Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen, BWV 123

Liebster Immanuel, Herzog of the Pious ( BWV 123 ) is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the chorale cantata, based on the chorale of Ahasuerus Fritsch in Leipzig for the feast of Epiphany and first performed it on January 6, 1725 for the first time on.

History and words

Bach wrote the cantata in his second year in Leipzig for the Feast of Epiphany ( Epiphany ), which decided the Christmas season. The prescribed readings for the feast were Isaiah 60.1-6 LUT, which nations will be converted, and Mt 2:1-12 LUT, the wise men from the East to bring the baby Jesus as gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The cantata text is based on the chorale in six stanzas of Ahasuerus Fritsch. The unknown librettist retained the first and last verse in the text and wrote the remaining stanzas to the same number of alternating recitatives and arias to. The text makes no specific reference to the readings, but he mentioned the term Jesus name, alluding to the naming, which was celebrated on January 1. The poet added the phrase " salvation and light " one, probably an indication of the appearance of the Lord, and playing through " Jesus, come in the flesh " at Christmas to. Apart from that, the text follows the theme of the hymn: no "hell enemy" - here should be thought of Herod - neither death nor sin and contempt by the "world" can the believer harm you, because Jesus is on his side. Bach led the cantata for the first time on the January 6, 1725.

Scoring and structure

The cantata is staffed with three soloists, alto, tenor and bass, four-part choir, two Flauto Traverso, Oboe d' amore, two violins, viola and basso continuo.

Music

In the opening chorus of Bach used the beginning of the chorale tune as an instrumental motif, first in a long introduction, then as a counter- voice to the vocals. Soprano and horn brought before the cantus firmus line by line. The lower voices are performed predominantly homophonic, with two exceptions: the text " Come just as soon " is made clear by multiple calls, and the text of the last line is first sung by the bass to the melody of the first line, imitated by alto and tenor, then only the soprano sings the melody of the last line. Bach achieved by a reference from the end of the sentence to the beginning. The dominant woodwind and 9/8-Takt produce pastoral character.

The tenor aria, which is accompanied by the oboes d' amore, says the "hard cross travel " to, implemented in a chromatic ritornello in four bars in ceaseless modulation. If the ritornello recurs at the end of the first part, the chromaticism is in the continuo, the melodies are reassured, perhaps because the singer expresses that he is not afraid. In the middle part is " thunderstorm " painted in quick singing figures that calm down, adagio, on the words "Healing and Light", the reference to Epiphany.

The bass aria describing John Eliot Gardiner, who performed the cantata on the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage of the Monteverdi Choir in the Nikolai Church in Leipzig, as "one of the loneliest arias Bach ever wrote " (one of the loneliest arias that Bach ever wrote ). The singer is accompanied only by a flute and a "staccato " continuo.

The cantata is decided with an unusual four -part chorale. The swan song of the bar form is repeated, namely piano. The reason is probably that ends the text with the words " until you put me in the grave into Einsten ". Alfred Dürr noticed that not only Bach's early cantatas God's time is the best time and God as your name, so is thy praise border quiet, but also in God so loved the world, BWV 68

Recordings

  • The Bach Cantata Vol 21, Helmuth Rilling, Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Helen Watts, Adalbert Kraus, Philippe Huttenlocher, Haenssler 1980
  • J. S. Bach: The cantatas - Sacred Cantatas Vol 7, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Tölz Boys Choir, Concentus Musicus Wien, soloist of the Tölz Boys Choir, Kurt Equiluz, Robert Holl, Teldec 1982
  • Bach Edition Vol 3 - Cantatas Vol 1, Pieter Jan Leusink, Holland Boys Choir, Netherlands Bach Collegium, Sytse Buwalda, Knut Schoch, Bas Ramselaar, Brilliant Classics 1999
  • Bach Cantatas Vol 18: Berlin / Weimar / Leipzig / Hamburg / For Christmas Day & for Epiphany / For the 1st Sunday after Epiphany, John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Sally Bruce - Payne, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey, Soli Deo Gloria 2000
  • J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol 14, Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Franziska Gottwald, Paul Agnew, Klaus Mertens, Antoine Marchand 2000
  • J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol 32, Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, Andreas Weller, Peter Kooij UNTIL 2005
  • Bach: Cantates pour la Nativity / Intégrale of Cantates sacrées Vol 4, Eric J. Milnes, Montreal Baroque, Monika Mauch, Matthew White, Charles Daniels, Harry van der Kamp, ATMA Classique 2007
Ahasverus Fritsch Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis Bass (voice type) Motif (music) Homophone Pastorale Chromatic scale Modulation (music) Barform Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt, BWV 68 Peter Harvey (baritone) Peter Kooy Werner Neumann Christoph Wolff Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid, BWV 3 Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 33 Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot, BWV 39 Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats, BWV 42 Alles nur nach Gottes Willen, BWV 72 Alles, was von Gott geboren, BWV 80a Bisher habt ihr nichts gebeten in meinem Namen, BWV 87 Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost, BWV 114 Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV 121 Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein, BWV 128 Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV 131 Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn! BWV 132 Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz, BWV 136 Bringet dem Herrn Ehre seines Namens, BWV 148 Ach! ich sehe, itzt, da ich zur Hochzeit gehe, BWV 162 Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe, BWV 185 Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut, BWV 199 Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen, BWV 249a St Mark Passion (Bach)
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