Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott (Bach cantata)
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Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott (A mighty fortress is our God) is a chorale cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 80). The work had found its present form by 1744 or earlier, but was first performed between 1727 and 1731. Most of the cantatas that Bach composed in Leipzig were intended for Sunday services, but Ein' feste Burg was his contribution to a festival celebrating the Reformation. Indeed, the particular association of this chorale melody, supposedly written by Martin Luther himself, with the founding of the Lutheran church continued into the nineteenth century; witness Felix Mendelssohn's use of it in the finale of his "Reformation" symphony.
The text of this cantata is by Salomo Franck (1659-1725), and alternates verses of Luther's chorale (the choral movements and movement 2) with free poetry meditating on them (the solo movements). This is a typical structure for cantatas based on chorales.
[edit] Required performers
2 oboes, 2 oboes d'amore (movement 5), oboe da caccia (movement 7), 2 violins, viola, and continuo group (organ with violoncello); soprano, alto, tenor, and bass vocalists.
[edit] The parts of the chorale:
- Chorus: Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott: choral chorale fantasia; voices ornament and paraphrase tune (text: first verse of the chorale), while it appears as cantus firmus in oboes (also in trumpets added later by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach).
- Aria: Alles, was von Gott geboren: Bass aria with new melody and text, entwined with [Ein' feste Burg] melody and second verse in soprano.
- Recitative: Erwäge doch, Kind Gottes: Bass recitative followed by arioso (continuo only); chorale melody not present.
- Aria: Komm in mein Herzens Haus: Soprano aria with continuo; chorale melody not present.
- Chorale: Und wenn die Welt voll: Choir in unison sing third verse of chorale to full ensemble's elaborate accompaniment.
- Recitative: So stehe denn bei Christi blutgefärbter Fahne: Tenor recitative followed by arioso (continuo only); chorale melody not present.
- Duet: Wie selig sind doch die: Alto and Tenor with continuo and obbligato violin, oboe a caccia (in F); chorale melody not present.
- Chorale: Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn: Choir in four-part setting sing last two verses of chorale.
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