Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlösen, BWV 48 Composed for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, which fell on October 3, 1723, Bachs Cantata No. 48 Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlosen (I am a miserable man, who will deliver me) (BWV 48) sets yet one more grotesquely self-debasing text by an anonymous poet. The opening movement takes its texts from Romans 7:24 -- I am a miserable man, who will deliever me from my sinful death? -- a third-movement chorale from Martin Rutilius from 1604 -- So, yes, let suffering and pain -- and closing with a chorale by an unknown writer -- Lord Jesus Christ, only consolation. The cantata is scored for alto and tenor soloists, chorus, a solo trumpet, a pair of oboes, strings, and basso continuo. Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlosen is in dark G minor with its first, sixth, and seventh movements in the tonic; its second, third, and fifth movements in the relative major of B flat major; and its fourth movement in the mediant major of E flat major. The first movement is a large chorale fantasia on the text from Romans, with the chorus stating the text in imitative entrances against an independent full orchestral texture. The second movement is a short but expressive recitative for alto soloist, strings, and continuo. The third movement is a very straight setting of Rutilius short chorale moving almost entirely in even quarter notes. The fourth movement is a quick, triple-time aria in the form of a trio sonata for alto soloist, oboe obbligato, and continuo. The fifth movement is a very brief and very dry secco recitative for soloist and continuo. The sixth movement is a graceful aria for tenor soloist, strings with the oboes doubling the first violins, and continuo. Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlosen concludes with a harmonization of an anonymous chorale for chorus and full orchestra colla parte.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 15:27:08 +0000
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