Johann Sebastian Bach: Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft, BWV 50
This two-choir, exceptionally elevated and magnificent movement was most likely part of a cantata and served as its opening or closing chorus. Based on the text, the work may have been composed for the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. Alfred Dürr wrote about this piece as follows: “The movement is distinguished not only by its lavish instrumentation (3 trumpets, timpani, 3 oboes, strings and continuo as well as a two-part choir) but also by the compositional technique, particularly the chordal reinforcement with which one choir presents the fugue theme or its seeming inversion against the counterpoint of the other parts.”
Johann Christoph Bach: Merk auf, mein Herz, und sieh dorthin
Johann Christoph Bach (1642–1703) was a cousin of Johann Sebastian Bach’s father. Johann Sebastian Bach described Johann Christoph Bach as a “profound composer,” whose great strength lay in “generating beautiful ideas as well as expressing the meaning of words.” According to experts to come – prior to Johann Sebastian Bach’s emergence – Johann Christoph Bach was undoubtedly the most significant composer of the Bach family. The text for which Johann Christoph Bach composed his music consists of six stanzas from Luther’s hymn for Christmas entitled ‘Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her’ so it is possible that the motet beginning with the words ‘Merk auf, mein Herz, und sieh dorthin’ was performed during the Christmas season. The piece was also included in the edition of Johann Sebastian Bach’s full musical works: it is featured in the appendix and is listed among compositions of uncertain authorship (Anh. 163) with the names of Johann Bernhard and Johann Ernst Bach appearing among its possible composers.
Johann Ludwig Bach: Ja, mir hast du Arbeit gemacht
Johann Ludwig Bach (1677–1731) was a distant relative of Johann Sebastian Bach. Johann Ludwig Bach composed a large number of vocal works and the survival of his cantatas is primarily due to Johann Sebastian, who performed 18 of Johann Ludwig’s cantatas in Leipzig (in 1726) as well as two of his masses. It is also known that some of these works were later performed (between 1735 and 1750) under Johann Sebastian Bach’s direction. The two-part piece entitled ‘Ja, mir hast du Arbeit gemacht’ was composed for Quinquagesima Sunday (Estomihi).
Johann Bach: Sei nun wieder zufrieden meine Seele
Johann Bach (1604–1673) was a town musician and organist in Erfurt. Few of his works have survived and these include two motets. The two-part piece entitled ‘Sei nun wieder zufrieden meine Seele’ was composed for eight vocal parts and continuo.
Johann Christoph Bach: Fürchte dich nicht
The motet entitled ‘Fürchte dich nicht’ was probably composed for a funeral service. Its text consists of three parts. The introduction is from the Book of Isaiah (43:1): “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.” The next section quotes Jesus’ words spoken on the cross (Gospel of Luke, 23:43): “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” The movement concludes with Johann Rist’s chorale text: “O, Jesus, you are my help and my peace, I beg you with tears: Help me, help me, that I may long for you even until the grave.”
Johann Christoph Bach: Es erhub sich ein Streit
This grand vocal concerto, written for two choirs (ten parts), was performed by Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig just as it was played by his son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach in Hamburg. Similar to the cantata movement ‘Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft,’ Johann Christoph Bach’s concerto also depicts the struggle between St. Michael the Archangel and the dragon in the form of a monumental and dynamic musical tableau.
Music by the Bach Family
MAY 16 8:00 PM
Matthias-Church
TICKETS