Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) was a German
composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and
violinist of the Baroque period. He enriched many
established German styles through his skill in
counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and
the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from
abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's
compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the
Mass in B minor, the The Well-Tempered Clavier, his
cantatas, chorales, partitas, Passions, and...(+)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) was a German
composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and
violinist of the Baroque period. He enriched many
established German styles through his skill in
counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and
the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from
abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's
compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the
Mass in B minor, the The Well-Tempered Clavier, his
cantatas, chorales, partitas, Passions, and organ
works. His music is revered for its intellectual depth,
technical command, and artistic beauty.
Bach composed the cantata (BWV 7) for St. John's Day in
Leipzig as the third cantata of his second annual
cycle, which began about two weeks before with O
Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort, for the First Sunday after
Trinity. The prescribed readings for the Sunday were
from the Book of Isaiah, "the voice of a preacher in
the desert" (Isaiah 40:1–5), and from the Gospel of
Luke, the birth of John the Baptist and the Benedictus
of Zechariah (Luke 1:57–80). The cantata is based on
Martin Luther's chorale for baptism in seven stanzas
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam. The words are used
unchanged in movements 1 and 7. An unknown poet
transcribed the ideas of stanzas 2–6 to a sequence of
as many recitatives and arias. He did not refer to the
Gospel that relates to the birth of the baptist, or to
the baptism of Jesus.
In the opening chorus, the tenor sings the melody as a
cantus firmus, while the other voices sing free
counterpoint. In the first cantata of the cycle, O
Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort, Bach gave the cantus firmus of
the chorale tune to the soprano, in the second, Ach
Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, to the alto. The opening
chorus resembles an Italian violin concerto. Mincham
describes the "solo violin's persistent, rocking,
wave-like idea". Alfred Dürr compares the vocal
sections, all with the solo violin, to the solo
sections of a violin concerto, as opposed to the tutti
sections with the orchestra. The figuration of the
violin has been likened to the waves of the Jordan
river.
Although this piece was originally created for chorus
(tenor), strings and continuo, I created this
arrangement for Woodwind Ensemble (Flutes (2), Oboes
(2), Bb Clarinet & Bassoon). |
SHEET MUSIC