J.S. Bach / Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV 12 (Rifkin)

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Cantata BWV 12: Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (22 April 1714)

1. Sinfonia in F major
2. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (Chorus) 02:18
3. Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal (Recitative: A) 08:40
4. Kreuz und Kronen sind verbunden (Aria: A) 09:24
5. Ich folge Christo nach (Aria: B) 15:57
6. Sei getreu, alle Pein (Aria: T) 18:05
7. Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (Chorale) 22:19

Soloists:
Soprano: Susanne Rydén
Countertenor: Steven Rickards
Tenor: John Elwes
Bass: Michael Schapper

Performed by Joshua Rifkin and The Bach Ensemble. Recorded by Dorian in 1995-96.

"Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (Weeping, Lamenting, Worrying, Fearing) (BWV 12) was written for the Sunday Jubilate, the third Sunday after Easter, which was the 22nd April 1714. This was the second cantata Bach wrote after his appointment as music director to the Court of Weimar. The libretto is without freely written recitative and this fact, together with the three arias which follow closely on one another, shows it to be an unmistakable transitional form of the Weimar poet Salomon Franck. Despite missing proof of the fact we can regard him as the undoubted author of the libretto. For the content of his work Franck turned to the Sunday Gospel according to St. John (Chap. 16:16-23), and its basic thoughts 'Sadness (about Jesus' Farewell)--Joy (at seeing Jesus again)' became the governing theme of the cantata.

In his composition Bach interprets these basic thoughts of the libretto with those means which the teaching of the 'musica poetica' of his time provided. 'Sadness' is portrayed by chromaticism, for example the falling bass line of the opening chorus, but 'Joy' on the other hand is illustrated by rising diatonic harmony like that which is to be found in the recitative, in the second aria and, too, in the final chorale. There are further musical techniques, such as canonic passages and chorale extracts in instrumental form, which serve to clarify and give point to the libretto.

The solemn and separate instrumental introduction--in later cantatas this sort of introduction becomes an integral part of the opening chorus--is followed by a sedately constructed choral section whose main part is a chaconne built up over a chromatically falling bass-continuo. We know this chaconne from its later re-shaping into the 'Crucifixus' of the B minor Mass. The middle section has a faster tempo and its construction and harmony are less complicated.

The biblical text in the third movement is presented as recitative accompanied by strings, the top instrumental voice of which (violin 1) plays a rising scale of held notes. The full meaning of this is made clear to us when the alto sings the words 'in das Reich Gottes eingehen' ('to enter the kingdom of God') also to a rising scale.

The change from sadness to joy is reflected in the fluctuating character of the three arias. In the fifth movement we meet again the rising scalic figure, this time with numerous canonic parts as symbol of the image of Christ, and in the sixth movement in place of an obligato instrument the trumpet plays the chorale melody (without text) 'Jesu, meine Freude' ('Jesus, my Joy') which is to say: Jesus turns sadness into joy.

The final chorale, which is as usual simply constructed, is extended into solemn, five-part harmony by an independent, high instrumental voice." - Alfred Dürr