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Recordings & Discussions of Cantatas: Cantatas BWV 1-50 | Cantatas BWV 51-100 | Cantatas BWV 101-150 | Cantatas BWV 151-200 | Cantatas BWV 201-224 | Cantatas BWV Anh | Order of Discussion

Cantata BWV 121
Christum wir sollen loben schon

German Title

Christum wir sollen loben schon

English Title

To Christ we should sing praises (by Richard Stokes)

Event

Chorale Cantata for the 2nd Day of Christmas [Christmas Monday, St. Stefanus Day]
Readings: Epistle: Titus. 3: 4-7 / Acts 6: 8-15 & 7: 55-60; Gospel: Matthew 23: 35-39 / Luke 2: 15-20

Composed

Leipzig, 1724 | 1st performance: December 26, 1724 - Leipzig; 2nd performance: 1725-1730 - Leipzig (According to the NBA KB I/3.1 p. 64, Cantata BWV 121 had a 2nd performance between Dec. 26, 1725 and Dec. 26, 1730. This is based upon a soprano part [C 1] which can not be dated anymore precisely than the time span given)

Text

Martin Luther (Mvts. 1, 6); Anon (Mvts. 2-5)

German Text | Translations: Dutch | English-1 | English-3 | English-6 | French-3 | French-4 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesia | Italian-2 | Japanese-2 | Portuguese-1 | Russian-1 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-3
Chorale Text: Christum wir sollen loben schon

Scoring

Soloists: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass; 4-part Chorus
Orchestra: horn, oboes d’amore, 3 trombones, 2 violins, viola, continuo (with organ)
Mvt. 1: Chorus (Chorale) | Mvt. 2: Aria | Mvt. 3: Recitative | Mvt. 4: Aria | Mvt. 5: Recitative | Mvt. 6: Chorale

Score Vocal & Piano [1.78 MB] | Score BGA [1.76 MB]
Chorales: Mvt. 6
Capella: Mvt. 6 [cap]
Examples from the Score: Examples
Chorale Melody: Christum wir sollen loben schon

References

BGA: XXVI | NBA: I/3.1 | BC: A 13 | Zwang: K 102 | First Published: BG, 1878 | Provenance

Commentary

BCW | Crouch | AMG | Japanese-2 | Spanish

Music

Music Examples

Discussions

Week of May 11, 2003; Week of December 3, 2006

Contents

 

Complete Recordings
Recordings of Individual Movements

Discussions - Part 1
Discussions - Part 2

John Eliot Gardiner - Bach Cantata Pilgrimage - Vol. 14
Christmas Cantatas from Leipzig - conducted by Philippe Herreweghe
Cantatas Vol. 31 - conducted by Masaaki Suzuki

Recordings - Part 1

Complete Recordings

1

Bach Cantatas Vol. 1 - Advent and Christmas

Karl Richter

Münchener Bach-Chor / Münchener Bach-Orchester

Soprano: Edith Mathis; Contralto: Anna Reynolds; Tenor: Peter Schreier; Bass: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Archiv Produktion

Jun-Jul 1971; Mar 1972

TT: 20:22

Recorded at Herkulessaall, München, Germany.
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2

Die Bach Kantate Vol. 62
Edition Bachakademie Vol. 38

Helmuth Rilling

Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart

Soprano: Arleen Augér; Alto: Doris Soffel; Tenor: Adalbert Kraus; Bass: Wolfgang Schöne

Hänssler

Feb, Apr 1980

TT: 20:46

Recorded at Gedächtniskirche Stuttgart, Germany.
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3

J.S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk - Sacred Cantatas Vol. 7

Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Tölzer Knabenchor (Chorus Master: Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden) / Concentus Musicus Wien

Boy Soprano: Markus Huber (Soloist of the Wiener Sangerknaben); Alto: Paul Esswood; Tenor: Kurt Equiluz; Bass: Philippe Huttenlocher

Teldec

1982

TT: 20:23

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4

J.S. Bach: Christmas Cantatas [C-10]

John Eliot Gardiner

Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists

Soprano: Ann Monoyios; Contralto: Sara Mingardo; Tenor: Rufus Müller; Bass: Stephan Loges

Archiv Produktion

Jan, Dec 1998

TT: 17:38

1st recording of Cantata BWV 121 by J.E. Gardiner. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England.
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5

Bach Edition Vol. 14 - Cantatas Vol. 7

Pieter Jan Leusink

Holland Boys Choir / Netherlands Bach Collegium

Soprano: Ruth Holton; Alto: Sytse Buwalda; Tenor: Knut Schoch; Bass: Bas Ramselaar

BrillClassics

Jan-Feb 2000

TT: 19:04

Recorded at St. Nicolaschurch, Elburg, Holland.
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6

J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 12

Ton Koopman

Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir

Soprano: Lisa Larsson; Alto: Annette Markert; Tenor: Christoph Prégardien; Bass: Klaus Mertens

Erato

Mar 2000

TT: 19:34

Recorded at Waalse Kerk, Amsterdam, Holland.
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7

Bach Cantatas Vol. 14: New York
Christmas Cantatas

John Eliot Gardiner

Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists

Soprano: Katharine Fuge; Counter-tenor: William Towers; Tenor: James Gilchrist; Bass: Peter Harvey

Soli Deo Gloria

Dec 2000

TT: 18:04

2nd recording of Cantata BWV 121 by J.E. Gardiner. Live recording from the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage at St Bartholomew’s Church, New York, NY, USA.
See: John Eliot Gardiner - Bach Cantata Pilgrimage - Vol. 14
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8

J.S. Bach: Christmas Cantatas from Leipzig [C-15]

Philippe Herreweghe

Collegium Vocale Gent

Soprano: Dorothee Blotzky-Mields; Alto: Ingeborg Danz; Tenor: Mark Padmore; Bass: Peter Kooy

Harmonia Mundi France

Dec 2001

TT: 19:03

Recorded at Conservatoire de Liège, Belgium.
See: Christmas Cantatas from Leipzig - conducted by Philippe Herreweghe
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9

J.S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 31

Masaaki Suzuki

Bach Collegium Japan, Concerto Palatino

Soprano: Yukari Nonoshita; Counter-tenor: Robin Blaze; Tenor: Gerd Türk; Bass: Peter Kooy

BIS

Sep 2004

SACD / TT: 16:42

Recorded at the Kobe Shoin Women's University Chapel, Japan.
See: Cantatas Vol. 31 - conducted by Masaaki Suzuki
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10

J.S. Bach: Kantaten BWV 64, 121, 133 (Weihnachtskantaten) [C-1]

Jean Tubéry

Choeur de Chambre de Namur / Les Agrémens

Soprano: Cécile Côte; Alto: Petra Noskaiova; Tenor: Henning Kaiser; Bass: Benoît Giaux

Ricercar

Dec 2-4, 2006

TT: 19:29

Recorded at Eglise Saint Loup, Namur, Belgium.

 

 

The list of recordings was compiled by Aryeh Oron (October 2002 - October 2007)
Thanks to contributors: Patrick Depelley (October 2007), Henri Dété (October 2003), Michael Meacock (Arton) (December 2002), John Pike (October 2005)


Cantata BWV 121: Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2

Recordings & Discussions of Cantatas: Cantatas BWV 1-50 | Cantatas BWV 51-100 | Cantatas BWV 101-150 | Cantatas BWV 151-200 | Cantatas BWV 201-224 | Cantatas BWV Anh | Order of Discussion

Introduction | Cantatas | Other Vocal | Non-Vocal | Performers | General Topics | Articles | Books | Movies
Biographies | Texts & Translations | Scores | References | Commentary | Music | Concerts | Bach Tour | Memorabilia
Chorale Texts | Chorale Melodies | Lutheran Church Year | Readings | Poets & Composers | Transcriptions
Search Website | Search Works/Movements | Terms & Abbreviations | Copyright Notice | How to contribute | Links

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Last update: ýDecember 5, 2006 ý23:31:15