DCLXVII. ALBERGA, Eleanor: String Quartet #1

DCLXVII. ALBERGA, Eleanor (1949-       )

String Quartet #1 (1993)
1. Détaché et martellato e zehr lebhaft und swing it man
2. Espressivo, with wonder and yearning
3. Frantically driven yet playful
Nathan Meltzer, violin
Kevin Zhu, violin
Joshua Kail, viola
Sterling Elliott, cello
(20:49)

DCLXVI. BACH, J.S.: Cantata #41: Jesu, nun sie gepreiset, BWV 41

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

Cantata #41: Jesu, nun sie gepreiset, BWV 41 (1725)
1. [Coro]: Jesu, nun sie gepreiset
2. Aria (Soprano): Laß uns, o höchster Gott, das Jahr vollbringen
3. Recitativo (Alto): Ach! deine Hand, dein Segen muß allein
4. Aria (Tenore): Woferne du den edlen Frieden
5. Recitativo (Basso, Coro): Doch weil der Feind bei Tag und Nacht
6. Choral (Coro): Dein ist allein die Ehre
J.S. Bach Foundation
Rudolf Lutz, cond.
(29:35)

New Year's Day cantata.

The prescribed readings are from the Epistle to the Galatians (Galatians 3:23-29) and the Circumcision and naming of Jesus (Luke 2:21).

1. [Coro]: Jesu, nun sie gepreiset

 

O Lord, we come to praise Thee
Upon this joyful Day
Give us Thy New Year's blessing
Our care and fear allay
With joy we meet together
At this glad festal time
With grace and mercy laden
And blessedness sublime

Bach breaks up the long movement with an Adagio:

That free and undefeated
The old year we completed

And then continues with a Presto, the instruments playing colla parte:

Forever in deep devotion
To Thee would we be near
Preserve us in soul and body
Thru'out the coming year

2. Aria (Soprano): Laß uns, o höchster Gott, das Jahr vollbringen

O grant us, mighty God
A year of promise
A year to end, we pray
As glad as New Year's Day!
For Thou wilt ever find a way
Thy blessing thro' the year to send
From New Year's Day until the end
That we may Halleluja sing Thee

3. Recitativo (Alto): Ach! deine Hand, dein Segen muß allein

Lord, Thy regard, Thy blessing will, to me
My all in all, my Alpha and Omega be
Our lives Thou holdest ever in Thy hand
Our days and hours are all by Thee directed
Thy gaze embraces town and land
Our welfare Thou dost rate
Our troubles, too, Thou knowest
Do Thou, then, show us
For weal or woe, what fate
Thou, in Thy wisdom hast for us selected

4. Aria (Tenore): Woferne du den edlen Frieden

As Thou, O Lord, with peace hast blest us
Secure from mortal ills to rest us
Let now our souls enjoy
Thy blessed Holy Word
So may we find salvation
And gain the liberation
On Christian souls conferred

5. Recitativo (Basso, Coro): Doch weil der Feind bei Tag und Nacht

What o' our foe by day and night
Assails us in his might
To persecute and domineer us?
Yet Thou, indeed, O mighty God, will hear us
When we, in reverence assembled, pray Thee
Do Thou, Lord, beat down Satan under our feet
So teach us, by Thy grace divine
To sanctify Thy holy shrine
And vision, after grief and sorrow
The glorious splendor of tomorrow

6. Choral (Coro): Dein ist allein die Ehre

To Thee alone be glory
To Thee alone be praise
In trouble teach us patience
And govern all our ways
Until at last in Heaven
From care and trouble free
In peace and joy and gladness
We may be one with Thee
Thy bounty to us measure
According to Thy pleasure
And so Thy people bringing
To Thee their faith sincere
With trusting hearts are singing
"Lord bless the coming the year"

DCLXV. BACH, J.S.: Cantata #147: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147

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

Cantata #147: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 (1723)
Prima Parte
1. Coro: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben
2. Recitativo (Tenore): Gebenedeiter Mund!
3. Aria (Alto): Schäme dich, o Seele, nicht
4. Recitativo (Basso): Verstockung kann Gewaltige verblenden
5. Aria (Soprano): Bereite dir, Jesu, noch itzo die Bahn
6. Choral (Coro): Wohl mir, daß ich Jesum habe
Seconda Parte
7. Aria (Tenore): Hilf, Jesu, hilf
8. Recitativo (Alto): Der höchsten Allmacht Wunderhand
9. Aria (Basso): Ich will von Jesu Wundern singen
10. Choral (Coro): Jesus bleibet meine Freude
Netherlands Bach Society
Marcus Creed, cond.
(30:17)

Composed for Marian Feast of the Visitation during his first year as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, he reused the now lost music from a cantata with the same title (BWV 147a) which was written for Advent in Weimar in 1716.

The prescribed readings for the day include Isaiah 11:1-5 and Luke 1:39-56.

Prima Parte

1. Coro: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben

Heart and lips, thy whole behaviour

Witness bear to Christ thy Saviour
Faltet not, nor doubt nor fear
Own Him, God and Saviour dear

2. Recitativo (Tenore): Gebenedeiter Mund!

 

Ah, tidings doubly blest!
When Mary, joyous, and with deep emotion
Her thanks and praise expressed
And told Elizabeth
The wonder of the Saviour's coming
That He be born to her, a lowly maid
O sinful Race of Man
The Devil's slave since time began
Thou wert set free
Thru Jesus Christ's supreme atonement
From all thy former slavery!
Yet still, thy lips and thy too stubborn spirit
Conceal and will not own this blessing
Forget not, how the Scriptures tell
That such will feel the pains of Hell

3. Aria (Alto): Schäme dich, o Seele, nicht

Soul of mine, be not ashamed
Thy Redeemer to acknowledge
For in thiswise, by the Father
Sons of God will ye be named
Him who here among the mortals
Would His Godhead now deny
God will bar from Heaven's portals
Where He reigns above on High

4. Recitativo (Basso): Verstockung kann Gewaltige verblenden

Perverseness oftentimes will blind to mighty
Until from off their seats God hurls them down
Yet He whose arm can shake
The very earth, before whom mountains quake
Will help the poor and needy
For pity's sake
Ye richly blessed Christians up
Watch ye, now, and pray
Come soon the long expected day
This is the day of hope!
The Saviour asks your heart and soul
Naught less is fit to offer
Cry out to Him, with fervent, ardent longing
To Him with Faith in worship thronging

5. Aria (Soprano): Bereite dir, Jesu, noch itzo die Bahn

 

Prepare for Thy coming the way to our hearts
Receive as Disciples
The Faithful Believers
And grant us the Grace that Thy mercy imparts

6. Choral (Coro): Wohl mir, daß ich Jesum habe

[Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring]

Happy I who have my Saviour
From Him never will I part
He restores my drooping spirit
Be I sad and sick at heart
Cares may vex and troubles grieve me
Yet will Jesus never leave me
Him I never will forsake
Even tho' my heart should break

Seconda Parte

7. Aria (Tenore): Hilf, Jesu, hilf

Help, Jesus, that I may not deny Thee
Thru weal and woe, in joy and grief
And as my Saviour not belief Thee
That I with steadfast firm belief
And heart aflame with love may magnify Thee

8. Recitativo (Alto): Der höchsten Allmacht Wunderhand

The wondrous works of Mighty God
Are past our mortal understanding
The Holy Spirit quickened John the Baptist
As yet unborn and while within her womb
His Mother bore him
To know and greet his Lord
And tho' he could not speak
That Name, by all adored
He stirred and lept in salutation
The while Elizabeth, with Mary standing by
Observed the miracle, in hushed and whispered wonder
If ye, O Faithful Ones, because the flesh is weak
From duty oftentimes are turning
Then God will give you strength to speak
And courage to proclaim your obligation
Yea, heartily, with love and adoration

9. Aria (Basso): Ich will von Jesu Wundern singen

Of Jesus am I ever singing
My offering of praise am bringing
For He, because He loved us so
Has filled our hearts to overflow
With love from God Almighty springing

10. Choral (Coro): Jesus bleibet meine Freude

[Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring]

Jesus, source of ev'ry blessing
He my heart's supreme delight
Jesus lightens all my troubles
Thru His love's redeeming might
He my eyes' most precious pleasure
He my spirit's choicest treasure
Fast and firm within my heart
He and I will never part

DCLXIV. STRAVINSKY, Igor: The Nightingale

DCLXIV. STRAVINSKY, Igor (1882-1971)

The Nightingale (1914)
BBC Orchestra
Pierre Boulez, cond.
[scrolling score]
(46:10)

DCLXIII. BACH, J.S.: French Suite #3 in B Minor, BWV 814

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

French Suite #3 in B Minor, BWV 814 (1722-25)
1. Allemande
2. Courante
3. Sarabande
4. Angloise
5. Minuet -- Trio
6. Gigue
Pierre Hantaï, harpsichord
(16:29)

DCLXII. BACH, J.S.: Cantata #95: Christus, der ist mein Leben, BWV 95

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

Cantata #95: Christus, der ist mein Leben, BWV 95 (1723)
1. [Coro/Recitativo] (Tenore): Christus, der ist mein Leben
2. Recitativo (Soprano): Nun, falsche Welt!
3. Choral (Soprano): Valet will ich dir geben
4. Recitativo (Tenore): Ach könnte mir doch bald so wohl geschehen
5. Aria (Tenore): Ach schlage doch bald
6. Recitativo (Basso): Denn ich weiß dies
7. Choral (Coro): Weil du vom Tod erstanden bist
J.S. Bach Foundation
(20:02)

1. [Coro/Recitativo] (Tenore): Christus, der ist mein Leben

For Christ my Saviour live I
Dying, glory I gain
My all to Jesus give I
And joy supreme attain
With joy
Yea, with joyful happy heart
Will I be going
And it today I hear Thy call
I gladly then will bring to Thee
The feeble frame, the puny wasted body
Which cloaks mortality
And back to earth
In Thy bosom will return it
Hear Thou the song that I would sing
Ah, might I this day sing it!
In Peace and joy I pass away
In God confiding
His Will with heart and soul obey
Safe abiding
Here on earth I've naught to fear
Eternal life awaits me

2. Recitativo (Soprano): Nun, falsche Welt!
3. Choral (Soprano): Valet will ich dir geben

Hear, faithless world
For me thy empty joys have no more zest
My home is all prepared
Where I may safely rest
No longer here on earth
In Babel's flood to wallow
And pleasure's brine disgusted swallow
Like them who from the Tree of Life
Forbidden fruit have wrongly broken
Ah, no! I cannot rest until this word is spoken:

To thee, thou world of evil
I gladly bid "Farewell"
Thy harsh and faithless fashions
Are but an empty shell
To heaven, happy dwelling
'Tis there that I would go
Where God has called the Faithful
Who serve Him here below

4. Recitativo (Tenore): Ach könnte mir doch bald so wohl geschehen

Ah! would that soon it happen now to me
That I may die
From all my troubles fly
And rest in peace eternally
I would that I might in my eager arms enfold Him
I wait the hour when I behold him

5. Aria (Tenore): Ach schlage doch bald

Ah, strike you now soon, blessed hour
Strike you now soon, at last to death must I away
Come, to thee my hands are reaching
For thy relief from care beseeching
My longawaited parting day

6. Recitativo (Basso): Denn ich weiß dies

For I am sure
And thru my faith secure
That at my resurrection
I will enjoy in full Almighty God's affection
My death is but a sleep
Whereby my soul will find, when dawns the happy morrow
Relief from sorrow
My faithful Shepherd watches well His sheep
Should I be lost, still He will surely find me
For I will rise again to meet my blessed Saviour

7. Choral (Coro): Weil du vom Tod erstanden bist

Like Thee the grave will not hold me
For long in its subjection
From death Thy Words have set me free
They are my resurrection
For where Thou art, there will I be
To live forever near to Thee
So forth I go rejoicing

DCLXI. KURTÁG, György: Nine Pieces for Solo Viola

DCLXI. KURTÁG, György (1926-       )

Nine Pieces for Solo Viola (1987-94)
1. Szorongós és vigasztalós H.J.-nek -- Molto sostenuto (2:11)
2. Kromatikus feleselős -- Agitato (1:03)
3. In memoriam Aczél György -- Largo desolato (1:31)
4. Elakadó svavak (Hommage à John Cage) -- Molto moderato (1:52)
5. Doloroso -- Lento, parlando (1:52)
6. H.J. -- Nóta -- Largamente (1:17)
7. Levél Verának -- Szeliden, csendesen (2:26)
8. Vagdalkozós -- Vivo, feroce (0:27)
9. In memoriam Tamás Blum -- Calmo, sereno (2:53)
Kim Kashkashian, viola

1. Anxiety and Consolation, for J.H. (Judit Horváth, a Hungarian violist)
2. Quarrel, Chromatic
3. In Memoriam György Aczél
   
4. Halting Words (Homage to John Cage)
5. Doloroso
6. Song for Judit Horváth
7. Letter to Vera (Ligeti)
8. Lashing Out
9. In Memoriam Tamás Blum