Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn, BWV 157

For Bach's motet, see Ich lasse dich nicht, BWV Anh. 159.

Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn
BWV 157
Chorale cantata by J. S. Bach
Johann Christoph von Ponickau, for whose memorial service the cantata was composed
KeyB minor
Chorale"Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht"
Performed6 February 1727 (1727-02-06): Pomßen

Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn (I will not let you go, unless you bless me), BWV 157,[a] is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig in 1726/27 to a libretto by Picander. The first known performance was on 6 February 1727 during a memorial service for Johann Christoph von Ponickau in Pomßen near Leipzig. The work was later assigned to the feast of the Purification celebrated on 2 February.

Picander included a quotation from Genesis 32:26–32 in the first movement, and the last stanza of Christian Keymann's "Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht" in the closing chorale. The contemplation begins with the Old Testament quotation being applied to Jesus, and leads to the last aria expressing an eager wish for death to arrive soon. The closing chorale picks up the first line.

Bach structured the cantata in five movements. The original "chamber music" version (as reconstructed by Klaus Hofmann) was scored for two vocal soloists, tenor and bass, a four-part choir, and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of flauto traverso, oboe d'amore and continuo. In the later version, there are parts also for oboe, two violins and violetta.

History and text

The cantata appears to have been commissioned as a funeral cantata for Johann Christoph von Ponickau, a Saxon chamberlain.[1][2] Picander, Bach's librettist, clearly linked the cantata to Ponickau, publishing an extended funeral ode followed by the text of the cantata.[1] The first known performance was during a memorial service for Ponickau on 6 February 1727 in the church of his home village of Pomßen, 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Leipzig.[2][3] A printed commemoration sermon survives, with some information about the music performed[3] which included a second Bach cantata, the now lost Liebster Gott, vergißt du mich, BWV Anh. 209. That work was written to a libretto published by Georg Christian Lehms in his Gottgefälliges Kirchenopfer for the seventh Sunday after Trinity.[1]: 766 

For Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn, Picander included a quotation from Genesis 32:26–32 in the first movement, but the line from Jacob wrestling with the angel is understood as a believer addressing Jesus.[2] The closing chorale is the last stanza of Christian Keymann's "Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht".[3][4]

The cantata appears to have been adapted for performance as part of Leipzig's church music, specifically for the Feast of the Purification of Mary celebrated on 2 February. The existence of more than one version is implied in the earliest surviving manuscripts, from after Bach's death, copied by Christian Friedrich Penzel. The primary surviving score dates from 1755, and there are parts from the 1760s.[2] The prescribed readings for the feast day were from the book of Malachi, "the Lord will come to his temple" (Malachi 3:1–4), and the Gospel of Luke, the purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, including Simeon's canticle Nunc dimittis (Luke 2:22–32).[1] The idea from Simeon's canticle to depart in peace has often been used as an image for the death of a Christian.[5]

Only copies of parts of the later version are extant. In 1962, the musicologist Klaus Hofmann" reconstructed the original version, which he described as chamber music using "an exquisite combination of solo instruments".[2]

Structure and scoring

Bach structured the cantata in five movements, and scored it for two vocal soloists, tenor (T) and bass (B), a four-part choir only in the closing chorale, and a Baroque instrumental ensemble. According to the 1760 set of parts, the ensemble comprised flauto traverso (Ft), oboe (Ob), oboe d'amore (Oa), two violin parts (Vl), violetta (Vt) and basso continuo.[1][3][6] Hofmann derived a version from the 1755 score for a smaller ensemble of flauto traverso, oboe and viola d'amore which may be closer to the one used for the first performance.[5] The duration of the cantata is given as 21 minutes.[1]

In the following table of the movements, the scoring, keys and time signatures are taken from Dürr.[1] The continuo, which plays throughout, is not shown.

Movements of Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn
No. Title Text Type Vocal Winds Strings Key Time
1 Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn Book of Genesis Duet aria T B Ft Oa Vl solo B minor common time
2 Ich halte meinen Jesum feste Picander Aria T Oa F-sharp minor 3
8
3 Mein lieber Jesu du Picander Recitative T 2Vl Vt common time
4 Ja, ja, ich halte Jesum feste Picander Aria and recitative B Ft Vl solo D major common time
5 Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht Keymann Chorale SATB Ft Ob 2Vl Vt D major common time

Music

The opening movement sets a single line: the biblical quotation from Genesis which became the title of the cantata: "Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn" (I will not let you go, unless you bless me).[1][7] The movement has an eight-measure ritornello that opens, ends and bisects it, featuring a prominent imitative motif to the words "Ich lasse dich nicht". The two solo voices sing the theme, which was introduced by the continuo, in a canon.[8] The movement is in six-part polyphony of the voices, flute, oboe d'amore and continuo. The counter subject is assigned to the blessing.[9]

The second movement, "Ich halte meinen Jesum feste" (I hold my Jesus tightly),[7] is a tenor aria accompanied by continuo and obbligato oboe d'amore, which perform a long ritornello serving much the same structural function as in the first movement.[8] Craig Smith suggests that this is "perhaps the single most difficult tenor aria in the whole repertoire", with "wild and extremely ornate melismas".[10] The aria, in a mellow triple metre, rests on two motifs, one with long resting notes, illustrating faith, and coloraturas standing for "mit Gewalt" ("with force").[9]

The tenor recitative, "Mein lieber Jesu du, wenn ich Verdruß und Kummer leide, so bist du meine Freude" (My dear Jesus, when I suffer oppression and torment, then You are my joy),[7] is "lushly" accompanied by strings. It recalls some of the motivic material from the first movement. According to Julian Mincham, "these details serve to remind the modern listener, armed with a score, of Bach's integrated approach to cantata architecture".[8]

The fourth movement, for bass, "Ja, ja, ich halte Jesum feste, so geh ich auch zum Himmel ein" (Yes, yes, I hold Jesus tightly, therefore I will also enter into heaven),[7] combines elements of aria and recitative.[8] The mood, in contrast to the earlier movements, turns to joyful, even exuberant expectation. The scoring of flute, violin and continuo recalls trio sonatas by George Frideric Handel, Georg Philipp Telemann and others.[9] The music opens with a ritornello. Structurally, the movement completes most of a da capo aria before a recitative episode interrupts the reprise of the A section. The music moves between aria and recitative twice more before a final aria section ends the movement.[8]

The cantata ends with a four-part setting of the chorale, "Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht, geh ihm ewig an der Seiten" (I will not let go of my Jesus, I will walk beside Him forever),[7] with a conjunct melody and active continuo line.[8] The last line is the same as the first, connecting to the beginning of the cantata.[7][4]

Recordings

Recordings of Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn include:

Notes

  1. ^ "BWV" is Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's works.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Dürr, Alfred; Jones, Richard D. P. (2006). "Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn, BWV 157". The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text. Oxford University Press. pp. 765–771. ISBN 978-0-19-929776-4.
  2. ^ a b c d e Hofmann, Klaus (2012). "Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn / I will not let thee go, except thou bless me, BWV 157" (PDF). Cantatas Vol. 51 (liner notes). Bach Cantatas Website. p. 7. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d "Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn BWV 157.2; BWV 157; BC A 170". Bach Digital (in German). Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b Dahn, Luke (2012). "BWV 157.5". bach-chorales.com. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  5. ^ a b Hofmann, Klaus (1982). "Johann Sebastian ach / Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn / Lord, do not depart until I am blessed / BWV 157" (PDF). Carus-Verlag. p. 7. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  6. ^ "BWV 157". University of Alberta. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Dellal, Pamela. "BWV 157 - 'Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn'". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Mincham, Julian. "Chapter 46 BWV 157". The Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  9. ^ a b c Radeke, Winfried (4 March 2014). "Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn / BWV 157" (in German). Bach-Chor at the Emperor Wilhelm Memorial Church. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  10. ^ Smith, Craig. "BWV 157". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "Cantata for soloists [2], choir and orchestra BWV.157, 'Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn'". muziekweb.nl. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  12. ^ "La Cantate BWV 157 'Ich lasse dich nicht du segnest mich denn'" (in French). France Musique. 2020.
  13. ^ "Johann Sebastian Bach / Ton Koopman / The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra / Complete Bach Cantatas Vol. 18]". Challenge Records. 2005.
  14. ^ "J. S. Bach - Cantatas, Vol. 51 (BWV 195, 192, 157, 120a)". BIS Records.
  15. ^ "Johann Sebastian Bach Cantatas vol. 51 (Bach Collegium Japan; conductor: Masaaki Suzuki) Review / Album. Released 2012". BBC. 2013.

Further reading

Read other articles:

The Sentinel (KSU)

This article is about the college newspaper. For other uses, see Sentinel (disambiguation). The SentinelThe April 3, 2007 front page ofThe SentinelTypeWeekly student newspaperFormatBroadsheetOwner(s)Kennesaw State UniversityPublisherKennesaw State UniversityFounded1966Headquarters1000 Chastain RoadKennesaw 30144USACirculation5,000-6,000 [1]OCLC number766020808 The Sentinel is the official student newspaper of the Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. As of the Fall semester ...

 

Visa policy of Cameroon

Policy on permits required to enter Cameroon Politics of Cameroon Constitution Human rights Government President (list) Paul Biya Prime Minister (list) Joseph Ngute Government Parliament Senate President: Marcel Niat Njifenji National Assembly President: Cavayé Yéguié Djibril Administrative divisions Regions Departments Communes Villages Elections Recent elections Presidential: 20182025 Parliamentary: 20202025 Political parties Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Lejeun...

 

Philippines at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships

Sporting event delegationPhilippines at the2017 World Aquatics ChampionshipsFlag of the PhilippinesFINA codePHINational federationPhilippine Swimming FederationWebsitewww.swimmingpinas.comin Budapest, HungaryCompetitors7 in 2 sportsMedals Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 0 World Aquatics Championships appearances197319751978198219861991199419982001200320052007200920112013201520172019202220232024 The Philippines is scheduled to compete at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hunga...

جون شليسنجر

جون شليسنجر معلومات شخصية الميلاد 16 فبراير 1926 [1][2][3][4][5]  لندن  الوفاة 25 يوليو 2003 (77 سنة) [1][2][3][4]  بالم سبرنغز  سبب الوفاة سكتة دماغية  مكان الدفن مقبرة ويلسدن اليهودية  [لغات أخرى]‏  مواطنة المملكة المتحدة  الحيا...

 

Wappenbury

Wappenbury is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Warwickshire. Located on the north bank of the River Leam Wappenbury is almost entirely inside the ramparts of an Iron Age hill fort.[1] The population details can be found under Eathorpe. The nearest town is Leamington Spa, some 5 miles to the south west of Wappenbury. During the Second World War its vicar was William Purcell Witcutt. Roman pottery and kilns have been found in the village; which is only 1 mile f...

 

Sa'id Foudah

Contemporary Kalam scholar from Jordan Sa'id Foudahسعيد فودةPersonalReligionIslamNationalityJordan, PalestineDenominationSunniJurisprudenceShafi'iCreedAsh'ariMain interest(s)'Aqidah, Kalam, LogicNotable work(s)Al-Kashif al-Saghir 'An 'Aqa'id Ibn TaymiyyaEducationUniversity of Jordan, Jordan University of Science and Technology, World Islamic Sciences and Education UniversityTariqaShadhiliProfessionProfessor and investigator (muhaqqiq)Muslim leaderTeacherNuh al-Qudah Influenced by...

Visa policy of the Gambia

Policy on permits required to enter the Gambia Politics of the Gambia Constitution Human rights LGBT rights Executive President (list) Adama Barrow Vice-President Badara Joof Cabinet Legislative National Assembly Speaker: Fabakary Jatta Judiciary Supreme Court Chief Justice: Hassan Bubacar Jallow Elections Political parties Politicians Recent elections Presidential: 20162021 Parliamentary: 20172022 Administrative divisions Regions Districts Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Inter...

 

Kapur Akhir

Kapur Akhir (100.5-66 Ma) adalah zaman yang lebih muda dari dua zaman di mana periode Kapur dibagi dalam skala waktu geologis. Strata batuan dari zaman ini membentuk seri Kapur Atas. Nama Periode Kapur diambil dari batu kapur putih yang dikenal sebagai kapur yang banyak terdapat di Prancis utara dan terlihat di tebing putih Inggris tenggara, dan yang berasal dari masa ini. Kapur Akhir/Atas~100.5 – 66 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Kronologi−140 —–−130 ...

 

وعاء

وعاءمعلومات عامةصنف فرعي من أداةوعاءقطع أثرية الاستعمال تخزين يحتوي على جسم مادي ممثلة بـ وزن إجماليوزن فارغوزن صافي لديه جزء أو أجزاء سطحتجويف تعديل - تعديل مصدري - تعديل ويكي بيانات حاويات مصنوعة من القرع في كينيا. سلة منسوجة من شعب المايا في المكسيك. الوعاء[1][2] ...

National Eagle Scout Association

American youth organization This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: National Eagle Scout Association – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR ...

 

SMK Negeri 15 Bandung

SMK Negeri 15 BandungInformasiDidirikan1919JenisNegeriAkreditasiANomor Pokok Sekolah Nasional20219159Kepala SekolahDra. Lilis Yuyun, M.MPdJumlah kelas50 KelasJurusan atau peminatan Pekerjaan Sosial Perhotelan Kuliner Desain Komunikasi Visual Rentang kelasX, XI, XIIKurikulumKurikulum 2013 Kurikulum MerdekaJumlah siswa2.269 siswa [1]StatusSekolah Standar NasionalAlamatLokasiJalan Gatot Subroto No. 4, Kelurahan Burangrang, Kecamatan Lengkong, Bandung 40262, Jawa Barat, Ind...

 

Sage Intacct

American financial software company Sage Intacct, IncFormerlyIntacct CorporationCompany typeSubsidiaryIndustrySoftwareFounded1999; 25 years ago (1999)FounderOdysseas TsatalosDavid Chandler ThomasHeadquartersSan Jose, CaliforniaKey peopleSteve Hare (CEO – The Sage Group plc)ProductsAccounting softwareNumber of employees500ParentSage GroupWebsitewww.sageintacct.com Sage Intacct, Inc is an American provider of cloud-based financial management and services available a number o...

First lieutenant

Military rank Comparative military ranks Armies,air forces (non-Commonwealth) Navies, coast guards Air forces(Commonwealth system)Flag commissioned officers Field marshal or Marshal Admiral of the fleet Marshal of the air force General orcolonel general orarmy general Admiral Air chief marshal Lieutenant general orarmy corps general Vice admiral Air marshal Major general ordivisional general Rear admiral or Counter admiral Air vice-marshal Brigadier orbrigadier general Commodore orflotilla ad...

 

Alex Kingston

English actress (born 1963) Alex KingstonKingston at the 2019 GalaxyCon MinneapolisBornAlexandra Elizabeth Kingston (1963-03-11) 11 March 1963 (age 61)Epsom, Surrey, EnglandAlma materRoyal Academy of Dramatic ArtOccupationActressYears active1980–presentSpouses Ralph Fiennes ​ ​(m. 1993; div. 1997)​ Florian Haertel ​ ​(m. 1998; div. 2013)​ Jonathan Stamp ​(m. 2015...

 

Einstein field equations

Field-equations in general relativity Einstein equation redirects here. For the equation E = m c 2 {\displaystyle E=mc^{2}} , see Mass–energy equivalence. General relativity G μ ν + Λ g μ ν = κ T μ ν {\displaystyle G_{\mu \nu }+\Lambda g_{\mu \nu }={\kappa }T_{\mu \nu }} Introduction HistoryTimelineTests Mathematical formulation Fundamental concepts Equivalence principle Special relativity World line Pseudo-Riemannian manifold Phenomen...

Moorestyle

British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse (1977–1984) MoorestyleRacing silks of Moores International Furnishings LtdSireManacleGrandsireSing SingDamGuiding StarDamsireRelianceSexStallionFoaled27 April 1977CountryUnited KingdomColourBayBreederJohn ParkerOwnerMoores International Furnishings LtdTrainerRobert ArmstrongRecord21:13-5-2[1]Major winsEuropean Free Handicap (1980)Norwest Holst Trophy (1980)July Cup (1980)Haydock Sprint Cup (1980)Prix de l'Abbaye (1980)Challenge Stakes (1980, 1981)...

 

غور فيربينسكي

غور فيربينسكي فيربينسكي عام 2004 معلومات شخصية اسم الولادة (بالروسية: Gregor Verbinski)‏  الميلاد 16 مارس 1964 (العمر 60 سنة)أوك ريدج، تينيسي، الولايات المتحدة الجنسية  الولايات المتحدة الحياة العملية المدرسة الأم مدرسة يو سي إل إيه للمسرح والسينما والتلفزيون  [لغات أخرى]‏...

 

Romandía

Romandía Superficie 9520 km²Población 2.061.295 (2015) hab.Países Suiza SuizaIdiomas regionales Francés[editar datos en Wikidata] Romandía,[1]​ Suiza romanda o Suiza francesa (en francés: Romandie, Suisse française o Suisse romande; en alemán: Romandie o Welschschweiz; en italiano: Romandia o Svizzera romanda; en romanche: Svizra romanda) es la parte francófona de Suiza.[2]​ Comprende los cantones de Ginebra, Vaud, Neuchâtel y Jura, así como las ...

Constans II

Byzantine emperor from 641 to 668 For the Western Roman usurper, see Constans II (son of Constantine III). Constans IIEmperor of the RomansA solidus of Constans II c. 651–3 (aged 21–3), wearing a diadem and holding the globus cruciger. The inscription reads dn constantinus pp av.Byzantine emperorReignNovember 641 – 15 July 668CoronationSeptember 641PredecessorHeraclonasSuccessorConstantine IVCo-emperorsDavid Tiberius (641)Heraclius (659–681)Tiberius (659–681)Constantine IV (65...

 

Orge (rivière)

Ne doit pas être confondu avec Orge (ruisseau). Pour les articles homonymes, voir Orge. l'Orge L'Orge à Villiers-sur-Orge. Cours de l'Orge (carte interactive du bassin de la Seine). Caractéristiques Longueur 54,1 km [1] Bassin 951,9 km2 Bassin collecteur la Seine Débit moyen 3,9 m3/s (Morsang-sur-Orge) Régime pluvial océanique Cours Source bois de la Brosse · Localisation Saint-Martin-de-Bréthencourt · Altitude 134 m · Coordonnées 48° 31′ 34″...