SKU: CA.3108013

ISBN 9790007045371. Key: D major. Language: German/English. Text: Luther, Martin. Text: Martin Luther, Salomo Franck.

Bach's Reformation cantata, based on what is probably Martin Luther's most famous hymn, evolved over a period of several years. At the beginning was a Weimar cantata for Oculi Sunday 1716, now missing, which was based on the hymn with an instrumental quotation in the opening aria and with the final chorale. In the Leipzig years around 1730, Bach wrote a cantata for Reformation Day using this material. It began with the first verses of Luther's hymn in a simple four-part setting and also included the other verses. Later on, in the 1730s or 1740s, Bach replaced the introductory chorale movement with a chorale setting which was unique, spacious and motet-like in its style; this - uniquely in this respect - incorporated the choral writing in an instrumental canon for oboes and organ continuo. The powerful opening chorus is followed by recitatives and arias which reflect the full breadth of Bach's art of word painting and emotion. One of Bach's most magnificent cantatas, one of the greatest works in the history of music. In addition to the complete performance material the arrangements of movements 1 and 5 (with 3 trumpets, timpani as playing score) by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach are available (Carus 3108089). Score and part available separately - see item CA.3108000.

SKU: CA.3106249

ISBN 9790007043650. Key: B minor. Language: German/English. Text: Luther, Martin. Text: Martin Luther.

Bach's second cantata starting with the text Come now, God's chosen saviour (II) BWV 62 was first performed in 1724 on the 1st Advent Sunday (which, at that time, was the only Advent Sunday with church music in Leipzig) and belongs to the annual cycle of chorale cantatas. As was usual for chorale cantatas, the unknown librettist used the first and last verses of Martin Luther's hymn verbatim for the opening chorus and the concluding chorale but adapted the texts of the inner verses. After two contrasting arias - the one dance-like, the second almost heroic - an almost enraptured accompagnato (Wir ehren diese Herrlichtkeit, und nahen nun zu deiner Krippen), in which the soprano and contralto mostly sing in parallel thirds and sixths, leads to a simple concluding chorale. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3106200.

SKU: CA.3108089

ISBN 9790007206840. Key: D major. Text language: German/English. Text: Luther, Martin.

Bach's Reformation cantata, based on what is probably Martin Luther's most famous hymn, evolved over a period of several years. At the beginning was a Weimar cantata for Oculi Sunday 1716, now missing, which was based on the hymn with an instrumental quotation in the opening aria and with the final chorale. In the Leipzig years around 1730, Bach wrote a cantata for Reformation Day using this material. It began with the first verses of Luther's hymn in a simple four-part setting and also included the other verses. Later on, in the 1730s or 1740s, Bach replaced the introductory chorale movement with a chorale setting which was unique, spacious and motet-like in its style; this - uniquely in this respect - incorporated the choral writing in an instrumental canon for oboes and organ continuo. The powerful opening chorus is followed by recitatives and arias which reflect the full breadth of Bach's art of word painting and emotion. One of Bach's most magnificent cantatas, one of the greatest works in the history of music. In addition to the complete performance material the arrangements of movements 1 and 5 (with 3 trumpets, timpani as playing score) by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach are available (Carus 3108089). Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3108000.

SKU: CA.2704849

ISBN 9790007199449. Key: D major. Language: Latin.

The Carus program featuring music of the Court of Dresden has been expanded with the publication of the first edition of the great masses of Johann David Heinichen, who, next to Hasse and Zelenka, was the most important musical representative of this capital of Saxony. A peculiarity of this work is the fact that Heinichen inserted an actual concerto movement for solo flute, 2 oboes, strings and continuo between the Gloria and Credo, which recommends the Mass for concert performances. Score and part available separately - see item CA.2704800.

SKU: CA.3102905

ISBN 9790007042394. Key: D major. Language: German/English.

Bach's cantata Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir of 1731, composed for the inauguration of the Leipzig town council, is one of the cantatas which has an obbligato organ part. In the introductory Sinfonia (an arrangement of the opening movement of the Partita in E for solo violin) and the final aria, the organ has a prominent solo part. The final aria is a transposed repetition of the first aria in the cantata, which frames its central section as a motto Halleluja, Stark und Macht sei dem allerhochsten Namen. However, the high point of the cantata is the magnificent choral movement which precedes the first Halleluja. Bach also re-used this music later in the Gratias and Dona nobis pacem sections of the Mass in B minor. New revised edition. Score available separately - see item CA.3102900.

SKU: CA.3114949

ISBN 9790007208608. Key: D major. Language: German/English. Text: Henrici (Picander), Christian Friedrich. Text: Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander).

In composing the Cantata BWV 149 Bach reverted to parts of an earlier work: The opening chorus is a parody of the Jadgkantate BWV 208 (Hunting Cantata). In addition to smaller changes which were made necessary due to the text, Bach used trumpets instead of horns. For this purpose he transposed the movement from F major to C major. Musically, the form of the three arias and their instrumentation is rich in variety. The bass aria (2nd mvt.) is characterized by an active continuo accompaniment. After the secco recitative an extended dance like soprano aria with string accompaniment follows. The third aria (6th mvt.) is impressive due to the animated melody and the forming of a canon between the voices, and especially through the entry of the bassoon as the instrumental counterpart to a duet between the alto and tenor. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3114900.