An oboe orchestra, + continuo and 4-part chorus, is supplemented, in this cantata, with 2 x recorders and a tromba, resulting, in the aria movement, no 3, an orchestration not heard anywhere else in Bach. 1/(chorus): 'Lord Jesus Christ, -true man and true God. Who...
Bach: The Cantatas
General
– Purification of The Blessed Virgin Mary – Friday 2nd February 2024 – J.S.Bach cantata BWV 157 – ‘Ich Lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn’ –
This cantata may have its compositional roots in music written for a previous funeral event. A chamber-like oboe d'amore orchestra, is supplemented with a single flute, -themselves starkly contrasting orchestral colouration and textual content, the four voices joining...
– 3rd Sunday after Epiphany – Sunday 21st January 2024 – J.S.Bach cantata BWV 156 – ‘Ich steh mit einem Fuss im Grabe’ –
A small, 1 x oboe orchestra, with 4-part chorus and soloists, - although the tenor voice in fact has no solo, accompany this short and compact cantata. The score suggests that a violone should be included in the continuo line-up. 1/Sinfonia: The questioning and...
– The Circumcision of Christ – New Year’s Day – 1st January 2024 – J.S.Bach cantata BWV 171 – ‘Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm bis an der Welt Ende.’t
In this New Year's Day cantata, from 1729, a festive orchestra, -with trumpets and drums, brings some considerable sense of awesomeness and power, to the name of God. 1/(chorus): 'According to you name, O God, so is your praise, -and to the ends of the earth.' This...
– 21st Sunday after Trinity – 12th November 2023 – J.S.Bach cantata BWV 188 – ‘Ich habe meine Zuversicht’ –
An oboe orchestra, -with taille, is supported with continuo, + organ obbligato, strings and a four part soloist/choir. The manuscript of this cantata was divided-up, sometime after Bach's death and although, literally, small pieces still survive, almost the entire...
– The Feast of St Michael – Friday 29th September 2023 – J.S.Bach cantata BWV 149 – ‘Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg’ –
A festive orchestra for this festive feast day: 3 x trumpets + timps, 3 x oboes, four part chorus, with soloists, -3 x arias + 2 recits, and an organ continuo, strengthened with a single violone. This cantata features an important, interesting and colourful bassoon...
– 16th Sunday after Trinity – 1st October 2023 – J.S.Bach cantata BWV 161 – ‘Komm, du suse Todesstunde’ –
A standard string orchestra, -with organ continuo and 4-part chorus, is joined by 2 x flauto dolces, for this 6 movement cantata. There are two solo arias, -with alto and tenor soloists and one recitativo, with alto soloist. Two versions come down to us, Fassung A and...
– 15th Sunday after Trinity – 24th September 2023 – J.S.Bach cantata- BWV 138 – ‘Warum betrubst du dich, mein Herz’ –
This is indeed a fine and memorable six-section cantata, -see note below*, with a double-oboe d'amore-orchestra and the usual 4-part chorus/soloists + continuo. This is an almost totally 'through-composed structure' and in any case, is one of the best and most complex...
– The12th Sunday after Trinity – 3rd of September 2023 – J.S.Bach cantata BWV 137 – ‘Lobe den Herren, den machtigen Konig der Ehren’ –
This cantata of 5 movements, follows exactly the text of the 5 verse hymn up on which it is based and its tune is heard in each movement. This hymn tune is popularly known to us today, by its first line, 'O worship the king'. The orchestration is festive, -three...
– 11th Sunday after Trinity – 27th August 2023 – J.S.Bach cantata BWV 199 – ‘Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut’ –
This cantata dates from August1713-14, with several revivals following. The complete edition contains much material, -2 versions, with 2 x appendices in the complete edition, the main difference between them being aspects of orchestration, with alternative parts for...