Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten! BWV 172
Encyclopedia
BWV
The Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis is the numbering system identifying compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. The prefix BWV, followed by the work's number, is the shorthand identification for Bach's compositions...
172, is a church cantata
Bach cantata
Bach cantata became a term for a cantata of the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach who was a prolific writer of the genre. Although many of his works are lost, around 200 cantatas survived....
of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, written for Pentecost Sunday in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, first performed there in the Schlosskirche (court chapel) on 20 May 1714.
History
In Weimar, Bach was the court organist of Johann Ernst von Sachsen-Weimar. On 2 March 1714, he was promoted to Konzertmeister, an honour which included a monthly performance of a church cantata in the Schlosskirche. Erschallet, ihr Lieder is the third of the series, following Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV 12. The poetry is attributed to Salomon FranckSalomon Franck
Salomon Franck, 6 March 1659 – 11 July 1725), was a German lawyer, scientist, and gifted poet.His name is widely associated with some of Johann Sebastian Bach's best-known cantatas, mainly those composed as of 1714 in Weimar.-Biography:Franck was born in Weimar...
, although the work is not found in his printed editions, but his known preferences in style – such as Bible words in a recitative second movement rather than in a first choral movement, arias following each other without a recitative in between, and dialog in duets – all appear here. Performing material has survived and shows that the cantata was performed again in Leipzig in 1724 where the instrumentation was slightly changed and the work transposed from C Major to D Major. Bach revised it in 1731, again in C Major. A part for obbligato organ replacing oboe and cello in movement 5 exists for an even later performance. Bach seems to have loved this work especially.
Scoring, words and structure
The cantata is written for soprano, alto, tenor and bass soloists, choir and a festive orchestra of three trumpets and timpani, two violins, two violas, cello, oboe (or, in later versions, oboe d'amore or organ), bassoon and basso continuo. The words for movements 1 and 3 to 5 are attributed to Salomon FranckSalomon Franck
Salomon Franck, 6 March 1659 – 11 July 1725), was a German lawyer, scientist, and gifted poet.His name is widely associated with some of Johann Sebastian Bach's best-known cantatas, mainly those composed as of 1714 in Weimar.-Biography:Franck was born in Weimar...
. The words for the recitative are taken from the Gospel of John
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
14:23: Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten (Whoever loves Me will keep My Word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him). Movement 5 is a duet of the Soul (soprano) and the Spirit (alto), underlined by an instrumental quote of the Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
chorale Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott, based on Veni Creator Spiritus
Veni Creator Spiritus
Veni Creator Spiritus is a hymn believed to have been written by Rabanus Maurus in the 9th century. It is normally sung in Gregorian Chant and often associated with the Roman Catholic Church, where it is performed during the liturgical celebration of the feast of Pentecost...
. The final chorale is verse four of Philipp Nicolai
Philipp Nicolai
Philipp Nicolai was a German Lutheran pastor, poet, and composer, author of two famous hymns: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme and Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern...
's Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern , BWV 1, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach composed the cantata in Leipzig for the feast of the Annunciation and first performed it on 25 March 1725....
.
- Coro: Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten
- Recitativo (bass): Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten
- Aria (bass, trumpets & timpani): Heiligste Dreieinigkeit
- Aria (tenor, strings): O Seelenparadies
- Aria (soprano – Soul, alto – Spirit, oboe, cello): Komm, laß mich nicht länger warten
- Chorale (violin): Von Gott kömmt mir ein Freudenschein
- optional: repeat of the opening chorus
Music
- The first movement is a festive concerto, words and music possibly based on an earlier lost secular "Glückwunschkantate". A print of Franck's works contains a cantata for New Year's Day "Erschallet nun wieder, glückwünschende Lieder" (Sound again, congratulating songs) that may have served as a model. The movement is in da capo form. The first part is opened by trumpets fanfares, alternating with flowing coloraturas in the strings. The voices enter as a third homophonicHomophonyIn music, homophony is a texture in which two or more parts move together in harmony, the relationship between them creating chords. This is distinct from polyphony, in which parts move with rhythmic independence, and monophony, in which all parts move in parallel rhythm and pitch. A homophonic...
choir, repeating the fanfare motives, echoed by the trumpets, and imitating the string lines, culminating in the long first syllable of "seligste Zeiten" (blessed times) during which the instruments play the fanfares. In the middle section the trumpets rest, the voices expand in polyphonPolyphonyIn music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
imitation the idea that God will prepare the souls to be his temple, starting from the lowest to the highest voice in the first sequence with entrances after three or two measures, from the highest to the lowest in the second, the entrances in faster succession after one or two measures. - The recitative refers to the gospel reading of the day and expands the idea of "making dwelling with him" in melismaMelismaMelisma, in music, is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referred to as melismatic, as opposed to syllabic, where each syllable of text is matched to a single note.-History:Music of ancient cultures used...
tic lines, counterpointed by motives in the cello similar to motives in movement five. Bach gave the words of Jesus to the bass as the Vox ChristiVox ChristiVox Christi, Latin for Voice of Christ, is a term for the bass voice representing Jesus in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and others. This part appears prominently in Bach's Passions...
(voice of Christ). He describes the final rest in God by ending the solo line on a whole note low C (C2), the lowest note he demanded of a soloist. - The aria about the Holy TrinityTrinityThe Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
is accompanied by a choir of three trumpets and basso continuo, a rare combination expressing the idea of the words. The theme is composed of the three notes of the major chordMajor chordIn music theory, a major chord is a chord having a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a major triad...
. - In great contrast, in the tenor aria O Seelenparadies (O paradise of the soul) flowing continuous waves in the unison strings illustrate the spirit that was present at the Creation, worded O Seelenparadies, das Gottes Geist durchwehet, der bei der Schöpfung blies ... (O paradise of the soul, fanned by the Spirit of God, which blew at creation).
- The last solo movement, termed Aria by Bach, is a complex structure uniting four "voices", two singers, solo oboe and solo cello. Soprano and alto are singing of their unity ("I shall die, if I have to be without you" the one; "I am yours, and you are mine!" the other), the oboe plays the richly ornamented melody of a chorale for Pentecost Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott ("Come, Holy Spirit, Lord God, fill with the goodness of Your grace the hearts, wills, and minds of Your faithful. Ignite Your burning love in them."), and the cello plays an intricate counterpoint line throughout.
- The words of the final chorale, translated "A joyful radiance reaches me from God", are illustrated by an added lively violin part to the four-part choir.
- In the first performances until 1724 the opening chorus was repeated after the chorale, marked "chorus repetatur ab initio" in the manuscript.
Recordings
- J.S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 68 & BWV 172, Klaus Martin Ziegler , Kassel Vocal Ensemble, Deutsche Bachsolisten, Ursula BuckelUrsula BuckelUrsula Buckel was a German soprano singer, known for singing works of Johann Sebastian Bach.- Professional career :...
, Irma Keller, Theo AltmeyerTheo AltmeyerTheo Altmeyer was a German classical tenor. Although he was a successful opera singer, he is chiefly remembered for his work as an oratorio soloist...
, Jakob StämpfliJakob Stämpfli (bass)Jakob Stämpfli is a Swiss bass concert singer and an influential academic teacher and director of the conservatory in Bern, also a teacher in Saarbrücken.-Biography:...
, Cantate / Nonesuch, Mid 1960s? - Cantatas BWV 172 & BWV 78, Erhard MauersbergerErhard MauersbergerErhard Mauersberger was a German choral conductor, conducting the Thomanerchor as the fourteenth Thomaskantor since Johann Sebastian Bach...
, ThomanerchorThomanerchorThe Thomanerchor is a boys' choir in Leipzig, Germany. The choir was founded in 1212. At present, the choir consists of 92 boys from 9 to 18 years of age...
, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Adele StolteAdele StolteAdele Stolte is a German soprano singer in concert and Lieder, and an academic voice teacher.- Biography :...
, Annelies Burmeister, Peter SchreierPeter SchreierPeter Schreier is a German tenor and conductor.-Early life:Schreier was born in Meissen, Saxony, and spent his first years in the small village of Gauernitz, near Meissen, where his father was a teacher, cantor and organist...
, Theo AdamTheo AdamTheo Adam is a distinguished German classical bass-baritone who had an active international career in operas, concerts, and recitals from the 1940s through the 1990s. He particularly excelled in portraying roles from the operas of Richard Wagner...
, Eterna, 1970 - Cantatas. Selections (BWV 172–175), Helmuth RillingHelmuth RillingHelmuth Rilling is an internationally known German choral conductor, founder of the Gächinger Kantorei , the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart , the Oregon Bach Festival , the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart and other Bach Academies worldwide, and the "Festival Ensemble Stuttgart"...
, Frankfurter Kantorei, Bach-Collegium StuttgartBach-Collegium StuttgartBach-Collegium Stuttgart is an internationally known German instrumental ensemble, founded by Helmuth Rilling in 1965 to accompany the Gächinger Kantorei in choral music with orchestra...
, Eva Csapò, Doris SoffelDoris SoffelDoris Soffel is a German mezzo-soprano.Doris Soffel first played the violin, then switched to singing at the Munich Conservatory. She was member of the Stuttgart Opera ensemble from 1973 to 1982. Her international breakthrough was as Sesto in Mozart's La clemenza di Tito at the Royal Opera House,...
, Adalbert KrausAdalbert KrausAdalbert Kraus is a German tenor in opera and concert, known for singing the works of Johann Sebastian Bach.- Biography :...
, Wolfgang SchöneWolfgang Schöne- Biography :Schöne was born in Bad Gandersheim. He began his studies of voice at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover with Naan Pöld in 1964 and moved with him to the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg in 1986, achieving his diploma as a concert singer and music teacher in 1969.His...
, HänsslerHänssler ClassicHänssler Classic is a German classical record label based in Holzgerlingen.Friedrich Hänssler Senior founded Musikverlag Hänssler in 1919 to publish church music. Since 1972 Hänssler Classic has also published contemporary and jazz music...
, 1975 - J.S. Bach Das Kantatenwerk, Hans-Joachim RotzschHans-Joachim RotzschHans-Joachim Rotzsch is a German choral conductor, conducting the Thomanerchor from 1972 until 1991 as the fifteenth Thomaskantor since Johann Sebastian Bach. He is also a tenor and an academic.- Biography :...
, ThomanerchorThomanerchorThe Thomanerchor is a boys' choir in Leipzig, Germany. The choir was founded in 1212. At present, the choir consists of 92 boys from 9 to 18 years of age...
, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Arleen AugérArleen AugerJoyce Arleen Auger was an American soprano singer, admired for her coloratura voice and interpretations of works by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Monteverdi, Gluck, and Mozart.-Biography:...
, Ortrun WenkelOrtrun WenkelOrtrun Wenkel is a German operatic contralto. She notably portrayed the roles of Erda and Fricka in the 1983 recording of Richard Wagner's The Ring Cycle which won a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording and which was conducted by Marek Janowski for RCA.-References:...
, Peter SchreierPeter SchreierPeter Schreier is a German tenor and conductor.-Early life:Schreier was born in Meissen, Saxony, and spent his first years in the small village of Gauernitz, near Meissen, where his father was a teacher, cantor and organist...
, Theo AdamTheo AdamTheo Adam is a distinguished German classical bass-baritone who had an active international career in operas, concerts, and recitals from the 1940s through the 1990s. He particularly excelled in portraying roles from the operas of Richard Wagner...
, Berlin Classics 1981 - J.S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk - Sacred Cantatas Vol. 9, Gustav LeonhardtGustav LeonhardtGustav Leonhardt is a highly renowned Dutch keyboard player, conductor, musicologist, teacher and editor. Leonhardt has been a leading figure in the movement to perform music on period instruments...
, Knabenchor Hannover (chorus master Heinz HennigHeinz HennigHeinz Hennig was a German choral conductor and an academic, known for founding the Knabenchor Hannover in 1950 and leading it until 2001.- Biography :...
), Collegium Vocale Gent, Leonhardt Consort, Matthias Echternach (soloist of the Knabenchor Hannover), Paul EsswoodPaul EsswoodPaul Esswood is an English countertenor. He is best known for his singing in Bach cantatas and the operas of Handel and Monteverdi. Along with his countrymen Alfred Deller and James Bowman, he led the revival of countertenor singing in modern times.Esswood was born in West Bridgford, England. He...
, Marius van Altena, Max van EgmondMax van EgmondMax van Egmond is a Dutch bass and baritone singer. He has focused on oratorio and Lied and is known for singing works of Johann Sebastian Bach.- Professional career :...
, TeldecTeldecThe Teldec is a German record label in Hamburg, Germany. Today the label is a property of Warner Music Group.-History:...
1987 - J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 2, Ton KoopmanTon KoopmanTon Koopman is a conductor, organist and harpsichordist.Koopman had a "classical education" and then studied the organ , harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam...
, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & ChoirAmsterdam Baroque Orchestra & ChoirThe Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir is a Dutch early-music group based in Amsterdam.The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir was created in two stages by the conductor, organist and harpsichordist Ton Koopman. He founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra in 1979 and the Amsterdam Baroque Choir in...
, Barbara SchlickBarbara SchlickBarbara Schlick is a German soprano who is particularly admired for interpretations of the concert literature of the baroque era.-Career:...
, Kai WesselKai WesselKai Wessel is a German countertenor and a teacher at the Hochschule für Musik Köln.- Professional career :Kai Wessel started singing in school choirs and as a boy soprano at the Christus-Kirche of Hamburg-Wandsbek and received lessons on piano, organ and oboe...
, Christoph PrégardienChristoph PrégardienChristoph Prégardien is a German lyric tenor whose career is closely associated with the roles in Mozart operas, as well as performances of Lieder, oratorio roles, and Baroque music...
, Klaus MertensKlaus MertensKlaus Mertens is a German bass and bass-baritone singer who is known especially for his interpretation of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach.-Professional career:Klaus Mertens took singing lessons while attending school...
, Antoine Marchand 1995 - Bach Cantatas Vol. 26, John Eliot GardinerJohn Eliot GardinerSir John Eliot Gardiner CBE FKC is an English conductor. He founded the Monteverdi Choir , the English Baroque Soloists and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique...
, Monteverdi ChoirMonteverdi ChoirThe Monteverdi Choir was founded in 1964 by Sir John Eliot Gardiner for a performance of the Monteverdi Vespers in King's College Chapel, Cambridge. A specialist Baroque ensemble, the Choir has become famous for its stylistic conviction and extensive repertoire, encompassing music from the early...
, English Baroque SoloistsEnglish Baroque SoloistsThe English Baroque Soloists is a chamber orchestra playing on period instruments, formed in 1978 by English conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Its repertoire comprises music from the early Baroque period to the Classical period...
, Lisa LarssonLisa Larsson- Biography :Larsson studied in Basel and since 1993 appeared in the Internationales Opernstudio of the Zurich Opera House under conductors such as Franz Welser-Möst, Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Christoph von Dohnányi....
, Derek Lee RaginDerek Lee RaginDerek Lee Ragin is an American countertenor.Ragin studied as a piano major at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. While at Oberlin he took secondary voice lessons with Richard Anderson. He began his operatic career at Oberlin in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream as Oberon...
, Christoph GenzChristoph Genz- Biography :Christoph Genz was a member of the Thomanerchor. He studied at the King’s College, Cambridge where he was a member of the King’s College Choir. He studied voice with Hans-Joachim Beyer at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater „Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy“ Leipzig and with Elisabeth...
, Panajotis Iconomou, Soli Deo GloriaSoli Deo Gloria (label)Founded in 2004 in order to release the recordings made during the Bach Cantata pilgrimage that took place in the year 2000. Following its launch in 2005, Soli Deo Gloria has established itself as one of the leading independent record labels....
2000 review classical net - Thomanerchor Leipzig, conductor Georg Christoph BillerGeorg Christoph BillerGeorg Christoph Biller is a German choral conductor, conducting the Thomanerchor since 1992 as the sixteenth Thomaskantor since Johann Sebastian Bach...
, St. Thomas, 2009
External links
- Cantata BWV 172 Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten on the bach-cantatas website
- German text and English translation, Emmanuel MusicEmmanuel MusicEmmanuel Music is a Boston-based collective group of singers and instrumentalists founded in 1970 by Craig Smith. It was created specifically to perform the complete cycle of over 200 sacred cantatas of J.S. Bach in the liturgical setting for which they were intended, an endeavor twice completed...
- Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten on the Bach website (in German)
- Entries for BWV 172 on WorldCatWorldCatWorldCat is a union catalog which itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories which participate in the Online Computer Library Center global cooperative...