Christmas Oratorio: The Sunday after New Year

Albrecht Dürer, The Flight into Egypt, Gemäldegalerie, Dresden, c. 1496-97



Cantata for the Sunday after New Year
(Weihnachts-Oratorium V)

Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen

Honour to you, God, be sung


BWV 248-V



Event: Cantata the Sunday after New Year [2nd Sunday after Christmas Day]
1st Performance: January 2, 1735 - Leipzig
Readings: Epistle: 1 Peter 4: 12-19; Gospel: Matthew 2: 13-23
Text: Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander); Matthieu 2 : 1-6 (Mvts 2, 3, 6, 8) ; Georg Weissel (Mvt. 4); Johann Franck (Mvt. 11)
Chorale Texts: Nun, liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit Ihr Gestirn, ihr hohlen Lüfte

Click to read a brief commentary by Simon Crouch.

Christmas Oratorio - Cantata for Sunday after New Year - performed by:

Click for explanation.

Unfortunately there is no one recording available for universal, free online listening:

NML & CML:

Rilling - 2
Soprano: Sibylla Rubens; Alto: Ingeborg Danz; Tenor [Evangelist]: James Taylor; Tenor: Marcus Ullmann; Bass: Hanno Müller-Brachmann; Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart; Helmuth Rilling conducting; 2nd recording of Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248 by H. Rilling. Recorded live at Liederhalle Stuttgart, Beethovensaal, Germany. (NML search: CD92.076 ) (CML search: BWV 248 Rilling)

NML:

1) Rilling - 1
Soprano: Arleen Augér; Alto: Julia Hamari; Tenor: Peter Schreier; Bass: Wolfgang Schöne; Echo-soprano: Christa Muckenheim; Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart;
Helmuth Rilling conducting; 1st recording of Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248 by H. Rilling. Recorded at Gedächtniskirche Stuttgart, Germany.
(NML search: CD94.010)

3) Wilhelm
Soprano: Krisztina Láki; Alto: Gisela Pohl; Tenor: Karl Markus, Bass: Berthold Possemeyer; Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben / Ensemble '76 Stuttgart; Gerhard Wilhelm conducting. (NML search: CD94.031)

4) Suzuki
Soprano: Monika Frimmer; Counter-tenor: Yoshikazu Mera; Tenor: Gerd Türk; Bass: Peter Kooy; Bach Collegium Japan; Masaaki Suzuki conducting. (NML search: BIS-CD-941-42)

5) Christophers
Soprano: Lynda Russell; Contralto: Catherine Wyn-Rogers; Tenor: Mark Padmore; Bass: Michael George; Soprano [Angel, Echo]: Libby Crabtree; The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra;
Harry Christophers conducting. (NML search: COR16017)

6) Oberfrank
Soprano: Ingrid Kertesi; Alto: Judit Németh; Tenor: Jozsef Mukk; Bass: Janos Tóth;
Hungarian Radio Chorus / Failoni Chamber Orchestra; Géza Oberfrank conducting.
(NML search: 8.550428-30)

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To listen to the entire cantata or an individual movement, click on underlined conductors' names.


To listen to the entire cantata for the Sunday after New Year:


To listen to individual movements:

[43] 1) Chorus [S, A, T, B] Oboe d'amore I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo


Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen,
Let honour to you, God, be sung
Dir sei Lob und Dank bereit.
For you let praise and thanks be prepared.
Dich erhebet alle Welt,
All the world exalts you
Weil dir unser Wohl gefällt,
Because our welfare is pleasing to you,
Weil anheut
Because today
Unser aller Wunsch gelungen,
All our wishes have been achieved,
Weil uns dein Segen so herrlich erfreut.
Because your blessing delights us so gloriously.



Infancy Artist, The Three Kings before Herod, from The Murthy Hours, National Library of Scotland, 1280s

[44] 2) Recitative [ tenor] Continuo


NML: Rilling 1;Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank

Evangelist:
Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande zur Zeit des Königes Herodis,
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the land of the Jews at the time of King Herod,
siehe, da kamen die Weisen vom Morgenlande gen Jerusalem und sprachen.
See, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem and said:

[45] 3) Chorus and recitative[Alto] Oboe d'amore I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

NML: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank

Wise Men:
Wo ist der neugeborne König der Jüden?
Where is the newborn King of the Jews?
Alto:
Sucht ihn in meiner Brust,
Look for him in my breast,
Hier wohnt er, mir und ihm zur Lust!
Here he lives, to my delight and his!
Wise Men:
Wir haben seinen Stern gesehen im Morgenlande und sind kommen, ihn anzubeten.
We have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him.
Alto:
Wohl euch, die ihr dies Licht gesehen,
Happy are you who have seen the light,
Es ist zu eurem Heil geschehen!
It has appeared for your salvation!
Mein Heiland, du, du bist das Licht,
My saviour, you, you are the light
Das auch den Heiden scheinen sollen,
Which shall shine on the Gentiles also
Und sie, sie kennen dich noch nicht,
And they, they do not know you yet,
Als sie dich schon verehren wollen.
Though they would already worship you
Wie hell, wie klar muss nicht dein Schein,
How bright, how clear must your radiance be,
Geliebter Jesu, sein! Beloved Jesus!

[46] 4) Chorale [S, A, T, B] Oboe d'amore I/II e Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Continuo

NML: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank

Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt,
Your splendour consumes all darkness,
Die trübe Nacht in Licht verkehrt.
The gloomy night is changed to light
Leit uns auf deinen Wegen,
Lead us in your ways,
Dass dein Gesicht
So that your face
Und herrlichs Licht
And your glorious light
Wir ewig schauen mögen!
We may see forever!



Gerard David, The Rest on the Flight into Egypt, National Gallery of Art, Washington, c. 1510

[47] 5) Aria [Bass] Oboe d'amore solo, Continuo

NML: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank

Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen,
Illuminate also my gloomy thoughts
Erleuchte mein Herze
Illuminate my heart
Durch der Strahlen klaren Schein!
With the rays of your clear light!
Dein Wort soll mir die hellste Kerze
Your word will be the brightest candle for
meIn allen meinen Werken sein;
In all my deeds;
Dies lässet die Seele nichts Böses beginnen.
This lets my soul begin nothing evil.

[48] 6) Recitative [Tenor] Continuo

NML: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD:Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank

Evangelist:
Da das der König Herodes hörte, erschrak er und mit ihm das ganze Jerusalem.
When King Herod heard this he was afraid and with him all Jerusalem.

[49] 7) Recitative [Alto] Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

NML: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm;Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank

Warum wollt ihr erschrecken? Why are you afraid? Kann meines Jesu Gegenwart euch solche Furcht erwecken? Can the presence of my Jesus arouse such fear in you? O! solltet ihr euch nicht Oh ! should you not rather Vielmehr darüber freuen, Rejoice over this Weil er dadurch verspricht, For he promises in this way Der Menschen Wohlfahrt zu verneuen. To restore the well-being of mankind.

[50] 8) Recitative [Tenor] Continuo


NML: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki;Christophers; Oberfrank

Evangelist:
Und ließ versammlen alle Hohepriester und Schriftgelehrten unter dem Volk
And he gathered together all the high priests and scribes among the people
und erforschete von ihnen, wo Christus sollte geboren werden.
And demanded of them where the Christ should be born.
Und sie sagten ihm: Zu Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande;
And they said to him: in Bethlehem in the land of the Jews;
denn also stehet geschrieben durch den Propheten:
For it is written by the prophets:
Und du Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande bist mitnichten die kleinest unter den Fürsten Juda;
And you, Bethlehem in the land of the Jews, are not the least among the princes of Judah
denn aus dir soll mir kommen der Herzog,
From you will come the prince
der über mein Volk Israel ein Herr sei.
Who will be the lord over my people Israel.

[51] 9) Aria (Terzetto) [S, A, T] Violino solo, Continuo

NML: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm;Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank

Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen?
Ah, When will the time appear?
Ach, wenn kömmt der Trost der Seinen?
Ah, When will he who is the comfort of his people come?
Schweigt, er ist schon würklich hier!
Be silent, he is really already here!
Jesu, ach so komm zu mir!
Jesus, ah, then come to me!

[52] 10) Recitative [Alto] Oboe d'amore I/II, Continuo

NML: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank

Mein Liebster herrschet schon.
My beloved already rules.
Ein Herz, das seine Herrschaft liebet
A heart that loves his dominion
Und sich ihm ganz zu eigen gibet,
And gives itself completely to him as his own
Ist meines Jesu Thron.
Is the throne of my Jesus.



 Jacob Jordaens, The Return of Holy Family from Egypt, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, c 1616

[53] 11) Chorale [S, A, T, B] Oboe d'amore I/II e Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Continuo

NML: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank
BOD: Rilling 1; Rilling 2; Wilhelm; Suzuki; Christophers; Oberfrank

Zwar ist solche Herzensstube
Indeed such a room in my heart
Wohl kein schöner Fürstensaal,
Is certainly no fine royal palace
Sondern eine finstre Grube;
But rather a dark pit;
Doch, sobald dein Gnadenstrahl
Yet, as soon as the rays of your mercy
In denselben nur wird blinken,
Only gleam within there
Wird es voller Sonnen dünken.
It will seem filled with sunlight.



The German Text: http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/bach.html. The English Translation is by Francis Browne: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Intro.htm. Both used by permission.