Text
Johann Olearius, 1665

Year of composition
1726

The opening chorus, grandly scored with three trumpets, timpani, woodwinds, strings and choir, puts forth a cheerful character. The chorale, delivered by the soprano in long tones, is worked line for line into a lively orchestral ritornello punctuated by sonorous trumpet interjections, while three lower voices provide an accompaniment of partially independent thematic material. As fitting for a festive cantata, the final chorale is also not scored as a simple four-voice movement. Evidently, Bach could not resist devising a magnificent accompaniment that provides a glorious setting for the chorale text. The three inner verses of this movement display a highly sensitive character; the tonal colour and shades of meaning that Bach lends the key word “praise” is nothing short of phenomenal. In these verses, three different temperaments and generations of man seem to contribute to the glorification of the Trinity: from the dignified old man of the bass voice, to the innocent child of the soprano, to the elegant middle years of the alto. It also seems entirely permissible to interpret the three verses as representing the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.
The bass aria, (verse 2), accompanied only by the continuo, provides a stark contrast to the opening chorus. However, the 16 bar ritornello is so melodically energetic that it veritably cries out for an accompanying text. The third aria is a cantabile trio of oboe d’amore, continuo and alto, whose gentle 6⁄8 metre soon has head, hands and body swaying in time. In contrast, the soprano aria – the centrepiece of the cantata – is one of Bach’s most magnificent creations. With is sombre accompaniment of transverse flute, violin and continuo, it constitutes a captivating quartet movement. Composed in an elegiac e minor, yet in perpetual motion, a window of emotional turmoil and ardent rapture is opened amidst the festive splendour – a gesture that touches the souls of listeners even today. One can imagine with what childlike fervency and do-or-die courage that Bach’s young boy sopranos would have tackled the murderously high sections of this movement. The timeless fascination the old chorale melodies held for Bach and still hold for us today is seldom felt so directly as in this poignant aria miniature.