Bekennen will ich seinen Namen (I shall acknowledge His name), BWV 200, is an arrangement by Johann Sebastian Bach of an aria from Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel's passion-oratorio Die leidende und am Creuz sterbende Liebe Jesu. He scored it for alto, two violins and continuo, possibly as part of a cantata for the feast of Purification. He probably led the first performance around 1742.
History and text
editBach arranged in Bekennen will ich seinen Namen an aria, "Dein Kreuz, o Bräutgam meiner Seelen" (Your cross, o bridegroom of my soul" from Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel's passion-oratorio Die leidende und am Creuz sterbende Liebe Jesu.[1][2] Bach's arrangement, dated around 1742–43,[3] was possibly part of a cantata for the Marian feast of Purification.[4][5] The prescribed readings for the day were Malachi 3:1–4, and Luke 2:22–32.[6]
Bach likely performed his arrangement in 1742 in Leipzig.[6]
Music
editThe aria is scored for solo alto voice, two violins, and basso continuo.[7] As with many of Bach's latest cantatas, the aria has a "quality of mellow assurance". It is in adapted ternary form but includes no clear reprise of the opening section. The vocal line includes melismas but no other word painting.[8]
Recordings
edit- Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Kenneth Sillito. J.S. Bach: Cantatas Nos. 53 · 82 · 170 · 200. Capriccio, 1993.
- Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Ton Koopman. J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 21. Antoine Marchand, 2002.
- Bach-Orchester Mainz, Diethard Hellmann. J.S. Bach: Psalm 51 BWV 1083 & Cantata BWV 200. Da Camera, 1966.
- English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner. J.S. Bach: Cantatas for the Feast of Purification of Mary. Archiv Produktkion, 2000.
- Netherlands Bach Collegium, Pieter Jan Leusink. Bach Edition Vol. 17. Brilliant Classics, 2000.
- Philomusica of London, Thurston Dart. J.S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 53, BWV 54, BWV 200, BWV 244. L'Oiseau-Lyre, 1958.
- Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel. BWV 200: Aria for contralto, 2 violins and basso continuo Magdalena Kozena Archiv Production 2003
References
edit- ^ Bach Digital Work 00250 at www
.bachdigital .de - ^ Wollny 2008.
- ^ D-B N. Mus. ms. 307 at www
.bachdigital .de - ^ BWV2a 1998, p. 202
- ^ Booklet notes to Hänssler CD 98.858.
- ^ a b "Cantata BWV 200 Bekennen will ich seinen Namen". Bach Cantatas. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ^ "BWV 200". University of Alberta. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ Mincham, Julian. "Chapter 55 BWV 50, BWV 200, BWV 1045". jsbachcantatas. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
Sources
edit- Wollny, Peter (2008). "Bekennen will ich seinen Namen: Authentizität, Bestimmung und Kontext der Arie BWV 200. Anmerkungen zu Johann Sebastian Bachs Rezeption von Werken Gottfried Heinrich Stölzels" [Bekennen will ich seinen Namen: authenticity, purpose and context of the aria BWV 200. Annotations regarding Johann Sebastian Bach's reception of Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel's works]. Bach-Jahrbuch 2008 [Bach Yearbook 2008]. Bach-Jahrbuch (in German). Vol. 94. Neue Bachgesellschaft. Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt. pp. 123–158. doi:10.13141/bjb.v2008. ISBN 978-3-374-02668-5. ISSN 0084-7682.
External links
edit- Bekennen will ich seinen Namen, BWV 200: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Bach Cantata Translations / BWV 200 - "Bekennen will ich seinen Namen" Emmanuel Music 2020