• Source: Das neugeborne Kindelein, BWV 122

Das neugeborne Kindelein (The new-born infant child), BWV 122, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach composed the chorale cantata in six movements in Leipzig for the Sunday after Christmas and first performed it on 31 December 1724.




History and text


Bach composed the cantata in his second year as Thomaskantor in Leipzig for the Sunday after Christmas. The prescribed readings for the Sunday were from the Epistle to the Galatians, "through Christ we are free from the law" (Galatians 4:1–7), and from the Gospel of Luke, Simeon and Anna talking to Mary (Luke 2:33–40). The chorale cantata is based on a hymn by Cyriakus Schneegaß (1597) with the same title as the cantata. The librettist is unknown.
Bach first performed the cantata on 31 December 1724.




Scoring and structure


This work is scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, three recorders, two oboes, taille, two violins, viola, and basso continuo with organ.
The cantata has six movements:

Chorale: Das neugeborne Kindelein
Aria (bass): O Menschen, die ihr täglich sündigt
Recitative (soprano): Die Engel, welche sich zuvor
Aria (soprano, alto, tenor): Ist Gott versöhnt und unser Freund
Recitative (bass): Dies ist ein Tag, den selbst der Herr gemacht
Chorale: Es bringt das rechte Jubeljahr




Music


The opening chorus is a chorale fantasia with a long opening and closing ritornello bookending a chorale theme with four entries and lengthy interspersed episodes. The three lower voices imitate the soprano thrice in the chorale phrases and then move into a fast ascending figure.
The second movement is a lengthy and chromatic bass aria discussing sündigt (sinning). This is the longest movement of the cantata. The continuo accompanying the vocal line is "tortuous and chromatically convoluted".
The soprano recitative is accompanied by a simple recorder trio, a combination designed to represent the "aura of the angels". As this is the only movement to include the recorders, the parts were likely performed by the oboe and taille players.
The fourth movement is a trio of the soprano, alto and tenor voices; the alto sings the chorale line with the strings while the soprano and tenor perform a duet aria. The movement is in D minor and 68 time.
The bass recitative begins in major before modulating to the G minor of the final movement. It is accompanied by high chordal strings and a continuo line.
The closing chorale is fast and short. It is in block form.
The "rather muted" music of the first chorus and the bass aria (the opening line of which translates as "O mortals, ye who sin daily") have been described by one writer as giving listeners a "moral hangover" after the possible overindulgence of the Christmas holidays.




Recordings


Wiener Kammerchor / Vienna State Opera Orchestra. J. S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 122 and BWV 133. Vanguard Bach Guild, 1952.
Frankfurter Kantorei / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart. Die Bach Kantate. Hänssler, 1972.
Collegium Vocale Gent. J. S. Bach: Cantates de Nöel. Harmonia Mundi France, 1995.
Bach: Cantates pour la Nativité / Intégrale des cantates sacrées Vol. 4, Eric J. Milnes, Montréal Baroque, Monika Mauch, Matthew White, Charles Daniels, Harry van der Kamp, ATMA Classique 2007
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Ton Koopman J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas, Vol. 13. Antoine Marchand, 2003.




Notes






References






External links


Das neugeborne Kindelein, BWV 122: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Das neugeborne Kindelein BWV 122; BC A 19 / Chorale cantata (1st Sunday of Christmas) Bach Digital
BWV 122 Das neugeborne Kindelein: English translation, University of Vermont
Gardiner, John Eliot (2007). Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Cantatas Nos 28, 122, 152 & 190 (Media notes). Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website). Retrieved 31 December 2018.
Luke Dahn: BWV 122.6 bach-chorales.com

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Das neugeborne Kindelein, BWV 122
• List of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach
• Cyriakus Schneegass
• Christmas Oratorio
• Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis
• List of Bach cantatas
• Chorale cantata (Bach)
• List of chorale harmonisations by Johann Sebastian Bach
• Chorale cantata cycle
• Bach cantata