1 Oregon Bach Festival Discovery Series BWV 248 Christmas

Oregon Bach Festival Discovery Series
BWV 248 Christmas Oratorio Part 5
2002
Are you surprised? This is not at all the typical Christmas chorale that we have seen in
previous cantatas from the Christmas Oratorio. It is not joyful, but rather seems worried
or concerned. This movement is the opening chorale of Cantata 153, Schau, lieber Gott,
wie meine Feind written by Bach during his first year in Leipzig for the First Sunday after
the New Year. This occasion would seem to call for a celebratory, or at least an
optimistic cantata, yet this one begins with a distressed and anxious tone. The Gospel for
this Sunday tells the story of Mary and Joseph’s flight into Egypt. They have been told to
go because Herod has announced he will murder all the newborn children in Bethlehem.
Schau lieber Gott, wie meine Feind, damit ich stets muß kämpfen [See, dear God, how
my foes are so mighty and cunning]. This text is the reason for the troubled harmonies of
this chorale.
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The text continues, Herr, wo mich deine Gnad nicht hält, so kann der Teufel, Fleisch und
Welt mich leicht in Unglück stürzen [Only when Thy grace, Lord, holds me, will I be
strong enough to fight my enemies and avoid misfortune]. Unglück [misfortune] is what
Bach expresses in the final chromatic cadence.
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This story of the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt is an illustration of what the Christian
will endure. We find in this same cantata a bass recitative that elaborates. Getrost! mein
Herz, erdulde deinen Schmerz, laß dich dein Kruez nicht unterdrücken! Gott wird dich
schon zu rechter Zeit erquicken. [Be comforted, my heart, endure the pain. When the time
is right, God will refresh you again].
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The recitative continues the narration of the story, describing Herod’s threats against the
Son of God. We observe that Bach again uses dissonant, harsh harmonies.
At the end the text says that even as a young infant, Jesus is a fugitive [Flüchtling]. Bach
reacts to that word and gives the voice a rapid running figure.
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Bach wrote another cantata for the First Sunday after the New Year, Cantata 58, Ach
Gott, wie manches Herzeleid [O God, how often a heartfelt grief]. Again we encounter a
recitative that tells the story of the flight into Egypt and the action of Herod. But this
recitative takes another direction, telling of the angel who appeared to Joseph in a dream,
instructing him to take his family and escape into Egypt.
Let us look at one more thing from Cantata 58. In the final movement the congregation is
invited to compare the Holy Family’s journey to Egypt with the Christian’s journey from
earth to heaven. The chorale text says Ich hab vor mir ein schwere Reis’ zu dir ins
Himmels Paradeis [I have ahead of me a difficult journey from here on earth up to Thee
in Paradise]. The chorale melody is sung by the choir sopranos, and is accompanied with
troublesome and agitated figures in the orchestra. The solo bass voice enters, saying Nur
getrost, getrost, ihr Herzen, [Be comforted, my heart]. Here on earth there is pain and
distress, but in heaven there will be only glory. Bach combines these different elements:
the chorale, the active orchestral accompaniment, and the solo aria in a wonderful way.
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The fifth part of the Christmas Oratorio relates and contemplates this same story. The
Evangelist begins with Christ’s birth in Bethlehem in Judea, and the chorus poses the
question of the Wise Men Wo ist der neugeborne König der Jüden? [Where is the
newborn King of the Jews?]. Bach interprets this question in its broader sense by giving it
to the full chorus. The answer comes, unexpectedly sung by the solo alto. Perhaps Bach’s
use of the alto voice is symbolic of Mary, since the alto has sung the Mary arias in the
preceding parts of the Christmas Oratorio. The alto says Sucht ihn in meiner Brust, hier
wohnt er, mir und ihm zur Lust! [Seek Him in my breast. He is there, to His and my
delight!].
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The story continues. The Wise Men say they have followed the star in the East, and have
come to worship the Newborn King. The sections of the chorus enter one after the other,
representing the search of the Wise Men that is the quest of all Christians. We also
observe that the voices are in their high range, reflecting the star that shines brightly from
on high.
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The star, with its bright light shining down on the earth, illumines the birthplace of the
Christ child, the one who will bring light to the world. Light is the essence of this fifth
cantata of the Christmas Oratorio. In the opening chorus it is depicted with a dialogue
between the two oboes and the strings of the orchestra. The light is coming down from
above in the string figuration that starts in high range and then descends.
Then perhaps the oboes represent the shepherds, who ask, is this light really coming
down from heaven? The strings answer, yes, it comes from heaven! The first violins will
continue these rapid, shining figurations, clearly depicting the arrival of Christ, the Light
from heaven—the theme of this cantata.
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Now the choir joins the orchestra with the text Ehre sei dir Gott, gesungen [Praise to the
Lord]. We see that the chorus sections are again in their high range, looking upward
towards the light.
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After this brilliant opening, Bach continues with a fugato. After all four vocal sections
have entered with the text dir sei Lobe und Dank bereit [to Thee be given praise and
thanks] the orchestra, which has served as an accompaniment to the fugato, comes to the
forefront, notably the first violins and the ongoing light-beam figuration.
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I want to return to the movement where the alto, representing Mary, answered the Wise
Men’s question. At the end of this piece she says Wie hell, wie klar muß nicht dein
Schein, geliebter Jesu, sein! [How bright, how clear is Thy brightness shining, dearest
Jesus!]. All the strings of the orchestra accompany the alto. The strings sustain their final
chord after the alto has ended: the air remains filled with the bright, shining light of Jesus.
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This is beautiful, don’t you agree? Bach now involves the congregation, giving them a
chorale that goes directly to the reason for Christ’s light Dein Glanz all Finsternis
verzehrt [Your light dissolves all darkness]. Bach sets this text with enthusiasm and zeal.
The text continues die trübe Nacht in Licht verkehrt [the dark night is changed to light].
Bach describes the frightening dark with troubled harmonies that suddenly brighten as
dark becomes day.
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Each chorale in the Christmas Oratorio has something uniquely special and unusually
beautiful. In this chorale the text describes how the Light will accompany us through the
dark hours of our earthly life, and lead us to eternity daß dein Gesicht und herrlichs Licht
wir ewig schauen mögen! [that we may see Thy face and eternal brightness in eternity!].
Bach does this with beautiful harmonies, but also with a wonderful voice leading. Every
section in the chorus and orchestra is independent, not just an accompaniment to a
chorale melody. That is what makes this music so especially beautiful.
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Now, a sudden contrast Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen [enlighten my dark senses].
Dark is the opposite of light, so Bach writes an aria for the low voice (bass), with the dark
colors of the bassoon as the continuo instrument, and the low oboe d’amore playing the
solo instrumental part.
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The contrast is evident. The music had been light and bright, but now it is dark and
somber. Bach even goes further and implies that we stubbornly follow these dark senses,
that this behavior is a habit. Bach uses a special rhythm for this stubbornness in the solo
oboe, in the voice, and in the continuo instrument.
The following recitative continues the story. When Herod heard that the Wise Men were
seeking the Christ Child, he became troubled, erschraker. In this short recitative, Bach’s
harmonic language illustrates a distraught Herod.
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Once again the alto comes forward, asking Warum wollt ihr erschrekken? [Why are you
so afraid?] Bach has all of the strings accompany her with a motive that depicts fear and
trembling.
The alto continues to say that instead of fear, hearts should be filled with joy, now that
the Savior has appeared. And with this text comes Bach’s joy motive.
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The Evangelist continues with the Christmas story. The text says that out of Bethlehem in
the land of Judea will come the Savior who will be the ruler of Israel. At that text, denn
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aus dir soll mir kommen der Herzog, Bach writes a sequence. Musically speaking, a
sequence is a motive that is repeated in succession, either ascending or descending. Here
Bach uses an ascending sequence to describe the vision—the prophecy—that is revealed
in the text.
The following movement is perhaps one of the most important movements in the entire
Christmas Oratorio. It is a piece that begins with solo violin accompanied by cello,
double bass, and organ.
This is a beautiful, expressive theme that perhaps you recognize as similar to another
piece from the Christmas Oratorio.
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I think that Bach purposefully alludes to the earlier aria whose text challenged us to hold
the blessed miracle in our hearts forever. But after these first few similar measures, the
solo violin continues in a different way. Now the beams of light that were heard in this
cantata’s opening chorus are clearly recalled.
You will also remember the stubborn rhythm of the earlier bass aria. It appears again in
this movement.
So in this brief instrumental introduction, three ideas are clearly stated: 1. The wonder of
Christmas that is carried in our hearts; 2. The beams of Light that came down from
heaven; and 3. Stubborn mankind who cannot or will not recognize that the Savior has
come. These ideas are expressed with only the instruments; we have not yet heard the
text. The piece has three soloists. Two of them, the soprano and tenor, sing about waiting
for the Messiah to come Ach wenn wird die Zeit er scheinen? Ach, wenn kömmt der Trost
der Seinen? [When will my Savior appear? When will I be comforted?]. They ask this
question even though they are surrounded by the light-beam of the solo violin. Finally
Mary, the alto voice, enters and says Schweigt, er ist schon würklich hier! [Be silent. He
is already here!].
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What an incredible dialogue Bach has set in this section between two doubters and a
believer. In the middle section of this great piece the forces are reduced to a duet between
the soprano and tenor. They now say Jesu, ach so komm zu mir [Jesus, come to me]. The
motive begins with a sigh, but then continues with a long coloratura, another reference to
the shining light of Christ.
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You will remember that in all of the preceding cantatas of the Christmas Oratorio, the
final chorale movement had the same structure: phrases of the chorale were either
introduced and/or interspersed with instrumental sections. This structure will also be
found in the sixth cantata. But in this fifth cantata, Bach does not use this form. He just
writes a simple chorale Zwar ist solche Herzensstube wohl kein schöner Fürstensaal
[This chamber of my heart is not a palace for a prince]. And then with truly Baroque
wording the text references darkness sondern eine finstre Grube [like a gloomy dark pit].
Then the beam of Thy grace, Gnadenstrahl, appears in the bass section of the chorus. A
dark, low voice becomes bright.
The chorale concludes with the words in denselben nur wird blinken, wird es voller
Sonnen dünken [When the beam of Thy grace is in my heart, it will seem to be full of
sunshine]. Here the beautiful, subdued voice leadings are quite intimate, indicating that
Christ’s light is coming down to us individually—privately—personally.
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What a beautiful way for Bach to end this fifth cantata of the Christmas Oratorio whose
theme is the light of Christ. It began with a brilliant orchestral concerto and ends in this
private and personal way. In the intervening movements, Bach does not ignore the reality
of evil, of darkness or danger, or problems that beset us, but rather holds up the Light of
the Redeemer as the way to overcome these things. An appropriate and timely message
sent to us over the centuries from the remarkable composer, Bach.
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