The heavens tell the glory of god

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Bach cantata
The heavens tell the glory of god
BWV: 76
Occasion: 2nd Sunday after Trinity
Year of origin: 1723
Place of origin: Leipzig
Genus: Church cantata
Solo : SATB
Choir: SATB
Instruments : Tr 2Ob Oa Fg 2Vl Va Vg Bc
AD : approx. 35 min
text
Bible Psalm 19, unknown poet

Martin Luther

List of Bach cantatas

The heavens tell the honor of God ( BWV 76) is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach .

Emergence

The work was performed for the first time on June 6, 1723 in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig , making it the second of Bach's Leipzig cantatas after he took office as Thomas Cantor . Like the cantata Die Elenden shall eat (BWV 75), which was performed only a week earlier , the composition consists of two parts that were originally played before and after the sermon. The elaborate design of both works shows the great commitment with which Bach devoted himself to the new task.

Subject

The unknown lyricist takes up the theme of the Gospel reading on the 2nd Sunday after Trinity , the conversion of people to God . The words of the entrance choir are verses 2 and 4 of Psalm 19 . After the call to confess to God, sentences 4 and 5 lament idolatry by the majority of humanity. In the following recitative follows the thanks of the converted pagans, affirmed by the Luther chorale “God wants us to be gracious”, which concludes the first part. In the second part, the call goes to the “faithful crowd” of those who confess to repay the hatred of their enemies with love. Here, too, there is a final reflection on the topic, this time through the 3rd stanza of the same Luther song.

occupation

construction

First part
1. Coro (Tr, Ob I / II, Vl I / II, Va, Bc): The heavens tell the glory of God
2. Recitativo T (Vl I / II, Va, Bc): So God does not allow himself to be unattached
3. Aria S (Vs, Bc): Hear, you peoples, God's voice
4. Recitativo B (Bc): But if you listen, there is the largest bunch
5. Aria B (Tr, Vl I / II, Va, Bc): Go there, idolatrous guild
6. Recitativo A (Bc): You have us, Lord, from all streets
7. Choral (Tr, Vl I / II, Va, Bc): God wants us to be gracious
Second part
8th Sinfonia (Oa, Vg, Bc)
9. Recitativo B (Vl I / II, Va, Vg, Bc): God bless the faithful crowd
10. Aria T (Vg, Bc): Just hate, hate me right
11. Recitativo A (Vg, Bc): I already feel in the spirit
12. Aria A (Oa, Vg, Bc): Love, Christians, indeed
13. Recitativo T (Bc): So should Christianity
14. Chorale (Tr, Vl I / II, Va, Bc): Thank you, God, and praise you

particularities

The most striking movement of this cantata is the unusual, two-part opening choir: After a short, festive introduction by the solo trumpet, the first verse of the psalm is performed by the choir in the form of a prelude . This is followed by a new theme for the second verse in the form of a fugue , in which the four solo parts and then the four choir parts, one after the other, achieve an impressive heightening effect, which is crowned by the trumpet. Also noteworthy are the 3rd movement, the soprano aria “Hear, you people, God's voice”, which is framed by a concert solo violin, and the contrasting bass aria of the 5th movement, in which the solo trumpet is again used.

The second part shows an almost symmetrical structure with regard to the sequence of aria, recitative and chorale , but begins with a sinfonia and contrasts with its overall quieter and contemplative character.

Relation to other works

Various text passages from Psalm 19 have also been set to music by other composers. The first part of the oratorio The Creation ( Hob. XXI: 2) by Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) ends with the choir “ The heavens tell the glory of God ”.

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847) created a motet under the same title . It was created in 1820 and bears the catalog raisonné S 81.

Recordings

literature

Individual evidence

  1. See also the list of works by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy

Web links