Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz, BWV 138

Why are you cast down, O my heart ( BWV 138 ) is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig in 1723 for the 15th Sunday after Trinity, and led them there on September 5, 1723 for the first time. The Kantata contains elements of a chorale cantata, however, was a year ahead of Bach's second cantata cycle, which consists of chorale cantatas.

Emergence and words

Bach wrote the cantata in his first year in Leipzig for the 15th Sunday after Trinity and led them up on 5 September 1723. The prescribed readings are Galatians 5:6-10 and Mt LUT LUT 6.24 to 34, the call from the Sermon on the Mount, not of little faith to care. Melody and lyrics of the hymn (Nuremberg, 1561), which is close to the gospel. Hans Sachs were attributed, but this seems unlikely, according to Albert Fischer's hymns Encyclopedia ( 1878). Unlike in later chorale cantatas of the cantata text is not based on the full chorale text. Only the first three of 14 verses are used for three sets of the cantata and contrasted by free seal. The unknown poet presents the chorale theme trust in God against the anxious questions of individuals, emphasized by the contrast of metric verse of the chorale and Wi- meter in the many recitatives. A turning point of doubt to confidence is achieved in the single aria of the cantata.

Scoring and structure

The cantata is set for four soloists, soprano, alto, tenor and bass, four -part choir, two oboes d' amore, two violins, viola and basso continuo.

The counting of the records follows Alfred Dürr, others do not include the bass recitative as a set.

Music

Bach corresponds to the unusual text in the two sets that contain chorale and recitative. For both true: in each line of verse 1 to 3 open the violins, then insert the oboe, I Oboe with the chorale melody, Oboe II with sighing motifs, the tenor sings the chorale text as arioso, and finally the chorus lyrics and melody in four -part harmony; it closes the recitative of questioning single voice on (Alt in the first sentence, the second soprano ), accompanied by strings. After the three lines are so treated, follow the lines 4 and 5 in the first set in four parts. In the second set of rows 4 and 5 are initially carried out in an imitative choral setting of the tune of row 4, then initiates secco recitative to a repetition of two lines, this time in four parts as in the first sentence.

The only aria is in dance 6/8-measure and is dominated by the first violin figurations. The third verse of the chorale as a four-part chorus ends the cantata.

Bach used the aria as a template for the Gratias his Mass in G major, BWV 236

Recordings

• Bach Made in Germany Vol 1 - Cantatas VII Günther Ramin, St. Thomas Choir, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, soloists from the St. Thomas Boys Choir, Gert Lutze, John Oettel. Eterna, 1953.
• The Bach Cantata Vol 50 Helmuth Rilling, Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Arleen Augér, Ria Bollen, Aldo Baldin, Philippe Huttenlocher. Hänssler, 1978.
• JS Bach: With peace and joy. Philippe Herreweghe, Collegium Vocale Gent, Deborah York, Ingeborg Danz, Mark Padmore, Peter Kooij. Harmonia Mundi France, 1998.
• JS Bach: Cantatas Vol 11 Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, Midori Suzuki, Kai Wessel, Makoto Sakurada, Peter Kooij, TO 1998
• JS Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol 9 Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Caroline Stam, Bernhard Landauer, Christoph Prégardien, Klaus Mertens. Antoine Marchand, 1998.
• Bach Cantatas Vol 8 John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Malin Hartelius, William Towers, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey. Recorded in the Church of Our Lady in Bremen. Soli Deo Gloria, 2000.
• Why are you cast down, O my heart? Rudolf Lutz, choir and orchestra of the JS Bach Foundation, Julia Sophie Wagner, Alex Potter, Makoto Sakurada, Wolf Matthias Friedrich. Christoph Wolff ( reflection). DVD. Gallus Media, 2010.