SKU: CA.3105219
ISBN 9790007206352. Language: German/English. Text: Birkmann, Christoph.
It only became apparent a few years ago that the text of the soprano cantata Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht came from the collection Gott-geheiligten Sabbaths-Zehnden by the Leipzig theology student and Bach pupil Christoph Birkmann, printed in 1728 in Nuremberg. Birkmann was probably therefore the author of the text. The cantata was written for the 23rd Sunday after Trinity, which fell on 24 November 1726 in the year of its first performance. As in other cantatas in the first annual cycle, Bach chose an instrumental sinfonia as the opening movement - here the first movement of the 1st Brandenburg Concerto. The soprano soloist has two recitatives and two arias, in which the falsehood of the world is juxtaposed with trust in God. The cantata text is rounded off with the first verse of the chorale In dich hab ich gehoffet, scored for four-part chorus, as is usual with Bach. With the use of two horns and three oboes added to the string ensemble, the cantata has colorful and varied orchestration. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3105200.
SKU: CA.3118659
ISBN 9790007209896. Key: G minor / c dorian. Language: German/English.
The cantata Argre dich, o Seele, nicht BWV 186 is in a sense the companion work to the much better-known cantata Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben BWV 147. Both were composed in Advent 1716 as Bach's last two cantatas for the Weimar court, and both were arranged for another Sunday in Bach's first Leipzig cantata cycle by the addition of recitatives and a large-scale chorale movement, heard at the end of both parts. The sound of the Cantata BWV 186 is characterized by the four-part woodwind ensemble writing. The final chorale, heard twice, anticipates the opening choruses of the chorale cantatas from Bach's second cycle. Cantata BWV 186 for the 7th Sunday after Trinity is a considerably expanded reworking of a Weimar Advent cantata of 1716. Only the text survives of the Advent cantata, but Diethard Hellmann has been able to reconstruct the work from the later version (Carus 31.186). Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3118600.
SKU: CA.3118669
ISBN 9790007187262. Key: G minor / c dorian. Language: German/English.
SKU: CA.3101809
ISBN 9790007204839. Text language: German/English.
The cantata dates from Bach's time in Weimar. The instrumental scoring of four violas and basso continuo - in the Leipzig performances enhanced by two recorders doubling viola I and II at the octave - is unique in Bach's cantata oeuvre. It lends a dark, luxurious sound to the four movements which is gently illuminated by the recorders. The work - with its instrumental sinfonia, a short secco recitative and an extended accompagnato recitative (both of which contain arioso inserts), a short soprano aria and a simple closing chorale - makes no great demands on the performing forces. Admirers of text interpretation by means of instrumental figuration will be richly rewarded. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3101800.
SKU: CA.3101819
ISBN 9790007204891. Text language: German/English.
SKU: CA.3111709
ISBN 9790007048662. Key: G major. Language: German/English. Text: Schutz, Johann Jakob. Text: Johann Jakob Schutz.
The cantata Sei Lob und Ehr dem hochsten Gut (All glory to the Lord of Lords) BWV 117 is one of a small group of Bach's chorale cantatas which use exclusively the text of the chorale, including in the three recitatives and three arias. Only the autograph score of the cantata survives; although this enables an approximate dating to be made (c. 1730), it does not give the occasion for which the cantata was written. The choice of chorale may indicate it was composed for a wedding. Recently it has been suggested that the occasion for its composition was the birthday of the Duke of Weissenfels in 1731; but there is no firm evidence to support either theory. The cantata opens with an extended movement for chorus in which Bach contrasts the concertante orchestra with festive, almost homophonic choral writing. This chorus movement is repeated at the end. A simple chorale movement which comes fourth indicates that the nine-movement cantata was performed in two sections. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3111700.
SKU: CA.3107309
ISBN 9790007044657. Key: G minor / c minor. Language: German/English.
In 1724, Bach composed the cantata Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir [Lord, as you will, do unto me] BWV 73 for the third Epiphany Sunday. Like in some other cantatas from the first annual cycle, the opening movement contains a part for corno which would in fact have been unplayable on an instrument of that era - probably also a reason why Bach allocated this part to the organ in a repeat performance (both variants can be performed using the Carus edition). The unusual choral movement, interrupted by recitatives, is based quite substantially on a short four-note motive which is introduced by the horn; at the end of the chorus, the choir sings it to the words Herr, wie du willt [Lord, as you will] - an avowal which also quite substantially characterizes other movements of the cantata. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3107300.
SKU: CA.3112209
ISBN 9790007207403. Language: German/English.
More than usual, in this chorale cantata the hymn is continuously present; it appears as the cantus firmus in four of the six movements and gives the work an overall unity. In addition to the opening chorus and in the closing chorale, it appears in a trio, a rare occurrence in Bach's vocal works, and even in a recitative. The latter is performed by recorders. The rich scoring for winds - besides the recorders it also includes three oboes - characterizes this cantata, which is performed after Christmas and whose text refers back to Christmas and also points to the new year. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3112200.
SKU: CA.3116709
ISBN 9790007209193. Language: German/English.
The cantata Ihr Menschen, ruhmet Gottes Liebe (You mortals, tell of God's devotion) BWV 167 is one of the first works which Bach wrote in his capacity as Kantor of St. Thomas's Leipzig. It was composed for the Feast of St John, and was performed for the first time on 24 June 1723 in Leipzig. This concise and lively cantata is scored for four vocal soloists and modest instrumental forces; only the final chorale Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren is for all four vocal parts and the use of strings, with the soprano reinforced by a slide trumpet. The text is partly drawn verbatim from Zacharias's hymn of praise in St Luke's Gospel chapter 1. It praises God's grace and love, as fulfilled by his promise of salvation through Jesus for which John has prepared the way and the path. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3116700.
SKU: CA.3116719
ISBN 9790007209230. Language: German/English.
SKU: CA.3711019
ISBN 9790007133092. Language: German.
Gottfried August Homilius belongs to the last generation of composers of the 18th century who, in addition to the popular Passion oratorios, continued to write oratorio Passions using biblical texts. From his pen a Passion for each of the four Gospels has survived. With sensitive arias, unusal orchestral sound and expressive turba choruses Homilius translated the traditional Passion to his times. It was surely not a coincidence that in Hamburg Carl Philipp Emanuel Bachr resorted primarily to the Passions of Homilius, especially the St. Mark Passion, which he first performed in an abridged version in 1770 and whose music he employed in 14 of his 21 pasticcio Passions. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3711000.
