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Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält, BWV 178

November 29, 2023

Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält (Where God the Lord stands with us not),[1] BWV 178 is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig for the eighth Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 30 July 1724. It is a chorale cantata from his second annual cycle, based on the hymn "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält" (1524) by Justus Jonas, a paraphrase of Psalm 124.

Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält
BWV 178
Chorale cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach
Justus Jonas, the author of the hymn
OccasionEighth Sunday after Trinity
Chorale"Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält"
by Justus Jonas
Performed30 July 1724 (1724-07-30): Leipzig
Movements7
Vocal
  • SATB choir
  • solo: alto, tenor and bass
Instrumental
  • corno da caccia
  • 2 oboes
  • 2 oboes d'amore
  • 2 violins
  • viola
  • continuo

History and words edit

Bach composed the cantata in his second year in Leipzig for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity.[2] The prescribed readings for the Sunday are from the Epistle to the Romans, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:12–17), and from the Gospel of Matthew, the warning of false prophets from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:15–23). The cantata text is based on the hymn "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält", published in 1524 by the Lutheran reformer Justus Jonas as a paraphrase of Psalm 124.[3][4] The theme of the psalm, the need of help against raging enemies, corresponds to the Gospel. Compared to Bach's other chorale cantatas of the period, the unknown poet kept much of the original text, six of the eight stanzas, expanding two of them by recitative, to connect even closer to the Gospel. He paraphrased only stanzas 3 and 6 to an aria each. In the last aria, in a statement of opposition to rationalism—the "weasel words of rationalists, who would bring down the whole Lutheran theological edifice" in the words of John Eliot Gardiner[5]—the poet expands the words of the reformers' hymn, "Vernunft kann das nicht fassen" (reason cannot grasp it),[1] appealing to reason, described as unstable and frenzied, to be silent.[2]

Bach first performed the cantata on 30 July 1724,[2] as the eighth chorale cantata of his second annual cycle.[2][6]

Johann Nikolaus Forkel borrowed the manuscripts of Bach's chorale cantatas from Bach's son Friedemann and copied two of the cantatas, Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, BWV 9, and this cantata.[2][5]

Scoring and structure edit

The cantata in seven movements is scored for three vocal soloists—alto, tenor and bass—a four-part choir, horn, two oboes, two oboes d'amore, two violins, viola and basso continuo.[2]

  1. Chorale: Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält
  2. Recitative and chorale (alto): Was Menschenkraft und -witz anfäht
  3. Aria (bass): Gleichwie die wilden Meereswellen
  4. Chorale (tenor): Sie stellen uns wie Ketzern nach
  5. Chorale and recitative (alto, tenor, bass): Aufsperren sie den Rachen weit
  6. Aria (tenor): Schweig, schweig nur, taumelnde Vernunft!
  7. Chorale: Die Feind sind all in deiner Hand

Music edit

As in most of Bach's chorale cantatas, the opening chorus is a chorale fantasia. The chorale tune was published in 1529 by an anonymous author in Wittenberg.[4] The soprano sings this chorale melody[7] line by line, doubled by the horn, as a cantus firmus to the independent concerto of the orchestra.[2][6] The strings play "agitated dotted rhythms", the oboes "agitated semiquaver cascades" throughout the movement,[4] supplying a sense of unity.[2] The lower voices sing partly in homophony, partly in independent movement similar to the instruments. Bach uses the contrast to illustrate the text in the first lines, with no regard to its negation. "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält" is set in homophony and the last word "hält" (literally: "holds") is held as a long note, whereas in "wenn unsre Feinde toben" the raging of the enemies is shown in dotted rhythm and fast runs. When the bar form's Stollen is repeated in the following lines, Bach repeats the music also, although it doesn't reflect the text.[2]

In the following chorale and recitative, Bach distinguishes the chorale lines from the secco recitative by a continuo line on a repeated motif that is derived from the beginning of the respective melody line,[2] termed "in rhythmically compressed form ... four times as fast".[4]

The first aria shows the image of "wild sea surf" in undulating movements in the voice, in the obbligato part of the violins in unison, and in the continuo. The bass voice has to sing challenging coloraturas on the words "Meereswellen" and especially "zerscheitern" (be wrecked).[1][2]

The center of the cantata is an unchanged stanza of the chorale, the tenor's unadorned melody accompanied by the oboes d'amore and the continuo as equal partners.[2]

In movement 5, Bach differentiates chorale and recitative differently from the second. The chorale lines are four-part settings, the recitatives are given to individual different singers in the sequence bass, tenor, alto, bass. The continuo unifies the movement by a constant independent regular motion in motifs based on triads.[2]

In the last aria Bach invents a setting for strings that illustrates the instability of "frenzied reason" in syncopated rhythm, interrupted by chords on the repeated appeal "schweig!" (be silent). The drama of the aria rests only at the end of the middle section, when the words "so werden sie mit Trost erquicket" (they will be revived with solace)[1] are given by a fermata and the marking adagio. The cantata is closed by two stanzas of the chorale in a four-part setting.[2]

Recordings edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Dellal, Pamela. "BWV 178 – "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält"". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Dürr, Alfred (1981). Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach (in German). Vol. 1 (4 ed.). Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag. pp. 382–385. ISBN 3-423-04080-7.
  3. ^ "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt (Psalm 124) / Text and Translation of Chorale". Bach Cantatas Website. 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d Hofmann, Klaus (2002). "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält, BwWV 178 / If God the Lord is not with us" (PDF). Bach Cantatas Website. p. 9. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  5. ^ a b Gardiner, John Eliot (2008). Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Cantatas Nos 45, 46, 101, 102, 136 & 178 (Cantatas Vol 5) (Media notes). Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website). Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  6. ^ a b Julian Mincham (2010). "Chapter 9 BWV 178 Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält". jsbachcantatas.com. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält". Bach Cantatas Website. 2006. Retrieved 24 July 2011.

Sources edit

November 29, 2023
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Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt Where God the Lord stands with us not 1 BWV 178 is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach He composed it in Leipzig for the eighth Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 30 July 1724 It is a chorale cantata from his second annual cycle based on the hymn Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt 1524 by Justus Jonas a paraphrase of Psalm 124 Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns haltBWV 178Chorale cantata by Johann Sebastian BachJustus Jonas the author of the hymnOccasionEighth Sunday after TrinityChorale Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt by Justus JonasPerformed30 July 1724 1724 07 30 LeipzigMovements7VocalSATB choir solo alto tenor and bassInstrumentalcorno da caccia2 oboes2 oboes d amore2 violinsviolacontinuo Contents 1 History and words 2 Scoring and structure 3 Music 4 Recordings 5 References 6 SourcesHistory and words editBach composed the cantata in his second year in Leipzig for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity 2 The prescribed readings for the Sunday are from the Epistle to the Romans For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God Romans 8 12 17 and from the Gospel of Matthew the warning of false prophets from the Sermon on the Mount Matthew 7 15 23 The cantata text is based on the hymn Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt published in 1524 by the Lutheran reformer Justus Jonas as a paraphrase of Psalm 124 3 4 The theme of the psalm the need of help against raging enemies corresponds to the Gospel Compared to Bach s other chorale cantatas of the period the unknown poet kept much of the original text six of the eight stanzas expanding two of them by recitative to connect even closer to the Gospel He paraphrased only stanzas 3 and 6 to an aria each In the last aria in a statement of opposition to rationalism the weasel words of rationalists who would bring down the whole Lutheran theological edifice in the words of John Eliot Gardiner 5 the poet expands the words of the reformers hymn Vernunft kann das nicht fassen reason cannot grasp it 1 appealing to reason described as unstable and frenzied to be silent 2 Bach first performed the cantata on 30 July 1724 2 as the eighth chorale cantata of his second annual cycle 2 6 Johann Nikolaus Forkel borrowed the manuscripts of Bach s chorale cantatas from Bach s son Friedemann and copied two of the cantatas Es ist das Heil uns kommen her BWV 9 and this cantata 2 5 Scoring and structure editThe cantata in seven movements is scored for three vocal soloists alto tenor and bass a four part choir horn two oboes two oboes d amore two violins viola and basso continuo 2 Chorale Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt Recitative and chorale alto Was Menschenkraft und witz anfaht Aria bass Gleichwie die wilden Meereswellen Chorale tenor Sie stellen uns wie Ketzern nach Chorale and recitative alto tenor bass Aufsperren sie den Rachen weit Aria tenor Schweig schweig nur taumelnde Vernunft Chorale Die Feind sind all in deiner HandMusic editAs in most of Bach s chorale cantatas the opening chorus is a chorale fantasia The chorale tune was published in 1529 by an anonymous author in Wittenberg 4 The soprano sings this chorale melody 7 line by line doubled by the horn as a cantus firmus to the independent concerto of the orchestra 2 6 The strings play agitated dotted rhythms the oboes agitated semiquaver cascades throughout the movement 4 supplying a sense of unity 2 The lower voices sing partly in homophony partly in independent movement similar to the instruments Bach uses the contrast to illustrate the text in the first lines with no regard to its negation Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt is set in homophony and the last word halt literally holds is held as a long note whereas in wenn unsre Feinde toben the raging of the enemies is shown in dotted rhythm and fast runs When the bar form s Stollen is repeated in the following lines Bach repeats the music also although it doesn t reflect the text 2 In the following chorale and recitative Bach distinguishes the chorale lines from the secco recitative by a continuo line on a repeated motif that is derived from the beginning of the respective melody line 2 termed in rhythmically compressed form four times as fast 4 The first aria shows the image of wild sea surf in undulating movements in the voice in the obbligato part of the violins in unison and in the continuo The bass voice has to sing challenging coloraturas on the words Meereswellen and especially zerscheitern be wrecked 1 2 The center of the cantata is an unchanged stanza of the chorale the tenor s unadorned melody accompanied by the oboes d amore and the continuo as equal partners 2 In movement 5 Bach differentiates chorale and recitative differently from the second The chorale lines are four part settings the recitatives are given to individual different singers in the sequence bass tenor alto bass The continuo unifies the movement by a constant independent regular motion in motifs based on triads 2 In the last aria Bach invents a setting for strings that illustrates the instability of frenzied reason in syncopated rhythm interrupted by chords on the repeated appeal schweig be silent The drama of the aria rests only at the end of the middle section when the words so werden sie mit Trost erquicket they will be revived with solace 1 are given by a fermata and the marking adagio The cantata is closed by two stanzas of the chorale in a four part setting 2 Recordings editThe RIAS Bach Cantatas Project 1949 1952 Karl Ristenpart RIAS Kammerchor RIAS Kammerorchester Ingrid Lorenzen Helmut Krebs Dietrich Fischer Dieskau Audite 1950 Die Bach Kantate Vol 44 Helmuth Rilling Gachinger Kantorei Bach Collegium Stuttgart Gabriele Schreckenbach Kurt Equiluz Wolfgang Schone Hanssler 1972 Bach Cantatas Vol 4 Sundays after Trinity I Karl Richter Munchener Bach Chor Munchener Bach Orchester Julia Hamari Peter Schreier Dietrich Fischer Dieskau Archiv Produktion 1977 J S Bach Das Kantatenwerk Complete Cantatas Les Cantates Folge Vol 41 BWV 175 179 Nikolaus Harnoncourt Tolzer Knabenchor Concentus Musicus Wien Panito Iconomou as soloist of the Tolzer Knabenchor Kurt Equiluz Robert Holl Teldec 1988 Bach Edition Vol 11 Cantatas Vol 5 Pieter Jan Leusink Holland Boys Choir Netherlands Bach Collegium Sytse Buwalda Knut Schoch Bas Ramselaar Brilliant Classics 1999 J S Bach Complete Cantatas Vol 14 Ton Koopman Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra amp Choir Annette Markert Christoph Pregardien Klaus Mertens Antoine Marchand 2000 Bach Cantatas Vol 5 Rendsburg Braunschweig For the 8th Sunday after Trinity For the 10th Sunday after Trinity John Eliot Gardiner Monteverdi Choir English Baroque Soloists Robin Tyson Christoph Genz Brindley Sherratt Soli Deo Gloria 2000 J S Bach Cantatas Vol 23 Cantatas from Leipzig 1724 BWV 10 93 107 178 Masaaki Suzuki Bach Collegium Japan Matthew White Makoto Sakurada Peter Kooy BIS 2002 J S Bach Cantatas for the Complete Liturgical Year Vol 3 Ich habe genug Cantatas BWV 82 102 178 Sigiswald Kuijken La Petite Bande Elisabeth Hermans Petra Noskaiova Christoph Genz Jan van der Crabben Accent 2008 J S Bach Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt Georg Christoph Biller Thomanerchor Gewandhausorchester Susanne Krumbiegel Martin Petzold Matthias Weichert Rondeau Production 2008References edit a b c d Dellal Pamela BWV 178 Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt Emmanuel Music Retrieved 7 September 2022 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Durr Alfred 1981 Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach in German Vol 1 4 ed Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag pp 382 385 ISBN 3 423 04080 7 Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt Psalm 124 Text and Translation of Chorale Bach Cantatas Website 2011 Retrieved 23 July 2011 a b c d Hofmann Klaus 2002 Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt BwWV 178 If God the Lord is not with us PDF Bach Cantatas Website p 9 Retrieved 24 July 2012 a b Gardiner John Eliot 2008 Johann Sebastian Bach 1685 1750 Cantatas Nos 45 46 101 102 136 amp 178 Cantatas Vol 5 Media notes Soli Deo Gloria at Hyperion Records website Retrieved 11 August 2018 a b Julian Mincham 2010 Chapter 9 BWV 178 Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt jsbachcantatas com Retrieved 7 September 2022 Chorale Melodies used in Bach s Vocal Works Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt Bach Cantatas Website 2006 Retrieved 24 July 2011 Sources editWo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt BWV 178 Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt BWV 178 BC A 112 Chorale Cantata 8th Sunday after Trinity Bach Digital Cantata BWV 178 Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt history scoring sources for text and music translations to various languages discography discussion Bach Cantatas Website BWV 178 Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt English translation University of Vermont BWV 178 Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt text scoring University of Alberta Luke Dahn BWV 178 7 bach chorales com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt BWV 178 amp oldid 1167954851, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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