Christ lag in Todes Banden (Christ lay in death's bonds), also written Christ lag in Todesbanden, BWV 4, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it for Easter, probably in 1707, and it is likely related to his move from Arnstadt to Mühlhausen. The chorale cantata is based on the chorale of the same name by Martin Luther. In this early work Bach used in all seven different vocal movements the unchanged words of the seven stanzas of the chorale and its tune as a cantus firmus.
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Bach composed the chorale cantata on Luther's chorale for Easter Sunday early in his career, between 1707 und 1713 based on the style of the composition. He possibly composed it already as a part of his application for the post of the organist in Mühlhausen for Easter of 1707. He was then still in his twenties, seven years prior to his sequence of Weimar cantatas, begun in 1714 with Himmelskönig, sei willkommen, BWV 182, and 15 years before he started a complete annual cycle of chorale cantatas in Leipzig mid of 1724. As only copies from the Leipzig period are preserved, the date of the first performances is unknown. The cantata shows similarities to a composition of Johann Pachelbel based on the same chorale.[1]
The prescribed readings for the day were 1 Corinthians 5:6–8, and Mark 16:1–8, the Resurrection of Jesus. Luther's chorale is an important Easter hymn in German Lutheranism, similar to Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ for Christmas. It stresses the struggle between Life and Death. The third stanza refers to the "Sting of Death", as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15. The fifth stanza relates to the "Osterlamm", the Paschal Lamb. The final stanza reminds of the tradition of baking and eating Easter Bread.
Different from the Leipzig chorale cantatas, the text of the chorale is left unchanged. Introduced by an instrumental Sinfonia, the seven stanzas are set in seven movements.[1]
The cantata is scored for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass, two violins, two violas and basso continuo. The 1725 version has a choir of cornet and three trombones playing colla parte with the voices. The voice parts can be sung by soloists or a choir, as the work is a "Choralkonzert" (chorale concerto) in the style of the 17th century, whereas Bach composed recitatives and arias for church cantatas only later, starting in 1714.[1]
Luther's tune is based on the early Easter hymn from the 12th century Christ ist erstanden (Christ is risen) which relies both in text and melody on the sequence for Easter, Victimae paschali laudes.[2] A new version was published by Luther in 1524 and adapted by Johann Walter in his "Wittembergisch Geistlisch Gesangbuch" (1524). Bach's version includes passing notes and modification to conform rhythmic patterns to a regular time signature.[2]
The cantata begins with an instrumental Sinfonia, which introduces the first line of the melody. The seven stanzas are treated in seven movements as chorale variations "per omnes versus" (for all stanzas) with the melody always present as a cantus firmus. The strings are in five parts, two violins, two violas and continuo. The sequence of the seven stanzas shows symmetry: chorus – duet – solo – chorus – solo – duet – chorus. Different from Bach's later cantatas, all movements are in E minor. All stanzas end on the word Halleluja. [1] John Eliot Gardiner called Bach's setting of Luthers hymn "a bold, innovative piece of musical drama" and observes "Bach drawing on medieval musical roots (the hymn tune derives from the eleventh-century plainsong Victimae paschali laudes) and of his total identification with the spirit and letter of Luther’s fiery, dramatic hymn".[3] Bach could follow "Luther’s ideal in which music brings the text to life". Julian Mincham remarks: "The variety of ideas and range of inventiveness is incredible but never disguises the presence of the chorale."[4]
The first stanza is treated as a chorale fantasia. The soprano sings the cantus firmus in unadorned, long notes, while the lower voices sing free counterpoint. A figure in the violins is known as "suspiratio", sighs which reflect "Christ’s suffering in the grip of death".[3]
The second stanza is a duet of soprano and alto, Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt (No one could defeat death) deals with "humanity helpless and paralysed as it awaits God’s judgement against sin". Bach has the music almost freeze on the first words "den Tod" (death), the word "gefangen" (imprisoned) is marked by a sharp dissonance of soprano and alto.[3]
In the third stanza the tenors are accompanied by two obbligato violins. The violins illustrate first how Christ slashes at the enemy. The music stops complete on the word "nichts" (naught remained ...) The violins then present in four notes the outline of the cross and finally show in a festive concerto prowess, to which the tenors add their joyful "Halleluja".[3]
The central fourth stanza Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg, da Tod und Leben rungen (It was an awesome war when death and life struggled) is sung by four voices, accompanied only by the continuo. The contest between Life and Death is depicted similar to a scene of Hieronymus Bosch, according to Gardiner: Bach has the altos sing the cantus firmus, whereas the other voices first follow each other in a "fugal stretto" with entries just a beat apart, but peter out one by one, "devoured and silenced". In the final Halleluja of all four voices, the bass descends nearly two octaves.[3]
Stanza five is sung by the basses alone, first accompanied by a descending chromatic line in the continuo. The chorale is resumed in the strings, the basses finally declare victory in the final "Hallelujas", spanning two octaves.[3]
Stanza six is a duet for soprano and tenor, accompanied only by the continuo. It is a dance of joy, the word "Wonne" (joy) is rendered in figuration reminiscent of Purcell, the concluding Halleluja in alternating triplets and duplets.[3]
Bach's first four-part setting of the final stanza is lost, but the one he added in 1724 is "superbly rousing", "Halleluja" sung differently each time.[3]
In keeping with the special importance of this cantata as an early composition of Bach for Easter, it was frequently recorded, sometimes without soloists, sometimes with soloists forming the choir, also mixed. Robert Shaw recorded the cantata already in 1946 and again in 1959, Günther Ramin conducted the Thomanerchor in 1950, Fritz Lehmann conducted the choir of the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Frankfurt with soloists Helmut Krebs and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, also in the Bach Year 1950, the anniversary of Bach's death. Karl Richter and his Münchener Bach-Chor recorded it first in 1958 and again in 1968. A second recording of the Thomanerchor was conducted by Kurt Thomas, with the Gewandhausorchester and soloists Agnes Giebel, Marga Höffgen, Hans-Joachim Rotzsch and Theo Adam in 1959.
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