Luogo e data di registrazione		Miniemenkerk, Brussels (Belgium) - October 2004
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Recording Staff		Teije van Gest | Gunter Appenheimer | Eckhard Steiger | Tonstudio van Geest (Germany) | Studio Bauer, Ludwigsburg (Germany)
	Prima Edizione CD		ACCENT - ACC 25301 - (1 CD) - durata 69' 43" - (p) 2005 (c) 2006 - DDD
	Note		With the support of the Flemish authorities

COMMENTARY on the cantatas presented here Although the church year begins on the first Sunday of Advent, our series of recordings has begun with the cantatas for the 19th to the 22nd Sunday after Trinity ("Trinity" is the first Sunday after Whitsuntide). "Was Gott tut, das ist wohl getan" - BWV 98 for the 21st Sunday after Trinity This is chronologically the second of three cantatas beginning with the same text. It was performed for the first time on November 10, 1726. Its form is unusual in that it does not end with the chorale that was heard in the opening chorus (by S. Rodigast, 1674), but with an aria using a disguised version of thefirst verse of another chorale. The autor of the new texts is unknown. The instrumental forces comprise two oboes, oboe da caccia, strings and b.c. The theme of the work is trusting in God, as the opening chorus makes clear. There the chorale text is simply presented line for line by the vocal quartet (supported by the oboes colla parte), except for the last line of the seconda stanza "Drum lass ich ihn nur walten" (that is why I let him alone rule), where the three lower parts form a more extensive and contrapuntal fabric under the prolonged closing note on the chorale tune (a clear illustration of the text!). The first violins play the leading role is this striking opening movement, their virtuosic figuration (perhaps illustrating the words "was Gott tut" - what God does) are only interrupted by the respective line of the chorale. The ensuing tenor secco recitative is a typically Baroque rhetorical construction; after a double cry of distress, the poet regains his trust in God, on whom he now wants to rely. In the first part of the ensuing aria in C minor for soprano, oboe and b.c. "Hört, ihr Augen, auf zu weinen" (desist, ye eyes, from weeping), Bach repeatedly illustrates the verb 'weinen' in a plaintive chromatic oboe figure; in the second part, at the line "Gott, der Vater, lebet noch" (God, the Father, liveth still) he illustrates the verb "lebet" in sudden lively triplet figures in the vocal part; when the opening line "Hört auf" etc. sneaks in almost impercepitibly to end the aria, the "weeping" oboe part is there again, but this time the soprano takes up the plaintive chromatic figure in a dialogie with the oboe. The secco recitative no. 4 for alto and b.c. describes God's mercy in rich images, alluding to Jesus's Sermon on the Mount at the lines "Er saget: klopfet an / So wird euch aufgetan!" (he said: knock, and it shall be opened unto you); here the poet calls upon us once again to trust only in God in time of need. The cantata ends, as mentioned above, with an aria instead of the expected four-part chorale. Accompanied by unison violins and b.c., the bass sings a virtuosic part that is actually an ornamented version of the first line of the chorale (C. Keymann, 1658) "Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht". The movement summarizes and reaffirms the idea of "trusting in God" in the first person - more emphatically than a "normal" chorale setting could do. "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele" - BWV 180 for the 20th Sunday after Trinity The basic theme of this chorale cantata for October 24, 1724 is the mystical union between the soul and God as exemplified by the Eucharist. From Franck's chorale of 1649, the anonymous librettist adopted three stanzas literally (used in nos. 1, 3 and 7 of the cantata), substituting the other stanzas with texts of his own. The old chorale text was trochaic (long-short), which suited the almost ecstatic call: "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele / Lass die dunkle Sündenhöhle" etc. (deck yourself, dear soul / leave sin's dark cavern). Bach's librettist set his own stanzas in sweeter iambs, with the exception of the likewise more ecstatic aria no. 5 "Lebens Sonne, Licht der Sinenn" (sun of life, light of feeling), which is trochaic. The entire libretto has a pleasant metrical alternation. The opening chorus in 12/8 time is charmingly rich in sound. The winds (two recorders, oboe and oboe da caccia) and strings tend to oppose one another in bichoral fashion, encircling the vocal quartet almost symmetrically; the chorale tune in prolonged notes in the soprano part rests on the polyphonic fabric of the three lower parts, the whole being supported by a steadily striding bass. The soul awaiting the bridegroom truly is beatifully decked! There is no recitative before the tenor aria "Ermuntre dich" (be lively), in which Bach gives the somewhat anonymous iambic rhythm a dactylic flavour. The solo flute motif is strongly trumpet-like in character, acting both as a wake-up call and an announcement of the Saviour/brudegroom. The ensuing soprano recitative begins in 'secco' manner, with the simple support of the basso continuo alone. But where the librettist quotes the original chorale at "Ach wie hungert mein Gemüte / Menschen freund, nach deiner Güte", etc. (ah, how my spirit hungers, friend of man, for thy kindness), Bach's language also changes; the quotation is sung in a lightly ornamented form of the old chorale tune, with the violoncello piccolo (again 'da spalla'!) conjuring up a kind of moto perpetuo with basso continuo, which for the soul surely represents the kindness and endless gifts of God and the eternal union with Him. The accompagnato recitative for alto, two recorders and basso continuo (no. 4) depicts man's inability to penetrate God's wondrous works and His grace. The recorder's high tones at "nur Gottes Geist kann durch sein Wort uns lehren", etc. (only God's spirit can teach us through His word) surely represent the Holy Spirit, who inspires us with love for God. Thereupon the soul breaks out in the aria "Lebens Sonne, Licht der Sinnen" (sun of life, light of feeling), which is like a ritual dance in which, with the strings, the soprano sings a kind of "polonaise"! After a summarizing and moralizing secco recitative in which the bass seeks God's help, the cantata closes with the original last stanza of the chorale of 1649: "Jesu, wahres Brot des Lebens". "Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen" - BWV 56 for the 19th Sunday after Trinity This cantata was performed for the first time in Leipzig on October 27, 1726. Its text is especially beatiful. Making various allusions to the Old and the New Testament, the (unknown) librettist leads us through thoughts on suffering, pain and distress. The first person is used throughout, so that the poetry directly moves us if we open ourselves to it. Bach heightened this effect by assigning the whole work - except for the closing chorale - to a single singer, in this case a bass. The main idea, which is also anchored in the closing chorale (a stanza from a hymn by Johann Franck, 1653), is that life is like a pilgrimage through care and suffering to God in the Promised Land, like that which Jesus made before us (which is why the pilgrim's staff is here referred to as 'Kreuzstab' - literally 'cross staff'); another image likens life to a voyage in perilous wawes that ends in the safe harbour of peace with God. The librettist used the technique of varying metre with insight and talent. In the opening aria, for example, the usual iambic (short-long) dominates the first four lines, but then all at once there is a very expressive switch to dactylis in the closing couplet: "Da leg ich den Kummer auf einmal ins Grab / Da wischt mir die Tränen der Heiland selbst ab"! (when I in the grave all my troubles then lay / my Saviour himself shall my tears wipe away). This sudden 'change of metre' illustrates the unexpected transformation of suffering into consolation. In Aria no. 3 too, the change from trochaic (long-short) to iambic rhythm and back is very meaningful. And the unexpected repetition of the dactylic couplet discussed above to end this aria on a note of comfort too is also very effective and moving. The trochaic rhythm of the closing chorale by Franck ("Komm, o Tod, du Schlafes Bruder") gives in the sense of an urgent prayer that death might lead to the safe harbour. This cantata althoughcontinuo is one of Bach's masterpieces. Although ontinuo is one of Bach's masterpieces. Although the beauty of the music can never really be 'explained', I will here highlight a few details which may help listeners feel their way into it. The typical madrigalism at the word "Kreuzstab" attracts attention at the very beginning of the principal theme of the first aria. Bach conceived the motif in such a way that the syllable 'Kreuz' (which means both "cross" and "sharp sign") comes on a sharpened note (C sharp), creating a painful dissonance; and that device weaves its way through the entire movement like an unbroken thread, always reminding us of the idea of the cross. In the recitative no. 2, the cello ('da spalla') plays a figure depicting the waves of the sea that suddenly ends at the line "Und wenn das wütenvolle Schäumen sein Ende hat" (and when the raging foam is at an end); we therefore suddenly sense ourselves on firm ground at the next line "So tret ich aus dem Schiff in meine Stadt" (then I'II step from the ship into my city). That is followed by an optimistic aria with oboe solo (in B flat major, contrasting with the melancholy, tragic G minor of the opening aria). The ensuing lyrical accompagnato recitative surprisingly leads back to the closing couplet of the first aria: "Da leg ich den Kummer" etc. With that 'da capo' feeling, we are invited to the closing prayer; Bach starts the chorale "Komm, o Tod, du Schlafes Bruder" (come, o death, the brother of sleep) with a powerfully pleading syncopation on the word "Komm", and closes it with a harmony full of 'affections' on the adjective 'schönsten' (most beautiful) before the closing word Jesulein. "Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht" - BWV 55 for the 22nd Sunday after Trinity On Novembre 17, 1726, three weeks after the bass solo cantata "Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen", another Bach cantata for a solo singer (except for the four-part closing chorale) sounded in Leipzig. This time it was the tenor cantata "Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht" to a text by an unknown librettist. The theme here is man's sin and guilt before God, continually transcended by God's "Gnad und Huld" (mercy and grace). The first person form is used almost throughout. To begin with (in the first aria and the following secco recitative), the poet allows free rein to his tormented thoughts about his hopeless, sinful situation in a stream of iambic verse (short-long): "Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht / Ich geh vor Gottes Angesichte / mit Furcht und Zittern zum Gerichte. / Er ist gerecht, ich ungerecht", etc.). Bach set the aria like a brisk lamento in G minor. In the recitative, the feelings of guilt gradually develop into truly dire straits; wherever the guilty soul goes, whether heaven or hell, God's stern judgement will be there... This paranoia leads into the relieving call to God "Erbarme dich!" (have mercy), with which the aria (no. 3, with obligato transverse flute) begins. In the ensuing desperate plea to God to allow His wrath to be softened by tears (the core of this aria) the metrical unit changes suddenly and effectively to the more dynamic trochee (long-short). The way three successive lines begin with "Lass" (let) depicts the distress of the poet, who returns to the pleas of "Erbarme dich!" at the end of the aria. In this aria Bach dramatically altered the strcture of the original text, interposing between the two couplets beginning with "Lass" repeated cries of "Erbarme dich!" and passionate flute ritornellos. The cry of "Erbarme dich!" dominates the entire aria, sounding a total of seventeen times. Bach set the last part of the librettist's text as an accompagnato recitative (i.e. the strings are included). Here, after a final passionate cry "Erbarme dich!", the poet finds peace again. His awareness of God's redeeming grace has been restored, his crisis of self-doubt overcome. The more peaceful iambic rhythm also returns. The four-part closing chorale (Johann Rist, 1642) is again in the more active trochaic metre. In "Bin ich gleich von Gott gewichen / Stell ich mich doch wieder ein" (Though I left God / I have returned (the believing Christian once again recognizes his sinful state, which is surpassed only by God's far greater grace. Incidentally, the same chorale is also found in the St Matthew Passion, where it comes after the familiar "Erbarme dich" alto aria with violin solo with which the episode involving Peter ends. Sigiswald Kuijken Translation: J & M Berridge