Quasimodogeniti (The Sunday after Easter).

Poet unknown; PT (Leipzig, 1724); Facs: Neumann T, p. 431.

1. 2 Tim. 2:8; 3b (4). Nikolaus Herman, "Erschienen ist der herrlich Tag," 1560 (Wackernagel, III, #1374); 4 (6). Jn. 20:19 with interpolated aria; 5 (7). Jakob Ebert, verse 1 of "Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ," 1601.

16 April 1724, Leipzig; Parody: 4 ---> BWV 234/2.

BG 16; NBA I/11.

1. Chorus [Dictum] (S, A, T, B)

Hold in remembrance Jesus Christ, who is arisen from death's bondage.(1)

2. Aria (T)

My Jesus is arisen,
But still, why fear I yet?
My faith the Savior's triumph sees,
But still my heart feels strife and war,
Appear, my Savior, now!

3a (4).(2) Recit. (A)

My Jesus, thou art called the bane to death,
And unto hell a plague and torment;(3)
Ah, am I still by dread and terror struck?
Thou set upon our very tongues then
The song of praise we have been singing:(4)

3b (5). Chorale (S, A, T, B)

Appeared is now the glorious day
When no one hath his fill of joy:
Christ, he our Lord, today triumphs,
Who all his foes hath captive led.
Alleluia!

3c (6). Recit. (A)

It seems as though
The remnant of my foe,
Whom I too strong and frightful still consider,
Will leave me not in peace.
But if for me the vict'ry thou hast won,
Contend thyself with me, with thine own child now:
Yes, yes, we feel in faith already
That thou, O Prince of peace,
Thy word and work in us shalt yet fulfill.

4 (6). Aria (S, A, T, B)

(B)
Peace be unto you!

(S, A, T)
O joy! Jesus helps us battle
And the foes' great rage to dampen,
Hell and Satan, yield!

(B)
Peace be unto you!

(S, A, T)
Jesus summons us to peace now
And restores in us so weary
Soul and flesh alike.

(B)
Peace be unto you!(5)

(S, A, T)
O Lord, help as we endeavor
E'en through death to press our journey
To thy glorious realm!

(B)
Peace be unto you!

5 (7). Chorale (S, A, T, B)

Thou Prince of peace, Lord Jesus Christ,
True man and very God,
A helper strong in need thou art
In life as well as death:
So we alone
For thy name's sake
Are to thy Father crying.

1. Literally but unsuitable as underlay: "from the dead." "Bondage" is added in the translation by way of allusion to the context of the passage (2 Tim. 2:8-10): "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel, the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered."

2. 3a, 3b, and 3c have usually been listed as 3, 4, and 5, but they form a single section in which the faithful, yet frightened soul speaks to Jesus. 3. Hos. 13:14. Jesus is the death of death.

3. 3. Cf. Hos.13:14. Jesus is the death of death.

4. Following the PT, this is punctuated as a rhetorical question. The believer asks how he could feel such anguish when Jesus himself inspired the ensuing Easter hymn, which would have been sung first one week ago. The verb tenses are critical here.

5. The bass part represents the vox Christi in the repetition of Jn 20:19.

© Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose

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