Unique in Bach’s oeuvre is the opening chorus from the cantata Christus, der ist mein Leben (Christ, He is my Life), BWV 95, composed for the 16th Sunday after Trinity in 1723. It features two different chorales interrupted by a tenor solo. Also exceptional are the musical interludes performed by cornett and two oboes between the lines of the second of those chorales. This double-chorale movement is followed (after a secco recitative) by another chorale, now performed by solo soprano and two oboes d’amore. In the cantata’s only aria, the ravishingly beautiful “Ach, schlage doch bald” for tenor, the oboes d’amore again take the instrumental lead with the strings providing a pizzicato accompaniment recalling the striking of funeral bells. A bass recitative brings us to the fourth and final chorale of this extraordinary cantata.
Explore
Additional material
- Purchase additional material as a download product.
-
text (without music) for download, html file, Singing text, english translationhtml file, Singing text, english translation (Sample)1 Coro e Recitativo (Tenore)For me to live is Jesus;
dying for me is gain.
Our God is there to lead us;
with joy death I attain.With gladness, yes, with joy of heart
I leave this earthly sadness.
Should I be asked today: Depart!
then I rejoice, will not rebel.
I give my own, this feeble, weakened body,
this gown, this mortal shell.
To earth it surely will soon return forever.
My ode of death I have composed;
yes, may I sing with fervour:In peace and joy I now depart,
as God is guiding,
with comfort in my mind and heart,
gently resting.
God has shown and promised me,
that death is but my slumber....
-
text (without music) for download, html file, Singing text, originalhtml file, Singing text, original (Sample)1 Coro e Recitativo (Tenore)
Christus, der ist mein Leben,
Sterben ist mein Gewinn;
dem tu ich mich ergeben,
mit Freud fahr ich dahin.Mit Freuden,
ja mit Herzenslust
will ich von hinnen scheiden.
Und hieß es heute noch: Du musst!
so bin ich willig und bereit,
den armen Leib, die abgezehrten Glieder,
das Kleid der Sterblichkeit
der Erde wieder
in ihren Schoß zu bringen.
Mein Sterbelied ist schon gemacht;
ach, dürft ich‘s heute singen!Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin,
nach Gottes Willen,
getrost ist mir mein Herz und Sinn,
sanft und stille....
Purchase
Additional product information
-
Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach
| 1685-1750Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most important composers of Western music history. He came from a widely ramified musical dynasty, which produced numerous musicians and organists in the Thuringian-Saxon area.
Bach vocal
Ever since Carus-Verlag was founded in 1972, publishing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach has been a special focus for us. In the 2017 Reformation anniversary year we completed the Bach vocal project. Bach's complete sacred vocal works are now available in modern Urtext editions, together with performance material. A complete edition of all the full scores is also available in a high quality box set. Personal details
-
Editor
Reinhold Kubik
| 1942
-
Continuo realization
Paul Horn
| 1922-2016Paul Horn war ein deutscher Kirchenmusiker, Organist, Komponist und Musikwissenschaftler. Er studierte Kirchenmusik und Orgel an der Evangelischen Kirchenmusikschule Esslingen am Neckar bei Hans-Arnold Metzger und Musikwissenschaft, Theologie und Geschichte an der Universität Tübingen. Seine berufliche Laufbahn begann als Kantor an der Evangelischen Michaelskirche in Stuttgart-Degerloch. 1954 wurde er Kantor an der Evangelischen Stadtkirche Ravensburg, eine Position, die er bis zu seiner Pensionierung innehatte. Als Musikwissenschaftler arbeitete Horn bis ins hohe Alter eng mit Carus zusammen. So stammen zahlreiche Carus-Klavierauszüge aus seiner Feder. Personal details
-
Translator
Vernon Wicker
Reviews on our website can only be submitted by customers with a registered user account. A check whether the rated products were actually purchased does not take place.
No feedback available for this product.
Frequent questions about this work
There are no questions and answers available so far or you were unable to find an answer to your specific question about this work? Then click here and send your specific questions to our Customer Services!
