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2010, June 14
Motet BWV 159a
JS Bach Motet BWV 159a: Ich lasse dich nicht
(I will not let thee go except thou bless me)
Weimar Cantatas
Key: f minor
Scoring: Double choir
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
Words: Genesis 32:26
BWV 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 159a, 118b
Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki
Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan
Release Date: 2/2/2010
Bis 1841
YouTube BIS Suzuki preview
BWV 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 118/231, Anh 165, 144, 38, 159a, deest BC C8
Conductor: Jörg Straube
Nord Deutscher Figural Chor, Baroque Brass of London, Bach-Orchester Hanover
Release Date: 9/30/2003
Thorofon CTH 2481/2
Nord Deutscher Figural Chor Website
The music
| BWV 159a Rilling | BWV 159a Hilliard Ensemble | BWV 159a Jörg Straube (concludes with four-part chorale) |
Discussion
This short piece, originally ascribed to Johann Sebastian, then to his brother Johann Christoph, and now generally agreed again to be by Johann Sebastian, is composed in one part with two sections, the first using a biblical quote, and the second a chorale. Carol Traupman-Carr gives an excellent description of the form of the music, measure by measure. The ear is easily able to distinguish the two sections. At measure 56 the choirs begin overlapping; at measure 86 the sopranos begin singing the chorale and the choirs come together to sing as one choir in counterpoint to the chorale.
This link gets you to a page where you can download the score of the motet, with old clefs, soprano, alto, tenor, bass.
This page discussing the chorale doesn't mention its appearance in BWV 159a, though BWV 159a is listed as a motet in the list of available recordings.
Melamed discusses aspects of this motet throughout his book. He is primarily concerned with establishing the date of the original performance; custom had dictated that all the motets were written in Leipzig. Melamed is convinced that this motet was written earlier, probably in 1712-13. He offers evidence of the similarity of the style and the substance of the work to other works dated at that time, e.g. BWV 541 and BWV 21.9. He also dates BWV 228 from the same period on the basis of style.
Here is the list of recordings from the Bach Cantatas website.
Text references
King James Bible and Luther's German Bible
| Scripture | Text | |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 32:26 | And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. | |
| Genesis 32:26 | Und er sprach: Laß mich gehen, denn die Morgenröte bricht an. Aber er antwortete: Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn. |
The third verse of the chorale, text and translation:
Weil du mein Gott und Vater bist,
Dein Kind wirst du verlassen nicht,
Du väterliches Herz!
Ich bin ein armer Erdenkloß,
Auf Erden weiß ich keinen Trost
Since you are my God and father
you will not abandon your child,
you fatherly heart!
I am a wretched clod of earth,
on earth I know no consolation.
Charles Sanford Terry's translation:
Lord, thou my God and Father art!
I know thou've given to me thy heart
Nor wilt forget thy child
I am but dust, a thing of clay,
Yet have I thee my course to lay.
The text and translation from Z. Philip Ambrose, removed from its frame.
Here is his home page.
