BWV 31 Der Himmel lacht! die Erde
jubilieret
Easter. Salomo Franck, Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer ... in geistlichen Cantaten (Weimar, 1715); Facs: Neumann T, p. 278; PT (Leipzig, 1724); Facs: Neumann T, p. 428; PT (Leipzig, 1731); Facs: Neumann T, p. 438. 8. Chorale melody of Nikolaus Herman's "Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist" ("When my hour is at hand"), 1569 (Wackernagel, I, #499); 9. supplementary verse of the preceding, Bonn, 1575. 21 April 1715, Weimar; 9 April 1724?, Leipzig; 25 March 1731, Leipzig. BG 7; NBA I/9. 1. Sonata 2. Chorus (S, A, T, B) The heavens laugh! The earth doth ring with glory, 3. Recit. (B) O welcome day! O soul, again be glad! 4. Aria (B) Prince of being, mighty warrior,
To the highest honor's throne? Will what thee once held in bondage Now thy finest jewel be? Must all these thy wounds of purple Of thy radiance be the beams?(5) 5. Recit. (T) So therefore now, thou God devoted soul, 6. Aria (T) Adam must in us now perish,(7) 7. Recit. (S) For since the head his limbs 8. Aria (S) with Instrum. Chorale Final hour, break now forth, 9. Chorale (S, A, T, B) So forth I'll go to Jesus Christ,
1. Cf. Ps. 16:10. 2. Cf. Rev. 1:8. 3. Cf. Rev. 1:18. 4. Cf. Is. 13:1-2. 5. Two stylistic motifs typical of Franck are combined in this movement: words of adornment and the ameliorative metamorphosis. 6. Bach changes Franck's text from von den todten Wercken. Cf. Luther's translation of Heb. 9:14: wieviel mehr wird das Blut Christi, der sich selbst als ein Opfer ohne Fehl durch den ewigen Geist Gott dargebracht hat, unser Gewissen reinigen von den toten Werken, zu dienen dem lebendigen Gott! RSV: "how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." 7. Cf. Eph. 4:24 and 1 Cor. 15:42ff. 8. Cf. Job. 19:26. © Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose Back to top |