J.S. Bach / Folan/ Publick Musick - Cantatas BMV 45 62 140 192

Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantatas BWV 62, 45, 192 & 140 The four cantatas assembled on this CD are among Bach's finest creations from the years 1723-1731, the period when he was concerned with providing a "well-regulated church music" for his employers in Leipzig. Two of them: BWV 62, Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, from 1724; and BWV 140, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, from 1731, are closely associated with the Advent season and it's message of promise in the coming of the Saviour. BWV 45, Es is dir Gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist, for the 8th Sunday after Trinity is an extended two-part cantata, which features (in the arioso for bass that begins part 2, to be presented after the sermon) the words of Christ himself, exhorting the faithful to follow the Divine Law, while the text generally warns against "false prophets." BWV 192, Nun danket alle Gott, is a general hymn of praise (with the three verses of the original hymn from the middle of the 1600s presented unaltered and without any addition), perhaps composed for a wedding (the gigue-like finale, which reflects the atmosphere of a wedding feast, underlines this probability). Bach's cantata has been handed down in a secondary source in incomplete form and consists of three numbers directly based on the hymn of the same title. The tenor vocal part is also missing, and has been re-constructed by the editors of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe, the edition that has been used for this recording. Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62 (Cantata for the 1st Sunday in Advent) This cantata, the second of two works based on Luther's hymn (the other is BWV 61, composed ten years earlier), was composed in 1724 for the first Sunday in Advent. It is based entirely on Martin Luther's hymn of 1524, which is itself modelled on the Latin text, Veni redemptor gentium. Luther's original eight verses are distributed amongst the six sections found in Bach's cantata. The first and last appear literally in the first chorus and the final chorale, while verses 2 and 3 are freely adapted by Bach into the text of the first aria. Luther's verses 4 and 5 are combined into the following bass recitative, while verses 6 and 7 become the bass aria and following recitative for the two upper voices. Bach's opening chorale/chorus is a brilliant combination of Italianate concertante virtuosity and the Lutheran sobriety lent by the austere cantus firmus of the chorale melody, stated by the sopranos, and reinforced by the horn. The instruments are likewise distributed into opposing concertante groups: oboes against strings, while the lower choral voices frequently provide vorspinnung imitation of the main choral melody in diminished note values. The unearthly effect of the whole is underlined by the statement of the chorale melody in the bass instruments in octaves at the end of the opening and subsequent ritornelli. This highly impressive movement is succeeded by a joyful (and difficult) aria in G major for tenor accompanied by strings, which exhorts the people to wonder at the "great mystery" of the unblemished (chaste) appearance of the Ruler of the world. The bass then sings a secco recitative (using as it's text Luther's verses 4 and 5) introducing the Hero of Judah as He who will redeem us "fallen ones". The following highly original da capo aria, with it's unison string accompaniment (upper strings doubling the continuo in octaves, with fully figured bass provided by the organ) - a rare device for Bach, emphasising strength, unity and underlining it's "heroic" character, asks the Saviour to fight for us and reinforce our inner strength. Gratitude is then expressed by the soprano and alto together in an accompanied recitative that recalls the warm and sunny character of the first aria, before Luther's final verse is rendered by Bach with a concise, straightforward four-part setting of the original choral melody. Es ist gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist, BWV 45 (Cantata for the 8th Sunday after Trinity) The 8th Sunday after Trinity deals (in the Epistle, Romans 8.12-17) with the concept that those driven by the Spirit of God are God's children, while the Gospel reading (Matthew 7.15-23) warns against the teachings of false prophets. First performed on 11 August, 1726, the (unknown) author of the text of the opening chorus relates the words of the Gospel for the day ("By their fruits you shall know them"), with the words of the Old Testament prophet, Micah (6.8), that God makes his will known and expects man to carry it out. Furthermore, the text comfortingly assures us that God will assist us in our attempts to fulfill the will of the Almighty. The expansive opening chorus, freely composed, rather than based on a chorale, is scored for a rich complement of instruments: strings, flutes and oboes, and set in the bright and cheerful key of E major. The bulk of the movement is given over to an extended fugue, developed out of the main theme announced in the extended instrumental introduction (almost a sinfonia in it's own right). The central axis of the work is the arioso that opens the second part, in which the voice of Jesus (or, properly, the vox Christi) addresses us directly, warning of the appeal of false prophets. The aria that immediately precedes it, set for tenor and written in the powerful and serious key of C sharp minor, refers to God's strict accounting of our obedience to His word. The arioso itself, a through-composed virtuoso piece for bass in A major, with equally brilliant (and thematically related) string accompaniment, almost belies the underlying seriousness of the text, warning of the false prophets. After the voice of Jesus is heard, without interruption we are taken into the intimate world of baroque chamber music, where the alto provides a private, consoling reflection on the words of Christ: "God will acknowledge whosoever acknowledges Him." The aria features an obbligato part for the flauto traverso, in the related (to that of the previous arioso) key of F sharp minor, with walking continuo bass. "Heart and mouth will thus be my judge, God will reward me according to my state of mind." With this secco recitative, for alto and continuo, we are introduced to the final chorale, which uses the second verse of O Gott, du frommer Gott, by Johann Heermann (1630): "Grant that I am diligent, timely and successful in carrying out Your works." This provides a consoling conclusion, emphasised by the bright and happy key of E major with which the cantata began. Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 192 (Cantata for unspecified occasion, before 1729) Through examination of the copyist's handwriting, Alfred Dürr has established that this cantata, though it's purpose cannot be precisely established, nevertheless belongs to the same time period as BWV 51, Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, dating it's first performance to sometime just before 1729. The original score and the vocal tenor part are missing, although it's present form (just three movements, without connecting recitatives) seems to reflect the work's original state. The text of the hymn Nun danket alle Gott, based on Ecclesiasticus 50: 22-3 ("Now bless the God of all, who in every way does great things; who exalts our days from birth, and deals with us according to His mercy. May He give us gladness of heart, and grant that peace may be in our days in Israel, as in olden days."), was composed by Martin Rinckart (1586-1649) against a backdrop of plague and the horrors of the Thirty Years War. In 1637, Rinckart, having settled in his home village of Eilenburg as pastor, had to contend with the occupation of Swedish troops in the town, who demanded a ransom of 30,000 thalers; as well as a plague that killed 8,000 of the inhabitants. Rinckart himself buried up to half of them in mass funerals, while successfully appealing to the Swedes to reduce their required "tribute" to 2,000 thalers. The precise date of the hymn's composition is uncertain, but it was sung all over Germany by 1648 at the Peace of Westpha