Text No. 1–4
Poet unknown

Text No. 5
Ämilie Julyane von Schwarzburg–Rudolstadt, 1686

First performance
Septuagesima Sunday,
9 February 1727

With its head motive of descending dotted notes, the introductory aria embodies a vision of forbearance that – through the effortless, flowing lines of the soprano, oboe and obbligato first violin – is also presented as a precondition for true freedom. Here, the movement’s apparent simplicity and all-pervasive lightness seems to express a richness of inner life that finds lasting contentment in the appreciation of the smallest gifts. One can well imagine that this virtuous picture of gracious simplicity and dignified penury may perhaps have been personified by a female figure in Bach’s life.
The following recitative traces this attitude to life back to the Lutheran tenet of justification by faith as well as to the basic conditions for human existence – food, clothing and not least respect for God and one’s neighbour. Indeed, the person to whom all this has been given is unable to earn any right to salvation, but must eat with patience the “humblest of bread” as described in the ensuing aria. Set once again as a light-hearted dance movement in 3/8 time, the charming quartet of oboe, violin, voice and continuo invokes the infectious joy that comes from loving one’s neighbour – a most effective musical sermon.
By scoring the accompaniment for both organ and strings, Bach lends particular weight to the second recitative, in which the parable of the vineyard is extended to the course of earthly life. Here, the way in which Bach engraves the liberating word of “heaven” on the coin of life is of a moving intensity that transcends all earthly frugality.
Through its simple setting, the closing chorale enhances the central message of the temporary earthly duties entrusted to us by God as well as the hope for an undeserved, but patiently awaited “good end”. Here, Bach’s decision to set a verse of the death song “Wer weiss, wie nahe mir mein Ende” to the hymn of forbearance “Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten” effectively melds the two levels of the parable. The “3 Ripieni” (additional singers) called for in the original score to support the soprano solo in this final movement have indeed been put to a most satisfying use.