Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Cantata BWV 27: Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende? (6 October 1726)

1. Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende? (Chorale and Recitative)
2. Mein Leben hat kein ander Ziel (Recitative: T) 04:56
3. Willkommen! (Aria: A) 05:45
4. Ach, wer doch schon im Himmel wär! (Recitative: S) 10:16
5. Gute Nacht, du Weltgetümmel! (Aria: B) 10:55
6. Welt, ade! ich bin dein müde (Chorale) 14:30

Soloists:
Soloist of the Wiener Sängerknaben
Altos: Paul Esswood & Soloist of the Wiener Sängerknaben
Tenor: Kurt Equiluz
Bass: Siegmund Nimsgern

Performed by the Wiener Sängerknaben & Chorus Viennensis (Chorus Master: Hans Gillesberger), and Concentus Musicus Wien under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Recorded by Teldec in 1973

"Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende? (BWV 27), like [BWV 26], is linked to a Gospel narration of an awakening from the dead (Luke 7:11-17) -- this time the young man in Nain. The idea which the author of the text has developed is basically the same as [in BWV 26]: Jesus will awaken me and therefore, he reasons, my fear of death (dealt with in the 1st and 2nd movements) is groundless; on the contrary, death can only be welcome to me. The poetry, which recalls an aria text by Erdmann Neumeister in the 3rd movement (Neumeister: 'Willkommen! will ich sagen, so bald der Tod ans Bette tritt...' -- A welcome! will I give Him when for Death I must prepare), remains free of both didacticism and baroque exaggerations, and is distinguished instead by a warmth of feeling that places it among the most successful texts ever set by Bach.

"Bach's composition was written for the 6th October 1726, and thus belongs to the third of the yearly cycles that have been preserved. Although it begins with a chorale, it is not a chorale cantata; the inner movements are not paraphrases of a hymn, nor do the opening and closing chorales belong to the same hymn.

"In the opening chorus the hymn tune ('Wer nur den lieben Gott läst walten' -- 'Who but lets the good God rule') is worked into a meditative instrumental texture with a theme of its own (though remotely related to the chorale). Bach, however, modifies this manner of writing and the fixed metre of the text are maintained. This is the only example of a recitative in three-four time in the whole of Bach!

"The first aria (3rd movement) is of unusual charm, and requires as obligato instruments an oboe da caccia and an obligato harpsichord, which was evidently replaced by an obligato organ at a later performance. With its melody in the manner of a simple song, Bach has found just the right setting for the character of its text, and that of the entire cantata.

"The second aria movement in the cantata (5th movement) is based on the contrast of concepts 'Gute Nacht -- Weltgetümmel' (Good night -- worldly bustle), which it also maintains consistently in the music. The initial Sarabande rhythm is basically kept going throughout the piece, but already in the second half of the ritornello and the main section of the aria it is filled out with lively semiquaver figuration, only the middle section and the end of the last ritornello being kept free of this.

"Contrary to his usual practice, Bach has adopted a five-part setting by Johann Rosenmüller as the final chorale."- Alfred Dürr

Painting: Setting Sun, Hendrik Willem Mesdag

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