In allen meinen Taten, BWV 97

In all my deeds ( BWV 97) is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the chorale cantata in Leipzig in 1734 without a known reason to nine unchanged stanzas of the hymn by Paul Fleming.

History and words

Bach wrote the cantata in 1734, about a decade after his first cantata in Leipzig vintages, the same year as the Christmas Oratorio and a year after the Kyrie and Gloria, he advanced to the B Minor Mass later. He dated the manuscript of the score, but the occasion for the composition is unknown. Originally like the work of a wedding have been intended, because on set 7 is crossed out " after the wedding ". A later copy noted the 5th Sunday after Trinity. The text consists of nine unchanged verses of the hymn by Paul Fleming, which was published in 1642. The six lines of each stanza rhyme in pairs, 1, and 2, 4 and 5, 3 and 6, the poet wrote the song in 1633 at the beginning of a long and perilous journey to Moscow and emphasizes a " beginning in God's name ." Bach structured the verses in as many sentences. He framed a series of arias and recitatives by an opening chorus and a final chorale. After the first performance of the cantata at least two more performances 1735-1747 are shown.

Scoring and structure

The cantata is staffed with four soloists, soprano, alto, tenor and bass, four-part choir, two oboes, bassoon, two violins, viola and basso continuo.

Music

In the two choral Bach used the melody of the song, but the other movements of the work he composed independently of it. The poet wrote the text for the tune of " Innsbruck, I must leave you " by Heinrich Isaac. Bach had used them twice in his St. Matthew Passion, in the sets of 10 ( I am, I should atone ) and 37 (who has struck you ).

In keeping with the idea of beginning and new beginnings, Bach designed the opening chorus in the manner of a French overture, on a slow introduction with dotted rhythms followed by a faster fugal section. Already in 1714, come in now, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 61, Bach had a choral setting designed as a French overture to begin a new church year. The slow part is called Grave, instrumental, the fast part, Vivace, the orchestra plays fugal music, in which the cantus firmus of the soprano line is inserted by line, while the lower voices to participate in the imitation of the instruments. After the last row all voices decide the sentence in emphatic homophony.

Bach structured domestic rates, which he called " Versus" (Latin verse ) as five arias and recitatives two, where it increases the voices from lowest to highest and developed the instrumentation of pure continuo set to obligate instruments. It adheres to the two-part form of the verse song in all sets except set 7, a duet in a modified da capo form. The recitatives are kept simple, the first ( Versus 3), secco, the second ( Versus 5), accompanied by the strings. Versus 2 is initiated by a vocal ritornello, whose subject matter is taken from the singer. Versus 4 is brightened by a highly virtuoso Violin, possibly as a reflection of God's grace ( " I do not trust his grace "). John Eliot Gardiner compares the Violin solo Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for violin. The strings begin Versus 6 with motifs, the peace movement and illustrate, obviously, as soon as the Old sings: "Put down I'm late ", " lie or pull away ", " awake ". Versus 7 is a duet with continuo. The refrain begins with a theme that is later adopted by the voices, and ends with a characteristic motif that determination expresses: " I ​​will assiduously go to my doom " In the last aria the oboes support the soprano, in extended melismatic singing: "I 've found him to die and live."

In the final chorale, the strings play the four-part vocal writing three independent voices, while the oboe enhance the chorale melody, Dürr refers to the unusual instrumentation as " anthemic coronation " as a counterweight to the solemn entrance and as emphasis of the summary text.

Recordings

• The Bach Cantata Vol 69 Helmuth Rilling, Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Helen Donath, Helrun Gardow, Adalbert Kraus, Philippe Huttenlocher. Hänssler, 1974.
• J. S. Bach: The cantatas - Sacred Cantatas Vol 5 Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Tölz Boys Choir, Concentus Musicus Wien, soloist of the Tölz Boys Choir, Paul Esswood, Kurt Equiluz, Ruud van der Meer (set of 2 ), Philippe Huttenlocher (Theorem 7). Teldec, 1979.
• Bach Edition Vol 9 - Cantatas Vol 1 Pieter Jan Leusink, Holland Boys Choir, Netherlands Bach Collegium, Ruth Holton, Sytse Buwalda, Knut Schoch, Bas Ramselaar. Brilliant Classics, 1999.
• Bach Cantatas Vol 25: Dresden / Sherborne. John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Katharine Fuge, Robin Tyson, Steve Davisilim, Stephan Loges. Soli Deo Gloria 2000.
• J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol 21, Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Sandrine Piau, Bogna Bartosz, James Gilchrist, Klaus Mertens. Antoine Marchand 2002.

• " In all my actions." Cantata BWV 97 Rudolf Lutz, choir and orchestra of the JS Bach Foundation, Monika Mauch, Ruth Sandhoff, Daniel Johannsen, Klaus Mertens. Velvet introductory workshop and reflection by Kerstin Odendahl. Gallus Media, St. Gallen, 2012.