rssOne might almost say that an apparition is human vision corrected by divine love. I do not see you as you really are, Joseph; I see you through my affection for you. The Miracles of the Church seem to me to rest not so much upon faces or voices or healing power coming suddenly near to us from afar off, but upon our perceptions being made finer, so that for a moment our eyes can see and our ears can hear what is there about us always. - Willa Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop
2008, May 11
Whit Sunday 2008
Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Easter with J.S. Bach and Alexander Sadoyan..
Painting by Alexander Sadoyan.
For today, Pentecost or Whit Sunday, we have BWV 172, "Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten!" ("Ring out, you songs, resound, you strings!"), a favorite of mine, which concludes with a four part chorale with a wonderful violin obbligato. It was written for Pentecost Sunday in May 1714, so is one of Bach's early cantatas. He also played it several times in Leipzig with some alterations.
Alfred Dürr says of this cantata: "All the various changes he made show how much trouble Bach took over a work which—as the number of documented performances (at least four) suggests—he seems to have particularly loved."
I have several performances of this cantata: Leusink, Leonhardt, Koopman, Suzuki, Rifkin, Gardiner and Rilling. The large number of performances available is another indication of the popularity and appeal of this cantata. The opening chorus is very festive; it puts me in mind of the opening movement of the Christmas Oratorio.
The six parts of the cantata are:
opening chorus
bass recitative with a low C at the end
bass aria
tenor aria
alto-soprano aria with the chorale "Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott" in the instruments
closing chorale with violin obbligato.
As for the low C discussed at such great length on the Bach Cantatas Website, it is most audible on the Suzuki performance, but all the basses do well. The most joyous performance for me is Rifkin's. His choice of one voice and one instrument per part also allows the violin obbligato to shine through on the final chorale.
BWV 172 Complete cantata by Leusink
Listen to the closing chorale with the soundfont JEUX, by John W. McCoy.
The closing chorale by Leusink, BWV 172.6
A discussion of the melody of BWV 172.6
Discussions of the Cantata
Notes from the Bach Cantatas Website p. 1
Notes from the Bach Cantatas Website p. 2
Notes from the Bach Cantatas Website p. 3
Notes from Craig Smith
Translation by Craig Smith
