CLX. BACH, J.S.: Cantata #51: Jauchzet Gott In Allen Landen, BWV 51

CLX. BACH, J.S. (1685-1750)

Cantata #51: Jauchzet Gott In Allen Lande, BWV 51 (1726)
1. Aria (soprano): "Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen!"
2. Recitativo (soprano): "Wir beten zu dem Tempel an"
3. Aria (soprano): "Höchster, ache deine Güte"
4. Chorale (soprano): "Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren"
5. [Aria] (soprano): "Alleluja!"
Choir and Orchestra of the J.S. Bach Foundation
Sibylla Rubens, soprano
Rudolf Lutz, cond. and cembalo
(19:34)

"Music yields all its secrets in the cantatas of Bach," Nadia Boulanger once said to me.

So I immerse myself in these works and -- it's true -- bit by bit, they do reveal wonderful morsels of the unknowable ...

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This cantata calls for soprano, trumpet, strings and continuo. The opening Aria is in a sunny C Major:

Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen!
Praise ye God thruout creation.

The Recitativo moves down to the relative minor (A) and is solemn -- but at the end of the eighth bar, it becomes arioso ... check out Bach's word-painting on the words lallen (stutter) and schwacher Mund (broken voice)!

A lovely Aria in 12/8 follows -- still in A Minor:

Höchster, mache deine Güte
Ferner alle Morgen neu.

Father, give us still Thy favor
Give it ev'ry morning new

In lieu of a final chorale, Bach provides a choral movement for the soprano soloist, with much contrapuntal writing for the ensemble:

3/4 -- C Major:

and which shortly turns into a glorious C Major 2/4 Alleluja Allegro: