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William L. Hoffman wrote (May 13, 2018):
Ascension Cantata 43, "Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen": Intro.
Composed in 1726 as part of Bach's third and probably final, full cantata cycle, Ascension Cantata BWV 43, "Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen" (God ascends with shouts of joy), in two parts with 11 movements, was the culmination of his well-ordered church music pursuit of three varied musical sermons on this singular but lesser-known festive occasion. (See below, "Bach's Ascension Cantatas, Oratorio"). It also constituted the gateway to, and template for, an extended sermon with narrative as a miniature sacred music drama in his final realization a decade later as the Ascension Oratorio, "Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen" (Praise God in his kingdoms, Rev. 19:1; 11:15). Beginning in 1726 as Bach's final months of selective, intentional cantata composition while completing the St. Matthew Passion, Cantata 43 coalesced various musical styles and techniques with eclectic, accessible texts having several important musical and textual ingredients that show him entering a new stage of creative synergy and vision.
Cantata 43 is a concise, two-part, 11 movement, 20-minute work of opening chorus and closing chorale, with alternating four straightforward secco recitatives (one of narrative), an accompagnato recitative, and four interspersed arias. It has a unique and remarkable, massive prelude and fugue opening chorus that blends old and new compositional techniques of portraying ascension Psalm 47:4,6 incipit with indelible word-painting, and alternating recitatives and arias from a 1704 pioneering, unified text with straightforward, intimate sentiments. Cantata 43 closes with two pre-pietist Johann Rist stanzas which also is the chorale closing Part 1 of the Ascension Oratorio. It is Rist's 1641 devotional hymn, "Du Lebensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ" (Thou Prince of Life, Lord Jesus Christ), set to the Bar form Johann Schop nativity incarnation melody, "Ermuntre dich, mein Schwachter Geist" (Take courage, my weak spirit), as found in Bach's Das Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (NLGB) of 1682 (see below, "Notes on Text, Music").
As is customary in the Rudolstadt-Meiningen text, the bi-partite construction emphasizes the Old Testament judgement and law preceding the New Testament gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, the Johannine Christus Victor. It begins with militant markers such as the Psalm 47:6 reference to the "heller Posaunen" (ringing trumpets), "Siegsgepräng" (victory celebration) in the first recitative and God's leading chariot (Wagen) in the first aria, followed by the essence of the day's Ascension Gospel (Mark 16:19) in the second, narrative recitative, and the second aria closing Part 1, a pastoral call with oboes from the Mount of Olives for the heavens to accept Christ's return following his "Erde Lauf" (race on earth). The militant atmosphere continues in the second part victory with the opening bass recitative accompagnato referring to the Helden Held (hero of heroes) as an operatic-style injunction followed by the trumpet aria (No. 7) with its analogy of Christ, the Wine Stamper as the Saviour of Mankind (see below, "Notes min Text, Melody). At this point, the text has a series of three unified views (two recitatives and an aria) of the contrast between believer (below) standing and seeing Jesus (above), smiting his enemies and welcoming the believer with joy. The six-stanza Jesus movements (Nos. 5-10) may be the work of poet Christoph Helm (d1748, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Helm.htm), Rudolstadt cantor, along with Duke Ernst Ludwig of Saxe-Meiningen as author of the entire cycle.
Cantata 43 was premiered on Ascension Day, 30 May 1726 at the early main service of the Nikolaikirche before and after the day's sermon on the Gospel (Mark 16:14-20; Great Commission, Ascension) by Superintendent Salomon Deyling (1677-1755), and later at the vespers main service of the Thomas Church before the sermon (not extant) on the day's Epistle, Luke's account, Acts 1:1-11 (Jesus' Preparation and Ascension) by Archdeacon Urban Gottfried Sieber (1669-1741), says Martin Petzoldt in Bach Commentary, Vol. 2, Advent to Trinityfest.2 Cantata 43 was repeated (no date) with violin substituting for the high trumpet, says Alfred Dürr, perhaps due "to the extreme difficulty of the trumpet part."3
Absent from the first bars on are Bach's trademark ritornelli complexes (except for the final aria [No. 9]) since the original text had no da-capo repeats in the chorus and arias. Instead, Bach provides a concise exposition of the text while avoiding monotony through the use of varied obbligato instruments and tempi such as "Vivace" in the first and third arias, "Andante" in the second, and "Allegro moderato" in the fourth. Meanwhile, the origin of the Ascension festival dates to the 4th century, with suggestions that it was "already established and widely observed," says Paul Zeller Strodach.4 "It was already considered one of the great Festivals, and one of most holy joy, as it marks the completion of our Lord's redemptive work." With Nativity and Easter, Ascension is one of "the three Feasts of our Lord's Godhead," says Greek hymn writer Ephraim, cited by Strodach. This may be why it was particularly important in Bach's day in Leipzig for him to compose three original cantatas and a Christological cycle oratorio.
Cantata 43 movements, scoring, text, key, meter (German text, Francis Browne English translation, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV43-Eng3P.htm):
First Part: 1. Chorus bi-partite ABA' reprise structure; A. opening sinfonia (4/4 Adagio 7 mm, 2/2 Alle breve 14 mm), choral insertion fugal/homophonic; B. homophonic-extended fugal-homophonic [SATB; Tromba I-III, Timpani, Oboe I e Violino I all' unisono, Oboe II e Violino II all' unisono, Viola, Continuo]: A. "Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen / und der Herr mit heller Posaunen. (God ascends with shouts of joy / and the Lord [ascends] with ringing trumpets.); B. "Lobsinget, lobsinget Gott, / lobsinget, lobsinget unserm Könige." (Sing praises, sing praises to God, / sing praises, sing praises to our king.); C Major; 2/2 alle breve.
2. Recitative secco [Tenor, Continuo]: "Es will der Höchste sich ein Siegsgepräng bereiten, / Da die Gefängnisse er selbst gefangen führt. / Wer jauchzt ihm zu? Wer ists, der die Posaunen rührt? / Wer gehet ihm zur Seiten? / Ist es nicht Gottes Heer, / Das seines Namens Ehr, / Heil, Preis, Reich, Kraft und Macht mit lauter Stimme singet / Und ihm nun ewiglich ein Halleluja bringet." (The Almighty wants to prepare for himself a victory celebration, / since he himself leads captivity captive. / Who shouts with joy for him? Who is it who sounds the trumpets? / Who goes by his side? / Is it not God's army / that sings of the honour of his name, / his salvation, praise, kingdom and power with loud voices and to him now for ever brings an alleluia.); a minor to G Major; 4/4.
3. Aria tri-partite variant AA'A'' (Vivace), concise ritornelli [Trio: Tenor; Violino I/II all' unisono, Continuo]: "Ja tausend mal tausend begleiten den Wagen, / Dem König der Kön'ge lobsingend zu sagen, / Dass Erde und Himmel sich unter ihm schmiegt / Und was er bezwungen, nun gänzlich erliegt." (Indeed thousands upon thousands accompany his chariot / to utter songs of praise for the king of kings, / so that earth and heaven nestle beneath him / and what he has conquered now submits wholly); G Major; 3/8 gigue style.
4. Recitative secco narrative (Mark 16:19) [Soprano, Continuo]: "Und der Herr, nachdem er mit ihnen geredet hatte, / ward er aufgehaben gen Himmel / und sitzet zur rechten Hand Gottes." (And the Lord , after he had spoken with them, / was taken up to heaven / sits at the right hand of God.); e minor; 4/4.
5. Aria bi-partite, abbreviated ritornelli (Andante) [Soprano; Oboe I e Violino I all' unisono, Oboe II e Violino II all' unisono, Viola, Continuo]: A. "Mein Jesus hat nunmehr / Das Heilandwerk vollendet / Und nimmt die Wiederkehr / Zu dem, der ihn gesendet." (My Jesus has now / completed his work of salvation / and makes his return / to the one who sent him.); B. "Er schließt der Erde Lauf, / Ihr Himmel, öffnet euch / Und nehmt ihn wieder auf!" (He ends his race on earth: / you heavens, be open / and take him up once more!); e minor 4/4.
Second Part: 6. Recitative accompagnato [Bass, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo]: "Es kommt der Helden Held, / Des Satans Fürst und Schrecken, / Der selbst den Tod gefällt, / Getilgt der Sünden Flecken, / Zerstreut der Feinde Hauf; Ihr Kräfte, eilt herbei / Und holt den Sieger auf." (The hero of heroes comes, / the ruler and terror of Satan, / he has felled death itself, / wiped out the stains of sin, / scattered the horde of enemies; / you powers, hasten here / and raise up the conqueror.); C Major; 4/4.
7. Aria bi-partite, abbreviated ritornelli (Vivace) [Trio: Bass, Tromba, Continuo]: A. "Er ists, der ganz allein / Die Kelter hat getreten / Voll Schmerzen, Qual und Pein, / Verlorne zu erretten / Durch einen teuren Kauf." (He is the one who by himself / has trodden the winepress, / full of sorrow, suffering and pain, / to rescue those who were lost / at a great cost.); B. "Ihr Thronen, mühet euch / Und setzt ihm Kränze auf!" (You thrones, bestir yourselves / and place garlands on him!); C Major; 4/4.
8. Recitative secco, arioso on "schau" (look towaards) [Alto, Continuo]: "Der Vater hat ihm ja / Ein ewig Reich bestimmet: / Nun ist die Stunde nah, / Da er die Krone nimmet / Vor tausend Ungemach. / Ich stehe hier am Weg / Und schau ihm freudig nach." (The Father has indeed for him / ordained an eternal kingdom: / Now is the hour near / when he takes his crown / after a thousand hardships. / I stand here by the way / and look towards him with joy.); a minor; 4/4.
9. Aria bi-partite, ritornelli complex (Allegro moderato) [Quartet: Alto, Oboe I/II, Continuo]: A. "Ich sehe schon im Geist, / Wie er zu Gottes Rechten / Auf seine Feinde schmeißt, / Zu helfen seinen Knechten / Aus Jammer, Not und Schmach." (I see already in spirit / how at God's right hand / he smites his enemies / to help his servants / out of their misery, distress and disgrace.); B."Ich stehe hier am Weg / Und schau ihm sehnlich nach." (I stand here by the way / and look towards him with longing.); a minor; 3/4 dance style.
10. Recitative secco [Soprano, Continuo: "Er will mir neben sich / Die Wohnung zubereiten, / Damit ich ewiglich / Ihm stehe an der Seiten, / Befreit von Weh und Ach! / Ich stehe hier am Weg / Und ruf ihm dankbar nach." (Next to himself he wants / to prepare a dwelling for me / so that for eternity / I may stand by his side, / set free from woe and lamentation! / I stand here by the way / and shout gratefully to him.); G Major to e minor.
11. Chorale plain, Bar form [SATB; Tromba I/II e Oboe I/II e Violino I col Soprano, Tromba III e Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Continuo]: Stanza 1, "Du Lebensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ, / Der du bist aufgenommen / Gen Himmel, da dein Vater ist / Und die Gemein der Frommen, / Wie soll ich deinen großen Sieg, / Den du durch einen schweren Krieg /Erworben hast, recht preisen / Und dir g'nug Ehr erweisen?" (You prince of life, Lord Jesus Christ, / you who have been taken up / to heaven, where your Father is / and the congregation of the righteous, / how should I rightly praise the great victory / that you have won through a hard war / and how should I sufficently honour you?). Stanza 13: "Zieh uns dir nach, so laufen wir, / Gib uns des Glaubens Flügel! / Hilf, dass wir fliehen weit von hier / Auf Israelis Hügel! / Mein Gott! wenn fahr ich doch dahin, / Woselbst ich ewig fröhlich bin? / Wenn werd ich vor dir stehen, / Dein Angesicht zu sehen?" (Draw us after you, and we shall run, / give us wings of faith! / Help us, so that we may flee far from here / on the hills of Israel! / My God! when shall I travel there / where I shall be joyful for ever? / When shall I stand before you / to see your face?.
Notes on Text, Music
The Rudolstadt-Meiningen text has numerous biblical allusions that related to the believer's relationship to God and Jesus Christ. The opening choruse quotes Psalm 98, Cantate Domino (O sing unto the Lord a new song), verses 4 and 6, "God has gone up with a shout," says Melvin P. Unger in his concordance of biblical references in the Bach cantatas, 5 with the emphasis on loud noise and song, reinforced with trumpets and the sound of cornet. The remaining movements are summarized as follows: No. 2, "Christ as victor: The heavenly host praises him"; No. 3, "Christ as victor over all: thousands praise him"; No. 4, "Ascension of Christ"; No. 5, "Jesus has finished his work"; Part 2, No. 6, "Christ as victor over Satan, death, and sin"; No. 7, "Christ as victor trod the winepress to save the lost"; No. 8, "Ascension: Christ receives the appointed Kingdom"; No. 9, "Christ victorious can be seen at God's right hand"; No. 10, "Ascension: Christ goes to prepare a place for me"; and No. 11, "Ascension; Christ victorious; returning to join him."
<<In the bass aria with trumpet of the Ascension cantata by Bach "Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen" BWV 43/7, the great justifiable deed performed by Christ, the Wine Stamper (Latin: 'calcator uvarum') is celebrated in song according to the 63rd chapter of Isaiah," says Thomas Braatz's "Bach, the Grape-Stamper,": "Er ists, der ganz allein / die Kelter hat getreten / voll Schmerzen, Qual und Pein, / Verlorne zu erretten / durch einen teuren Kauf." (Full of pain and enduring torture, He is the One who all alone stomped on the grapes in the wine press in order to save, by means of his very costly purchase, those who were lost]. Listen for Bach's word painting [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6h5EFzMgkY], particularly in the continuo part, but also in the trumpet and bass solo, with the numerous leaps that represent the jumping up and down of Christ as he tramples the grapes in order to redeem mankind).>> (June 2005, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Articles/Grape-Stamper.htm).
The closing chorale setting of Johann Rist's hymn to the Johann Schop nativity melody, "Ermuntre dich, mein Schwachter Geist" (Take courage, my weak spirit, NLGB No. 37, https://books.google.com/books?id=UmVkAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA70#v=onepage&q&f=false), is actually the work of Guben cantor, Christoph Peter (1626–89), as pointed out in Martin Petzoldt's Commentary (Ibid.: 919), which Bach used "with only minor alterations" (see below, "Cantata 43 Context, Ascension Mystery," paragraph beginning "Of the following movements . . ."). Bach first utilized the pre-pietist hymns of Johann Rist (http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Rist.htm), with a chorale chorus setting of "O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort" to open Cantata 60 for the 24th Sunday after Trinity in late 1723. In mid 1724 he set chorale Cantata 20 to open the second cycle on the 1st Sunday after Trinity and also set "Jesu, der du meine Seele" (Jesus, by whom my soul) for the 14th Sunday after Trinity, as well as "Werde munter mein Gemüte" (Be alert , my soul) to close Cantata 55, "Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht" (I, wretched man, I, slave of sin) for the 22nd Sunday after Trinity 1726. At the end of 1735, Bach set three lesser-known hymns of Rist in the Christmas Oratorio, "Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist" (Take courage, my weak spirit), "Jesu, du mein liebstes Leben" (Jesus, you who are my dearest life), and Hilf herr jesu lass gelingen" (Help us, O Lord).
The form of then opening chorus of Cantata 43, "Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen," is a "massive prelude and fugue," an ABA1 reprise structure, observes Richard D. P. Jones.6 Unitinritornelli form and fugue with derived (inserted) vocal music, it is "one of Bach's most effective and powerful resources," he says. This structure was first employed in some of his earliest Cycle 1 (1723-24) cantatas (BWV 75, 76, 24, 105, and 46), as well as in later Cycle 3 cantatas (BWV 148, 79, 187, 45, and 47).
Bach's Ascension Cantatas, Oratorio
A comparison and contrast among Bach's four works for the Feast of the Ascension is found in Julian Mincham's commentary introduction to Cantata 43, followed by descriptions of each movement (http://www.jsbachcantatas.com/documents/chapter-15-bwv-43/). <<We are fortunate in having four extant works by Bach for this important day in the church year. C 37 (vol I, chapter 55) was composed for the first Leipzig cycle, C 128 (vol 2, chapter 46) for the second and C 43 for the third. The Ascension Oratorio, C II (chapter 50) was first performed in the mid 1730s although it drew upon earlier composition.
All of these cantatas, however, are substantial works as befits the significance of the event. C 37 deals principally with the matter of faith and it is built around an opening chorus of great charm, and a final chorale, enclosing arias (including a highly significant duet) and recitatives. C 128 is structurally one of the oddities from the second cycle, beginning with a fantasia based upon a chorale other that that with which it closes. Perhaps its most memorable movement is the rousing aria for bass, trumpet and strings. C II has its own peculiarities of design, its string of narrative recitatives putting one in mind of the St John Passion. C 43 concerns itself more with Christ′s actual ascension and our subsequent journey to follow and sit at His right hand. Furthermore it is, with the single exception of C 20 (vol 2, chapter 2) the first bipartite cantata Bach produced in over two years.>>
It is possible that Bach conceived of an Ascension oratorio following the composition of his second festive Cantata 128, "Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein" (On Christ's ascension alone, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV128-D5.htm), a 1725 meditation on the Ascension without gospel quotation but with a central recitative-aria complex bass aria and symbolic high trumpet (http://kaeqq.info/2/J-S-Bach-Auf-Christi-Himmelfahrt-allein-Cantata-BWV-128-3-Aria-Auf-auf-mit-hellem-Schall-67621, click on "Watch online"). Bach may have considered Cantata 128 with its opening chorale chorus (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHPjg-oQwVc), to be part of the second cycle, although not a true chorale cantata (lacking paraphrased internal stanzas), since its was part of the second cycle distribution to Friedemann. Subsequently, Bach in his third cycle 1726 cantata performing schedule turned to pre-lenten works in the 1714-15 cantata cycle of cousin Johann Ludwig Bach, through Easter season when he took their Rudolstadt texts and began setting them to his own music, starting with Cantata 43 on Ascension Day. Previously, Bach's first Ascension Cantata 37, "Wer da gläubet und getauft wird" (Whoever believes and is baptised), beginning with the Gospel injunction (Mark 16:16), set as a biblical imitation chorus with opening sinfonia, ritornello and choral insertion (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enhosGRodpg, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV37-D4.htm). There is no reference to the actual Ascension but a series of poetry and hymn-texts centering on Luther’s theology, “Justification by Faith Alone” (Romans 3:28) and disciple commissioning with libretto possibly by St. Thomas Pastor Christian Weise Sr. It is in the third cantata form of dictum-aria-chorale aria-recitative-aria-plain chorale in symmetrical, bi-partite form of 3/3 movements, observes Alfred Dürr (Ibid.: 27, 326).
Bach's final Ascension work, the Oratorio, BWV 11, may be viewed as the completion of his musical and textual perspective on that major, single Christological feast day (http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV11-D4.htm, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_NTmsZ8Wtk). It reveals elements of the three previous cantatas: BWV 37 is a first cycle celebratory meditation on the triumph of Jesus Christ's journey on earth; BWV 128, the second cycle cantata is a balance of progressive theology as well as hymns with pietist texts and Reformation melodies; and Cantata 43 is a third cycle contemplative view of intimate, biblically-grounded poetry moving from perplexity to certainty. The Ascension Day biblical readings in the lectionary in Bach's time and today are the same while the most appropriate of Bach's works for this festival today, suggests John S. Sutterlund,7 based on the three-year lectionary, are Year A, Matthew's Gospel, Cantata 128, where "Christ's resurrection and ascension are a vision of the transfiguration of human existence in eternity"; Year B, Mark's Gospel (this year), Oratorio, BWV 11, where anxiety becomes anticipation; and Year C, Luke's Gospel, Cantata 43, proclaiming the power of God and the triumph of God's son." Ascension Cantata 37 is most appropriate for Year B, Mark 1:4-11, Baptism of our Lord, First Sunday after Epiphany, where the music assures the promise of salvation through baptism.
Gardiner Overview, Key Elements
An overview and description of some of the key elements of Cantata 43 is found in John Eliot Gardiner's liner notes to his 2000 Bach Cantata Pilgrimage.8 <<By the time he sat down to compose the third of his Ascension cantatas in May 1726, Bach had for the past four months been performing some eighteen cantatas by his distant cousin Johann Ludwig Bach, who spent his adult life as cantor and then capellmeister at the Meiningen court. Then for the first time Bach decided to set one of these Meiningen texts himself – hence the unorthodox form of BWV 43 Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen. For this bipartite cantata he uses the standard Meiningen model as his starting point, taking an anonymous poem in six seven-line strophes (movements 5-10), which he then expands by the addition of two biblical quotations and two further strophes, and by coupling together consecutive recitative/aria movements which he assigns to each of his four concertisten in turn.
It produces a ground-plan as follows: for Part 1 a grand opening chorus based on an Old Testament quotation (Psalm 47:5-6), a tenor recitative and aria with unison violins, and a soprano recitative (Mark 16:19) and aria with two oboes and strings; for Part 2 a bass accompanied recitative and aria with trumpet obbligato, an alto recitative and aria with two oboes, a soprano recitative and a closing chorale. An exquisite slow introduction, one that gives a passing nod to Corelli, inscribes melodic gestures that anticipate his own setting of Christ’s prophesy in the St Matthew Passion (No.36a) ‘Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven’. It then opens out into an effulgent chorus gloriously scored for three trumpets, drums, two oboes and strings. It is hard to imagine a more apt theme for the words ‘God is gone up with a shout’ than the one announced by the first trumpet with its unexpected hoist of a sixth. Bach’s fugal exposition is unconventional, exuberant in its melodic invention and energy and punctuated by brass fanfares. Midway through he breaks the flow, silences his orchestra and draws his choral lines together for an insistent homophonic outburst – ‘Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our , sing praises’ – the sort of device he used to employ in his earlier Weimar cantatas, but seldom in his recent Leipzig cycles.
In the hands of a lesser composer this systematic pairing of brief recitative/aria units in the remaining movements might have proved tedious; but not here. You do wonder, however, why Bach holds back the first stanza of the poem until the fifth movement and then sets it as an aria, when a chorale would have been the usual and satisfying way to conclude Part 1. In the same way one might regret that he did not open Part 2 with another fire-crackling chorus for the victory ceremony awaiting Christ’s ascension to Heaven. But as always he knew exactly what was called for (as well as what was practicable given the constraints of time and of his performing forces), and how to deliver it with conviction and panache. Despite the unusual brevity of these pairings he creates ample variety and contrast – between the joyous acclamation that surrounds Christ’s chariot (No.3), the affirmation of his earthly task being completed (No.5), the hero’s welcome now due (No.7) and the vision of bliss to come (No.9). With barely a shift of mood and modified words this entire sequence could easily have found a place in an opera seria of the time – the unity of vision observed and filtered through the world of another. As on other occasions Bach appears to have conveniently forgotten his undertaking not to compose in a style that drew on the magic charm of the opera theatre. We, on the other hand, like the couplet that recurs in movements 8 to 10, can just ‘stand here by the wayside [Ich stehe hier am Weg] and gladly gaze after him’.>>
John Eliot Gardiner, 2013
Cantata 43 Context, Ascension Mystery
The context of Cantata 43 within the series of cantatas of cousin Ludwig Bach that Sebastian presented in 1726, as well as the mystery of Christ's Ascension, are discussed in scholar Klaus Hofmann's liner notes to the Masaaki Suzuki BOS complete catatas recordings.9 << God is gone up with a shout. Bach’s cantata for the feast of Christ’s Ascension (which in 1726 fell on 30th May) takes us to a time in which – unlike in his first two years in Leipzig – he did not endeavour to present a newly composed cantata at the church service every Sunday, but instead often performed works by others. In particular he had recourse to cantatas by the Meiningen court conductor Johann Ludwig Bach (1677–1731). Johann Sebastian either made copies himself, or asked his copyist to write out a total of eighteen cantatas by his relative from Meiningen. Curiously, his preoccupation with these works also left traces in his own cantatas: on occasion he used Johann Ludwig Bach’s text source for his own works as well. The texts in question come from a collection of cantata librettos for the entire year, which appeared in print in Meiningen in 1704 without mention of the author’s name. In 1726 Johann Sebastian set no less than seven of these cantata texts to music, among them Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen. As with all of his cantatas from this year, it begins with words from the Old Testament, has a quotation from the New Testament in the middle, and ends with a chorale. Between these three principal elements there are free poetic texts for recitatives and arias.
In terms of content, this cantata – and indeed the entire feast – is dominated by the mystery of Christ’s ascension into heaven. This is also the topic of the Bible readings for that day, Acts 1:1–11 and Mark 16:14–20. The cantata text refers to this, even if at first indirectly on account of its Old Testament opening: the Bible text for the opening movement comes from Psalm 47, but has long been interpreted also as a vision of Jesus’ ascension. The Ascension itself is reflected in the disposition of the pair of movements that follows, traditionally understood as a demonstration of divine power: ‘Es will der Höchste sich ein Siegsgepräng bereiten’ (‘The Almighty wishes to prepare a victory celebration’). To a certain extent the fourth movement of the cantata opens up a new perspective, with the report contained in St Mark’s Gospel: ‘the Lord... was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God’. In the libretto these words are followed by a series of five hymn-like strophes, in which the events are seen from the viewpoint of the faithful. The fifth movement contains the theologically very important concept that Jesus’ ascension completes his work as our saviour. Now the heroic conqueror of death and sin (sixth movement) may accede to rule the eternal kingdom (eighth movement), sitting at the right hand of God (ninth movement). The librettist’s sequence of strophes ends in a mood of confident expectation of eternal life (tenth movement). The concluding two chorale strophes by Johann Rist (1641) confirm this idea in the form of a prayer.
In keeping with the festive purpose of the work, Bach’s orchestra includes trumpets and timpani. They lend splendour and emphasis to the jubilant opening chorus; at the same time, for people in the baroque period, they were symbols of the king’s dignity as a ruler, which is here to be celebrated in song. In the listener’s imagination they also represent the ‘helle Posaune’ (‘sound of a trumpet’) mentioned in the text. This movement is incontestably the cantata’s centre of gravity. A brief Adagio, only six bars long and without trumpets and timpani, functions as a sort of prelude to the choral fugue (which begins with the first trumpet), the themes of which are accompanied from the outset by ‘ascending’ figurative writing. When the choir enters, Bach (as in some other works) uses not only the bass – who has the theme, with the words ‘Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen’ (‘God is gone up with a shout’) – but lets all the voices enter at the same time. He constantly enriches this fugue with other devices from the extremely dense, sometimes tumultuous course of musical events – for example with contributions from the trumpets. With the second fugue theme, however, there is a change of direction, with an eightfold repetition of the same note on the words ‘und der Herr mit heller Posaunen’ (‘the Lord with the sound of a trumpet’). After a free intermediate passage to the words ‘lobsinget Gott, lobsinget unserm Könige’ (‘sing praises to God... sing praises unto our King’) – which, following the jubilation of the first section, also touches on minor keys – the first fugue theme returns, but now with the ‘lobsinget’ text, in a song of praise that ends in a full-voiced C major.
Each of the four arias has its own musical profile. The emphatic words of the tenor aria are placed in the mouth of an onlooker alongside the chariot of the ascending Christ; the instrumental part seems to aim to portray something of the turmoil that the text describes. By contrast the soprano aria strikes a quieter, more heartfelt tone. As with all the arias in this cantata, the text is not constructed to require a da capo (a feature that was not yet common in sacred cantatas at the time when the texts were written). Bach thus concludes the movement – and the first part of the cantata – with a slightly varied version of the complete opening ritornello. At this point in the church service the sermon would have been heard.
Of the following movements, the bass aria with its very exposed trumpet part – supported only by the continuo – must have earned the admiration of the Leipzig audience. Moments of exquisite beauty can also be found in the alto aria, accompanied by two oboes, with its expressive harmonic darkening on the words ‘aus Jammer, Not und Schmach’ (‘out of suffering, distress and ignominy’) or the way it remains on a single note as if to illustrate the words ‘Ich stehe hier am Weg’ (‘I stand here by the way-side’ ). With the closing chorale Bach has posed a riddle for posterity. It is not his own work but was written by the cantor in Guben, Christoph Peter (1626–89). Bach took this movement – which was alreasome seventy years old – from the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch of 1682, with only minor alterations. The reason for this procedure died with him.>>
© Klaus Hofmann 2008, Andrew Barnett trans.
Provenance:
In the 1750 estate division of Bach's vocal works, Emanuel received the score, P-44 (https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalSource_source_00000875), which Sebastian has written out with assistance from Emanuel, and Friedemann received the parts set, St. 36 (https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalSource_source_00002353). The score provenance after Emanuel was: G. Poelchau (1805) - BB (now) Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin Preußischer Kulturbesitz) (1841). In 1726 Friedemann had been a lesser parts copyist along with main copyist Johann Heinrich Bach and secondary copyist Christian Gottlob Meißner. Friedemann "is known to have performed this work at least twice in Halle," says Michael Märker, citing Peter Wollny.10 One was part of a double bill with a Friedemann cantata, "Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen," BR F 11, after 1755. After Friedemann, the parts set provenance was: ? - Sing-Akademie zu Berlin (after 1811) - BB (now Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Preußischer Kulturbesitz) (1855). For a more detailed view of the Cantata 43 Provenance, see Thomas Braatz (May 29, 2003, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Ref/BWV43-Ref.htm).
FOOTNOTES
1 Cantata 43, BCW Details & Discography, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV43.htm; Score Vocal & Piano, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV043-V&P.pdf; Score BGA, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BGA/BWV043-BGA.pdf; Carus 31.043, https://carusmedia.com/images-intern/medien/30/3104300/3104300x.pdf. References, BGA X (Cantatas 41-50, Wilhelm Rust, 1863), NBA KB I/12 (Ascension cantatas, Alfred Dürr, 1960), Bach Compendium BC A 77, Zwang: K 141.
2 Martin Petzoldt, Bach Kommentar: Theologisch Musikwissenschaftlicke Kommentierung der Geistlichen Vokalwerke Johann Sebastian Bachs; Vol. 2, Die Geistlichen Kantaten vom 1. Advent bis zum Trinitatisfest; Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 2007: 911).
3 Alfred Dürr, Chapter 1, "Development of the Bach Cantata," The Cantatas of J. S. Bach, ed. & trans. Richard D. P. Jones (Oxford University Press, 2005: 355).
4 Paul Zeller Strodach, The Church Year: Studies in the Introits, Collects, Epistles and Gospels (Philadelphia PA: United Lutheran Publication House, 1924: 169ff).
5 Melvin P. Unger: Handbook to Bach's Sacred Cantata Texts: An Interlinear Translation with Reference Guide to Boblical Quotations and Allusions (Lanham MD: Scarecrow Press, 1996: 152-57).
6 Richard D. P. Jones, "Oratorio," Part II, the middle Leipzig years: 1729-39, in The Creative Development of Johann Sebastian Bach, Vol. II: 1717-1750, Music to Delight the Spirit (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013: 313f).
7 John. S. Sutterlund, Bach Through the Year: The Church Music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the Revised Common Lectionary (Minneapolis MN: Lutheran University Press, 2013,
8 John Eliot Gardiner notes, BCW http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Pic-Rec-BIG/Gardiner-P28c[SDG-CD].pdf; BCW Recording details, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Performers/Gardiner-Rec4.htm#P28, May 2012.
9 Cantata 43 Klaus Hofmann notes, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Pic-Rec-BIG/Suzuki-C44c%5BBIS-SACD1791%5D.pdf; BCW Recording details, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Performers/Suzuki-Rec3.htm#C44.
10 Carus score 31.043, see footnote 1; Peter Wollny, “Wilhelm Friedemann Bach’s Halle performances of cantatas by his father,” in: Bach Studies 2, ed. Daniel R. Melamed (Cambridge University Press, 1995: 210).
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To Come: Summary of Bach's cantatas and performances for Exaudi, the last Sunday in Easter |
