Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei, BWV 179
Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei (See to it, that your fear of God be not hypocrisy), BWV 179, is a church cantata written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1723 in Leipzig for the eleventh Sunday after Trinity, first performed on 8 August 1723.
History and words
Bach wrote the cantata in his first year in Leipzig, which he had started after Trinity of 1723, for the eleventh Sunday after Trinity, first performed on 8 August 1723. Alfred Dürr assumes that Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut, BWV 199, composed for the same occasion in Weimar, was also performed in the service.[1]
The prescribed readings for the day are 1 Corinthians 15:1—10 and Luke 18:9—14, the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. The unknown poet stayed close to the gospel and alluded to several Bible passages. The cantata is opened by a line from Ecclesiasticus 1:34. the closing chorale is the first verse of Ich armer Mensch, ich armer Sünder of Christian Tietze (1663).[1]
Scoring and structure
The cantata is scored for soprano, tenor and bass soloists and a four-part choir, two oboe da caccia, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.
- Chorus: Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei
- Recitativo (tenor): Das heutge Christentum ist leider schlecht bestellt
- Aria (tenor, oboes, violin): Falscher Heuchler Ebenbild
- Recitativo (bass): Wer so von innen wie von außen ist
- Aria (soprano, oboes): Liebster Gott, erbarme dich
- Chorale: Ich armer Mensch, ich armer Sünder[1]
Music
In the opening chorus the instruments go with the voices as in a motet. The words are set in a strict counter-fugue: each entrance is followed by an entrance in inversion. The sequence is concluded by a canonic imitation on a new theme: in the words und diene Gott nicht mit einem falschen Herzen (and do not serve God with a false heart) the falseness is expressed by chromatic. A second expanded fugue presents even more complex counterpoint than the first.[1]
A secco recitative prepares the aria with an accompaniment of the two oboe da caccia and violin I in syncopation, which even the tenor voice picks up in the first part. It is not a da capo aria, only the ritornell repeats the beginning. The final words of the second recitative end like an arioso to stress So kannst du Gnad und Hilfe finden! (so that you can find mercy and aid). The soprano aria expresses like a prayer Liebster Gott, erbarme dich (Beloved God, have mercy). The two oboe da caccia illustrate a movement of supplication even together with the soprano voice.[1]
The final chorale is sung on the melody Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, which Bach used also in his choral cantata BWV 93.[1]
Bach used the music of the opening chorus again for the Kyrie of his Missa in G major, the first aria for the Quoniam of that mass, and the second aria for the Qui tollis of the Missa in A major.[2]
Recordings
- Die Bach Kantate Vol. 46, Helmuth Rilling, Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Arleen Augér, Kurt Equiluz, Wolfgang Schöne, Hänssler 1974
- Bach Cantatas Vol. 4 - Sundays after Trinity I, Karl Richter, Münchener Bach-Chor, Münchener Bach-Orchester, Edith Mathis, Peter Schreier, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Archiv Produktion 1977[3]
- J.S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk - Sacred Cantatas Vol. 9, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Tölzer Knabenchor, Concentus Musicus Wien, soloist of the Tölzer Knabenchor, Kurt Equiluz, Robert Holl, Teldec 1988
- J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 6, Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Ruth Ziesak, Paul Agnew, Klaus Mertens, Antoine Marchand 1997
- J.S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 10, Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, Miah Persson, Makoto Sakurada, Peter Kooy, BIS 1999[3]
- J.S. Bach: Trinity Cantatas II, John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Magdalena Kožená, Mark Padmore, Stephan Loges, Archiv Produktion 2000
- J.S. Bach: Cantatas for the Complete Liturgical Year Vol. 5, Sigiswald Kuijken, La Petite Bande, Gerlinde Sämann, Jan Kobow, Jan van der Crabben, Accent 2006
Performances
The cantata was performed at The Proms of 2007 with the Bach Collegium Japan and soloists Carolyn Sampson, Gerd Türk and Peter Kooy, conducted by Masaaki Suzuki.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Alfred Dürr. 1971. "Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach", Bärenreiter (in German)
- ^ Crouch, Simon (1998). "Cantata 179". classical.net. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
- ^ a b Greene, John. "J.S. Bach Cantatas: Herr gehe nicht ins Gericht BWV 105; Siehe zu, dass deine Gottesfurcht BWV 179; & Ärgre dich o Seele nicht BWV 186". classicstoday.com. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
- ^ "Full Proms listings 2007". The Times. 12 July 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
External links
- Cantata BWV 179 Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei on bach-cantatas
- Free scores by Cantatas, BWV 171-180 at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
- German text and English translation, Emmanuel Music
- Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei on the Bach website (in German)
- Entries for BWV 179 on WorldCat