Ugolino di Nerio, The Resurrection, National Gallery, London, c.1324-25
Christ Lag in Todesbanden
Christ lay in death's bonds
Cantata 4
BWV 4
Event: Easter Sunday
1st Performance: 1707-1708? - Mühlhausen
Readings: Epistle: 1 Corinthians 5: 6-8; Gospel: Markus 16: 1-8
Text: Martin LutherChorale Text: Christ lag in Todesbanden
Click to read brief commentaries by Simon Crouch for Classical Net, Timothy Dickey for All Music, Carol Traupman-Carr for the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and Craig Smith for Emmanuel Music.
Cantata 4 performed by Soprano: Judith Nelson; Alto: Daniel Taylor; Tenor: Benjamin Butterfield; Bass: Kurt-Owen Richards; American Bach Soloists (no choir); Jeffrey Thomas conducting; Recorded at St. Stephen's Church, Belvedere, CA, USA.
Click to hear Johann Sebastian Bach, Cantata 4. Then click on track 14. Listen to the whole work or click on individual tracks: 14-21. It may be necessary to click on arrow and slide button on right. To avoid spoken announcement about the track or even an advertisement, click on the next track as soon as the previous one finishes.
1) Sinfonia Violino I/II, Viola I/II, Continuo (Track 14)
2) Versus 1 [S, A, T, B] Violino I/II, Viola I/II, Cornetto col Soprano, Trombone I coll'Alto, Trombone II col Tenore, Trombone III col Basso, Continuo (Track 15)
Christ lag in Todesbanden
Christ lay in death's bonds
Für unsre Sünd gegeben,
handed
over for our sins,Er ist wieder erstanden
he is risen again
Und hat uns bracht das Leben;
and has brought us life
Des wir sollen fröhlich sein,
For th
is we should be joyful,Gott loben und ihm dankbar sein
praise God and be thankful to him
Und singen halleluja,
and sing allelluia,
Halleluja!
Alleluia!
3) Versus 2 [Soprano, Alto] Cornetto col Soprano, Trombone I coll'Alto, Continuo (Track 16)
Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt
Nobody could overcome death
Bei allen Menschenkindern,
among all the children of mankind.
Das macht' alles unsre Sünd,
Our sin was the cause of all this,
Kein Unschuld war zu finden.
no innocence was to be found.
Davon kam der Tod so bald
Therefore death came so quickly
Und nahm über uns Gewalt,
and seized power over us,
Hielt uns in seinem Reich gefangen.
held us captive in his kingdom.
Halleluja!
Alleluia!
4) Versus 3 [Tenor] Violino I/II, Continuo (Track 17)
Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn,
Jesus Christ, God's son,
An unser Statt ist kommen
has come in our place
Und hat die Sünde weggetan,
and has put aside our sins,
Damit dem Tod genommen
and in this way from death has taken
All sein Recht und sein Gewalt,
all his rights and his power,
Da bleibet nichts denn Tods Gestalt,
here remains nothing but death's outward form
Den Stach'l hat er verloren.
it has lost its sting.
Halleluja!
Alleluia!
5) Versus 4 S A T B Continuo (Track 18)
Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg,
It was a strange battle
Da Tod und Leben rungen,
where death and life struggled.
Das Leben behielt den Sieg,
Life won the victory,
Es hat den Tod verschlungen.
it has swallowed up death
Die Schrift hat verkündigt das,
Scripture has proclaimed
Wie ein Tod den andern fraß,
how one death ate the other,
Ein Spott aus dem Tod ist worden.
death has become a mockery.
Halleluja!
Alleluia!
6) Versus 5 [Bass] Violino I/II, Viola I/II, Continuo (Track 19)
Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm,
Here is the true Easter lamb
Davon Gott hat geboten,
that God has offered
Das ist hoch an des Kreuzes Stamm
which high on the trunk of the cross
In heißer Lieb gebraten,
is roasted in burning love,
Das Blut zeichnet unsre Tür,
whose blood marks our doors,
Das hält der Glaub dem Tode für,
which faith holds in front of death,
Der Würger kann uns nicht mehr schaden.
the strangler can harm us no more
Halleluja!
Alleluia!
7) Versus 6 [Soprano, Tenor] Continuo (Track 20)
So feiern wir das hohe Fest
Thus we celebrate the high feast
Mit Herzensfreud und Wonne,
with joy in our hearts and delight
Das uns der Herre scheinen läßt,
that the Lord lets shine for us,
Er ist selber die Sonne,
He is himself the sun
Der durch seiner Gnade Glanz
who through the brilliance of his grace
Erleuchtet unsre Herzen ganz,
enlightens our hearts completely,
Der Sünden Nacht ist verschwunden.
the night of sin has disappeared.
Halleluja!
Alleluia!
8) Versus 7 [S, A, T, B] Violino I/II e Cornetto col Soprano, Viola I e Trombone I coll'Alto, Viola II e Trombone II col Tenore, Trombone III col Basso, Continuo (Track 21)
Wir essen und leben wohl
We eat and live well
In rechten Osterfladen,
on the right Easter cakes,
Der alte Sauerteig nicht soll
the old sour-dough should not
Sein bei dem Wort Gnaden,
be with the word grace,
Christus will die Koste sein
Christ will be our food
Und speisen die Seel allein,
and alone feed the soul,
Der Glaub will keins andern leben.
faith will live in no other way.
Halleluja!
Alleluia!
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.
