First Day of Christmas.

Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander), Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte, Teil III (Leipzig, 1732); Facs: Neumann T, p. 335; The music for Movements 1-3 and the beginning of 4 is missing.

1. Lk. 2:14; 7. Kaspar Ziegler, verse 4 of "Ich freue mich in dir," 1697 (Fischer-Tümpel, I, #567).

25 December ?1728, Leipzig; Parody: 4, 6 → BWV 197/6, 8.

BG 41; NBA I/2.

1. Chorus(1) [Dictum]

Glory to God in the highest, peace be on earth and unto men a sign of good favor.

2. Aria

Be telling, ye heavens, of God's great glory,
Ye feast days, make manifest now his might.

But forget not, all the while,
His affection, his great faith,
Which he to them who are fallen extends.

3. Recit.(1)

Oh, love to which no love is like:
The high-exalted Son of God
Forsakes his heav’nly realm;
A prince forsakes the royal throne
And, here to serve,
And as a humble man is born,
So that the mortal race of man
Might not be lost forever;
What is thy due,
My faithful Jesus, now in turn?

4. Aria (A)

O thou lovely treasure dear,

Raise thyself from this thy manger,
Find instead upon my lips now
And in this my heart thy place.

5. Recit. (B)

The child is mine,
And I am his,
Thou art the sum of all my being;
Besides thee shall
With me
No wealth, no jewel find good favor.
In want I'll have abundant store,
In sadness
I'll have gladness,(2)
When I'm sick, he healeth me,
When I'm weak, he lifteth me,
When I'm astray, he seeketh me,
And when I falter, he holds me,
Yea, when I at the last must die,
He bringeth me to life in heaven;
Beloved store, through thee
To me yet in the world shall heaven itself be given.

6. Aria (B)

I'll not let thee go,
I'll close thee within
My heart now through faith and affection.

And thee, O my light,
No torment, no pain,
Yea, not even hell shall steal from me.

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

Lead on, 'tis my desire
To thee, O Jesus, keep me,
E'en though the world should break
Into a thousand pieces.
O Jesus, thou, just thou,
Thou art my life alone;
In thee, alone in thee,
My Jesus, will I sleep.

1. This title, lacking in the PT, is added by Neumann T.

2. Leide/Freude rhymes.

© Copyright  Z. Philip Ambrose

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