BWV 172 Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget ihr Saiten!

Pentecost (Whitsunday).

Probably Salomo Franck; PT (Leipzig, 1731); Facs: Neumann T, p. 444.

2. Jn. 14:23; 5. instrumental chorale: "Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott" (cf. BWV 59/3); 6. Philipp Nicolai, verse 4 of "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern," 1599.

20 May 1714, Weimar; revised and performed several times, Leipzig.

BG 35; NBA I/13, and 35.


1. Chorus (S, A, T, B)

Resound now, ye lyrics, ring out now, ye lyres!
O happiest hours!

    God shall all the souls to his temples now gather.

2. Recit. [Dictum] (B)

He who loves me will keep my commandments, and my Father will then love him, and we unto him will journey and with him make our dwelling.

3. Aria (B)

O most Holy Trinity,
Mighty God of honor,

    Come still in this time of grace,
    Make with us thy sojourn,
    Come still into our heart's shelters,
    Be they e'er so poor and small,
    Come and yield to our entreaty,
    Come and settle with us here!

4. Aria (T)

O paradise of souls,
Through which God's Spirit wafteth,

    Who at creation blew,
    The Spirit ever present;
    Rise, rise, prepare thyself,
    Thy Comforter is near.

5. Aria (S, A) Soul, Holy Ghost, with instr. chorale

(Soul)
Come, make me no longer tarry,
Come, thou gentle heav'nly wind,
Waft now through the spirit's garden!(1)

(Holy Ghost)
I'll enliven thee, my child.

(Soul)
Dear belovéd, thou so charming,
Of all joy abundant store,
I shall die if I not have thee.

(Holy Ghost)
Take from me the kiss of grace.

(Soul)
Come to me in faith most welcome,
Love most precious, come to me!
Thou from me my heart hast stolen.

(Holy Ghost)
I am thine, and thou art mine!

6. Chorale (S, A, T, B)

From God to me comes joyful light,
When thou with thine own precious eye
With kindness dost regard me.
O Lord Jesus, my trusted good,
Thy word, thy soul, thy flesh and blood
Me inwardly enliven.
Take me
Kindly
In thine arms now, make me warm now with thy favor:
To thy word I come invited.

7. First Movement Repeated


1. Herzensgarten is an etymology of the Seelenparadies in Movement 4: 'paradise' is derived from the Persian for 'garden.'


© Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose


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