rssThe last note is never the last. It is rather a point of departure for something to come. - Seymour Bernstein
2010, August 04
Motet BWV 228
JS Bach Motet BWV 228: Fürchte dich nicht
(Fear thou not; for I am with thee)
Weimar Cantatas
Key: A Major
Scoring: Double choir
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
Words: Isaiah 41:10 and 43:1
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
Discussion
A short piece, about eight minutes long, this energetic little motet is very pleasant listening.
Carol Traupman-Carr of Bach Choir of Bethlehem writes a very nice essay about this motet.
At this link you can download the score of the motet, with old clefs, soprano, alto, tenor, bass.
C.S. Terry vol 3 p 50 discusses the chorale, in its context in the Christmas Oratorio in this pdf excerpt. Here is BWV 422, a four part harmonization of the same chorale.
Melamed discusses this motet throughout his book. He is convinced that the original performance occurred in Weimar; custom had dictated that all the motets were written in Leipzig. Melamed is convinced that this motet was written earlier, probably in 1714. 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 63.
Here is the list of recent recordings from the Bach Cantatas website.
Text references
King James Bible and Luther's German Bible
| Scripture | Text | |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 41:10 and 43:1 | Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. |
|
| Isaiah 41:10 and 43:1 | Fürchte dich nicht, ich bin mit dir; weiche nicht, denn ich bin dein Gott! Ich stärke dich, ich helfe dir auch, ich erhalte dich durch die rechte Hand meiner Gerechtigkeit.
Und nun spricht der Herr, der dich geschaffen hat, Jakob, und dich gemacht hat, Israel: Fürchte dich nicht, denn ich habe dich erlöset; ich habe dich bei deinem Namen gerufen; du bist mein! |
