Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget
(Behold, what a love has the Father shown to us), BWV
64, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He
composed the Christmas cantata in Leipzig in 1723 for
the third day of Christmas, which is also the Feast of
John the Evangelist, and first performed it on 27
December 1723.
Bach wrote the cantata in his first year in Leipzig for
the Third Day of Christmas and first performed it on 27
December 1723. The prescribed readings for the ...(+)
Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget
(Behold, what a love has the Father shown to us), BWV
64, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He
composed the Christmas cantata in Leipzig in 1723 for
the third day of Christmas, which is also the Feast of
John the Evangelist, and first performed it on 27
December 1723.
Bach wrote the cantata in his first year in Leipzig for
the Third Day of Christmas and first performed it on 27
December 1723. The prescribed readings for the day are
from the Epistle to the Hebrews, Christ is higher than
the angels, (Hebrews 1:1–14) and the prologue of the
Gospel of John, also called Hymn to the Word (John
1:1–14). The unknown poet referred only in a general
way to the readings and stressed the aspect that being
loved by God in the way which Christmas shows, the
believer does not have to be concerned about the
"world" any more. Three chorales are included in the
text, rarely found in Bach's cantatas, but also in
Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40, Bach's
first cantata composed for Christmas in Leipzig and
performed the day before, and in Schau, lieber Gott,
wie meine Feind, BWV 153, written for 2 January 1724,
only a few days later. Possibly these works were
written by the same author. The first movement is based
on 1 John 3:1. The only Christmas chorale is verse 7 of
Luther's "Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ" as movement 2.
Movement 4 is the first verse of Balthasar Kindermann's
"Was frag ich nach der Welt". The cantata is concluded
by "Gute Nacht, o Wesen", verse 5 of Johann Franck's
"Jesu, meine Freude".
The opening chorus is set in motet style; an
archaic-sounding choir of trombones doubles the voices.
The alto recitative is accompanied by vigorous scales
in the continuo. In the soprano aria, a Gavotte, a
virtuoso solo violin possibly represents the "worldly
things". The alto aria is accompanied by the oboe
d'amore in melodic lyricism. The chorale "Gute Nacht, o
Wesen" (Good night, existence) is set for four
parts.
The cantata is scored for soprano, alto and bass
soloists, a four-part choir, zink and three trombones,
oboe d'amore, two violins, viola, and basso
continuo.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sehet,_welch_eine_Liebe_
hat_uns_der_Vater_...).
I created this arrangement for Woodwind Quartet (Flute,
Oboe, Bb Clarinet & Bassoon).
SHEET MUSIC