Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten, BWV 59
Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten (Whoever loves me will keep my word), BWV 59, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach composed the cantata for Pentecost and probably first performed it in Leipzig on 28 May 1724, but an earlier performance on 16 May 1723 at the University Church of Leipzig is possible.
History and words
Bach wrote the cantata for Pentecost Sunday. He performed it on 28 May 1724, which was probably the first performance. The score dates from 1723, but the parts were written in 1724. Pentecost of 1723 occurred before Bach officially started his tenure as Thomaskantor in Leipzig on the first Sunday after Trinity. The possibility of a performance already on 16 May 1723, perhaps in a service of the university, as Arnold Schering suggested, has been discussed.[1][2][3][4]
The prescribed readings for the feast day were Acts 2Template:Bibleverse with invalid book:1–13 and John 14Template:Bibleverse with invalid book:23–31, the promise of the Paraclete who will assist and teach, from the first Farewell discourse. The cantata is based on a text of Erdmann Neumeister, published in 1714. Bach composed only four movements of the seven of the poetry. The cantata begins with the first verse of the gospel, which Bach had set already as a recitative for bass in his cantata for Pentecost Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten! BWV 172, composed in Weimar in 1714 on a text of Salomon Franck. In movement 2 the poet praises the great love of God.[1] Movement 3 is the first stanza of Martin Luther's chorale for Pentecost, Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott,[5] asking for the coming of the Holy Spirit. In an unusual closing aria the poet deals with the expected greater bliss in heaven.[1]
Bach used and expanded parts of the cantata in Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten, BWV 74, for Pentecost of 1725.
Scoring and structure
The cantata for the feast day is scored for two soloists, soprano and bass, a four part choir only in the chorale, two trumpets, timpani, two violins, viola and basso continuo. Compared to a typical festive orchestra, it lacks a third trumpet and woodwinds.[1][4]
- Duetto (soprano, bass): Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten
- Recitativo (soprano): O was sind das vor Ehren
- Chorale: Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott
- Aria (bass): Die Welt mit allen Königreichen
Music
The first movement is an extended duet, which repeats the text five times. In four sections, the voices imitate each other, using different intervals and various keys, in the final section they sing united in homophon sixths. The instruments begin with a short prelude, which introduces a motif later sung on the words "Wer mich liebet" with a short melisma on "mich" (me). This motif begins every section.
Movement 2 begins as a recitative with string accompaniment, but ends as an Arioso with continuo on the final lines "Ach, daß doch, wie er wollte ihn auch ein jeder lieben sollte" (Ah, that only, as he wishes, everyone might also love him).[1]
In the chorale[6] two violins play partly independent parts, achieving a full sound. The chorale is followed by an aria with an obbligato violin. Scholars have discussed, if this unusual ending of the cantata was Bach's intention or if he had planned to conclude the work with Neumeister's fifth movement, a chorale.[1] John Eliot Gardiner chose to repeat the chorale, performing its third stanza.[4][7]
Recordings
- Bach Made in Germany Vol. 2 - Cantatas II, Kurt Thomas, Thomanerchor, Gewandhausorchester, Agnes Giebel, Theo Adam, Eterna 1959
- J.S. Bach: Kantaten · Cantatas Nr. 27, Nr. 118, Nr. 158, Nr. 59, Jaap Schröder, Amsterdamer Kantorei, Concerto Amsterdam, Rotraud Hansmann, Max van Egmond, Telefunken 1967
- J.S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk - Sacred Cantatas Vol. 3, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Tölzer Knabenchor, Concentus Musicus Wien, soloist of the Wiener Sängerknaben, Ruud van der Meer, Teldec 1976
- Die Bach Kantate Vol. 35, Helmuth Rilling, Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Arleen Augér, Niklaus Tüller, Hänssler 1977
- J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 6, Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Ruth Ziesak, Klaus Mertens, Antoine Marchand 1997
References
- ^ a b c d e f Dürr, Alfred (1971). Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach (in German). Vol. 1. Bärenreiter-Verlag. OCLC 523584.
- ^ Julius Mincham (2010). "Chapter 58 BWV 59 Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten". jsbachcantatas.com. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ Carol Traupman-Carr (2006). "Cantata 59, Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten". The Bach Choir of Bethlehem. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ a b c John Eliot Gardiner (2006). "Cantatas for Whit Sunday / Holy Trinity, Long Melford" (PDF). monteverdiproductions.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ "Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott / Text and Translation of Chorale". bach-cantatas.com. 2006. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ "Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott". bach-cantatas.com. 2006. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ John Quinn (2006). "The Bach Cantata Pilgrimage - Volume 26". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
External links
- Free scores by Cantatas, BWV 51-60 at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
- Cantata BWV 59 Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten on the bach cantatas website
- German text and English translation, Emmanuel Music
- Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten on the Bach website Template:De icon
- BWV 59 Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten University of Vermont