Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1

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    Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How beautifully shines the morning star), BWV 1, is a sacred cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach.

    It was composed in Leipzig in 1725 for the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which occurs yearly on 25 March, and performed then for the first time. As the Feast usually falls in Lent, it is rarely celebrated with music, but 25 March 1725 was also Palm Sunday, for which Bach wrote this cantata.

    The prescribed readings for the day are Isaiah 7: 10–16 and Luke 1: 26–38. The text of the cantata comprises the words of the hymn published by Philipp Nicolai in 1599 in movements 1 and 6. Authorship of Verses 2–5 is unknown.

    The homonym chorale theme was codified by Nicolai, although research by C. S. Terry has shown the tune to predate Nicolai's publication by at least 61 years[1].

    Scoring and structure

    The piece is scored for cornos I/II, oboes da caccia I/II, violins I/II (further divided in concertante and ripieno), viola, and basso continuo, three vocal soloists (soprano, tenor, and bass) and four-part choir. It is in six movements:

    1. (Coro): "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" for choir and instrumental tutti.
    2. Recitativo: "Du wahrer Gottes und Marien Sohn" for tenor and continuo.
    3. Aria: "Erfüllet, ihr himmlischen göttlichen Flammen" for soprano, oboes da caccia in unison, and continuo.
    4. Recitativo: "Ein irdscher Glanz, ein leiblich Licht" for bass and continuo.
    5. Aria: "Unser Mund und Ton der Saiten" for tenor, strings and continuo.
    6. Chorale: "Wie bin ich doch so herzlich froh" for choir, corno I and violin I col Soprano, corno II, oboe I and violin II coll'Alto, oboe II and viola col Tenore, continuo.

    Text

    Recordings

    References

    1. ^ C. Sanford Terry: "A Note on the Tune, 'Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern'", The Musical Times, Vol. 58, No. 893 (1 July 1917), pp. 302–03.

    Sources

    External links


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