Christ we should already praise, BWV 121
| Bach cantata | |
|---|---|
| Christ we should already praise | |
| BWV: | 121 |
| Occasion: | 2nd Christmas Day |
| Year of origin: | 1724 |
| Place of origin: | Leipzig |
| Genus: | Choral cantata |
| Solo : | SATB |
| Choir: | SATB |
| Instruments : | Cn 3Tb Oa 2Vl Va Bc |
| AD : | approx. 21 min. |
| text | |
| Martin Luther / unknown poet | |
| List of Bach cantatas | |
Christ, we should already praise ( BWV 121) is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach .
Emergence
The cantata was composed for Boxing Day and performed for the first time on December 26, 1724. It belongs to Bach's second year of cantatas in Leipzig , which mainly comprises choral cantatas , works whose text is based on a Protestant hymn . The song's opening and closing stanzas are literally retained, while the remaining stanzas have been repositioned as madrigal recitatives and arias .
Subject
The text is based on Martin Luther 's Christmas carol of the same name , a German version of the old church A solis ortus cardine . Luther's first and eighth stanzas are sung unchanged, while the tenor aria correspond to the second, the alto recitative of the third and fourth, the bass aria of the fifth, and the soprano recitative of the sixth and seventh song verse in free reference. The theme is the miracle of the birth of the eternal Son of God as a child of a virgin in “poverty and servant form”. Unlike other Bach cantatas on December 26th, St. Stephen's Day does not play a role here.
Musical means
The opening movement is a choral motet on the quasi- church- tonal cantus firmus . Bach underscores its archaic effect with the full four-part wind accompaniment.
The second movement is a modern da capo aria , in which the symmetrical scheme is broken up by irregular periodization and harmonization - surely an indication of the “irregularity” of what is sung about.
The secco recitative amazed No. 3 by a unique in Bach's work harmony twist to the final word. Return : So vorbereitungslos and outrageous as this harmonious bend God is born.
The bass aria is the easiest piece of the work. Almost like a dance, in a catchy imitation game without harmonic abysses, she paints the joyful jumping of John the Baptist in Elisabeth's body during the visit of Mary, who carries the unborn Jesus.
Recitative No. 5 leads on to the concluding doxology stanza, a four-part choral setting that illuminates the early church melody in major-minor tonality with the invitation to praise and thank .
Recordings (selection)
- JS Bach: Christmas Cantatas from Leipzig , Philippe Herreweghe , Collegium Vocale Gent , Dorothee Mields , Ingeborg Danz , Mark Padmore , Peter Kooij , Harmonia Mundi Franc 2001
- Christ we should already praise. Cantata BWV 121. Rudolf Lutz , choir and orchestra of the JS Bach Foundation , Julia Neumann , Jan Börner , Johannes Kaleschke , Stephan MacLeod . Including an introductory workshop and reflection by Dieter Hattrup . Gallus Media, 2015.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Product information on the JS Bach Foundation website, accessed on April 30, 2015.
literature
- Alfred Dürr : The cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach. Kassel etc. 1971, pp. 122-125.
Web links
- Christ we should already praise, BWV 121 : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
- Structure and complete text of the cantata
