Saturday, November 29, 2014

J.S. Bach's Kantata BWV 61: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland ("Now come, Savior of the Gentiles")

Very likely from the same splendid concert at which the Bach Magnificat was recorded, here's a video of this Advent Cantata:



About the piece:
BWV 61 is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Weimar for the first Sunday in Advent and first performed it on 2 December 1714.
 
From Bach-Cantatas.com, here's the German text:

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland I
1. Coro
Violino I/II, Viola I/II, Fagotto, Continuo
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland,
Der Jungfrauen Kind erkannt,
Des sich wundert alle Welt,
Gott solch Geburt ihm bestellt.
2. Recitativo T
Continuo
Der Heiland ist gekommen,
Hat unser armes Fleisch und Blut
An sich genommen
Und nimmet uns zu Blutsverwandten an.
O allerhöchstes Gut,
Was hast du nicht an uns getan?
Was tust du nicht
Noch täglich an den Deinen?
Du kömmst und lässt dein Licht
Mit vollem Segen scheinen.
3. Aria T
Violino I/II, Viola I/II, Continuo
Komm, Jesu, komm zu deiner Kirche
Und gib ein selig neues Jahr!
    Befördre deines Namens Ehre,
    Erhalte die gesunde Lehre
    Und segne Kanzel und Altar!
4. Recitativo B
Violino I/II, Viola I/II, Continuo
Siehe, ich stehe vor der Tür und klopfe an. So jemand meine Stimme hören wird und die Tür auftun, zu dem werde ich eingehen und das Abendmahl mit ihm halten und er mit mir.
5. Aria S
Violoncelli, Continuo
Öffne dich, mein ganzes Herze,
Jesus kömmt und ziehet ein.
    Bin ich gleich nur Staub und Erde,
    Will er mich doch nicht verschmähn,
    Seine Lust an mir zu sehn,
    Dass ich seine Wohnung werde.
    O wie selig werd ich sein!
6. Choral
Viola I coll' Alto, Viola II col Tenore, Fagotto col Basso, Violino I/II, Continuo
Amen, amen!
Komm, du schöne Freudenkrone, bleib nicht lange!
Deiner wart ich mit Verlangen.


And an English translation:

BWV 61 Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland I

First Sunday in Advent.
Erdmann Neumeister, Geistliche Poesien (Eisenach, 1714) and Fünffache Kirchenandachten (Leipzig, 1717); Facs: Neumann T, p. 293.
1. Martin Luther, verse 1 of the German adaptation of Veni redemptor gentium, 1524 (Wackernagel, III, #16); 4. Rev. 3:20; 6. Philipp Nicolai, conclusion (Abgesang) of the last verse of Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, 1599.
2 December 1714, Weimar.
BG 16; NBA I/1.

1. Ouverture [Chorale] (S, A, T, B)
Now come, the gentiles' Savior,
As the Virgin's child revealed,
At whom marvels all the world
That God him this birth ordained.
2. Recit. (T)
To us is come the Savior,
Who hath our feeble flesh and blood
Himself now taken
And taketh us as kinsmen of his blood.
O treasure unexcelled,
What hast thou not for us then done?
What dost thou not
Yet daily for thy people?
Thy coming makes thy light
Appear with richest blessing.
3. Aria (T)
Come, Jesus, come to this thy church now
And fill with blessing the new year!
    Advance thy name in rank and honor, Uphold thou ev'ry wholesome doctrine, The pulpit and the altar bless!
4. Recit. [Dictum] (B)(1)
See now, I stand before the door and on it knock. If anyone my voice will render heed and make wide the door, I will come into his dwelling and take with him the evening supper, and he with me.
5. Aria (S)
Open wide, my heart and spirit,
Jesus comes and draws within.
    Though I soon be earth and ashes, Me he will yet not disdain, That his joy he find in me And that I become his dwelling. Oh, how blessed shall I be!
6. Chorale (S, A, T, B)
Amen, amen!
Come, thou lovely crown of gladness, do not tarry(2).
Here I wait for thee with longing.

1. Representing the vox Christi.
2. In the alto and tenor parts where necessary: come, and do not tarry.

© Copyright  Z. Philip Ambrose

Sunday, November 02, 2014

Missa pro Defunctis: Kyrie Eleison (Kyrie from the Mass for the Dead)

For All Souls' Day, here is the Kyrie from the Mass for the Dead, sung here by the Alfred Deller Consort.




Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Here's Durufle's beautiful composed version; notes at the YouTube page say that it's sung by the Yale Glee Club (Jeffrey Douma, Music Director) along with the Elm City Girls Choir (Rebecca Rosenbaum, Music Director). And it's a wonderful collaboration:



Here are links to posts on this blog, for all the movements of the Requiem mass:


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