There are three cantatas for this Sunday: BWV 46, a large cantata written a few months after Bach began work in Leipzig in 1723; BWV 101, from the second (chorale) cantata cycle, written in 1724; and BWV 102, written in 1726.
Readings:
1 Corinthians 12:1–11, "different gifts, but one spirit"
Luke 19:41–48, Jesus announces the destruction of Jerusalem; Cleansing of the Temple
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)
[Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem (Rembrandt)]
Cantatas:
- Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgend ein Schmerz sei, BWV 46, 1 August 1723
Coro: Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgend ein Schmerz sei
Recitativo (tenor): So klage du, zerstörte Gottesstadt
Aria (bass): Dein Wetter zog sich auf von weiten
Recitativo (alto): Doch bildet euch, o Sünder, ja nicht ein
Aria (alto): Doch Jesus will auch bei der Strafe
Chorale: O großer Gott von Treu
"Behold and see, if there be any sorrow"
Text & translation
Scored for three vocal soloists (alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir (SATB), slide trumpet, mostly doubling the choir soprano, two recorders, two oboes da caccia, two violins, viola and basso continuo.
The opening chorus brings an impressive lament of large proportions, based on the Lamentations of Jeremiah (text). Note the wailing recorders, symbolizing tears. Bach reworked this later as the Qui tollis of his Mass in B minor, so he must have been satisfied with it. The lengthy chorus falls into two main sections, like a prelude and a fugue. Interesting is the unusual scoring of this cantata, especially as it was an ordinary Sunday: besides SATB choir and strings, there are pairs of recorders (for the first time used in Leipzig), two oboes da caccia, and a slide trumpet.
After an interesting recitative addressed to the ruins of Jerusalem, with as conclusion "You did not heed Jesus' tears, now heed the tidal wave of passion that you have built up over yourself," the bass aria pictures dramatically the outbreak of the terrible thunderstorm of God's wrath, offering the trumpet a good opportunity to show off. "Excessive sins ignite the lightning of vengeance," and indeed, the cracks of lightning can be heard in the roaring orchestra. Bach had been forbidden to use operatic music in Leipzig churches, but this is pure opera!
The alto recitative, addressed to the individual sinner, then personalizes the threat of destruction: "Do not imagine, o sinners, that Jerusalem alone is full of sin - you will all perish as dreadfully." This is followed by a tender aria in which the righteous are assured that they will be saved by the Shepherd Jesus (note the now pastoral recorder). The aria is scored without basso continuo. The alto aria is the opposite pole of the bass aria and projects a mood of calm instead of fury.
In the chorale “O großer Gott von Treu” the wailing recorders return to make the circle of lamentation complete.
Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German) - Explanation "Bach Factory" (English) - Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott, BWV 101, 13 August 1724
Coro: Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott
Aria (tenor): Handle nicht nach deinen Rechten
Recitativo e chorale (soprano): Ach! Herr Gott, durch die Treue dein
Aria (bass): Warum willst du so zornig sein?
Recitativo e chorale (tenor): Die Sünd hat uns verderbet sehr
Aria (soprano, alto): Gedenk an Jesu bittern Tod
Chorale: Leit uns mit deiner rechten Hand
"Take away from us, Lord, faithful God"
Text & translation
Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, cornett, three trombones, two oboes, taille (tenor oboe), flauto traverso (or violin), two violins, viola and basso continuo.
Chorale cantata sung on the melody of Martin Luther's "Vater unser im Himmelreich" - a melody present in all movements except the first aria. The text was adapted from a hymn by Martin Moller (1584) describing the horrors of the plague, so obviously it is a rather somber piece. In this penitential song the epidemic is generalized to other threats and crisis situations, which were seen as expressions of God's wrath provoked by human sins.
The opening chorus is an austere and grave choral fantasia. There are many changes of texture, from a "marching theme" to a "sighing theme."
The tenor aria is accompanied by a virtuoso flute (or violin). While the tenor prays God to deal kindly with the sinner and expresses the fear of judgement, the flute/violin answers with the hope of grace and forgiveness.
The recitative for soprano combines an embellished version of the chorale melody with secco recitative.
The dramatic bass aria raises the question: "Why are you so incensed with us?" God's anger is depicted in the fast accompaniment to this da capo aria.
The next recitative mirrors the first and the final soprano/alto duet is a melancholy Siciliano with a gentle accompaniment from the flute and oboe da caccia: "Think on Jesus' bitter death." Fragments of the chorale are used to create a musical prayer for mercy.
The cantata ends with a straightforward harmonization of the chorale.
Video: Musica Amphion & Gesualdo Consort Amsterdam - Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben, BWV 102, 25 August 1726
Chorus: Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben
Recitativo (bass): Wo ist das Ebenbild, das Gott uns eingepräget
Aria (alto, oboe): Weh der Seele, die den Schaden nicht mehr kennt
Arioso (bass): Verachtest du den Reichtum seiner Gnade
Parte seconda
Aria (tenor, flute or violin): Erschrecke doch, du allzu sichre Seele
Recitativo (alto, oboes): Beim Warten ist Gefahr
Chorale: Heut lebst du, heut bekehre dich
"Lord, Your eyes look for faith"
Text & translation
Scored for alto, tenor and bass soloists and a four-part choir (SATB), flauto traverso, two oboes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
When Bach began his third annual cycle of cantatas in 1725, he had just completed two years of composing at the rate of one cantata a week (some 150 cantatas), and it is not surprising that he now allowed his pace to slow. Another reason was that he wanted to create a new Passion for Easter 1726 - something he would not actually do that year. But instead of writing his own cantatas, from February to Good Friday, 1726, he performed 18 cantatas by his cousin Johann Ludwig Bach, who was kapellmeister at the court of Meiningen. These cantatas had been composed about 10 years earlier to texts probably written by Johann Ludwig's employer, the Count of Saxony-Meiningen. These texts apparently interested Bach, for when he began writing his own cantatas again, he used a number of them - including BWV 102. These texts have in common that they consist of two parts, a biblical text from the Old Testament and a biblical text from the New Testament, each followed by a recitative and an aria. In this symmetrical structure, the New Testament text is in the central position.
The words of BWV 102 are only loosely connected to the readings, urging "stubborn and unrepentant hearts" to "repent this instant before swift death overtakes one. The erring souls are urged to convert while they still can. The mood of the entire cantata is pessimistic, reinforced by the plaintive oboes and a martial flute.
The opening chorus is an intricate choral fugue, rigorous and austere, a good example of Bach's art at its most Lutheran.
The alto aria with obbligato oboe is nicely dramatic; the bass arioso with strings shows plenty of energy. The tenor aria has an interesting accompaniment from the violin piccolo.
After that, an extended alto recitative leads to the final chorale, "Vater unser im Himmelreich." Even this chorale, in which the faithful see the error of their ways, offers little comfort.
It is a rather grim work, but Bach must have been satisfied with it, for it was one of four cantatas from which he reused several parts for his four "Lutheran Masses" (BWV 233-236). The cantata was later performed several times in Hamburg by Bach's son Carl Philipp Emmanuel, and, along with BWV 100 and 101, was one of the first three cantatas to be published in 1830, long before the Bachgesellschaft began its extensive publishing project in 1850.
Video: Netherlands Bach Society / Interviews with Van Veldhoven (conductor) & Root / Sato (flute and first violin)
J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)