When was cantata 78 written

The use of major-minor tonality is clear, giving the phrase greater structure and organized phrases and periods. This is increasingly common throughout the Baroque period. As other compositions in the Baroque period, rhythm and pulse are very constant and seem to be a driving factor. Voices and instruments are used in a seamless manner throughout the composition, perhaps one of the most defining characteristics of the Baroque period, especially the late Baroque period.

It may be interesting to compare Bach's Cantata No. Obviously, the two works are different genres, with Bach's a cantata and Handel's an oratorio. Handel, in comparison to Bach, seems to use older traditions less commonly in his choral works.

He is more concerned with a national style English that was emerging during the Baroque period. He wrote in English rather than German, which was a new innovation at the time.

Handel's compositions were more driven by audience tastes rather than Bach, who was driven by a job within a sacred realm. Text painting is used frequently in Handel's Messiah, more so than in Bach's cantata.

The invention is often so free that only occasional phrase will seem to come from the original chorale melody. The Cantata BWV 78 opens with a magnificent chorale-fantasia. Along with the chorale, its basic material is provided by a poignant theme four bars in length, chromatically descending by a fourth.

This recurring theme gives the movement the form of a chaconne. The movement starts with alternating orchestral and choral passages, and reaches a climax in which the full resources of orchestra and chorus are called upon, while the most complicated strands of melody are set in into motion.

The ability to move from the complexities and emotional depth of the opening fantasia to the idyllic feeling and transparent texture of this duet typifies the genius of the Leipzig cantatas. The heartrending tenor recitative, depicting the sinner in deepest penitence, opens up still another realm of emotion, and the tenor aria that follows, adorned by a flute obbligato, provides a consoling answer. This must undoubtedly have been followed by a sermon, which may have closed with a reference to the passion.

Then comes the bass aria, with a mood of serenity and confidence. It is followed by a chorale. Thus the first and the last verse are played unchanged at the beginning and end, whereas verses 2 to 11 are condensed and transformed into madrigalesque poetry.

Thanks to its richness of form and its power of expression, it is one of the best-known Bach cantatas altogether. The formal and tonal framework G minor is achieved by the choral movements, which are related to each other by contrast. The opening chorus is an enormous Passacaglia above a chromatically descending motif frequently used by Bach as a symbol of suffering and pain. Into this he builds the chorale, played line by line by the slide trumpet and first flute and expanded on by the chorus in motet style.

Contrasting with this is the markedly uncomplicated concluding chorus, which renounces all development of text details and strands for the consolidated faith of the congregation despite all the weaknesses of the individual.

The solo numbers mediate between these two extremes. In this connection the arias represent the ever-increasing consolation to be found in faith, while the two recitatives paint a picture of sinfulness of man and the inseparability of terror and consolation in the redeeming sacrifice of the Saviour to a musically drastic degree which is unusual even for Bach. Within itself the sequence of arias is, over and above this, arranged as intensification: from a thoroughbass by the way of the flute aria to the aria with concertante oboe and tutti strings.

Spitta praises "the calm control of all the artistic means and methods of composition, that have a deep masculine earnestness imprinted upon them. All this can only come from such an abundant artistic life such as Bach's. Menu 1. Jesu, der du meine Seele Chorale 2. Wir eilen Duet 3. Dein Blut Aria 5. Die Wunden Recitative 6. Nun, du wirst Aria 7. Go back. Behind the music Story. Extra videos. Focus on the underside The opening chorus of this cantata resembles a chaconne.

Vocal texs Original 1. Translation 1. View all videos from cantatas. Download in Microsoft Word format. The thirteenth cantata of the cycle for the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. Two movements particularly stand out in this work, the massive opening chorus and the enchanting duet which follows it.

So perfect are these that there is a danger of them eclipsing those which follow. The opening fantasia is awesome in both scope and scale. The text is one of those that seems to have particularly inspired Bach containing, as it does, a number of contrasting images. The challenge he so often set himself was to find a pathway through intricacy and invent a series of textures that were rich and multifaceted but never overwhelming or impenetrable.

This opening movement is a superb example of that art. The principal images are of Christ on the cross, His pain, the power of the devil in hell and, finally, the safe retreat for those protected by the word of the Lord; all common themes of the Lutheranism of the day.

The point is not that they are original ideas, far from it. It is that all these images are brought together in a single movement that stirs both heart and mind while still retaining complete musical integrity. The closing chorale has eight simple two-bar phrases.

This is not the triple time of the waltz or minuet, however. Just as Beethoven was later to demonstrate in the first movement of his Eroica symphony, triple time has the potential to convey a sense of overwhelming force.

His music encapsulates it all. But this description, though broadly accurate, is simplistic. Basically there were two kinds of compositional structures available to him and his contemporaries.

One was the repetition principle which allowed a composer to create or possibly borrow or steal an idea and keep repeating it whilst inventing sufficient contrasting material to maintain interest.

Theme and variations, ground bass, chaconne and passacaglia are all examples of such forms. Bach was less interested than some of his contemporaries in these, although when he did turn his hand to them, inevitably he created models for lesser composers to emulate e.

The seventeenth century consolidation of the various modes to just two, major and minor, made it possible for composers to move from one tonality i.

A good place for the interested amateur to see this in action would be the French Suite movements where Bach begins in the key of his choice, moves to another at the double bar thence passing as a rule through one or two further keys on the way home.

This enabled him to create a multitude of different, and often unique, musical shapes, unparalleled in the Western repertoire.