rssWe are all something, but none of us are everything. - Blaise Pascal
2009, November 21
Cantata BWV 106
JS Bach Cantata BWV 106: Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit
(God's time is the best of all) "Actus Tragicus"
Funeral cantata 1707
Mühlhausen Cantatas
Reading: Corinthians 5:6-8; Mark 16:1-8
Scoring: Two recorders, Two violas da gamba, Continuo
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
Bärenreiter vol 14; p 279
Words: Bible verses, chorales
Bach Bibliography
Much has been written about Cantata 106; this post is a sort of literature review. In this cantata Bach treats the subject of death under the "Old Law", then under the Gospel. He has packed into about twenty minutes references to three chorales, two Psalms, bits from Isaiah, Luke, Revelations, the apocryphal book Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), and a verse from the Acts of the Apostles.
Alfred Dürr begins his discussion of this cantata thus: …the Actus Tragicus is a work of genius such as even great masters seldom achieve. Here, in one stroke, the twenty-two year old composer left all his contemporaries far behind him. Of course it could be argued that in later years Bach's art became a great deal more mature, but it hardly grew more profound. The Actus Tragicus belongs to the great musical literature of the world.
Dürr closes his discussion of this cantata with the following: Among the works created using the compositional means of his early period, however, this cantata far exceeds the others both in depth of expression and in spiritual penetration. Dürr p 759-765
Whittaker is equally effusive: Suddenly…at one bound, he leaps into consummate mastery.
Never again did he acheive the continuous tenderness and the elevated spiritual feeling in just the same way as it is found here; it remains unique. Whittaker continues with an essay that relates the music to the text in a very helpful way. Whittaker vol 1, p 57-63
After much reading and many listenings, score in hand, it is time to move on. I feel I am leaving an old friend. But I know I will return many times and will find more to learn and hear in the many layers of this cantata.
The first chorale
Terry (C.S. Terry vol 2, p 343, 344) discusses the derivation of the melody introduced in the unison recorder parts of 106.2d, measure 150. The illustration on the left is the complete four part song. On the right he has isolated the tenor part from this song, "Ich weiss mir ein Röslein hübsch und fein".
Both the tenor part and the soprano part became associated with the hymn "Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt". Eventually, the tenor melody fell out of popularity and only the soprano melody was used.
The melody in 106.2d, derived from the tenor part of this song, "Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt" is never used again by Bach in any of the works we have; BWV 351, 707, 708 and 1113 use the soprano part. Williams, 2nd ed., p 445.
The tenor part of the song, "Ich weiss mir ein Röslein hübsch und fein"
The recorder parts from measure 150, part 2d.
Dürr, p 763, points out that the texts of verses 2, 8, 10 and 16 of the chorale "Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt" parallel the cantata text. So a rather hidden musical reference to the chorale reinforces the ideas in the cantata text.
The second chorale
The chorale used in the alto part of 3b is the first verse of Martin Luther's Nunc dimittis, Luke 2:29-32.
King James
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Luther
Herr, nun läßst du deinen Diener in Frieden fahren, wie du gesagt hast; denn meine Augen haben deinen Heiland gesehen, welchen du bereitet hast vor allen Völkern, ein Licht, zu erleuchten die Heiden, und zum Preis deines Volkes Israel.
| Luther hymn Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin In Gottes Willen, Getrost ist mir mein Herz und Sinn, Sanft und stille. Wie Gott mir verheißen hat: Der Tod ist mein Schlaf worden. ("Mit Fried und Freud," verse 1) |
With peace and joy I depart in God's will, My heart and mind are comforted, calm, and quiet. As God had promised me: death has become my sleep |
The final chorale
The final chorus of the cantata is an extended version of the chorale "In dich hab' ich gehoffet, Herr" using the words of the seventh verse. The melody occurs elsewhere: in the "St Matthew Passion," BWV 244.38, in the "Christmas Oratorio," BWV 248.46 and in the organ work BWV 712.
In Johann Hermann Schein's Cantional (Leipzig, 1627) it appears in a form very similar to that in which Bach employs it. Terry, vol 2 p 242
Bach extends the chorale with a closing Amen, a rousing fugue.
Biblical references for each part
References for the text: Luther's German Bible
| Scripture | Text | Part | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a | Acts 17:28 | In ihm leben, weben und sind wir. | Chorus |
| 2b | Psalms 90:12 | Lehre uns bedenken, daß wir sterben müssen, auf daß wir klug werden | Tenor |
| 2c | Isaiah 38:1 | Bestelle dein Haus; denn du wirst sterben und nicht lebendig bleiben | Bass |
| 2d | Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 14:18 | Es ist der alte Bund: Mensch, du mußt sterben! | Alto, tenor, bass |
| Revelations 22:20 | Ja komm, Herr Jesu! | Soprano | |
| Chorale | Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt | Instruments | |
| 3a | Psalms 31:6 | In deine Hände befehl ich meinen Geist; du hast mich erlöset, Herr, du getreuer Gott | Alto |
| 3b | Luke 23:43 | Heute wirst du mit mir im Paradies sein. | Bass |
| Chorale | Mit Fried und Freude ich fahr dahin | Alto | |
| 4 | Chorale | Glorie, Lob, Ehr und Herrlichkeit
Sei dir, Gott Vater und Sohn bereit' *7th verse of: In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr |
Chorus |
References for the text: King James Bible
| Scripture | Text | Part | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a | Acts 17:28 | For in him we live, and move, and have our being. | Chorus |
| 2b | Psalms 90:12 | So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. | Tenor |
| 2c | Isaiah 38:1 | Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. | Bass |
| 2d | Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)14:18 | The covenant from the beginning is, Thou shalt die the death! | Alto, tenor, bass |
| Revelations 22:20 | Come, Lord Jesus! | Soprano | |
| Chorale | I have brought my affairs home to God | Instruments | |
| 3a | Psalms 31:5 | Into thine hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth | Alto |
| 3b | Luke 23:43 | To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. | Bass |
| Chorale | With peace and joy I depart | Alto | |
| 4 | Chorale | Glorie, Lob, Ehr und Herrlichkeit
Sei dir, Gott Vater und Sohn bereit' *7th verse of: In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr |
Chorus |
The music
| 1 | Sonatina with recorders. On some recordings the recorders are rather overwhelming. |
| 2a | Chorus with recorders |
| 2b | Tenor aria with recorders |
| 2c | Bass aria with recorders |
| 2d | Soprano aria and chorus, special |
| 3a | Alto aria with viola da gamba obbligato, particularly affecting. |
| 3b | Bass and alto aria with choir, continues from 3a without break; very sad alto chorale; duet causes shivers in my spine. |
| 4 | Chorus with recorders; uplifting short fugal Amen |
|
BWV 106.1 and commentary. |
1 2 |
|
3 |
4 |
My favorite recording is Rifkin's with one voice per part, no one part is overbearing at any time. The recorders are not intrusive, but blend with the voices, with no harsh overtones.
Instruments and voices for each part
| Section | Instruments, voices | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonatina recorder I,II, viola da gamba I,II and continuo (NBA: not specified) | |
| 2a | SATB, recorder I,II, viola da gamba I,II and continuo (NBA: not specified) | |
| 2b | Tenor, recorder I,II, viola da gamba I,II and continuo (NBA: not specified) | |
| 2b | Bass, recorder I,II, viola da gamba I,II and continuo (NBA: not specified) | |
| 2d | SATB, recorder I,II, viola da gamba I,II and continuo (NBA: not specified) | |
| 3a | Alto, bass, viola da gamba I,II and continuo (NBA: not specified) | |
| 3b | Bass and continuo (NBA: not specified) then add viola da gamba I,II with tenor chorale | |
| 4 | SATB, recorder I,II, viola da gamba I,II and continuo (NBA: not specified) |
References
Emmanuel Notes BWV 106.
Emmanuel Translation BWV 106.
BWV 106 score, old edition, not under copyright.
Discussion from Bach Cantatas Website.
Recordingsfrom Bach Cantatas Website.
Mit Fried und Freud from Bach Cantatas Website.
www.answers.com Brian Robins
John Eliot Gardiner Cantatas, PDF index.
John Eliot Gardiner Cantatas Recordings.
Classical.net discussion, Simon Crouch.
Carol Traupman-Carr of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
London Bach Society Database entry BWV 106
Article AllMusic.com BWV 106
