BWV 132

All of Bach's Weimar cantatas have a special quality, mostly attributable to Salomo Franck's wonderful libretti. In BWV 132, the opening Advent words generate long expressive melismas for the soprano and the oboe d'amore. The large secco tenor recitative darkens the texture considerably preparing us for the severe and very striking bass aria with continuo. While today it may seem strange to find such a forbidding piece in the Christmas season, Advent was always a penitential time in Bach's church. The alto recitative with strings continues the penitential tone but the brilliant aria with violin obbligato lights the way for the lovely setting of the chorale "Herr Christ, der einig Gottes Sohn."

©Craig Smith