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 resurrected ii from the dead.

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).(1) Recit. (A)

My Jesus, thou art called the bane to death,
As well a pestilence to hell;(2)
Alas, I'm still by dread and terror struck!
Thou set upon our very tongues
The song of praise we've been singing:(3)

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

Appearéd is 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 almost
The remnant of my foe,
Whom I too big and frightful still consider,
Doth leave me not in peace.
But if for me the victory thou hast won,
Contend thyself with me, with thine own child.
Yes, yes, we feel in faith already
That thou, O Prince of peace,
Thy word and work in us will 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
And restores in us so weary
Soul and flesh alike.

(B)
Peace be unto you!(4)

(S, A, T)
O Lord, help us 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. 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.

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

3. 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.

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

© Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose

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