Christmas Oratorio by J.S. Bach
Our Wednesday chorale just before Christmas is not famous, not dramatic, not flashy or even particularly memorable. As far as we know, Bach used it only once. But that once, in Bach's Christmas Oratorio, is a thing of beauty, luminous and numinous, full of meaning and of hope.
The chorale melody was written by Heinrich Albert, and was first published in 1642. Bach selected this tune for the closing chorale of the fifth cantata of his Oratorio, yet as happens so often with Bach, he (and/or his librettist) hunted for and found exactly the right verse from another chorale text attached to the melody.
Here's the context: The last two cantatas form a narrative pair which relates the story of the Magi, as told in the gospel according to Matthew. In Cantata 5, after a celebratory opening chorus, the drama begins with the search of the three wayfarers for the newborn child; they are led by a brilliant star. Later, Herod directs his scholars and seers to find the babe. Bach draws two related themes from this material. First, we are told to 'seek him in the heart'; in an extended trio, the soprano and tenor, who languish while waiting for salvation, are told by the alto, 'Hush! He's already here!'. Then, in the closing sequence, Bach explores the nature of our hearts, which are likened to the dark stable; yet even here, even in this darkness, the brightness of salvation can shine.
Here's the chorale verse, by Johann Franck (1655), which closes this sequence and the cantata itself:
Such a heart's chamber
need be no ornate prince's hall;
it could be even a dark pit;
yet as soon as thy beams of grace peep in,
it seems to be full of sunshine.
To express this idea in this context, nothing could be more effective than the humble melody which Bach has chosen. The chorale is the perfect musical representation of the coming of light to a dark place.
Lord knows that here in this moment--the shortest days of the year, the omicron variant, strife and dissonance and challenges all around us--we need light wherever we can find it. One source is beautiful music, and that is one thing I can offer. Take a little time to explore the sequence and the entire cantata. A full score is attached; here's a link to Pamela Dellal's translation; and below you can find links to each movement in a very nice performance by the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, conducted by Peter Dijkstra.
May we all find--and even create--some light in the darkness!
43. Choir and orchestra: Ehre sei dir Gott gesungen
44. Evangelist recitative: Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem
45. Turba chorus: (Wo ist der neugeborne König der Juden?) with meditative alto interpolations (Sucht ihn in deiner Brust)
46. Chorale: Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt
47. Bass aria with oboe d'amore: Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen
48. Evangelist recitative: Da das der König Herodes hörte
49. Alto accompanied recitative and Evangelist recitative: Warum wollt ihr erschrekken?/Und ließ versammlen
50. Aria terzetto: Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen
51. Soprano accompanied recitative: Mein liebster herrschet schon
52. Chorale: Zwar ist solche Herzensstube
Our Wednesday chorale just before Christmas is not famous, not dramatic, not flashy or even particularly memorable. As far as we know, Bach used it only once. But that once, in Bach's Christmas Oratorio, is a thing of beauty, luminous and numinous, full of meaning and of hope.
The chorale melody was written by Heinrich Albert, and was first published in 1642. Bach selected this tune for the closing chorale of the fifth cantata of his Oratorio, yet as happens so often with Bach, he (and/or his librettist) hunted for and found exactly the right verse from another chorale text attached to the melody.
Here's the context: The last two cantatas form a narrative pair which relates the story of the Magi, as told in the gospel according to Matthew. In Cantata 5, after a celebratory opening chorus, the drama begins with the search of the three wayfarers for the newborn child; they are led by a brilliant star. Later, Herod directs his scholars and seers to find the babe. Bach draws two related themes from this material. First, we are told to 'seek him in the heart'; in an extended trio, the soprano and tenor, who languish while waiting for salvation, are told by the alto, 'Hush! He's already here!'. Then, in the closing sequence, Bach explores the nature of our hearts, which are likened to the dark stable; yet even here, even in this darkness, the brightness of salvation can shine.
Here's the chorale verse, by Johann Franck (1655), which closes this sequence and the cantata itself:
Such a heart's chamber
need be no ornate prince's hall;
it could be even a dark pit;
yet as soon as thy beams of grace peep in,
it seems to be full of sunshine.
To express this idea in this context, nothing could be more effective than the humble melody which Bach has chosen. The chorale is the perfect musical representation of the coming of light to a dark place.
Lord knows that here in this moment--the shortest days of the year, the omicron variant, strife and dissonance and challenges all around us--we need light wherever we can find it. One source is beautiful music, and that is one thing I can offer. Take a little time to explore the sequence and the entire cantata. A full score is attached; here's a link to Pamela Dellal's translation; and below you can find links to each movement in a very nice performance by the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, conducted by Peter Dijkstra.
May we all find--and even create--some light in the darkness!
43. Choir and orchestra: Ehre sei dir Gott gesungen
44. Evangelist recitative: Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem
45. Turba chorus: (Wo ist der neugeborne König der Juden?) with meditative alto interpolations (Sucht ihn in deiner Brust)
46. Chorale: Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt
47. Bass aria with oboe d'amore: Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen
48. Evangelist recitative: Da das der König Herodes hörte
49. Alto accompanied recitative and Evangelist recitative: Warum wollt ihr erschrekken?/Und ließ versammlen
50. Aria terzetto: Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen
51. Soprano accompanied recitative: Mein liebster herrschet schon
52. Chorale: Zwar ist solche Herzensstube