lasts a full 40 minutes and is somewhat like an orchestral suite. The three-part opening chorus is in the style of a French overture, while all the arias have dance rhythms. This suggests that BWV 194 is derived from a now-lost secular cantata that may have been composed between 1717 and 1723 for the birthday of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. Scholars suggest that all but the introductory chorus were reused with minor alterations, a pattern that may extend to the recitatives, especially the dialogic recitative between bass and soprano.
  
  The bass aria exudes pastoral serenity, conveying God's protective embrace with a gently swaying rhythm. It stands out as the cantata's most exquisite aria, sung in the high register and accompanied by strings and oboe. The soprano then warns against vanity in her recitative. The following soprano aria, a gavotte, is equally charming, celebrating the purifying essence of Pentecostal fire. The first part concludes with a chorale rendition of "Treuer Gott, ich muß dir klagen" by J. Heermann (1630).
  
  The second part, intended to follow the sermon, begins with a recitative and aria for tenor in the form of a gigue, urging the listeners to rejoice. The ensuing recitative for soprano and bass becomes a dialog between Doubt (bass) and Conviction (soprano), with Conviction ultimately prevailing. Their duet, a minuet, finds the soprano and bass united in praise of God, accompanied by two oboes and a particularly enchanting melody. After a brief recapitulatory bass recitative, the cantata concludes with a chorale setting of the hymn "Awake, my heart, and sing" by P. Gerhardt (1647), which has a dance-like quality in keeping with the overall jubilation of the piece.
  
  Bach evidently held the cantata in high esteem, for he revived it for Trinity Sunday in 1724 and subsequently performed it on two other Trinity Sundays in 1726 and 1731.
  
  Video: Emmanuel Music (Boston)
  
  
  

• Ihr Tore zu Zion, BWV 193, 25 August 1727
  

  
  Chor: Ihr Tore zu Zion
  Rezitativ Soprano: Der Hüter Israels entschläft noch schlummert nicht
  Arie Soprano: Gott, wir danken deiner Güte
  Rezitativ Alto: O Leipziger Jerusalem
  Arie Alto: Sende, Herr, den Segen ein  
  Chor: Ihr Tore zu Zion
  
  "Ye gates of Zion"
  Text & translation
  
  The music survives in an incomplete state. Only two vocal parts are extant (soprano and alto). The parts for tenor and bass are missing. The instrumental parts which survive are for two oboes, two violins and viola. The continuo line is missing completely, as are parts for any additional instruments deployed by Bach. For a festive occasion he typically scored trumpets and timpani.
  
  Much of the music of this cantata for the inauguration of the City Council of Leipzig in 1727 has indeed been lost (only the soprano and alto parts, together with the parts for oboes and strings, have come down to us), and what we hear today is a reconstruction. The opening chorus is very festive and has a motif that will stay with you for a long time. The attractive soprano aria is accompanied by a beautiful oboe, and the alto aria is also a fine piece. The melody of the opening chorus is repeated at the end of the cantata. It is good that so much of this fine cantata could be reconstructed. Incidentally, this music had been heard less than four weeks earlier in Leipzig as a tribute cantata (BWV 193a) on the name day of King/Elector August II. This cantata is rarely performed and I only know it from a recording by Ton Koopman.
  
  Audio: Ton Koopman
  
  
  

• Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille, BWV 120, 29 August 1729
  

  
  Alto solo: Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille
  Coro: Jauchzet, ihr erfreuten Stimmen
  Recitativo (bass): Auf, du geliebte Lindenstadt
  Aria (soprano): Heil und Segen
  Recitativo (tenor): Nun, Herr, so weihe selbst das Regiment
  Chorale: Nun hilf uns, Herr, den Dienern dein
  
  "God, Praise awaits You in the stillness"
  Text & translation
  
  Scored for four soloists, soprano, alto, tenor and basso, a four-part choir, three trumpets, timpani, two oboes d'amore, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
  
  This inaugural cantata begins surprisingly, with an elegant aria for alto with oboe d'amore accompaniment that probably originated in a lost violin concerto. But it is a beautiful setting of the words of the Psalm, "God, you are praised in the silence of Zion, and the vows to you shall be fulfilled". The reason for this can be found in Psalm 65:2 (used in this cantata), which says that silence is a song of praise to God.
  
  The chorus (also surprisingly) comes second and will be familiar to Bach lovers, as it was later used in the more famous B Minor Mass. It is a brilliant setting with trumpets and percussion.
  
  The soprano aria has an interesting violin accompaniment, perhaps from a common model with the third movement of the Violin Sonata BWV1019a. The cantata ends with a four-part setting of a verse from the German Te Deum.
  
  Video: Netherlands Bach Society - Interviews: Guillon (alto) - Van Veldhoven (conductor) & Vanryne (trumpet)
  
   

• Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir, BWV 29, 27 August 1731
  

  Sinfonia
  Coro: Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir
  Aria (tenor, violin): Halleluja, Stärk und Macht
  Recitativo (bass): Gottlob! es geht uns wohl!
  Aria (soprano, oboe, strings):Gedenk an uns mit deiner Liebe
  Recitativo (alto, choir): Vergiß es ferner nicht, mit deiner Hand
  Aria (alto): Halleluja, Stärk und Macht
  Chorale: Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren
  
  "We give thanks to You, O God"
  Text & translation
  
  Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir, three trumpets, timpani, two oboes, two violins (violin solo in movement 3), violas, an obbligato organ and basso continuo.
  
  The central theme of this festive cantata is gratitude for blessings received in the past. The elaborate Sinfonia for organ and strings at the beginning is based on the Partita in E major for solo violin (BWV 1006). It is arranged like an organ concerto.
  
  It is followed by a sublime chorus that was later included as the Gratias in the B Minor Mass. The old style setting fits perfectly with the message of the psalm text. At the end, three trumpets and percussion join the four choir voices to create a seven-part ensemble - the number of perfection.
  
  There are then three pleasant arias: for tenor with obbligato violin, in which Leipzig is compared to Sion (Jerusalem); then a quiet siciliano for soprano ("Bless those who govern us, who lead us, protect us and guide us"); and finally for alto, accompanied by the organ, which praises the power and might of the Most High. The final solemn chorale is again accompanied by trumpets and percussion. One of Bach's best.
  
  Video: Netherlands Bach Society - Interviews with soprano Maria Keohane, organist Leo van Doeselaar and violinist Shunske Sato & conductor Jos van Veldhoven /
  J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)
  
  
  

• Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, BWV 69, 1742–48 (adapted from BWV 69a)

  
  Chorus: Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele
  Recitativo (soprano): Wie groß ist Gottes Güte doch
  Aria (alto): Meine Seele, auf, erzähle,
  Recitativo (tenor): Der Herr hat große Ding an uns getan
  Aria (bass): Mein Erlöser und Erhalter
  Chorale: Es danke, Gott, und lobe dich
  
  "Praise the Lord, O my Soul"
  Text & translation
  
  Scored for four solo voices (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, three trumpets, timpani, three oboes, oboe d'amore, bassoon, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
  
  Bach wrote this cantata in his last years, basing it on BWV 69a which was written for the twelfth Sunday after Trinity of 1723. The recitatives and the chorale were changed for the occasion, as were other details but it is basically the same cantata - it was easy to transform thanks to its jubilant character. The triumphant words of Psalm 103 are accompanied by a rich orchestral setting that includes three trumpets, timpani, three oboes and a bassoon, besides the strings. Bach reflected the duality of the words of the psalm in the opening chorus ("Praise the Lord, my soul, and do not forget the good He has done for you!") by creating a double fugue.
  
  This grand opening chorus (preceded by an orchestral ritornello) is followed by two arias, one for tenor, the other for bass. The first aria is a pastoral movement, the tenor is accompanied by oboe da caccia, recorder and bassoon. In the second recitative the tenor expresses the hope that God will bestow ‘the spirit of wisdom’ on the new town council of Leipzig. At that moment, the strings join in, lending more solemnity to the message.
  
  In the second aria the contrast between suffering and joy is expressed by chromatic "up and down" figures and vivid coloraturas. The closing chorale is accompanied by festive trumpets and drums.
  
  Video: Netherlands Bach Society - Interview with conductor Peter Dijkstra
  
      
  Bach Cantata Index

   
 

Bach Cantatas for Church Feasts on Fixed Dates (62): Feast of Reformation (BWV 79 & 80)

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses against the sale of indulgences to the door of the Castle Chapel in Wittenberg, Germany. This event is considered the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) began as an Augustinian monk, but after his appointment as professor of moral theology at the University of Wittenberg in 1508, he became the leading figure of the Reformation in the German Empire. The publication of his academic theses against the sale of indulgences on October 31, 1517, is the symbolic beginning of Protestantism. Luther taught that salvation, and therefore eternal life, is not earned through good works, but is received as a free gift of God's grace through the believer's faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior from sin. His theology challenged the authority and office of the pope by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge. His translation of the Bible into the German vernacular (instead of Latin) made it more accessible to the laity, an event that had a tremendous impact on both the church and German culture. He encouraged the development of a standard version of the German language. His German hymns influenced the development of singing in Protestant churches.

To commemorate the beginning of Protestantism, October 31 was declared a national holiday by the Elector of Saxony (whose predecessors had protected Luther). However, this holiday was never fully equal to the other festivals of the church year. Bach first experienced this holiday after he moved to Leipzig in Saxony. But in 1723 it fell on a Sunday, and in 1724 Bach was busy with his weekly series of chorale cantatas, so he did not compose a cantata for Reformation Day in those years. In 1725, Bach wrote the joyous, dancing quarter-hour cantata, BWV 79, and the more iconic half-hour chorale cantata, BWV 80, which evolved through at least four versions over two decades before reaching its final form in 1735. These two cantatas represent only a fraction of the works of praise and thanksgiving that Bach actually presented for the festival in the 1730s, but the other cantatas he used for the occasion were not original compositions like the two above, but parodies of Christmas, Trinity, and wedding and festival cantatas. He also performed works by Fasch and Telemann.

Readings:
Epistle: 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-8
Gospel: Revelations 14: 6-8

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)

[Lucas Cranach d.Ä.- Martin Luther (1529)]

Cantatas:

Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild, BWV 79, 31 October 1725

Gott, der Herr, ist Sonn und Schild (Chorus)

Gott ist unser Sonn und Schild (Aria Alto)

Nun danket alle Gott (Chorale)

Gottlob! Wir wissen den rechten Weg zur Seligkeit (Recitative Basso)

Gott, ach Gott, verlaß die Deinen nimmermehr (Aria Soprano / Basso)
Erhalt uns in der Wahrheit (Chorale)

"God the Lord is sun and shield"
Text & translation

Scored for three vocal soloists (soprano, alto, bass), a four-part choir, two horns, timpani, two flauto traverso, two oboes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.

The opening chorus of this Reformation cantata, praising God as refuge, is superb with its festive, march-like theme for the horns and timpani. It also starts with an impressive sinfonia. The insistent repeated notes on the timpani, which undergird the fanfares of the high horns, perhaps depict the hammering of Luther’s theses to the oak door at the back of the church.

The following engaging alto aria with obbligato oboe is in contrast tranquil and contemplative. Next comes a chorale with blazing horns which forms a rousing hymn of thanks. This hymn was apparently sung regularly on Reformation Day in Leipzig. After this chorale probably the sermon would follow, dividing the cantata in two parts as was often the case.  

The only recitative, sung by the bass, praises Jesus who shows us the "right way," addressing the basic issues of the Reformation. The duet for bass and soprano expresses a prayer for support against enemies. It is accompanied by a vigorous obbligato for unison violins. The cantata ends with a four-part setting of the second chorale, asking for the gift of truth.

Bach performed the cantata again, probably in 1730. He must have been rather satisfied with it, because with BWV 102, 179 and 187 it is one of the four cantatas of which Bach reused all the relevant parts (choirs, arias) in the late 1730s in his four Lutheran Masses.

Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80, 1735

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (Chorale fantasia)

Alles, was von Gott geboren / Mit unser Macht ist nichts getan (Aria e chorale)

Erwäge doch, Kind Gottes (Recitative Basso)

Komm in mein Herzenshaus (Aria Soprano)

Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel wär (Chorale)

So stehe dann bei Christi blutgefärbter Fahne (Recitative Tenor)

Wie selig sind doch die, die Gott im Munde tragen (Duetto Alt / Tenor)

Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn (Chorale)

"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
Text: Salomon Franck

Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), four-part choir (SATB), three oboes, two oboes d'amore, oboes da caccia or taille, two violins, viola, violoncello, and basso continuo.

Legend has it that Martin Luther composed this beloved hymn in 1521 on his way to  the Reichstag in Worms, where he faced interrogation by Emperor Charles V. As Luther and his followers sang this stirring anthem, they traversed Germany in triumph, causing even the venerable cathedral of Worms to shake and the tower crows to flutter nervously. Dubbed "the battle song of the Reformation," this hymn has captured the hearts of Germans for centuries. In truth, Luther composed the hymn in 1529 as a Christian reinterpretation of Psalm 46 of the Old Testament. Nevertheless, its militant lyrics and melody became a symbol of steadfastness and activism in troubled times. Thanks in part to its inclusion in Mendelssohn's Fifth "Reformation" Symphony, the hymn came to represent the burgeoning German nationalism of the nineteenth century, which embraced Bach and Luther as quintessentially German figures.

Cantata BWV 80 draws on two of Bach's earlier works: the cantata "Alles was von Gott geboren" composed for Oculi in Weimar in 1715, and a simpler cantata written for Reformation Day. Bach combined the recitatives and arias of the 1715 cantata with the chords of the Reformation cantata to create BWV 80, probably around 1735. Movements 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 borrow from the Weimar cantata, with texts by Bach's frequent collaborator Salomon Franck, inspired by the Gospel reading for Oculi (Luke 11:14-28, recounting an exorcism). Franck's text explores the struggle against and triumph over evil, fitting for a Reformation cantata. Two additional verses from Luther's hymn were also included. Even after Bach's death in 1750, BWV 80 was further refined by his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann, who added parts for timpani and trumpets in movements 1 and 5.

The cantata opens with an imposing chorale fantasia based on Luther's hymn, a monumental yet awe-inspiring structure and one of Bach's crowning achievements. Rather than singing the chorale outright, the choir presents each figuratively decorated line in a fugal motet style, while the unaltered chorale melody serves as a framework.

The second movement combines a robust bass aria to a text by Salomon Franck with the second stanza of the Feste-Burg chorale, sung by the soprano with oboe accompaniment. The meaning is that human militancy (bass) achieves little without the support of Christ (soprano). There is a so-called "machine gun" accompaniment in the strings.

The bass recitative begins secco but ends in an arioso, illustrating the unity of Christians with Jesus. As so often, the soprano in her beautiful aria embodies the subjective perspective of the individual ideal believer who allows Jesus into her heart. It swings beautifully in triple time and is characterized by extensive melismas and a "floating and ethereal" melody.

The central chorale presents the third verse of the hymn in unison, an unusual choice for Bach, accompanied by a vivid orchestral depiction of a world teeming with devils. After a tenor recitative, an alto and tenor duet accompanied by continuo and obbligato violin and oboe da caccia further demonstrate Bach's mastery, their intertwining melodies creating a piece of exquisite beauty. Finally, the cantata concludes with a four-part setting of the final verse of the hymn.


Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German) - Explanation "Bach Factory" (English) /
Netherlands Bach Society

Bach Cantata Index

Bach Cantatas for Church Feasts on Fixed Dates (61): Feast of St Michael (BWV 130, 19, 149 & 50)

Saint Michael is an archangel who leads God's armies against Satan's forces in the Book of Revelation, where he defeats Satan during the war in heaven. In the Epistle of Jude, Michael is specifically referred to as "the Archangel Michael. Shrines to Michael were built by Christians in the 4th century, when he was first seen as a healing angel. Over time, his role became that of protector and leader of God's army against the forces of evil. In Christian angelology, the archangel Michael is the greatest of all angels and is honored for defeating Lucifer in the war in heaven.

In art, Michael is depicted as an angelic warrior, armed with a helmet, sword, and shield. He may also stand over a serpent, a dragon, or the defeated figure of Satan, whom he sometimes pierces with a lance.

His feast day, Michaelis or Michaelmas, is celebrated on September 29, a very important day in the Lutheran church calendar - on a par with Christmas and Easter. Michael is one of the four quarter days of the financial, judicial, and academic year, marking the transition to the winter half-year.

St. Michael's Day was important in the commercial life of Leipzig, as it marked the beginning of one of the city's annual fairs, which was attended by many people from other parts of Germany and abroad. In Bach's time, the celebration of St. Michael's Day in Leipzig was traditionally accompanied by the largest orchestra available - all of Bach's cantatas for the occasion include trumpets and timpani.

The theme of the battle against evil obviously appealed to Bach - his musical responses to the story are varied and strikingly evocative. There are three complete cantatas for this day, plus a fragment.

By the way, the cantata BWV 219, "Siehe, es hat uberwunden der Lowe," which was also written for St. Michael's Day, is not by Bach, as was long thought (I wonder how, since it is completely different in style!), but is a composition by Georg Philip Telemann.

Readings:

Epistle: Revelations 12: 7-12, Michael fighting the dragon
Gospel: Matthew 18: 1-11, heaven belongs to the children, the angels see the face of God

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)

[Michael, the archangel, by Guido Reni, 1636]

Cantatas:

Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir, BWV 130, 29 September 1724

Chorale: Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir
Recitative (alto): Ihr heller Glanz und hohe Weisheit zeigt
Aria (bass): Der alte Drache brennt vor Neid
Recitative (soprano, tenor): Wohl aber uns, daß Tag und Nacht
Aria (tenor): Laß, o Fürst der Cherubinen
Chorale: Darum wir billig loben dich

"Lord God, we all praise you"
Text & Translation

Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir, three trumpets, timpani, flauto traverso, three oboes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.

Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir" pulls out all the stops - from spectacular trumpets and timpani to an intimate song of praise. It belongs to Bach's second annual cycle. The anonymous libretto is based on Paul Eber's 1554 Lutheran hymn in twelve stanzas "Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir", which in turn is based on the Latin hymn "Dicimus grates tibi" by Luther's colleague Philipp Melanchthon. Bach wrote this cantata for the feast day of the archangel Michael, who, according to the Book of Revelation, conquered the dragon in heaven with his troops of angels. Although this did not eradicate all evil, it did cast it back to earth. So this day focuses on the firm conviction that good will conquer evil.

The first choral movement, which sets the first stanza of the hymn, is magnificently scored for three trumpets, timpani, three oboes, strings and continuo. It is about the eternal struggle between good and evil - in this case in the form of a dragon. The very first notes make it clear who will win: God's angels. God is praised and thanked with triumphal music, while the chorale is heard in the soprano voice.

Movement 3 is the theological core of the cantata, a bass aria with trumpets and drums, in which the confrontation of St. Michael and his angels with Satan, the "old dragon," is described in fiery terms. Luther's angels were not friendly, feminine creatures with wings, but sturdy representatives of the militant Church, capable of doing their part in the war against evil. It is a fierce confrontation and one of the most thrilling arias Bach ever wrote.

The warm and transparent recitative for soprano and tenor that follows is a striking contrast to these military tones. It is full of calm, peace and security after the storm has subsided, setting the stage for the seductive tenor aria. The text includes two classic Old Testament examples of angelic guardianship: the protection Daniel enjoyed in the lion's den and the three men who emerged unharmed from the burning furnace at Babel. In a gentle song of praise with an angelic flute solo, the tenor asks the angels for protection, after which the cantata concludes with a straightforward setting of the chorale melody.

Video: Netherlands Bach Society - Interview Van Veldhoven (conductor)

Es erhub sich ein Streit, BWV 19, 29 September, 1726

Es erhub sich ein Streit (Chorus)
Gottlob! der Drache liegt (Recitative, Bass)
Gott schickt uns Mahanaim zu (Aria, Soprano)

Was ist der schnöde Mensch, das Erdenkind? (Recitative, Tenor)
Bleibt, ihr Engel, bleibt bei mir! (Aria, Alto)
Laßt uns das Angesicht (Recitative, Soprano)
Laß dein' Engel mit mir fahren (Chorale)

"There arose a war"
Text & translation

Scored for three vocal soloists (soprano, tenor, and bass), four-part choir, three trumpets, timpani, two oboes, oboe da caccia, two oboes d'amore, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.

The text of the cantata is loosely based on a poem by Picander that was published in Leipzig in 1725 in his collection of edifying thoughts. The text may have been revised by Bach himself. Picander includes a stanza from a hymn by Christoph Demantius as the final chorale. The chorale theme is Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele, which was codified by Louis Bourgeois in his setting of Geneva Psalm 42 (1551).

The cantata text refers to various biblical events associated with the appearance of angels: they assisted Jacob at Mahanaim in his encounter with his enemy brother Esau (Genesis 32:2), arranged for the ascension of the prophet Elijah in a chariot drawn by horses of fire (2 Kings 2:11), and accompanied poor Lazarus to heaven (Luke 16:22).

As with other Bach cantatas written for the feast of St. Michael, this work opens with an imposing chorus, a great fugal movement in which Bach illustrates the conflict between heaven and hell with stirring ferocity. This opening movement has no instrumental introduction, creating an immediate dramatic effect. It presents a realistic picture of the struggle against evil and maintains its powerful style to the end.

A simple bass recitative follows, declaring the outcome of the battle in favor of the archangel Michael. The third movement is a soprano aria with obbligato oboes d'amore, an oasis of protective calm. The text is about the protection offered to humanity by the angelic host.

The tenor recitative is again in the minor mode, this time to describe the fragility of man. This leads into a striking tenor aria that contains a plea for heavenly guidance. The aria, in a siciliana rhythm, is the longest movement in the cantata (and its second highlight after the opening chorus) and is technically quite demanding. The trumpet plays the full chorale melody of "Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o Herr," probably with the third verse, which mentions angels, in mind, over a siciliano rhythm in the strings and continuo.

After a brief secco soprano recitative, the final chorale, which has the feel of a minuet, reintroduces the full instrumental arsenal heard in the opening chorus.

Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in Geman) - Contemplation (in German)

[Jacomart, Archangel St MIchael, 1441-42]

Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg, BWV 149, 29 September, 1729

Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg   (Chorus)
Kraft und Stärke sei gesungen (Aria B)
Ich fürchte mich (Recitative A)
Gottes Engel weichen nie (Aria S)
Ich danke dir (Recitative T)
Seid wachsam, ihr heiligen Wächter (Aria A T)
Ach Herr, lass dein lieb Engelein (Chorale)

"One sings with joy about victory"
Text & translation

Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir, three trumpets, timpani, three oboes, two violins, violas, bassoon, violone, and basso continuo.

Bach's third fully extant St. Michael's Cantata has seven movements and exudes a festive aura. The libretto, by Christian Friedrich Henrici, also known as Picander, was published in 1728/29 as part of a series of cantata texts. Beginning with two verses from Psalm 118 and ending with the third verse of Martin Schalling the Younger's chorale "I love you, O Lord," the libretto echoes the day's prescribed readings from the Book of Revelation, depicting Michael's confrontation with the dragon, symbolizing the devil or Satan. While battle scenes were common in artistic and musical depictions, this cantata emphasizes the guardian angels as "holy protectors". The concluding chorale implores the Lord to allow the believer's soul to be taken into Abraham's bosom at death and to participate in the resurrection of the flesh on Judgment Day.

Inspired by his 1713 Hunting Cantata, Bach created the opening chorus and skillfully adapted it with stirring trumpet calls to rejoice. More celebratory than confrontational, this rendition reflects Bach's significant revisions, including the substitution of horns for three trumpets and timpani, the transposition from F major to D major, and the overall expansion.

Continuing the theme of divine struggle, the bass aria features an active continuo line accompanied by a violone. The soloist's agility is paramount, complementing the independent staccato bassoon and adding to the movement's power.

A tonally evocative alto recitative leads into a poignant soprano aria accompanied by strings, reflecting on the protection of guardian angels.

The tenor recitative, which concludes with an ascending plea to heaven, transitions seamlessly into the third aria, a duet for alto and tenor featuring an energetic bassoon line. Its playful, agile figurations are echoed in canon by the alto and tenor voices.

Beginning with a simple chorale setting, the cantata erupts into a crescendo of color as trumpets and timpani join in the final two bars, bringing the composition to a glorious close.

Video: Trinity Church, Wall Street

Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft, BWV 50

Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft  (chorus)

"Now has the salvation and the strength"
Text & translation

Scored for two four-part choirs, three trumpets, timpani, three oboes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.

BWV 50 is a chorale movement long associated with Johann Sebastian Bach and thought to be part of a lost cantata, possibly composed for St. Michael's Day. However, the exact dates of its composition and first performance remain elusive.

First published in 1860 as part of the first comprehensive edition of Bach's works, BWV 50 has captivated Bach scholars because of the uncertainties surrounding its origins. With no autograph sources and Bach's name missing from the earliest surviving copies, intrigue continues. Some argue that the existing double-choir version is an arrangement by an unidentified hand of a lost five-part original by J.S. Bach, citing irregularities in BWV 50's part-writing that are inconsistent with Bach's style. In 2000, American performer and scholar Joshua Rifkin proposed an alternative theory, suggesting that the composer of BWV 50 may not have been Bach, but rather an anonymous but highly skilled contemporary. This claim remains controversial, however.

Within the surviving fragment of BWV 50, Bach, or whoever the composer may be, demonstrates remarkable skill in the imposing opening double chorus of "Nun ist das Heil. Like other Michaelmas cantatas, it employs intricate textural layering from the lowest registers to the highest, presenting contrapuntal depictions of battles and massing armies. The movement contains elements of call-and-response and evokes military rhythms.

Regrettably, this fragment is all that remains of what would undoubtedly have been a remarkable cantata.

Video: Netherlands Bach Society

Bach Cantata Index

Saba

Saba

Mackerel

鯖、さば

Scomber Japonicus

Beautiful, mother-of-pearl hued, with a silvery-black stripe running along its back, mackerel are little cousins of bonito and tuna. Like tuna, mackerel most of the time swim fast, so their muscles are loaded with Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). They also contain lots of glutamate and glycine, so they have lots of umami. Mackerel can attain a length of 50cm. They are best in autumn when fat increases, but can be caught the whole year through.

Sushi chefs divide fish into three basic categories: red (tuna, swordfish, etc.), white (sea bream, sea bass, flounder etc.) and blue. This last category refers to fish with a silvery blue skin, and therefore they are also called hikari-mono, "shiny things". Mackerel belongs to this last category.

Found throughout Japan; the main fishing port is Choshi in Chiba, but the largest catches are brought on land in Ibaraki, Nagasaki and Shizuoka.

Saba dishes:

Saba no sashimi. Fresh mackerel are delicious as sashimi or seared (tataki). You can feel the richness of the taste, which is fuller of umami than other fish. It also goes very well with vinegar. The sashimi should be prepared by a specialist, as there is a risk of anisakis parasites.

On sushi: nigiri-zushi, battera-zushi (Osaka), bo-zushi (Kyoto).

Shimesaba, vinegared mackerel

Saba no shio-yaki, mackerel grilled in salt

Saba no misoni, mackerel simmered with miso. Miso is popular for simmering, as it absorbs the fishy odor.

Saba no nitsuke, mackerel lightly pickled in vinegar

Saba no oroshini, simmered mackerel with grated radish

Saba no goma-ae, mackerel dressed with sesame

Imperial Tokyo in the Meiji period

Meiji Japan (1867-1912) was the period of 'Civilization and Enlightenment,' when the shadows of feudal Edo were swept away. Under the slogan 'Rich Country and Strong Army,' Japan took its place among the nations. This was as an empire, because the Tenno, the Emperor, had also emerged from the deep chambers of his Kyoto palace and was made into a central symbol for the whole nation.

It was quite a feat to put the emperor on the map, so to speak, because ordinary people at beginning of Meiji thought at most that he was a folk religion deity (if they knew at all about his existence). But it was also a necessity: in the Tokugawa period, the Japanese were separated geographically, the country was split in hundreds of almost independent fiefs; ties were local rather than national. In Meiji, under the emperor, those same people were forged into one nation.

This was done by various means: the creation of national holidays connected with the emperor; by having state propagandists go around the country; by establishing new state ceremonials and public rituals around the emperor; and by setting up the suitable buildings for those national pageants. When the Meiji-period ended in 1912, the Japanese indeed felt they shared one history centering upon the imperial household - a far cry from the situation 45 years earlier.

Here we will travel to a few places in Tokyo (and one in Kyoto) where we can still get a whiff of "Imperial Meiji."

[Nijubashi]

Nijubashi and the Palace
15 min on foot from Tokyo St (Marunouchi side), or 10 min from Nijubashi-mae St on the Chiyoda line.

The imperial family moved its residence to Tokyo in 1868, after the Meiji Restoration; till then they had resided in Kyoto for more than 1,000 years. A new palace was built in the grounds of the former Edo castle; it was finished in 1888, only to be destroyed again in the air raids of 1945. This old palace was a series of linked pavilions and inside demonstrated a curious mix of Western and Japanese styles. Foreign dignitaries were impressed by its magnificence, such as the crimson Throne Room with brocaded walls, coffered ceiling, and golden throne under a baldachin. Here the Meiji Constitution was promulgated on February 11, 1889 (see a painting of the event in the Meiji Picture Gallery). The area in front of the former castle was cleared of all structures and named the Outer Garden (Kokyo Gaien). Its broad thoroughfares were convenient for military reviews and today they can still be used for marathons.

The Double Bridge (Nijubashi) is the symbolic entrance to the Imperial Palace. Most tourist programs in Tokyo, such as the tours offered by the Hato Bus company, start at this monument. There are two bridges here, but the name "Double Bridge" does not derive from that fact, although most people may think so now. The stone bridge in front is impressive with its heavy arches. It dates from 1887, the year the palace was built, and leads across the moat to the black, hermetically closed gate with a little white house for a guardsman sitting next to it. It is in fact the main entrance to the palace and was designed by a Japanese student of the British architect Conder. Then there is a steel bridge farther to the back that crosses another part of the moat and leads into the palace grounds proper. This steel bridge is modern and has replaced an wrought-iron original built also in 1887 by a German engineer. It was this old bridge that gave Nijubashi its name: it consisted of an upper and lower level, and these two decks or layers led to the designation Nijubashi.

[Statue of Kusunoki Masashige]

Statue of Kusunoki Masashige
(5 min walk from the Double Bridge)

The Double Bridge is popular with Japanese tour groups. On the way back to the bus, they invariably file past the bronze equestrian statue of Kusunoki Masashige. Monumental statues of this type were another novelty of Meiji Japan: until the Edo period, there had almost only been religious sculpture, mainly Buddhist, and what statues were made of private persons were a kind of memorial portraits to revere after the death of the person in question. Meiji was hit by a veritable statumania, from military heroes as Omura Masajiro (in the Yasukuni Shrine) to the famous statue of Saigo Takamori in Ueno Park. This public art had a clear message, too: Kusunoki was a paragon of loyalty to the imperial house, or at least, he was made into one in Meiji schoolbooks. He had died in 1336 when defending Emperor Go-Daigo in a power struggle with the Ashikaga shoguns, who in Meiji were depicted as "usurpers." The Kusunoki statue was sculpted by Takamura Koun. The small shop next to the statue sells copies of the statue and ashtrays and clocks with the effigy of the Double Bridge.

[Meiji Picture gallery]

Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery
From the Double Bridge and Kusunoki Statue take the Chiyoda line (from Nijubashi-mae) to Omotesando and transfer there for one station to the Ginza line for Gaienmae. Then it is 15 min on foot through the avenue lined with gingko trees.
Admission: JPY 500 (open year round).
http://www.meijijingugaien.jp/english/seitoku-gallery.html.

Seen from Aoyama-dori, over an approach lined by venerable gingko trees (the prime spot for viewing autumn colors in Tokyo), the domed Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery is an impressive presence. Inside, the atmosphere is even more venerable, not to say hallowed. In the galleries stretching away on both sides from the dome, hang huge canvasses (3 by 2.7 meter) on dark, wood-paneled walls. Forty paintings in Japanese style on the one side and forty oil paintings in Western style on the other, depict the major events of the reign of the Meiji Emperor (1852 - 1912).

The Outer Gardens of the Meiji Shrine, of which the gallery's grounds form part, now are somewhat incongruously a sports Mecca, with the Jingu Baseball Stadium, a golf driving link and a tennis club. Nearby is also the National Stadium. On Sundays, the park is full of people practicing on roller-skates and skateboards, or engaged in various ball games. It is quite a change from the brightness outside to the solemnity of Meiji inside.

The Memorial Gallery was constructed in 1926. During the lifetime of the Emperor, this had been the Aoyama Military Parade Field; in a small park on the way to the Picture Hall still stands the enoki tree where to Emperor used to take his position when viewing the troops.

The paintings in the hall (which run to a total length of 250 meters) were not finished until 1936. The Japanese style murals depict the first part of the Emperor's life, from his birth in the Kyoto Imperial Palace (the Lying-in Chamber or Gosanjo is shown, which was erected especially for this occasion) to 1878; these are the brightest and most beautiful paintings, executed in soft colors. Sometimes they may be a bit stiff, but we are dealing after all with ceremonial art. These paintings focus on the happy years of early Meiji and the well-managed switch from the old feudal system to a modern state. The next 40 paintings concern the second half of the Emperor's life and are rather somber, not only due to the oil-painting technique, but also because the Meiji period gradually darkened towards war and death.

The bright years show the Prince growing up, engaged in the Ritual of Dressing the Hair, being invested as Crown-Prince, and accessing the throne upon his father Emperor Komei's sudden death in 1867. That same year, the last shogun, Yoshinobu, proclaimed his resignation in the Nijo Castle in Kyoto. Imperial Rule was restored ('restored' is the term used, although in most of Japanese history, the emperor had been a ceremonial and religious figure rather than a ruler). To convey this message abroad, we see the new Emperor receiving foreign ambassadors in audience; in the picture he greets the Minister from the Netherlands, who has typical red-brown hair. After the shogunal forces in Yedo Castle surrender, the emperor is enthroned in a colorful ceremony. In a long procession, dressed in ancient Court Regalia, he travels from Kyoto to the new national capital of Tokyo. The next year he is back in Kyoto for his marriage to Princes Haruko, who arrives at the ceremony in a traditional cart drawn by oxen.

The following decade, the Emperor undertakes several Imperial Tours around the country in order to show the people his authority. In the Edo period, most Japanese did not know about the existence of the Emperor and it was such a well-kept secret that foreigner observers actually thought that the Shogun was the Emperor. In 1872 Japan's first railway, between Tokyo and Yokohama is opened. The Imperial carriage arrives at the new. Western-style station of Shinbashi. A beautiful painting by Domoto Insho shows the Emperor receiving a lecture from a prominent scholar at the Akasaka Palace; this was a practice that continued for many years. Except for the brief samurai rebellion in Kyushu in 1877, these years are peaceful: we see visits to industrial exhibits, a Noh play, the Empress visiting a school for girls and, finally, in a poetic painting by Kaburagi Kiyokata, composing a poem.

[The gingko avenue]

The series of oil paintings starts innocently enough with a visit by the former U.S. President, General Grant. We see the Emperor conversing with him, a box of cigars open on the table, in the Hama Detached Palace. A currency conversion system is adapted in 1881 and the draft constitution is written in 1888. In the painting we see the conference where Ito Hirobumi (one of the leading Meiji statesmen) explains the draft to the Emperor.

In the next painting the constitution is promulgated by the Emperor on February 11, 1889 in the newly constructed Imperial Palace. Nice detail: the Emperor is shown handing the constitution to the Prime Minister - in other words, the Meiji constitution was a gift from the Emperor to the Japanese people and the Emperor himself stood above and outside that constitution (thus showing that Meiji was not a constitutional monarchy in the normal sense of the word). The first session of the Imperial Diet is opened in 1890. In 1894, the Emperor and Empress celebrate their Silver Wedding, but then a decade of war starts.

In 1894-95 the Sino-Japanese War is fought, with a battle in the Yellow Sea. Japanese warships are shown attacking the Chinese fleet with a lot of fire and smoke. The Emperor stays at military headquarters in Hiroshima to personally direct the war effort, the Empress is depicted visiting wounded soldiers. A peace treaty is finally concluded in Shimonoseki, where we see the Chinese delegates still in Manchu dress conferring with their Japanese counterparts, who are in Western-style costumes.

In 1904 war with Russia follows. We see the famous scene of the Russian General Stoessel at the surrender of Port Arthur presenting his white horse to the Japanese Commander Nogi. The bitter battle of Mukden follows, then Japan finally vanquishes Russia by destroying the Russian fleet in the Battle of the Japan Sea. Southern Sakhalin is ceded to Japan and we watch how army officers place a demarcation stone at the new frontier. By the way, that stone now stands in the garden of the museum, as Sakhalin is Russian again. One of the results of the war is that Japan could annex Korea. The next painting shows Seoul's South Gate with the caption 'The Union of Korea and Japan.' In the Gallery, history is presented exactly as it was conceived by Japan in the 1930s - as if time has stuck there.

The two last paintings show the Emperor's final illness, with people praying day and night in front of the Imperial Palace, and the funeral in the Momoyama Mausoleum in Kyoto. Fourteen years afterwards the present Gallery was built on the place where the funeral carriage was put out for public viewing and from where the cortege carrying the Emperor's body left Tokyo for burial in Kyoto on September 13, 1912. Interestingly, the very spot where the carriage stood is marked by a camphor tree or kusunoki, again a pun on the name of the loyal retainer we met above.

After all those paintings, one may be thirsty. What about tea in the Meiji Kinenkan, a restaurant and wedding hall complex sitting close to the Gallery and allied with the Meiji Shrine? Disregard the important-looking guards at the entrance and proceed to the Lounge Kinkei, although refreshments do not come cheap there. Inside, the restaurant may look familiar to you: indeed, it is the very room where the deliberations on the constitution were held from picture no. 50. The room with its characteristic wall decorations has been reconstructed here after the original building was dismantled. It now serves as a nostalgic background for ladies and gentlemen sipping coffee. Isn't that real democracy?

[The Meiji Shrine]

The Meiji Shrine
(Walk past the Picture Gallery to the large road on which Shinanomachi St lies and turn left into this road. You will pass the national No Theater, and after a while, also on the left, you will come to the north entrance of the Meiji Shrine. Alternatively, return from the Picture Gallery to Gaienmae, take a train to Omotesando and from there take the Chiyoda line to Meiji Jingu-mae. This brings you to the main entrance of the shrine.)
https://www.meijijingu.or.jp/en/

That Omotesando, the avenue leading to the Meiji Shrine, holds the middle between a French boulevard and a kid's town (especially on weekends) was undoubtedly not the intention of the planners. As the large stone lanterns at the Ometesando crossing demonstrate, it was meant as a formal approach to the shrine, dedicated to the memory of the revered Meiji Emperor (r. 1868-1912) and his wife. The shrine was finished in 1920. It is set in a cool and green park, on what had been a favorite spot of the Emperor and Empress: the estate and garden originally owned by the Ii clan. They seem to have loved the garden with irises that bloom here in the pond every year in spring. The many shrubs and trees now creating a dense forest in the shrine grounds were donated and planted by people from all over Japan.

[Wedding Procession]

The Emperor and Empress are not buried here (their tombs are in Momoyama in Kyoto), but according to Shinto belief, their souls are enshrined in the temple. Original Shinto only honored extraordinary forces of nature (mountains and rocks, huge trees, waterfalls etc.), but in a mix with ancestor veneration already in early historic times clan leaders had started to pray to their ancestors in shrines as well. Indeed, also in historical times exceptional human beings were sometimes enshrined, such as Sugawara no Michizane, a 10th century courtier. State Shinto had since the Meiji-period taken up this custom by enshrining political activists whose deeds had helped bring about the Meiji restoration, so it was not such a big step towards the canonization of the Imperial couple. The Meiji period had been a time of dramatic change and the Emperor was much honored as the leader (or at least the symbol) who steered Japan through these difficult years. Still, for a Western observer it is a strange thought that modern people come to pray to a human being who only lived a century ago.

The shrine buildings are the essence of simplicity. State Shinto architecture is based on the style of the Ise Shrines, so we find here unadorned Japanese cedar wood and smooth, green copper roofs. The buildings were replaced in 1958. There are many shrine festivals, such as the New Year visit, when however the crowds are appalling. It is nicer to visit in the middle of January, when young people decked out in kimono come for the coming-of-age day, or in November when children also in kimono are brought here for Shichigosan. On Sundays, there are often weddings. The shrine's autumn festival is held from Nov. 1-3 (Nov. 3, now called Culture Day, is in fact the birthday of the Meiji Emperor, still furtively celebrated after the war in this new guise), with performances of traditional music and martial arts.

[The old Meiji Shrine Treasure House]

Meiji Jingu Museum
Admission JPY 1,000 (Cl. Thursdays)
https://www.meijijingu.or.jp/en/whattosee/museum/

The Meiji Jingu Museum consists of a modern, airy structure from 2019 (a beautiful design by popular architect Kuma Kengo) and an old ferro-concrete building of 1921 ("Treasure House"), which copies the style of the high-floored storehouses of the Shosoin in Nara. The modern, new museum features 3,200 square meter of display space spread over two floors and wood is the major design element. (The old Treasure House is now mainly closed).

Inside, various articles used by the Imperial couple during their lifetime, are on display. We see uniforms and dresses (very small in size), but the most interesting items are the portraits of the Emperor and Empress by the Italian artist Ugolini, painted after photographs. They show the Emperor as a stiff, dignified figure in European military dress. He does not look very friendly, but perhaps it was not thought becoming for an Emperor to smile. In the picture, a vase stands on a small table at his side, and in the museum that same vase now stands in front of the painting - a nice touch.

Another interesting item is the horse-drawn carriage in which the Emperor used to ride. Mention should also be made of a copy of the so-called Imperial Rescript on Education, a short moral message issued by the Emperor, which forms a good indication of Meiji-period ethics. In fact, it is a mixture of Confucianism and nationalism, culminating in phrases as "should emergency arise, offer yourselves courageously to the State; and thus guard and maintain the prosperity of Our Imperial Throne coeval with heaven and earth." Unfortunately, there were many such emergencies already in the Meiji period, and even more in early Showa times, so that millions of subjects were indeed compelled to give their lives. It is a bit discouraging that the shrine authorities apparently still think this feudal hodgepodge is fit to lead the Japanese into the 21st century, as is demonstrated by the various translations provided in the museum (you can also find the text on the shrine's website). But it does serve as a good indication of the spirit of Meiji times.

Many visitors only visit to the shrine proper and then leave again. That is a mistake: if one wants to understand the historical background of the shrine or the ideology of the Meiji period, one should also visit this museum as well as the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery in the shrine's Outer Gardens. After getting that perspective, one can finally unwind in the beautiful Inner Gardens of the shrine.

[Iris field in Meiji Shrine Inner Garden]

Meiji Jingu Gyoen (Inner Garden)
Admission: JPY 500
https://www.meijijingu.or.jp/en/whattosee/garden/

After entering the grounds of the Meiji shrine from Omotesando, one passes under huge wooden torii gates of Taiwanese cedar wood. In a bend of the path is a small sign (easily missed) indicating the Inner Garden of the Meiji Shrine. The garden is not very large, but has a good atmosphere. It lies under huge trees. The upper part is a western style lawn, the lower part contains a pond and an iris garden.

Meiji Jingu Gyoen, or the Inner Garden, is exactly what the name says: a garden almost hidden in the innermost recesses of the woods surrounding the Meiji Shrine. It is in fact the oldest part of the shrine area, as it goes back to a garden of the residences of two daimyo families, the Kato's from Kumamoto and the Ii's from Hikone. In 1889, the place came under the control of the Imperial Household Agency and was renamed as Yoyogi Imperial Garden. Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken often used to visit here. The emperor even wrote a waka poem praising the rural atmosphere of this garden in the middle of the metropolis.

[Torii of Meiji Shrine]

The most famous part of the Inner Garden is the Iris Garden, constructed according to a design by the emperor himself on behalf of his empress. And indeed, the irises are splendid here when in full bloom. There are more than 150 varieties, collected from the best types from all over Japan, and a total of 1500 plants. The valley where the irises stand is hemmed in by dense forest and seems far removed from the mundane world. At the back of the marshy land one finds a spring from which still a stream of clear water flows. It is this natural water that also forms the large South Pond in the garden. This pond boasts water lilies which come into flower in the same period as the irises: late June to early July. They make a beautiful display. Pleasantly winding paths bring the visitor to a tea house and a fishing stand. In autumn, the red foliage of the dense trees is very impressive. The only distraction are the aggressive crows (literally thousands of them) who - lacking trees in modern Tokyo - now lord it over the garden.

[Nogi Jinja]

General Nogi Residence and Shrine
A one-minute walk from Nogizaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line (exit 1)

We continue the imperial tour by returning to the theme of the Loyal Subject. The myth of Kusonoki Masashige, who gave his life for his Emperor, was reenacted by General Nogi Maresuke in September 13, 1912, when the general and his wife Shizuko followed the Meiji emperor (who had died several months before, on July 30) into the grave. At that moment, the imperial funeral cortege left the palace grounds and a gun boomed to announce this. Nogi was perhaps not a great general (as experts say), but he was very human and so seems to have spoken strongly to the Japanese. The country is still littered with monuments and shrines dedicated to him. His suicide turned him into a new myth, that could be exploited by the imperialists in the twenties and thirties. Japan had got its new Loyal Subject...

Nogi had waged both the war with China and the one with Russia. In that last war, a battle in trenches as Europe was to experience 10 years later in WW1, the loss if life was huge at 50,000 casualties; the general's two own sons died. Like in Europe, the war was waged with weapons which were modern but tactics which were ancient. You don't storm a hill fortified with machine guns by sending waves of soldiers towards it. For such a job, you need a tank, but unfortunately, tanks had not been invented yet. It may have been the dark memory of this war that inspired Nogi to his deed, rather than simple loyalty. In fact, his deed was anachronistic: samurai sometimes committed suicide when their lord and master died, but this custom was frowned upon and had died out in the early 17th c. Nogi's harakiri was contrary to his times, and that may have been why he became so famous. It also marked the end of an era, and had a profound impact on contemporary writers, such as Mori Ogai and Natsume Sōseki. For the public, Nogi became a symbol of loyalty and sacrifice.

[The Suicide Room]

The Nogi Shrine was set up in 1923 in the grounds of Nogi's former residence (and place of the seppuku); the house was also preserved. It is a frugal, two-storied wooden structure, raised on a stone basement. The stable next door (where General Nogi kept the white horse given him by the defeated Russian General Anatoly Stessel), is a more sturdy brick building. A walkway has been built around the house, so that visitors can look in through the windows, also into the tatami-floored suicide room. This is rather grisly: the positions of the general and his wife at death have been indicated by signs.

[Momoyama Goryo]

Meiji Imperial Tumulus in Fushimi Momoyama, Kyoto
There are in fact four "Momoyama stations" giving access to the Meiji tomb: Momoyama St on the JR Nara Line; Fushimi-Momoyama St on the Keihan Main Line; Momoyama Minamiguchi St on the Keihan Uji line; and Momoyama Goryumae St on the Kintetsu Kyoto line.

For our final destination we move from Tokyo to Kyoto. The imperial funeral cortege mentioned above, consisting of a cart decorated in gold leaf and lacquer, solemnly hauled by a team of oxen, made its way to nearby Tokyo Station where at midnight a special train left for Kyoto. Crowds gathered at stations along the way to bow in reverence.

The next day, the emperor was interred in the Fushimi Momoyama Tomb (Fushimi Momoyama Goryo) in the Fushimi area of southeastern Kyoto. This was in line with a thousand year old tradition that emperors had always found their last resting place in Kyoto (from the next Taisho emperor on, the imperial family's graves are in Hachioji in Tokyo, at the Musashi Imperial Graveyard). The emperor's tomb was laid out on the site where originally the Momoyama Castle of Hideyoshi had stood (some big stones that once belonged to that castle still are lying around). Close-by is also the tumulus of Kyoto's first emperor, Kammu. Emperor Meiji had been born in Kyoto in 1852, although he had ruled from the new capital of Tokyo since 1868. 

From Fushimi, a quiet avenue a kilometer long and lined with pine trees stretches to the emperor's tomb. From another direction, the south, there is also a 230 stairs high stone stairway, now popular with joggers. The domed tomb sits behind a number of torii. It all is very clean and pure. It was the first time since the late 7th c. that an emperor was buried, rather than cremated, in a "return" to pre-Buddhist rites.

It is all in good taste and today usually very quiet. That is a big difference with the decades before the war, when the Keihan, Kintetsu and JR trains brought school class after school class to pay their respects at the Meiji tomb, via stations that had been especially set up for this purpose.

By the way, at the foot of the mausoleum, like a loyal dog lying at the feet of his master, stands another Nogi Shrine, smaller than the one in Tokyo described above.