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Chorale Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
Mitten wir im Leben sind
Text and Translation of Chorale |
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Ref. in hymnals/hymn books: NLGB 344; Gotteslob 654; EG 518; ELG 642
Author: verse 1: Anon (Salzburg, 1456) after the Antiphon Media vita in morte sumus 11. Jh.; verses 2-3: Martin Luther (1524)
Chorale Melody: Mitten wir im Leben sind (Zahn 8502) | Composer: Johann Walter (1524), after the antiphon Mediavita in morte (Salzburg, 1456)
Theme: Death & Dying |
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Description: “Mitten wir im Leben sind” (We in the midst of life) is Martin Luther’s 1524 three-stanza Death Song liturgy (NLGB 334) composed in 1524 with the melody (Zahn 8502), in a collaboration of Luther and Johann Walter, says Robin A. Leaver. Bach composed the hymn as a free-standing chorale, BWV 383 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gR8wQqA-OA, http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0383.htm). Extensive details of this chorale are found at BCW, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV156-D4.htm, “Media vita in morte sumus” and “Cantata 156: Luther Chorale” “Mitten wir im Leben sind.” (see below)
Source: Trinity 21-23, Death & Dying Chorales (William Hoffman, December 3, 2017) |
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From: Cantata BWV 156 - Discussions Part 4 (Week of January 29, 2017))
Bach’s Cantata 156, “Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe” (I Stand With One Foot in the Grave) is an intimate solo musical sermon for the 3rd Sunday after Epiphany which in 1729 observed his return to personal, direct, deeply-felt expression in one of his last works for the regular church year, set to a text of Picander.
Most notable is the opening incipit, “I stand with one foot in the grave,” which is based on the Latin Lenten antiphon, Media vita in morte sumus (In the midst of life we are in death). Martin Luther expanded it to a three-verse chorale on death with refrain, “Mitten wir im Leben sind / Mit dem Tod umfangen” (We in the midst of life / are surrounded with death), which was an anthem for the ravages of war and plague that impacted Germany during the baroque period, and is still sung in Lutheran Churches today. Cantata 156 engenders various associations with other music that speaks simultaneously of life and death (see below, LIFE-DEATH INCIPIT Commentary). The actual incipit, “Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe,” originated as a Pietist song of Benjamin Schmolck (1672-1737, noted Silesian hymn-writer and librettist for two cantata cycles of Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel which Bach presented in the mid 1730s. |
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Media vita in morte sumus
Media vita in morte sumus (In the midst of life, we are in death), is a Latin antiphon popular in the Renaissance and Baroque but dating to the Middle Ages. The chorus, beginning “Holy and Righteous God,” is based on the Tirsagion of the Greek Liturgy, dating to the fifth century. The full text is: “Media vita in morte sumus / quem quaerimus adjutorem / nisi te, Domine, / qui pro peccatis nostris / juste irasceris? Sancte Deus, / sancte fortis, / sancte et misericors Salvator: / amarae morti ne tradas nos.” (In the midst of life we are in death / of whom may we seek for succour, / but of thee, O Lord, / who for our sins / art justly displeased? Yet, O Lord God most holy, / O Lord most mighty, / O holy and most merciful Saviour, / deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_vita_in_morte_sumus).
The Latin phrase was translated into the vernacular early and has continued to circulate especially widely in German and English, in literature and in song. Media vita appears in Hartmann von Aue's Middle High German narrative poem “Der arme Heinrich” (V.93f.). In 1524, Martin Luther translated it as “Mitten wir in Leben sind” and consequently it is now in the Evangelischen Gesangbuch hymnbook as number 518, or 654 in the Gotteslob hymnbook. Luther’s three-stanza, seven-line with six-line refrain chorus and Kyrieleison! Litany of the Latin antiphon is found in the NLGB as No. 344, “Death & Dying” (Zahn melody 8502).
The full German text is found at http://www.musicanet.org/robokopp/Lieder/mittenwi.html; the English translation: In the midst of earthly life / Snares of death surround us; / Who shall help us in the strife / Lest the Foe confound us? / Thou only, Lord, Thou only. / We mourn that we have greatly erred, / That our sins Thy wrath have stirred. Refrain Chorus: Holy and righteous God! / Holy and mighty God!/ Holy and all-merciful Savior! / Eternal Lord God! Save us lest we perish / In the bitter pangs of death. Have mercy, O Lord! 2. In the midst of death's dark vale / Powers of hell o'ertake us. / Who will help when they assail, / Who secure will make us? / Thou only, Lord, Thou only. / Thy heart is moved with tenderness, / Pities us in our distress. / Chorus. 3. In the midst of utter woe / All our sins oppress us, / Where shall we for refuge go, / Where for grace to bless us? / To Thee, Lord Jesus, only. / Thy precious blood was shed to win / Full atonement for our sin. / Chorus.
Luther’s expansion embraces key concepts. A cry for help in mortal danger, it is “an assurance of grace and a confession of God’s goodness,” says Luther’s Works: Vol. 53, Liturgy and Hymns (Fortress: Philadelphia PA: 1965: 274ff). The two additional stanzas, on the basis of 1 Cor. 15:56, become a petition for forgiveness of sins.” The Phrygian melody, derived from its Medieval form, was altered in the direction of a folk song and the first two lines are reminiscent of the folk ballad of Tannhuser. The melody is related to the music with the same words in the Improperia for good Friday. Johann Walter in 1524 adapted the 13th century gradual.
The Latin phrase was translated by Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmern which became part of the burial service in the Book of Common Prayer. Anglican bishop Miles Coverdale wrote a poetic rendering of Luther's chorale, beginning "In the myddest of our lyvynge." Catherine Winkworth made another English version, beginning "In the midst of life, behold." The current Lutheran Service Book (Ibid.) has all three verses, “In the Vary Midst of Life,” No. 755, “Hope and Comfort.” |
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Cantata 156: Luther Chorale “Mitten wir im Leben sind"
Bach’s Cantata 156, “Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe” (I Stand With One Foot in the Grave), set to a Picander texts with three death-related chorales, two sung and one implied, is driven by basic Lutheran theology and the coming sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. The implied chorale is the theme of Cantata 156. It ius based on the Latin Lenten antiphon, Media vita in morte sumus (In the midst of life we are in death) which Martin Luther expanded to a three-verse chorale on death with refrain, “Mitten wir im Leben sind / Mit dem Tod umfangen” (We in the midst of life / are surrounded with death).
Bach set Luther’s Death chorale, “Mitten wir im Leben sind” (We in the midst of life) as a free-standing plain chorale, BWV 383, possibly at the same time that he composed Cantata 156 in 1729, for use in the same service. Bach probably knew his cousin Johann Gottfried Walther’s organ chorale prelude setting, LV 106, and knew Luther’s chorale since he listed it as No. 129 in his Orgelbüchlein planned collection, although not set (see, The Orgelbüchlein Project: Completing Bach’s plan, http://www.orgelbuechlein.co.uk/the-missing-chorales/, scroll down to: “129 Mitten wir . . . Weissenfels (1714) Songbook. A two-part setting of canto and figured bass in found in the “Sebastian Bach’s Choral-Buch,” pages 23d-37 (Zahn 8502) possibly by a Bach student as early as c1740.
Bach’s setting, BWV 383 (BC F 145) in E Major Phrygian, is in traditional BAR Form with the opening two lines of Abgesang repeated musically, followed by the extended Stollen of nine lines with refrain ending in “Kyireleison” (recording, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gR8wQqA-OA; music, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA-pZyc_PfY). Following the Latin antiphon setting, Bach adheres to Luther’s text setting in irregular form of line-length, meter, and rhyme scheme. The Abgesang ends with the refrain using the same text of lines 8-10 but a new text for the closing 11th line: “Heiliger Herre Gott, / Heiliger starken Gott, / Heiliger barmherziger Heiland, du ewiger Gott” (Holy and righteous God! / Holy and mighty God! / Holy and all-merciful Savior! Eternal Lord God!). Bach’s musical model was the Johann Hermann Schein setting in Das Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch of 1682, No. 344, “Death & Dying.” The original source is Johann Walter’s 1524 Geistliches Gesangbüchlein, http://imslp.org/wiki/File:PMLP440449-WalterJoh_Mitten_wir_im_leben.pdf.
The text is: 1. “Mitten wir im Leben sind / Mit dem Tod umfangen. / Wen suchen wir, der Hilfe tu, / Daß wir Gnad erlangen? / Daß bist du, Herr, alleine. / Uns reuet unser Missetat, / Die dich, Herr, erzürnet hat. / Refrain . . . Laß uns nicht versinken in des bittern Todes Not. / Kyrieleison.” (1. In the very midst of life / Snares of death surround us; / Who shall help us in the strife / Lest the foe confound us? / Thou only, Lord, Thou only! / We mourn that we have greatly erred, / That our sins Thy wrath have stirred. Refrain . . . Save us lest we perish In the bitter pangs of death. / Have mercy, O Lord!). 2. “Mitten in dem Tod ansicht / Uns der Höllen Rachen. Wer will uns aus solcher Not / Frei und ledig machen? / Das tust du, Herr, alleine. / Es jammert dein Barmherzigkeit / Unser Klag und großes Leid.” Refrain . . . Laß uns nicht verzagen vor der tiefen Höllen Glut. / Kyrieleison.” (2. In the midst of death's dark vale / Pow'rs of hell o'ertake us. / Who will help when they assail, / Who secure will make us? / Thou only, Lord, Thou only! / Thy heart is moved with tenderness, / Pities us in our distress. Refrain . . . Save us from the terror / Of the fiery pit of hell. / Have mercy, O Lord!.). 3. “Mitten in der Höllen Angst / Unser Sünd uns treiben. / Wo solln wir denn fliehen hin, / Da wir mögen bleiben? / Zu dir, Herr, alleine. / Vergossen ist dein teures Blut, / Das gnug für die Sünde tut. Refrain . . . Laß uns nicht entfallen von des rechten Glaubens Trost. / Kyrieleison.” Erfurter Enchiridien, 1524 (3. In the midst of utter woe / All our sins oppress us, / Where shall we for refuge go, / Where for grace to bless us? / To Thee, Lord Jesus, only! Thy precious blood was shed to win / Full atonement for our sin. Refrain . . . Lord, preserve and keep us / In the peace that faith can give. / Have mercy, O Lord! Source: Lutheran Service Book #755).
Luther’s expansion embraces key concepts. A cry for help in mortal danger, it is an assurance of grace and a confession of God’s goodness.” The two additional stanzas become a petition for forgiveness of sins. Near the ending, Luther emphasizes his Theology of the Cross concept in which sacrificial blood brings full atonement. |
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Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:
Chorale Mitten wir im Leben sind, BWV 383
Ref: Ri 214; Br 214; AmB 46II p.170; Penzel 149 383; BC F145.1 |
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German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach) |
English Translation |
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1. Mitten wir im Leben sind
Mit dem Tod umfangen.
Wen suchn wir, der Hilfe tu,
Dass wir Gnad erlangen?
Das bist du, Herr, alleine.
Uns reuet unsre Missetat,
Die dich, Herr, erzürnet hat.
Heiliger Herre Gott,
Heiliger starker Gott,
Heiliger barmherziger Heiland,
Du ewiger Gott:
Lass uns nicht versinken
In des bittern Todes Not.
Kyrieleison. |
In the very midst of life
Snares of death surround us;
Who shall help us in the strife
Lest the foe confound us?
Thou only, Lord, Thou only!
We mourn that we have greatly erred,
That our sins Thy wrath have stirred.
Refrain . . .
Save us lest we perish
In the bitter pangs of death.
Have mercy, O Lord! |
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2. Mitten in dem Tod anficht
Uns der Höllen Rachen.
Wer will uns aus solcher Not
Frei und ledig machen?
Das tust du, Herr, alleine.
Es jammert dein Barmherzigkeit
Unsre Sünd und großes Leid.
Heiliger Herre Gott,
Heiliger starker Gott,
Heiliger barmherziger Heiland,
Du ewiger Gott:
Lass uns nicht verzagen
Vor der tiefen Höllen Glut.
Kyrieleison. |
In the midst of death's dark vale
Pow'rs of hell o'ertake us.
Who will help when they assail,
Who secure will make us?
Thou only, Lord, Thou only!
Thy heart is moved with tenderness,
Pities us in our distress.
Refrain . . .
Save us from the terror
Of the fiery pit of hell.
Have mercy, O Lord!. |
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3. Mitten in der Höllen Angst
unsre Sünd' uns treiben.
Wo solln wir denn fliehen hin,
Da wir mögen bleiben?
Zu dir, Herr Christ, alleine.
Vergossen ist dein teures Blut,
Das gnug für die Sünde tut.
Heiliger Herre Gott,
Heiliger starker Gott,
Heiliger barmherziger Heiland,
Du ewiger Gott:
Lass uns nicht entfallen
Von des rechten Glaubens Trost.
Kyrieleison. |
In the midst of utter woe
All our sins oppress us,
Where shall we for refuge go,
Where for grace to bless us?
To Thee, Lord Jesus, only!
Thy precious blood was shed to win
Full atonement for our sin.
Refrain . . .
Lord, preserve and keep us
In the peace that faith can give.
Have mercy, O Lord! Source: |
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Text (from Wikipedia) |
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The Latin text has ten lines of different length, with irregular meter. Lines 7 to 9 are reminiscent of the Trisagion, "Sanctus deus, Sanctus fortis, Sanctus immortalis, miserere nobis" (Holy God, Holy Strong One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us).
When Martin Luther added two stanzas, he kept the structure, rendering the final request for mercy in each stanza as the Greek "Kyrieleis". From stanza to stanza, a line explains the respective line in the previous stanza, leading from death in the midst of life to hell in the midst of death, in the third stanza to sin as the reason for fear of hell. Biblical sources for Luther's stanzas are Romans 14:7–8, 1 Corinthians 1:9–10 and 1 Corinthians 15:53–54.
The lyrics are given in today's form, with the Latin original corresponding to the first stanza: |
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German |
Latin/German |
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1. Mitten wir im Leben sind
mit dem Tod umfangen.
Wer ist, der uns Hilfe bringt,
dass wir Gnad erlangen?
Das bist du, Herr, alleine.
Uns reuet unsre Missetat,
die dich, Herr, erzürnet hat.
Heiliger Herre Gott,
heiliger starker Gott,
heiliger barmherziger Heiland,
du ewiger Gott:
lass uns nicht versinken
in des bittern Todes Not.
Kyrieleison. |
Media vita
In morte sumus.
Quem quærimus adiutorem
Nisi te, Domine,
Qui pro peccatis nostris
Iuste irasceris.
Sancte Deus,
Sancte fortis,
Sancte et misericors Salvator:
Amaræ morti ne tradas nos! |
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2. Mitten in dem Tod anficht
uns der Hölle Rachen.
Wer will uns aus solcher Not
frei und ledig machen?
Das tust du, Herr, alleine.
Es jammert dein Barmherzigkeit
unsre Klag und großes Leid. |
3. Mitten in der Hölle Angst
unsre Sünd’ uns treiben.
Wo solln wir denn fliehen hin,
da wir mögen bleiben?
Zu dir, Herr Christ, alleine.
Vergossen ist dein teures Blut,
das g’nug für die Sünde tut. |
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Heiliger Herre Gott,
heiliger starker Gott,
heiliger barmherziger Heiland,
du ewiger Gott:
lass uns nicht verzagen
vor der tiefen Hölle Glut.
Kyrieleison. |
Heiliger Herre Gott,
heiliger starker Gott,
heiliger barmherziger Heiland,
du ewiger Gott:
lass uns nicht entfallen
von des rechten Glaubens Trost.
Kyrieleison. |
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Soof German Text: Bach Digital | Hymnary.org | Wikipedia
English translation: Catherine Winkworth (1862) | Source of English translation: Lutheran Service Book #755).
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (October 2018) |
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