Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen (Dearest
Emmanuel, duke of the pious), BWV 123, is a church
cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the
chorale cantata in his second year in Leipzig to
conclude a set of Christmas cantatas on the Feast of
Epiphany.
In the opening chorus Bach uses the beginning of the
chorale melody as an instrumental motif, first in a
long introduction, then as a counterpoint to the
voices. The soprano sings the cantus firmus. The lower
voices are set mostly...(+)
Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen (Dearest
Emmanuel, duke of the pious), BWV 123, is a church
cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the
chorale cantata in his second year in Leipzig to
conclude a set of Christmas cantatas on the Feast of
Epiphany.
In the opening chorus Bach uses the beginning of the
chorale melody as an instrumental motif, first in a
long introduction, then as a counterpoint to the
voices. The soprano sings the cantus firmus. The lower
voices are set mostly in homophony with two exceptions.
The text "Komme nur bald" (come soon) is rendered by
many calls in the lower voices. The text of the final
line is first sung by the bass on the melody of the
first line, which alto and tenor imitate to the soprano
singing the text on the melody of the last line, thus
achieving a connection of beginning and end of the
movement. The prominent woodwinds, two flutes and two
oboes d'amore, and the 9/8 time create a pastoral
mood.
The tenor aria, accompanied by two oboes d'amore,
speaks of "harte Kreuzesreise" (harsh journey of the
Cross), illustrated by a chromatic ritornello of four
measures in constant modulation. Christoph Wolff terms
the material "bizarre chromatic melodic figures". When
the ritornello appears again at the end of the first
section, it is calmer in the melodies, with the
chromatic theme in the continuo, perhaps because the
singer claims he is not frightened. In the middle
section, thunderstorms are pictured "allegro" in
"exuberant passage-work" of the voice, calming to
"adagio" on "Heil und Licht", the reference to the
Epiphany.
The bass aria is termed by John Eliot Gardiner, who
performed the cantata on the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage in
the Nikolaikirche in Leipzig, as "one of the loneliest
arias Bach ever wrote". The voice is only accompanied
by a single flute and a "staccato" continuo. Gardiner
compares the flute to "some consoling guardian
angel".
The cantata is closed by an unusual four-part chorale.
The Abgesang of the bar form is repeated, the repeat
marked piano. The reason is likely the text which ends
"bis man mich einsten legt ins Grab hinein" (until one
day I am laid in the grave). Alfred Dürr notes such
soft endings also in Bach's early cantatas Gottes Zeit
ist die allerbeste Zeit, BWV 106 and Gott, wie dein
Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm, BWV 171, but also in Also
hat Gott die Welt geliebt, BWV 68.
The cantata in six movements is scored for three vocal
soloists (alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir,
two flauto traverso, two oboes d'amore, two violins,
viola, and basso continuo.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebster_Immanuel,_Herzo
g_der_Frommen,_BWV_123).
I created this arrangement of the Opening Chorus
"Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen" (Dearest
Emmanuel, duke of the pious) for Winds (2 Flutes, 2
Oboes, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, French Horn & F Tuba) and
Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
SHEET MUSIC