J.S. Bach / Christ lag in Todesbanden, BWV 4 (Parrott)

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Cantata BWV 4: Christ lag in Todesbanden (1707-1708)

1. Sinfonia
2. Christ lag in Todesbanden (Chorus) 01:22
3. Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt (Duet: S, A) 05:34
4. Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn (Aria: T) 08:51
5. Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg (Chorus) 10:49
6. Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm (Aria: B) 13:18
7. So feiern wir das hohe Fest (Duet: S, T) 15:53
8. Wir essen und leben wohl (Chorus) 17:34

Soloists:
Soprano: Emily Van Evera
Alto: Caroline Trevor
Tenor: Charles Daniels
Bass: David Thomas

Performed by Andrew Parrott and the Taverner Consort & Players.

"Christ lag in Todesbanden (Christ lay in the bonds of death) (BWV 4) is one of the earliest Bach cantatas known to us. It will have been written around 1707/1708, certainly before 1714. Although a chorale cantata--being based on Luther's hymn of 1524 with unaltered text--it nevertheless does not belong to the type characteristic of the later Bach (with inner movements in recitative and aria form), but to the archaic form of the chorale variation 'per omnes versus', i.e. the chorale melody is retained in all seven verses, sometimes unaltered, sometimes modified. No themes foreign to the chorale appear, only accompanying instrumental figures of motif character. A brief Sinfonia, in which the beginning of the hymn is heard, is followed by the individual verses of the chorale in the following arrangements:

1. Chorale chorus, melody in soprano, lower parts in imitation, violins in figurative accompaniment. Last line, "Hallelujah", expanded into motetic writing in quickened tempo.
2. Chorale concerto in a small number of parts (soprano, alto, continuo).
3. Trio movement for violins, tenor and continuo, chorale melody (in tenor, final line freely treated) figuratively accompanied.
4. Motetic chorus, chorale melody (Dorian B minor with an E minor movement) in the alto.
5. String writing with bass and continuo. Each line of the hymn first in the bass, then in the strings (1st violin), final line again freely treated.
6. Chorale concerto in a small number of parts (soprano, tenor, continuo).
7. Plain four-part chorale setting, doubled by instruments.

Unfortunately we only know the work from the parts of the repeat performances of 1724 (without cornett and trombones) and 1725; yet the composition does not seem to have undergone any very substantial change compared with the original version. Striking features are the work's clear symmetry (central axis: verse 4) and the strong connection between text and form, which also lets certain words stand out pictorially in the musical setting." - Alfred Dürr

Painting: Interior with Figure, Adriano Cecioni

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