CDLXXXVI. BACH, J.S.: Cantata #78: Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV 78

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

Cantata #78: Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV 78 (1724)
1. [Coro]: Jesu, der du meine Seele
2. Aria (Duetto: Soprano, Alto): Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten
3. Recitativo (Tenore): Ach! ich bin ein Kind der Sünden
4. Aria (Tenore): Das Blut, so meine Schuld durchstreicht
5. Recitativo (Basso): Die Wunden, Nägel, Kron und Grab
6. Aria (Basso): Nun, du wirst mein Gewissen stillen
7. Choral (Coro): Herr, ich glaube, hilf mir Schwachen
Netherlands Bach Society
(24:32)

Based on a hymn by Johann Rist.

1. [Coro]: Jesu, der du meine Seele

This complex choral fantasia is a passacaglia with a descending chromatic fourth, which is a movement by half-steps from tonic to dominant. In G Minor:

i / V⁶ / v⁶ / IV⁶ / iv⁶ / V

Bach will use this 27 times in this movement -- sometimes reversed, sometimes in a different key. To make things even more diversified, the lower three voices make staggered entrances, as the soprani sing out the cantus firmus hymn tune, over a busy continuo:

Jesus, by Thy Cross and Passion
By the bitter pain Thou bore
When the Evil one would hold me
Deep in Hell to suffer sore
Mightily away Thou bore me
With a haven safe before me
Thru Thy Word, contentment sweet
Thou art still my sure retreat

2. Aria (Duetto: Soprano, Alto): Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten

This gorgeous da capo duet demands a high B-Flat from the soprano!

We hasten with eager yet faltering footsteps
O Jesus, O Master, for help unto Thee
Thou faithfully seekest the ill and the erring
Ah, hear us, we pray
Our voices exalt Thee, for succor we pray Thee
Now grant us Thy gracious and merciful favor!

3. Recitativo (Tenore): Ach! ich bin ein Kind der Sünden

Begins secco; ends arioso:

Ah! my failings sorely grieve me
Yea, my sins are very great
The curse of Adam never more will leave me
So long as I exist in man's estate
My inclinations lead to evil
Tho' oft my soul cries
"Who is there to save me?"
Ah, me: to resist temptation
And attain thereby salvation
Is far beyond my feeble strength
Tho' I admit my ev'ry failing
I find, alas, the bad in me prevailing
And so I carry in Thy mercyseat
My heavy load of sorrow
With all my sins and derelictions
And lay them penitently at Thy feet
Do Thou, Lord, forgive them me
Not let them yet anger Thee

4. Aria (Tenore): Das Blut, so meine Schuld durchstreicht

The heart's relief (spricht mich frei) is tone-painted by the obbligato flute in this lovely da capo aria:

Thy sacrifice has cleansed the stain
Making my heart all pure again
Happy and free
Should now the Fiend of Hell assail me
Then Thou my Saviour will not fail me
But will support and succor me

5. Recitativo (Basso): Die Wunden, Nägel, Kron und Grab

Tempo changes galore, delineating the text:

The torments, nail scars, thorns, the grave
The scourgemarks that our Lord and Saviour bore
Become the tokens of salvation
Which the Faithful look for inspiration
When sounds the dreaded Judgment Knell
The curse that sends the damned to Hell
Turn Thou it into blessing
Then neither pain nor torment will remain
All this my Saviour knows
And thus Thy heart with deep affection glows
So, Master, I adore Thee and lay my all before Thee
This, my heart, with grief commingled
By Thy precious blood besprinkled
On the Cross poured out for me
Give I now, O Lord, to Thee

6. Aria (Basso): Nun, du wirst mein Gewissen stillen

Concertante style, with obbligato oboe:

Do Thou, O Lord, appease my conscience
Which grievously has troubled me
By Thy fidelity uphold me
And let Thy Word my comfort be
By Thy divine direction
From enemies forever free
Secure in Thy protection

7. Choral (Coro): Herr, ich glaube, hilf mir Schwachen

The hymn tune in full chorale form:

Lord, I trust Thee, I adore Thee
Help my weakness, my despair
Thou canst strenghten and restore me
When misdeeds my faith impair
On Thy loving Grace relying
God Almighty glorifying
By Thy side I hope to be
Ever thru eternity

CDLXXXVb. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus: Il Re Pastore, K. 208 (Part Two)

CDLXXXVb. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)

Il Re Pastore, K. 208 (1775) (Part Two)
Kresimir Spicer, Alessandro
Annette Dasch, Aminta
Marlis Petersen, Elisa
Arpiné Rahdjian, Tamiri
Andreas Karasiak, Agenore
Balthasar-Neumann-Ensemble
Thomas Hengelbrock, cond.
(2:02:12)

1777, unknown painter

Act Two

16. Divertimento, K. 131: Adagio

17. (Elisa, Agenore) Recitative: Questa del campo greco
18. (Elisa) Aria: Barbaro! Oh Dio!

Elisa comes to find Aminta, who is in consultation with Alexander in the tent. Agenore turns her away, intimating that Aminta is now king of Sidon and the duties of a king take precedence over those of love. Elisa protests against this but Agenore is not to be moved and asks her to go. Elisa reminds Agenore not to forget his beloved Tamiri and calls him a heartless barbarian.



 

19. (Aminta, Agenore) Recitative: La bella Elisa
20. (Alexander, Agenore) Recitative: La gloria mia

Aminta, who steps out of the tent, also resists Agenore's admonitions to put his duty of king above his love for Elisa. As Alexander comes to the two of them, Aminta indicates to him that he does not feel himself called to be a ruler. Alexander retorts, however, that heaven enlightens all those whom it has ordained to rule.

Alexander lets Agenore into his plan to consolidate Aminta's position by a marriage with Tamiri. Without realizing how deeply this is upsetting his friend Agenore, Alexander sings of the joy of making people happy by victories and wise policies.

21. (Alexander) Aria: Se vincendo vi rendo felici


 

22. (Aminta, Agenore) Recitative: Oimè! Declina il sol
23. (Aminta) Rondeaux: L'ameró saró costante

Aminta has retreated into solitude. Agenore thinks Aminta's vexation is because as king he would not be able to ally himself with a shepherdess. Aminta, on the contrary, is determined to give Alexander back the crown as it means less to him than his love for Elisa.

24. (Elisa, Agenore, Tamiri) Recitative: Ma senti, Agenore
25. (Tamiri) Aria: Se tu di me fai dono

Elisa asks Agenore, who is pining for Tamiri, whether Aminta and Tamiri will really marry and whether her lover will abandon her. Agenore, who still does not grasp the situation correctly, confirms that Aminta is obeying Alexander's wishes. Elisa, thinking she has been deserted, is ready for death, and Agenore too is resigned and resolves to part from Tamiri. Having meanwhile been told of Alexander's plan for her marriage, Tamiri demands of Agenore that he attend her wedding. Agenore calls Tamiri cruel, which causes Tamiri to ask which of them is the crueler.



 

26. (Agenore) Recitative: Misero cor!
27. (Agenore) Aria: Sol può dir come si trova

Agenore, torn between love and duty, bemoans his fate.

28. (Alexander) Aria: Voi che fausti ognor donate

Alexander prays to the gods for blessing and for his desires to be fulfilled.

29. (Alexander, Tamiri, Agenore, Elisa, Aminta) Recitative: Olà! Che più si tarda?
30. (Elisa, Tamiri, Aminta, Agenore, Alexander) Chorus: Viva, viva l'invitto duce

Tamiri throws herself at Alexander's feet and asks him whether she should value the rank of queen above her happiness with Agenore. Elisa accuses Alexander of treating her unjustly if he robs her of the heart of Aminta, whom she has loved since childhood, and begs him to help her. The shepherd Aminta returns the royal robes to Alexander: another must reign at Tamiri's side, but he cannot give up Elisa's love. Alexander realizes that lovers must not be parted and brings the two couples together. The shepherd becomes king and Alexander is praised for his wise decision.

Mozart ends the opera with the quintet in glorious harmony, and with the expected orchestral bang.

CDLXXXVa. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus: Il Re Pastore, K. 208 (Part One)

CDLXXXVa. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)

Il Re Pastore, K. 208 (1775) (Part One)
Kresimir Spicer, Alessandro
Annette Dasch, Aminta
Marlis Petersen, Elisa
Arpiné Rahdjian, Tamiri
Andreas Karasiak, Agenore
Balthasar-Neumann-Ensemble
Thomas Hengelbrock, cond.
(2:02:12)

1777, unknown painter

Synopsis

The nineteen-year-old Mozart was at the height of his creative powers. The libretto -- by Pietro Metastasio -- has the usual quartet of troubled lovers, but the theme of love and/or kingship is a powerful metaphor about life choices.

Act One

1. Overture

2. (Aminta) Intendo, amico rio

The shepherd Aminta (the male role is played by a woman soprano, as was often the case), who abhors the noise and bustle of the town, sits outside his cottage and asks the stream what the future will bring.



3. (Aminta, Elisa) Recitative: Bella Elisa? Idol mio?
4. (Elisa) Aria: Alla selva, al prato, al fonte

Aminta calls to his beloved, the shepherdess Elisa, who is able to calm his anxieties that danger may threaten from the war being waged nearby. Though Alexander, the mighty ruler of Macedonia, has liberated the city of Sidon from the usurping tyrant Strato, he does not want to claim power for himself. When Aminta asks who is to rule over the land as king in his place, Elisa replies that Alexander is looking for the rightful successor to the throne. This successor, son of the former king of Sidon, is living amongst the common people, unrecognized and unaware of his calling. Aminta confesses to Elisa his fears that his simple life and thus his love for her cannot satisfy her, since she is descended from Cadmos and has left her parents' home for his sake. Elisa assures Aminta of her unswerving affection and love, which has lasted since her childhood. Before she leaves in order finally to procure her parents' consent to marry, she happily promises Aminta that soon nothing more will separate them.

5. (Agenore, Alexander, Aminta) Recitative: Ecco il pastor
6. (Aminta) Aria: Aer tranquillo e di sereni

Alexander and his adviser Agenore watch Aminta as he extols the happiness of his simple life and his love for Elisa.

7. (Agenore, Alexander) Recitative: Or che dici, Alessandro?
8. (Alexander) Aria: Si spande al sole in faccia

Alexander, struck by the shepherd Aminta's manner and character and recognizing him as the rightful heir to the throne of Sidon, is determined to make him king.

9. (Tamiri, Agenore) Recitative: Agenore? T'arresta
10. (Agenore) Aria: Per me rispondete

Agenore recognizes a comely shepherdess as his beloved Tamiri, the deposed tyrant Strato's daughter, who is in hiding from Alexander with Elisa. Agenore tries to persuade Tamiri that under Alexander clemency and justice prevail and that he himself wants to bring her to him. Tamiri refuses, however, and Agenore once more declares his love for her.

11. (Tamiri) Recitative: No: voi non siete, o Dei
12. (Tamiri) Aria: Di tante sue procelle

Tamiri bemoans her fate but is sure in herself that Agenore's love will give her strength.

 

13. (Aminta, Elisa, Agenore) Recitative: Dove t'affretti, Elisa?

Elisa comes to find Aminta and happily tells him her parents have agreed to their wedding. Agenore wants to pay homage to Aminta as the rightful king of Sidon but Aminta thinks he is being mocked and rejects the homage. Then Agenore explains to him that he is Abdolonymus, the son of the king overthrown by the tyrant; he had been put in his care as a child in order to grow up in safety. Now the time for secrecy is past, and Alexander wants to crown him king of Sidon.

 

14. (Aminta, Elisa) Accompanied Recitative: Perdona, Elisa
15. (Elisa, Aminta) Duet: Vanne a regnar, ben mio

Aminta is dismayed and does not want the crown, for he then would have to give Elisa up. Despite his reservations, Elisa urges him to accept this regal appointment. Greatly moved, Elisa and Aminta reaffirm their happiness in their deep love.

Part Two