Cantata BWV 121 - Details & Discography Part 1: Complete Recordings

Recordings/Discussions
Background Information
Performer Bios

Poet/Composer Bios

Additional Information

Cantata BWV 121
Christum wir sollen loben schon

Ref.

BWV 121

German Title

Christum wir sollen loben schon

English Title

To Christ we should sing praises (by Richard Stokes)

Event

Chorale Cantata for the 2^nd Day of Christmas [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
1^st performance: December 26, 1724 - Leipzig
2^nd performance: 1725-1730 - Leipzig (According to the NBA KB I/3.1 p. 64, Cantata BWV 121 had a 2^nd 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: Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Dutch | English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | French-3 | French-4 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian | Italian-2 | Japanese-2 | Portuguese-1 | Russian-1 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7
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]
Autograph Score (Facsimile): D B Mus. ms. Bach St 390, Faszikel 1 (BWV 121: Parts 1) | D B Mus. ms. Bach St 390, Faszikel 2 (BWV 121: Parts 2) | D LEb Thomana 121 (BWV 121: Parts 3) | PL Kj Mus. ms. Bach P 867 [frueher D B Mus. ms. Bach P 867] (BWV 121: Mvts.) [Bach Digital]
Chorales: Mvt. 6
Capella: Mvt. 6 [cap]
Score Examples: Examples from the Score
Chorale Melody: Christum wir sollen loben schon

References

BGA: XXVI | NBA: I/3.1 | BC: A 13 | Zwang: K 102 | First Published: BG, 1878 | Autograph score (facsimile): Kraków, Biblioteka Jagiellońska | | Provenance

Commentary

BCW | Crouch | AMG | Emmanuel Music | Mincham | K.P. Clow | Role [French] | Japanese-2 | Reyes [Spanish]

Music

Music Examples

Discussions

Week of May 11, 2003; Week of December 3, 2006; Week of May 3, 2009

Contents

Complete Recordings
Recordings of Individual Movements

Discussions - Part 1 (1^st round)
Discussions - Part 2 (2^nd round)
Discussions - Part 3 (3^rd round)

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
Cantata BWV 121 [20:22]
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	4-CD / TT:
Recorded at Herkules-Saall, München, Germany. Buy this album at: 4-CD: Amazon.com

2	J.S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk · Complete Cantatas · Les Cantates, Folge / Vol. 30 - BWV 120-123 J.S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk - Sacred Cantatas Vol. 7 - BWV 119-137 Bach-2000 Vol. 3: Sacred Cantatas 3 - BWV 100-117, 119-140, 143-149 Bach: Cantatas / Kantaten Vol. 38 - BWV 121-124
Cantata BWV 121 [20:23]
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
Telefunken 6.35578 Teldec 242 609-2 ZL Teldec 4509-91761-2 Teldec 3984-25708-2 Teldec 8573-81172-2 Warner Classics 8573-81172-5		Dec 14, 1979; May 28, 1980	2-LP / TT: 79 min 2-CD / TT: 78:15 6-CD / TT: 371:34 15-CD / TT: 949:30 CD / TT: 71:22 CD / TT: 71:22
Recorded at Casino Zögernitz, Vienna, Austria (?). Buy this album at: 6-CD (1994): Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Music Download: Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de 15-CD (1999): Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Teldec CD (2000): Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Warner CD (2007): Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Music Download CD: Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

3	Die Bach Kantate Vol. 62 Edition Bachakademie Vol. 38
Cantata BWV 121 [20:46]
Helmuth Rilling
Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart
Soprano: Arleen Augér; Alto: Doris Soffel; Tenor: Adalbert Kraus; Bass: Wolfgang Schöne
Hänssler 98.824 Hänssler		Feb, Apr 1980	CD / TT: 65:12 CD / TT: 68:40
Recorded at Gedächtniskirche Stuttgart, Germany. Buy this album at: CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.com

4	J.S. Bach: Christmas Cantatas [C-10]
Cantata BWV 121 [17:38]
John Eliot Gardiner
Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists
Soprano: Ann Monoyios; Contralto: Sara Mingardo; Tenor: Rufus Müller; Bass: Stephan Loges
Archiv Produktion 463589		Dec 1998	CD / TT: 81:17
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, Studio I, London, England. 1^st recording of Cantata BWV 121 by J.E. Gardiner. Buy this album at: CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Music Download: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

5	Bach Edition Vol. 14 - Cantatas Vol. 7
Cantata BWV 121 [19:04]
Pieter Jan Leusink
Holland Boys Choir / Netherlands Bach Collegium
Soprano: Ruth Holton; Alto: Sytse Buwalda; Tenor: Knut Schoch; Bass: Bas Ramselaar
Brilliant Classics 99373		Jan-Feb 2000	5-CD / TT: 301:43
Recorded at St. Nicolaschurch, Elburg, Holland. Buy this album at: 5-CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de \| Amazon.de

6	J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 12 J.S. Bach: Christmas Cantatas [B-2]
Cantata BWV 121 [19:34]
Ton Koopman
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir
Soprano: Lisa Larsson; Alto: Annette Markert; Tenor: Christoph Prégardien; Bass: Klaus Mertens
Erato 8573-85842-2 Antoine Marchand CC-72211 Antoine Marchand CC-72230		Mar 2000	3-CD / TT: 201:13 3-CD / TT: 201:13 3-CD / TT: 214:53
Recorded at Waalse Kerk, Amsterdam, Holland. Buy this album at: Erato 3-CD (2002): Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Antoine Marchand 3-CD (2006): Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Music Download 3-CD: Amazon.com \| ClassicsOnline Christmas Cantatas 3-CD (2004): Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Music Download: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de \| ClassicsOnline

7	Bach Cantatas Vol. 14: New York Christmas Cantatas
Cantata BWV 121 [18:04]
John Eliot Gardiner
Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists
Soprano: Katharine Fuge; Counter-tenor: William Towers; Tenor: James Gilchrist; Bass: Peter Harvey
Soli Deo Gloria 113		Dec 25, 2000	CD / TT: 71:17
Live recording from the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage at St Bartholomew’s Church, New York, NY, USA. 2^nd recording of Cantata BWV 121 by J.E. Gardiner. See: John Eliot Gardiner - Bach Cantata Pilgrimage - Vol. 14 Buy this album at: CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Music Download: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| ClassicsOnline

8	J.S. Bach: Christmas Cantatas from Leipzig [C-15]
Cantata BWV 121 [19:03]
Philippe Herreweghe
Collegium Vocale Gent
Soprano: Dorothee Blotzky-Mields; Alto: Ingeborg Danz; Tenor: Mark Padmore; Bass: Peter Kooy
Harmonia Mundi France 901781.82		Dec 2001	2-CD / TT: 117:21
Recorded at Conservatoire de Liège, Belgium. See: Christmas Cantatas from Leipzig - conducted by Philippe Herreweghe Buy this album at: 2-CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.com

9	J.S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 31 - BWV 91, 101, 121, 133
Cantata BWV 121 [16:42]
Masaaki Suzuki
Bach Collegium Japan, Concerto Palatino
Soprano: Yukari Nonoshita; Counter-tenor: Robin Blaze; Tenor: Gerd Türk; Bass: Peter Kooy
BIS 1481		Sep 2004	SACD / TT: 77:25
Recorded at the Kobe Shoin Women's University Chapel, Japan. See: Cantatas Vol. 31 - conducted by Masaaki Suzuki Buy this album at: SACD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Music Download: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de \| ClassicsOnline

10	J.S. Bach: Kantaten BWV 64, 121, 133 (Weihnachtskantaten) [C-1]
Cantata BWV 121 [19:29]
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	CD / TT: 60:06
Recorded at Eglise Saint Loup, Namur, Belgium.

The list of recordings was compiled by Aryeh Oron (October 2002 - March 2012)
Thanks to contributors: Patrick Depelley (October 2007), Henri Dété (October 2003), Frits V. Herbold (March 2012), Michael Meacock (Arton) (December 2002), John Pike (October 2005)

Cantata BWV 121: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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Last update: ‎April 16, 2013 ‎18:39:14