Himmelskönig, sei willkommen, BWV 182

King of Heaven, would be welcome ( BWV 182 ) is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach.

• 6.1 text
• 6.2 Music

• 8.1 Literature Used
• 8.2 Further literature

Formation

With the appointment of Bach's concertmaster at the court of Weimar, the obligation was connected to him a month to compose a new cantata. The cantata " King of Heaven would be welcome " is likely the first of Weimar commissions. As a lyricist is believed due to the style Salomon Franck, who worked for the Weimar court at that time mainly when there is no clear evidence for this also. Presumably, the cantata on Palm Sunday, March 25, 1714 was premiered in Weimar castle chapel.

Topic

Under the provision for Palm Sunday cantata deals with the entry of Jesus to Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week. The faithful Christian is asked to devote as much for the victims brought by Jesus the Son of God his heart, and also to be in the sufferings of Jesus.

Occupation

• Voices: soprano, alto, tenor, bass, except for the soprano all with solo tasks ( recitative, arias ) entrusted.
• Instruments: recorder, violin, viola I / II, Basso continuo with cello

Special

The work marks the beginning of the transition of the composer from the traditional choral concert as a cantata type of the 17th century to the modern, mainly dominated by Italian influences cantata forms. On the old style points out the simple occupation with recorder and small ensemble, as well as the subordinate role of the recitative, which is very short and occurs only once in the form of a Bible word in this work. The new style corresponds inspired by the Italians lead the solo violin and the distinct role of three consecutive contemplative arias da capo form. Overall, it is possible the young Bach, in an impressive manner with different musical means the meaning of the text - even individual words - represent. He makes use of the derived mainly from the Italian opera musical formulas for typical emotions. Examples of this are occurring in the final chorus minor harmonies on the word "suffering".

It is interesting that the main theme of the first movement ( Sonata ) from the ( rhythmically altered ) first eight notes of the chorale O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort there. This hymn has been used by Bach in several other works, including the cantatas BWV 20 and BWV 60, which both carry the title of this chant.

Performances, destination and cast changes

Based on the findings of the original diplomatic sources (handwriting Bach and his clerk, paper and watermarks ) at least three performances can be detected:

Premiere

The premiere took place on Palm Sunday, March 25, 1714 held in Weimar.

Instrumentation: The solo instruments (" Concerto" ) Flauto (recorder in f) and violin, and viola 1 and 2, cello, organ continuo and a four-part choir with soprano, alto, tenor and bass. According to the performance conditions of the " sky castle " (a little space above the chapel in Weimar, housed in the organ, choir and orchestra were ) is to accept a small cast for instruments and choir.

A second vote for " Violino ripieno " was made before 1724. It provides in Theorem 1 is only a supplement to the harmonies in the choruses and includes the score of the solo violin. It may not be clear whether the production of these voice indicating a revival before Leipzig, or if they already sounded for the first performance and was supplemented after completion of the score. ( The usual string section in the Weimar cantatas are 2 violins, 2 violas and cello. )

Leipzig, March 25, 1724

Bach Cantatas used all the Weimar period in order to integrate them in Leipzig in his cantata cycle of 1724/25. Usually, however, he had to adapt to the conditions of performance in Leipzig.

For 1724 a text print exists with the cantata text for the Annunciation. However, this does not contain the lyrics to " sky king was welcome," but the text for the cantata " Behold, a virgin shall conceive " ( BWV Annex I, 199), whose music has not survived. But nevertheless indicated the production of cast material to BWV 182 indicates a performance on 25 March 1724. In Leipzig, it was customary not always, in the text printing, in which the community could read along the text to include the text for the cantata, which was performed during the distribution of communion ( "sub communionis "). It would also be conceivable that Bach had made ​​the decision only after printing, instead of a new cantata set to compose the Weimar cantata with less effort.

Unlike in Weimar cantata no music was played in Leipzig during Lent before Easter. Exception was the feast of the Annunciation on March 25. Since the Palm Sunday falls into this time without cantata performance, the Weimar cantata would be " King of Heaven would be welcome " Bach no longer been used in Leipzig. Now that 1714 Palm Sunday with Mary coincided proclamation and the text for the Annunciation is valid, he carried on the newly created envelope of the score the extended provision a " Tempore Passionis aut Festo Mariae Annunciationis " ( " during Lent or at a fixed Annunciation ").

For the premiere in Weimar Bach chose the home key of G major. As a reference system for the atmosphere of the strings used in the Weimar Chortonstimmung the organ. Therefore, all strings votes were tendered in G in Weimar. The woodwinds were voted against in concert pitch, which was a minor third lower. They therefore had a minor third higher, so recorded in B.

In Leipzig, all instruments, including the strings were tuned in concert pitch, which was a whole tone lower than the Chorton the organ there. Bach now had to adjust the Weimar votes material to the Leipzig Mood: In order to achieve the same pitch as in Weimar, he led the cantata in G major on. For this he was making new voices. Here, however, had the flute be transposed down a minor third. As in the Weimar B major section of the deepest to cross tone g ' was the voice now reached to the e'. Since the flute can be played only up to f ', had at the corresponding points by Stimmknickungen the scope shortfalls are avoided. Bach was the changes in the Weimar score and let copy the appropriate flute part of it. Nikolaus Harnoncourt represents the hypothesis that in Leipzig the aria rate was 5 determined for transverse flute, which can play the part without Stimmknickungen. He therefore in his complete recording of the cantatas ( Episode 42, 1988) this set with flute without Stimmknickungen on.

Leipzig, March 25, 1728

In a reissue for hard Annunciation 1728 Bach changed the composition of the solo part: In place of the recorder came a violin, the part of the solo violin played an oboe. He also reinforced the continuo by a violone.

Structure

The bulk structure of the cantata can be presented on the basis of occupation and record types as well as home key and time signature of the individual sentences and place in relation to the respective text.

Text

The cantata text are the Palm Sunday Gospel Matthew 21, verse 1 to 9 ( Jesus' entry into Jerusalem ) and the Epistle Philippians 2, verses 5-11 ( Let this Christ -minded ) basis.

The text of Theorem 3 comes from Psalm 40, verse 8 and 9; Theorem 7 is the 33rd verse of the hymn Jesus' suffering, pain and death of Paul Stockmann.

The librettist reinterprets the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as king for entry of Jesus into the hearts of believers. Who is now the will of God as Jesus also subordinates itself in suffering, will move with him to the kingdom of heaven.

Is already in sentence 1 and 2, the reinterpretation of the Palmarum - text from the entry into Jerusalem ( = Zion ) instead of the entry of Jesus into the hearts of Christians.

In sentence 3 of the Psalm text on proclaiming Jesus based (the Vox Christi 's in Bach usually assigned to the bass ) and has thus already point to the Passion theme.

The image of the immaculate robes in sentence 5 refers to the people of Jerusalem, when he entered his garments laid at the feet of Jesus, to honor him as king.

Theorem 6 is not composed as a da capo aria in textausdeutender way.

In the chorale verse of Theorem 7, the sufferings of Christ is reinterpreted in the joy of the Christians.

In Theorem 8 the idea of opening chorus is resumed: As Jesus once entered Jerusalem, the faithful Christian is with him in Salem ( that is, Jerusalem ), the symbol of the kingdom of heaven, salvation and eternal life move.

The text now find key words that are interpreted by the music:

In this document, this text motif is found again in paragraph 3 (' Behold, I come " ) and in the final chorus ( " therefore let us go in Salem "). In Bach's Christmas Oratorio ( BWV 248, Cantata III, set 26 ) where a similar point ( "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem " ), the stream with similar musical means (ascending eighth-note scale in the topic, ascending and descending sixteenth-note scale chains designed in the accompaniment, odd cycle).

Music

Those sentences that speaks the Christian community itself, or is addressed are applied as fully part choirs. The sentences, which can be viewed as addressing the individual, as a solo recitative (Theorem 3) or as a solo aria (sets 3-6 ).

With one exception (set of 6 ), are all madrigalesque (that is, not bound to a hymn, or a word of the Bible ) verses created as da capo arias. The use of this form of choirs is new for 1714.

The structure of the cantata can be seen as a frame system that is symmetrical arranged on an axis 4 to 5 sentence:

• The external framework, the four tutti records in primary key of G major, which can be grouped into two pairs:

• Blocks 3 and 6 form an inner frame that stands out both by its low -voiced cast, namely only voice and continuo, by the tutti of the outer frame, on the other hand, marked by key changes:

• These two sets of records provide the framework for the two internal parts that resemble the one hand ( voice and solo instruments in imitation are related to each other ), on the other hand is distinguished by monitoring and key:

About this symmetrical arrangement are also some sentences are related to each other by special features:

• In the tutti sets the strings are directly involved in the polyphonic structure, partly independent of them with the voices ( colla parte). In sentence 1 and 4 they select only the harmonies by supporting chords in the form of a suspended figured bass, pizzicato in sentence 1, sentence 2 in arco.
• The two choirs ( sentences 2 and 8) are Permutationsfugen, both in the new choirs for DaCapo form.
• The entanglement content of each part of the cantata text corresponds to the entanglement of the musical means. Theorem 7 ( " Jesus, your Passion is to me pure joy ") refers to the word " Passion" to the preceding aria (set of 6: " Walking the world also Crucify "). The word "joy" in turn, refers to the following final chorus ( set 8: " Now let us go in Salem of joy" ): From Theorem 6 to 7 is the change from minor to major, instead, according to the re-interpretation of the Passion of Christ as joy of Christians.

The keys of the cantata movements relate to each other in tonal relationship:

• The set pair 1 and 2 is in fifth relationship ( subdominant of G major ) to set pair 3 and 4, in this Terzverwandtschaft to sentence 5 (VI. stage), this again in fifth relationship to clause 6 (III). The return to the basic tone is set by Terzverwandtschaft. This results in a ranking of the affinities third - fifth - third - fifth

With two exceptions, are all parts in 4/4- or Alla breve clock ( set 7 ). This gives the two pieces in odd time signature of outstanding importance:

• Theorem 6 with the call for humility ( " Lay ye yourselves to the Savior as"), symbolized by the deep old location (up to a down highest)
• Set of 8 with his cheerful effect as final chorus in the Gigue style.