Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe, BWV 167
Encyclopedia
Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe (You people, glorify God's love), BWV 167, is a church cantata
by Johann Sebastian Bach
. Bach composed the cantata in Leipzig
for the Feast of St. John the Baptist
(German: "Fest Johannes des Täufers", also "Johannistag") and first performed it on 24 June 1723.
. He had delivered an ambitious cantata in 14 movements, Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75
, in the first service as cantor on 30 May 1723. In comparison his first cantata for a Saint's feast day in five movements is small scale.
The prescribed readings for the feast were :1–5 and :57–80, the birth of John the Baptist
and the Benedictus
, the canticle
of Zechariah
. The unknown poet took some phrases from the gospel, such as the beginning of movement 2, "Gelobet sei der Herr Gott Israel" (Praise be to the Lord God of Israel), as in the canticle. The poetry follows the thought that Jesus, born of a woman ("des Weibes Samen"), is predicted to redeem sins, which are represented by the image of the serpent
. The poetry concludes with the request to sing praises like Zechariah, fulfilled in the closing chorale
, the fifth stanza of Johann Gramann
's Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren (1549).
, alto
, tenor
and bass
, a four-part choir only in the closing chorale, clarino
, oboe da caccia
, oboe
, two violin
s, viola
, and basso continuo. The clarino only doubles the melody of the chorale.
. Possibly Bach saw the canticle of Zechariah as an individual's song of praise as a starting point. The aria is accompanied only by the strings, sometimes a solo violin, sometimes a dense texture of all strings. The following recitative, referring to St. John and Jesus in the course of redemption, ends in an arioso
on the lines "mit Gnad und Liebe zu erfreun und sie zum Himmelreich in wahrer Buß zu leiten" (to delight with grace and love, and to lead to the kingdom of heaven in true remorse). This arioso is accompanied by an ostinato movement in the continuo in "a semiquaver, quasi-Alberti figuration". The following duet, accompanied by an obbligato
oboe da caccia, achieves a dense texture because the voices and the oboe operate in the same range, often in homophony
. The middle section of the da capo
structure is again in two different parts. The first part leaves the "three beats in a measure" of the opening section for "common time", four beats. A canon
of the voices is accompanied by its beginning motif
played both in the oboe and the continuo. The second part returns to the 3/4 but again in new material, endless jubilating runs and repetitions, expressing the joy about "we have, praise God, experienced".
The following recitative ends again in an arioso
, when it comes to the request to sing praises like Zechariah. At this point the melody of the following chorale is already present in the bass voice on the words "und stimmet ihm ein Loblied an" (and voice unto him a song of praise). The closing chorale
, a general song of praise, is set on the melody of Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren. Bach did not set it simply for four parts, as usual. Instead, he finally used all instruments and voices together. The oboe doubles the violin, a clarino (slide trumpet) comes in for its only appearance, doubling the soprano, the choir is embedded in a concerto of the orchestra. The setting anticipates the closing chorales of Bach's Christmas Oratorio
and Ascension Oratorio, composed more than a decade later.
Bach cantata
Bach cantata became a term for a cantata of the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach who was a prolific writer of the genre. Although many of his works are lost, around 200 cantatas survived....
by Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
. Bach composed the cantata in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
for the Feast of St. John the Baptist
Nativity of St. John the Baptist
The Nativity of St. John the Baptist is a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of John the Baptist, a prophet who foretold the coming of the Messiah in the person of Jesus and who baptized Jesus.-Significance:Christians have long interpreted the life of John the Baptist as a preparation for...
(German: "Fest Johannes des Täufers", also "Johannistag") and first performed it on 24 June 1723.
History and words
Bach composed the cantata in his first year in Leipzig for St. John's Day, soon after he had taken up his position as KantorCantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
. He had delivered an ambitious cantata in 14 movements, Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75
Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75
Die Elenden sollen essen , BWV 75, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach composed the cantata for the first Sunday after Trinity and first performed it in Leipzig on 30 May 1723...
, in the first service as cantor on 30 May 1723. In comparison his first cantata for a Saint's feast day in five movements is small scale.
The prescribed readings for the feast were :1–5 and :57–80, the birth of John the Baptist
Nativity of St. John the Baptist
The Nativity of St. John the Baptist is a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of John the Baptist, a prophet who foretold the coming of the Messiah in the person of Jesus and who baptized Jesus.-Significance:Christians have long interpreted the life of John the Baptist as a preparation for...
and the Benedictus
Benedictus (Song of Zechariah)
The Benedictus , given in Gospel of , is one of the three canticles in the opening chapters of this Gospel. The Benedictus was the song of thanksgiving uttered by Zechariah on the occasion of the birth of his son, John the Baptist.The whole canticle naturally falls into two parts...
, the canticle
Canticle
A canticle is a hymn taken from the Bible. The term is often expanded to include ancient non-biblical hymns such as the Te Deum and certain psalms used liturgically.-Roman Catholic Church:From the Old Testament, the Roman Breviary takes seven canticles for use at Lauds, as follows:*...
of Zechariah
Zechariah (priest)
In the Bible, Zechariah , is the father of John the Baptist, a priest of the sons of Aaron, a prophet in , and the husband of Elisabeth who is the cousin of Mary the mother of Jesus.In the Qur'an, Zechariah plays a similar role as the father of John the Baptist and ranks him as a prophet alongside...
. The unknown poet took some phrases from the gospel, such as the beginning of movement 2, "Gelobet sei der Herr Gott Israel" (Praise be to the Lord God of Israel), as in the canticle. The poetry follows the thought that Jesus, born of a woman ("des Weibes Samen"), is predicted to redeem sins, which are represented by the image of the serpent
Serpent (Bible)
Serpent is the term used to translate a variety of words in the Hebrew bible, the most common being , , the generic word for "snake"....
. The poetry concludes with the request to sing praises like Zechariah, fulfilled in the closing chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
, the fifth stanza of Johann Gramann
Johann Gramann
Johann Gramann or Graumann was a Protestant-Lutheran pastor, theologian, teacher, humanist, reformer and leader of the church. He worked as rector of the Thomasschule in Leipzig...
's Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren (1549).
Scoring and structure
The cantata is scored like chamber music for four soloists, sopranoSoprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, alto
Alto
Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...
, tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
and bass
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
, a four-part choir only in the closing chorale, clarino
Clarion (instrument)
Clarion is a common name for a trumpet in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It also is used as a name for a 4' organ reed stop. There is wide confusion over whether clarion invariably refers to a type of trumpet or simply the upper register of the standard trumpet....
, oboe da caccia
Oboe da caccia
The oboe da caccia is a double reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family, pitched a fifth below the oboe and used primarily in the Baroque period of European classical music...
, oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, two violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s, viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, and basso continuo. The clarino only doubles the melody of the chorale.
- Aria (tenor): Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe
- Recitativo (alto): Gelobet sei der Herr Gott Israel
- Aria (soprano, alto): Gottes Wort, das trüget nicht
- Recitativo (bass): Des Weibes Samen kam
- Chorale: Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren
Music
Different from his first cantatas performed in Leipzig, Bach begins the cantata not with a chorus, but with an ariaAria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
. Possibly Bach saw the canticle of Zechariah as an individual's song of praise as a starting point. The aria is accompanied only by the strings, sometimes a solo violin, sometimes a dense texture of all strings. The following recitative, referring to St. John and Jesus in the course of redemption, ends in an arioso
Arioso
In classical music, arioso is a style of solo opera singing between recitative and aria. Literally, arioso means airy. The term arose in the 16th century along with the aforementioned styles and monody. It is commonly confused with recitativo accompagnato....
on the lines "mit Gnad und Liebe zu erfreun und sie zum Himmelreich in wahrer Buß zu leiten" (to delight with grace and love, and to lead to the kingdom of heaven in true remorse). This arioso is accompanied by an ostinato movement in the continuo in "a semiquaver, quasi-Alberti figuration". The following duet, accompanied by an obbligato
Obbligato
In classical music obbligato usually describes a musical line that is in some way indispensable in performance. Its opposite is the marking ad libitum. It can also be used, more specifically, to indicate that a passage of music was to be played exactly as written, or only by the specified...
oboe da caccia, achieves a dense texture because the voices and the oboe operate in the same range, often in homophony
Homophony
In music, homophony is a texture in which two or more parts move together in harmony, the relationship between them creating chords. This is distinct from polyphony, in which parts move with rhythmic independence, and monophony, in which all parts move in parallel rhythm and pitch. A homophonic...
. The middle section of the da capo
Da capo
Da Capo is a musical term in Italian, meaning from the beginning . It is often abbreviated D.C. It is a composer or publisher's directive to repeat the previous part of music, often used to save space. In small pieces this might be the same thing as a repeat, but in larger works D.C...
structure is again in two different parts. The first part leaves the "three beats in a measure" of the opening section for "common time", four beats. A canon
Canon (music)
In music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration . The initial melody is called the leader , while the imitative melody, which is played in a different voice, is called the follower...
of the voices is accompanied by its beginning motif
Motif (music)
In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition....
played both in the oboe and the continuo. The second part returns to the 3/4 but again in new material, endless jubilating runs and repetitions, expressing the joy about "we have, praise God, experienced".
The following recitative ends again in an arioso
Arioso
In classical music, arioso is a style of solo opera singing between recitative and aria. Literally, arioso means airy. The term arose in the 16th century along with the aforementioned styles and monody. It is commonly confused with recitativo accompagnato....
, when it comes to the request to sing praises like Zechariah. At this point the melody of the following chorale is already present in the bass voice on the words "und stimmet ihm ein Loblied an" (and voice unto him a song of praise). The closing chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
, a general song of praise, is set on the melody of Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren. Bach did not set it simply for four parts, as usual. Instead, he finally used all instruments and voices together. The oboe doubles the violin, a clarino (slide trumpet) comes in for its only appearance, doubling the soprano, the choir is embedded in a concerto of the orchestra. The setting anticipates the closing chorales of Bach's Christmas Oratorio
Christmas Oratorio
The Christmas Oratorio BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 incorporating music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a...
and Ascension Oratorio, composed more than a decade later.
Recordings
- Die Bach Kantate Vol. 41, Helmuth RillingHelmuth RillingHelmuth Rilling is an internationally known German choral conductor, founder of the Gächinger Kantorei , the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart , the Oregon Bach Festival , the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart and other Bach Academies worldwide, and the "Festival Ensemble Stuttgart"...
, Figuralchor der Gedächtniskirche Stuttgart, Bach-Collegium StuttgartBach-Collegium StuttgartBach-Collegium Stuttgart is an internationally known German instrumental ensemble, founded by Helmuth Rilling in 1965 to accompany the Gächinger Kantorei in choral music with orchestra...
, Kathrin Graf, Helrun Gardow, Adalbert KrausAdalbert KrausAdalbert Kraus is a German tenor in opera and concert, known for singing the works of Johann Sebastian Bach.- Biography :...
, Niklaus Tüller, HänsslerHänssler ClassicHänssler Classic is a German classical record label based in Holzgerlingen.Friedrich Hänssler Senior founded Musikverlag Hänssler in 1919 to publish church music. Since 1972 Hänssler Classic has also published contemporary and jazz music...
1974 - J.S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk - Sacred Cantatas Vol. 9, Nikolaus HarnoncourtNikolaus HarnoncourtNikolaus Harnoncourt is an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music from the Classical era and earlier. Starting out as a classical cellist, he founded his own period instrument ensemble in the 1950s, and became a pioneer of the Early Music movement...
, Tölzer KnabenchorTölzer KnabenchorThe Tölzer Knabenchor is a boys' choir with roots in the Bavarian town of Bad Tölz.The choir group is still led by director and singing master Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, who founded the choir in 1956 when he was only nineteen years old. The founder was once a student of Carl Orff's and worked with him...
, Concentus Musicus WienConcentus Musicus WienConcentus Musicus Wien is a baroque music ensemble founded by Nikolaus and Alice Harnoncourt in 1953. It generated the now well-established movement in performance and recordings to play early music on period instruments....
, Helmut Wittek and Panito Iconomou (soloists of the Tölzer Knabenchor), Kurt EquiluzKurt EquiluzKurt Equiluz is an Austrian classical tenor in opera and concert, known for recording works of Johann Sebastian Bach with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Helmuth Rilling, a member of the Vienna State Opera as a tenor buffo from 1957 until 1983.- Professional career :Kurt Equiluz was an alto soloist of...
, Robert Holl, TeldecTeldecThe Teldec is a German record label in Hamburg, Germany. Today the label is a property of Warner Music Group.-History:...
1987 - J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 8, Ton KoopmanTon KoopmanTon Koopman is a conductor, organist and harpsichordist.Koopman had a "classical education" and then studied the organ , harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam...
, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & ChoirAmsterdam Baroque Orchestra & ChoirThe Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir is a Dutch early-music group based in Amsterdam.The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir was created in two stages by the conductor, organist and harpsichordist Ton Koopman. He founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra in 1979 and the Amsterdam Baroque Choir in...
, Dorothea RöschmannDorothea RöschmannDorothea Röschmann is a German opera soprano from Flensburg.-Education and early life:Röschmann studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, under Barbara Schlick at the Akademie für Alte Musik in Bremen, and subsequently in Los Angeles, New York, Tel Aviv, and under Vera Rózsa in London...
, Bogna BartoszBogna BartoszBogna Bartosz is a Polish classical mezzo-soprano and alto.- Biography :Bogna Bartosz studied voice at the Academy of Music in Gdansk and graduated with distinction...
, Jörg DürmüllerJörg DürmüllerJörg Dürmüller is a Swiss classical tenor in concert and opera.- Biography :Dürmüller studied violin and voice at the conservatory of Winterthur and took voice master classes with Edith Mathis, Christa Ludwig and Hermann Prey....
, Klaus MertensKlaus MertensKlaus Mertens is a German bass and bass-baritone singer who is known especially for his interpretation of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach.-Professional career:Klaus Mertens took singing lessons while attending school...
, Antoine Marchand 1998 - J.S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 9 (Cantatas from Leipzig 1725), Masaaki SuzukiMasaaki Suzukiis a Japanese organist, harpsichordist and conductor, and the founder and musical director of the Bach Collegium Japan.He was born in Kobe to parents who were both Christians and amateur musicians...
, Bach Collegium JapanBach Collegium JapanBach Collegium Japan is composed of an orchestra and a chorus specialising in Baroque music, playing with period instruments. It was founded in 1990 by Masaaki Suzuki with the purpose of introducing Japanese audiences to European Baroque music. Suzuki still remains its music director...
, Midori Suzuki, Robin BlazeRobin Blaze- Childhood and education :The son of a professional golfer Peter, Robin Blaze grew up in Shadwell, near Leeds and was educated at Leeds Grammar School, Uppingham School, and Magdalen College, Oxford....
, Gerd TürkGerd Türk- Biography :Gerd Türk received his first musical training as a choir boy at the cathedral of Limburg. He studied in Frankfurt and then at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis with Richard Levitt and René Jacobs, continuing in master classes with Ernst Haefliger and Kurt Equiluz.In the field of...
, Chiyuki Urano, BISBIS RecordsBIS Records is a record label founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr. It is located in Åkersberga, Sweden.BIS focuses on classical music, both contemporary and early, especially works that are not already well represented by existing recordings....
1998 - Bach Cantatas Vol. 1: City of London / For the Feast of St. John the Baptist, John Eliot GardinerJohn Eliot GardinerSir John Eliot Gardiner CBE FKC is an English conductor. He founded the Monteverdi Choir , the English Baroque Soloists and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique...
, Monteverdi ChoirMonteverdi ChoirThe Monteverdi Choir was founded in 1964 by Sir John Eliot Gardiner for a performance of the Monteverdi Vespers in King's College Chapel, Cambridge. A specialist Baroque ensemble, the Choir has become famous for its stylistic conviction and extensive repertoire, encompassing music from the early...
, English Baroque SoloistsEnglish Baroque SoloistsThe English Baroque Soloists is a chamber orchestra playing on period instruments, formed in 1978 by English conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Its repertoire comprises music from the early Baroque period to the Classical period...
, Joanne LunnJoanne Lunn- Professional career :Joanne Lunn studied at Royal College of Music, where she graduated and received the Tagore Gold Medal.Lunn performed in Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea, Gluck's operas Orfeo ed Euridice and Alceste, and in Verdi's Falstaff...
, Wilke te Brummelstroete, Paul AgnewPaul AgnewPaul Agnew is a Scottish operatic tenor.Agnew read music as a Choral Scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford. He became associated with the Consort of Musicke, the Tallis Scholars, the Sixteen and the Gothic Voices, before embarking on a solo career in the early 1990s.Closely associated with William...
, Dietrich Henschel, Soli Deo Gloria 2000 - Bach Cantates De Saint-Jean Baptiste / Intégrale des cantates sacrées Vol. 1, Eric J. Milnes, Montréal Baroque, Suzie LeBlancSuzie LeBlancSuzie LeBlanc is a Canadian soprano and early music specialist, who has enjoyed an active international career performing in concerts throughout Europe, North America and Japan, in repertoire ranging from lute songs to chamber music to oratorio and early opera.Suzie LeBlanc specializes in the 17th...
, Daniel TaylorDaniel Taylor (countertenor)Daniel Taylor is a Canadian countertenor and early music specialist. He completed his undergraduate studies in English, philosophy, and music at the the Faculty of Music of McGill University and his graduate work in religion and music at the Université de Montréal...
, Charles DanielsCharles Daniels (tenor)Charles Daniels is an English tenor, particularly noted for his performances of baroque music. He is a frequent soloist with The King's Consort, and has made over 25 recordings with the ensemble on the Hyperion label.-Biography:...
, Stephan MacLeod, ATMA 2004
External links
- Cantata BWV 167 Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe on the bach cantatas website
- German text and English translation, Emmanuel MusicEmmanuel MusicEmmanuel Music is a Boston-based collective group of singers and instrumentalists founded in 1970 by Craig Smith. It was created specifically to perform the complete cycle of over 200 sacred cantatas of J.S. Bach in the liturgical setting for which they were intended, an endeavor twice completed...
- Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe on the Bach website
- BWV 167 Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe University of VermontUniversity of VermontThe University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
- Cantata BWV 167 Margaret Greentree, 3 March 2011