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Subject Area: Music
Subject Area: Religion

THE UNFINISHED CANTATAS 1 - 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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THE UNFINISHED CANTATAS1

I.

Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe2 . Christmas Day (? 1728)

The melody of the concluding Choral is the 1679 tune, “O Gott, du frommer Gott,” or “Die Wollust dieser Welt” (see Cantata 45).

The words of the Choral are the fourth stanza of Caspar Ziegler’s Christmas Hymn, “Ich freue mich in dir” (see Cantata 133):

  • Wohlan! so will ich mich
  • An dich, O Jesu, halten,
  • Und sollte gleich die Welt
  • In tausend Stucken spalten.
  • O Jesu, dir, nur dir,
  • Dir leb’ ich ganz allein,
  • Auf dich, allein auf dich,
  • Mein Jesu, schlaf’ ich ein.

  • B.G. xli. 114.

Form. Simple3 . Choralgesänge, No. 277.

III.

Herr Gott, Beherrscher aller Dinge. For a Wedding1 (before 1733)

The words and melody of the concluding Choral are Joachim Neander’s Hymn of Thanksgiving, “Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren” (see Cantatas 57, 137).

The words are the fourth and fifth stanzas of the Hymn:

    • * Lobe den Herren, der deinen Stand sichtbar gesegnet,
    • Der aus dem Himmel mit Stromen der Liebe geregnet!
    • Denke daran,
    • Was der Allmachtige kann,
    • Der dir mit Liebe begegnet.
    • * Lobe den Herren, was in mir ist, lobe den Namen!
    • Alles, was Odem hat, lobe mit Abrahams Samen.
    • Er ist dein Licht,
    • Seele, vergiss es ja nicht;
    • Lobende, schliesse mit Amen!

    • B.G. xli. 174.

Form. Embellished (3 Trombe, Timpani, 2 Ob., Strings, Continuo). Choralgesange, No. 230.

[1 ] In B.G. xli there are two sets of unfinished Cantatas: (1) “Nun danket alle Gott” (No. 192), “Ihr Pforten zu Zion” (No. 193), “Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe” (here distinguished as U 1); (2) “O ewiges Feuer, O Ursprung der Liebe” (here distinguished as U 2), “Herr Gott, Beherrscher aller Dinge” (here distinguished as U 3).

[2 ] The Cantata consists of two Arias (one incomplete), a Recitativo, and the final Choral. The work is incorporated into the Wedding Cantata, No. 197.

[3 ] The orchestration is not stated in the Score.

[1 ] All instrumental parts except the Viola and Continuo parts are lacking. (See No. 137.) The Cantata is founded, in part, on No. 120 (Spitta, ii. 469).