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Subject Area: Music
Subject Area: Religion

Cantata CXXVIII.: Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein Ascension Day (? 1735) - Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 2 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Cantatas and Motetts [1917]

Edition used:

Bach’s Chorals. Part I: 2 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Cantatas and Motetts, by Charles Sanford Terry (Cambridge University Press, 1915-1921). 3 vols. Vol. 2.

Part of: Bach’s Chorals, 3 vols.

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Cantata CXXVIII.

Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein Ascension Day (? 1735)

(a)

For the melody of the opening movement, Nicolaus Decius’ “Allein Gott in der Hoh’ sei Ehr’,” see Cantata 85.

The words of the opening movement are the first stanza of Josua Wegelin’s, or Wegelein’s, Ascension Hymn, “Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein,” first published in Wegelin’s Andachtige Versohnung mit Gott (Nürnberg, 1636), with a first stanza beginning, “Allein auf Christi Himmelfahrt,” and to the tune “Allein Gott” (supra). The Hymn was reconstructed and published as “Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein” in the Lüneburg Vollständiges Gesang-Buch (Lüneburg, 1661).

Wegelin was born at Augsburg in 1604, and was successively Deacon, Archdeacon, and pastor there. In 1635 he was appointed pastor at Pressburg. He died in 1640:

  • Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein
  • Ich meine Nachfahrt gründe,
  • Und allen Zweifel, Angst und Pein
  • Hiermit stets überwinde;
  • Denn weil das Haupt im Himmel ist,
  • Wird seine Glieder Jesus Christ
  • Zu rechter Zeit nachholen.

  • B.G. xxvi. 163.

English translations of the Hymn are noted in the Dictionary of Hymnology, p. 1246.

Form. Choral Fantasia (2 Cor., 2 Ob., Oboe da caccia, Strings, Continuo).

(b)

For the melody of the concluding Choral, the anonymous (1679) “O Gott, du frommer Gott,” see Cantata 45.

The words of the concluding Choral are the fourth stanza of Matthaus Avenarius’ Hymn, “O Jesu, meine Lust,” first published (to no specified melody) in Heinrich Ammersbach’s Vermehrtes Gesang-Buchlein (Halberstadt, 1673). Its proper melody dates from 1677 and appears to have been little used. Avenarius’ Hymn is set to “O Gott, du frommer Gott,” in Wagner (1697).

Avenarius was born at Eisenach in 1625, became Cantor at Schmalkalden in 1650, pastor at Steinbach-Hallenberg in 1662, and died in 1692:

  • Alsdann so wirst du mich
  • Zu deiner Rechten stellen,
  • Und mir, als deinem Kind,
  • Ein gnadig Urtheil fällen,
  • Mich bringen zu der Lust,
  • Wo deine Herrlichkeit
  • Ich werde schauen an
  • In alle Ewigkeit.

  • B.G. xxvi. 184.

Form. Embellished (2 Cor. 2 Ob., Oboe da caccia, Strings, Continuo). Choralgesange, No. 279.