It's Cantata 41: Jesu nun sei gepreiset, part of the Second Jahrgang (Bach's second cantata cycle for the 1724-25 church year), in which nearly all of the cantatas are each based upon a single Lutheran chorale. (During the same year, he managed to squeeze in such minor efforts as the S. John Passion, the Easter Oratorio, and other works for special occasions. No slacker, that J.S. Bach.)
For New Year's Day 1725, he (and or his librettist) selected a celebratory three-verse chorale text by Johannes Herman, set to a 1609 melody by Melchior Vulpius. As you can see at this link, the melody is unusual: It's long, repetitive, and has quite a limited range. You wouldn't think you could do all that much with it.
Ha! That's what I thought too! As usual, Bach exceeds our wildest expectations. As with nearly all of the Jahrgang II cantatas, his opening movement features the melody in the top voice throughout. The movement is provided with a festive orchestration of trumpets, timpani, three oboes, strings and continuo. Beginning in duple time, it follows the form of the chorale in shifting to triple-time mid-stream, and then back again. The lower voices participate in the concerto-like texture, interpolating fast, complex lines underneath the staunch old tune.
After this epic opening movement--it runs to 213 measures--there are four central movements which collectively present the ideas of the second verse of the chorale, with plenty of embroidery and commentary. Take a look at the joyous and optimistic libretto here, and then explore this wonderful music at the links below.
Movement 2 is a ravishing da capo aria for the soprano with the three oboes and continuo;
Movement 3 is an alto recitative;
Movement 4 features the tenor and a highly ornate solo by the violoncello piccolo;
Movement 5 is another recitative, this time for the bass, with a highly unusual interjection by the choir on the text (from Martin Luther's 1528-29 Litany): A prayer that we might 'Crush Satan beneath our feet'.
And finally, as expected, Bach closes with the third and final verse of the chorale, harmonized in four parts. Not so predictably, he provides an extra accompaniment in the form of several interjections by the trumpets and drums of material from the very opening of the first movement. Thus he ties together beginning and end, alpha and omega, wishing us a blessed new year from start to finish.
What a great way to end Bach's first full year in Leipzig! And it's wonderful music to hear and study as we welcome in our own new year, hopefully a rich and wonderful and meaningful one for all of us.
Attached is the Bärenreiter score of the cantata; here's a link to Pamela Dellal's translation.
For New Year's Day 1725, he (and or his librettist) selected a celebratory three-verse chorale text by Johannes Herman, set to a 1609 melody by Melchior Vulpius. As you can see at this link, the melody is unusual: It's long, repetitive, and has quite a limited range. You wouldn't think you could do all that much with it.
Ha! That's what I thought too! As usual, Bach exceeds our wildest expectations. As with nearly all of the Jahrgang II cantatas, his opening movement features the melody in the top voice throughout. The movement is provided with a festive orchestration of trumpets, timpani, three oboes, strings and continuo. Beginning in duple time, it follows the form of the chorale in shifting to triple-time mid-stream, and then back again. The lower voices participate in the concerto-like texture, interpolating fast, complex lines underneath the staunch old tune.
After this epic opening movement--it runs to 213 measures--there are four central movements which collectively present the ideas of the second verse of the chorale, with plenty of embroidery and commentary. Take a look at the joyous and optimistic libretto here, and then explore this wonderful music at the links below.
Movement 2 is a ravishing da capo aria for the soprano with the three oboes and continuo;
Movement 3 is an alto recitative;
Movement 4 features the tenor and a highly ornate solo by the violoncello piccolo;
Movement 5 is another recitative, this time for the bass, with a highly unusual interjection by the choir on the text (from Martin Luther's 1528-29 Litany): A prayer that we might 'Crush Satan beneath our feet'.
And finally, as expected, Bach closes with the third and final verse of the chorale, harmonized in four parts. Not so predictably, he provides an extra accompaniment in the form of several interjections by the trumpets and drums of material from the very opening of the first movement. Thus he ties together beginning and end, alpha and omega, wishing us a blessed new year from start to finish.
What a great way to end Bach's first full year in Leipzig! And it's wonderful music to hear and study as we welcome in our own new year, hopefully a rich and wonderful and meaningful one for all of us.
Attached is the Bärenreiter score of the cantata; here's a link to Pamela Dellal's translation.