Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Cantata BWV 23: Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn (7 February 1723)

1. Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn (Duet: S, A)
2. Ach! gehe nicht vorüber (Recitative: T) 05:50
3. Aller Augen warten, Herr (Chorus) 07:10
4. Christe, du Lamm Gottes (Chorale) 10:52

Soloists:
Soprano: Dorothee Mields
Alto: Matthew White
Tenor: Jan Kobow

Collegium Vocale Gent performs under the direction of Philippe Herreweghe. Recorded by Harmonia Mundi France in 2007.

"From a biographical perspective, Quinquagesima was a memorable date for Bach. For on this day in 1723 he performed the two cantatas he had composed as test-pieces, which eventually gained him the post of Thomaskantor. The process was extraordinarily complicated, and was obviously followed with close attention by contemporaries. There was even a report on the event in a national newspaper; the Hamburger Relationscourier wrote a week later: 'Last Sunday morning, the Kapellmeister to His Highness the Prince of Cöthen, Mr. Bach, performed his audition in St. Thomas's Church for the currently vacant position of Kantor, and the music of the same was much praised on that occasion by all knowledgeable persons.' As can be conclusively established thanks to the performance material, which luckily is still extant, two complete cantatas were heard in the course of this service, one before the sermon and one after. The works in question were Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe (BWV 22) and Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn (BWV 23). ...

"The second cantata, Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn (BWV 23), underlines even more [than BWV 22] the composer's uncompromising efforts to achieve an elaborate style. The work begins with a duet for soprano and alto accompanied by two oboes and basso continuo. Bach's compositional ambitions are shown by the fact that he undertakes to treat the five voices autonomously throughout while using only a limited number of motifs. The same high level of craftsmanship is evident in the following accompagnato recitative, in which the upper voice of the instrumental accompaniment (played by violin I and the two oboes) presents the chorale Christe, du Lamm Gottes in extended note-values. Such niceties were surely perceived only by connoisseurs at the time. But a wider audience is addressed by the rondo-style chorus 'Aller Augen warten', whose homophonic texture and dance-like gestures have a direct appeal. The work's conclusion, a setting of the three strophes of the chorale Christe, du Lamm Gottes, harks back in both content and style to the first two movements. In this lofty masterpiece, Bach offers elegant proof of the full subtlety and profundity of his compositional capacities--no wonder his audition pieces were 'much praised...by all knowledgeable persons.' " - Peter Wollny

Painting: We want Barabbas (Ecce Homo), Honoré Daumier

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