Cantata BWV 65 - Discussions

Discussions in the Week of January 3, 2000

Jane Newble wrote (January 3, 2000):
Some weeks ago I bought Koopman's Cantatas Vol. 8 [12], and thanks to the 'festive' days, I have only now had time to listen to it. I like it very much...my first impression. My question is, does anyone know if Vol.9 is out? I saw something about it somewhere, but I may be wrong. I have been playing BWV 65 over and over again, as it is the appropriate one for this week, and it's wonderful. But I do wish Herreweghe had recorded it with my all-time favorite Bass Peter Kooy. Just wishful thinking!

Aryeh Oron wrote (January 3, 2000):
Background

Based on Ehud Shiloni's suggestion, this is the week of cantata BWV 65. In my opinion, its most beautiful movement is the Aria for Bass, but it has some other splendid movements, such as the opening Chorus (Mvt. 1) and the Aria for Tenor (Mvt. 6).

Aria for Bass

Mvt. 4. Aria (Bass)
“Gold aus Ophir ist zu schlecht”
(“Gold of Ophir is but dross”)
Bass, 2 Oboe da caccia, Continuo

Regarding this Aria I would like to quote from Robertson’s book and Ludwig Finscher (linear notes to Teldec recording).

Robertson wrote:
"There are long runs for the Bass on ‘Gaben’ as if the gifts are to be despised, as explained below. The ritornello, after this, is a triple canon between the oboes and Continuo obviously in illustration of the gold, incense and myrrh. “Away, only away with vain gifts, which ye from the earth break”. Jesus wishes to have the heart: “Give this O Christian flock to Jesus at the New Year”. This is a most ingeniously devised Aria and worth a closer examination than can be given here."

Ludwig Finscher wrote:
"From a musical point of view the work is a Christmastide cantata per excellence: splendid in its setting, festive in expression, with its dancelike character playing a splendid role… The Bass Aria (Mvt. 4) adopts the festive, singular sound, which marks the entire cantata. The use of two oboes da caccia is just as unusual in this movement when heard in the deprecating motif of the first measures, the same motif frequently recurring in the instrumental parts."

Review of the Recordings

The 5 performances I have listened to (in the order of listening) are: [9], [8], [3], [6], [7] in the list: Cantata BWV 65 - Recordings.

[9] Helmuth Rilling with Wolfgang Schöne (bass) (1978; Aria for Bass: 3:02)
Schöne is his usual self. Maximum confidence and minimum flexibility. This Aria calls for more expression from the Bass, who will transfer joy combined with some sadness, but Schöne does not supply it. The oboes are not HIP, but they play beautifully and they are strong part of this Aria. The Continuo is too strong and tends to stand in the flow of the music. So, two components out of three cause the overall performance to be not one of the best that could be find in Rilling’s series.

[8] Nikolaus Harnoncourt with Ruud van der Meer (bass) (1977; Aria for Bass: 2:53)
Meer has, at least in this Aria, everything that Schöne does not have. His voice is much more varied than his predecessor is and he uses it very effectively to bring out every nuance and potential feeling hidden in this Aria. The oboes have very pleasant sound, but their combination with the voice leaves something to be desired.

[3] Günther Ramin with Johannes Oettel (bass) (1952; Aria for Bass: 3:51)
What a gorgeous voice Oettel has. It is a very rich and big voice, which reminds me in his timbre other big Basses of the past. Regarding beauty of tone, this is the most beautiful voice of all 5. But what Oettel has in his voice he does not supply in expression. One could even think that he does not care for the meaning of the words. Unfortunately the conducting does not help him much either. As much as I like and appreciate Ramin, I have to admit that this Aria is performed too slowly, up to sounding a little bit boring. The 2 oboes are doing their best, but their unclean playing disturbs. This performance relies on the big voice alone and it is simply not enough.

[6] Helmut Kahlhöfer with Jakob Stämpfli (bass) (1966; Aria for Bass: ?)
I have not listened to this recording for many years and I did not remember it very favorably. I could not have been more mistaken. Of all the 5 recordings I have listened to, this is the best, regarding the Aria for Bass. Stämpfli is a joy to hear. He has very beautiful voice, a lot of taste, and he moves through all the obstacles of this Aria in a very elegant way. The oboes contribute to the success of this performance by their cheerful/sad playing, which moves ahead in give and take dialogue with the Bass. The oboes of course are not HIP, but their playing here proves again that original instruments do not, in any way, assure a good performance. The Continuo is humble, as it should be. I have nothing but praise to this performance.

I have the Kahlhöfer/Stämpfli recording on LP issued in the US by Vanguard label many years ago. As far as I know this recording was originated from Cantate label in the 1950’s ot the 1960's. This label did a very important pioneering effort (after Ramin had built the foundations) by recording some dozens of cantatas in the 1950’s and early 1960’s by various East (and West?) German ensembles, conductors and soloists. About a month ago I wrote to that label (they have a Web site), asking if they have any plans to reissue those important recordings. Their answer was that they do not have any plans to do so, because in year 2000 there will be already many cantatas recordings in the market celebrating the 250 years to Bach’s death. What a pity.

[7] Karl Richter with Theo Adam (bass) (1967; Aria for Bass: 2:37)
There is nothing wrong in this performance, except its breakneck tempo. It is played so fast, that no time remains to express anything. The glorious approach of Richter is working fine for the opening chorus (Mvt. 1), but not for the Bass Aria. Adam’s voice is very impressive and pleasant. The oboe da caccia parts are played by English Horns, and they are also very good. Played in the right (medium) tempo, this could have been one of the best performances of this Aria. But it comes to an end so quickly, that most of its potential is lost.

Conclusion

To sum up. For my taste, the best performance of this Aria is by Stämpfli/Kählhofer. But it does not mean that I dislike the others. I cherished every performer who is ready to dedicate his time, heart and energy to the performance of the cantatas. As many cantatas in various performances that I hear, my conclusion is that you cannot judge in advance whose performance will be the most satisfying. The results of detailed comparison between various performances of the same piece of music may bring out more than once very surprising results, especially in so varied and rich group of musical works such as Bach cantatas.

This cantata was also recorded by Koopman [12], Funfgeld [10], Werner [5] (and maybe others) and it is a part of the newly issued Epiphany Mass on Archiv. But I do not have (yet) those recordings, neither have I heard them.

And as always, I would like to hear other opinions, regarding the above mentioned performances, or other recordings.

Enjoy and Happy New Bach Year,

Jane Newble wrote (January 3, 2000):
Only a few weeks ago I bought Koopman’s Vol. 8 [12], and that was the first time I had heard this cantata. I have no others, so I cannot compare it to anyone else. All I can say is thaI like it, as I do other Koopman recordings, and I also like Klaus Mertens, but I keep wishing that Herreweghe had performed this with my favorite Bass Peter Kooy. Perhaps that is because it reminds me of some of my favorite Arias in Herreweghe's cantatas. (Timing of the Koopman Bass Aria is 2.51, after reading what Aryeh says about Richter [7], it made me wonder what the timing was... faster than Koopman?)

In the Koopman booklet the comment is (by Christoph Wolff):
The four-part choir is supported by the sort of instrumental forces that are normally reserved for festive occasions. -- The large-scale opening movement is cast in the form of a prelude and fugue. Both Arias are exquisitely wrought, the Bass Aria a quartet with two oboes da caccia and Continuo, while the tenor Aria (Mvt. 6) draws on the full complement of instruments.

I wish I had others to compare this one with, but I shall have to be patient!
Listening to BWV 65, which gets more beautiful with every repeat...

Aryeh Oron wrote (January 3, 2000):
1. Regarding timing:
Timings are shown above. Kahlhöfer [6] - timing is not shown but I believe that it is somewhere between the extremes. So, Koopman [12] is not the fastest. But I have to admit that when I am listening to various performers of the same cantata movement, doing comparisons by careful listening, I usually do not look at the timing. I think that the most important factor is not the time itself, but the approach. What the interpreter is doing within the time he chooses to perform is much more important than the time limit itself.

2. Regarding Herreweghe:
I have many Herreweghe's cantatas recordings. His intimate approach is working fine for some cantatas and sounds bloodless in some others. I do not believe that there exists anywhere an absolute performer, whose work is the best for every cantata and every movement in each cantata. I recommend you to listen to more performers in the rich cantata field. You will learn more and enjoy much more by hearing cantatas you think that you already know, as it is performed by more than one interpreter.

Jane Newble wrote (January 4, 2000):
I totally agree. I was curious because of you saying that Richter [7] was so fast, as the few Richter recordings I have are rather slow. But I agree that in itself that doesn't make it bad or good. And I do like the Richter recordings I have.

Again I agree. I only wish I had the cash necessary to get all the possible recordings of my beloved cantatas and the time to listen! As it is I have not even got half of all of them! Every new one is a wonderful discovery!

Thanks for all your helpful comments and comparisons.

Ehud Shiloni wrote (January 6, 2000):
Koopman/Mertens [12] [as Jane said] clocks-in at 2:51. To me that sound leisurely when compared to McCreesh/Harvey [11], who deliver the Aria at 2:13! A world record...

I have only these two, and I like them both, although they are quite different in interpretation and sound. McReesh follows the reproachful nature of the text with a somewhat harsh, decisive and "impatient" style. Harvey sings forcefully, with phrases cut short and agitated (sorry for not owning the correct professional vocabulary - I hope the general message does get through); Koopman takes a more "delicate" approach, not as dramatic, and kind of lets the text speak for itself. Mertens singing is gorgeous - rich, confident, bright in color, and very pleasing to my ears.

There is also quite a difference in recorded sound: With McCreesh [11] I get the feel of attending a "live" performance, with the performers placed "back", and Harvey here and there overshadowed by the instrumental players. Koopman's sounds like a meticulous studio recording, with perfect balance and clarity. Mertens sounds "out front", never outdone by the ABO players.

With the opening Chorus (Mvt. 1) timing we get the reverse order: McCreesh [11] slow at 4:28, Koopman faster at 3:20. And - the magic of Bach – both approaches "connect"!

I like the "sweet harmony" of the choral as well, and - as Jane said - this cantata sounds more beautiful with every repeat.

Wim Huisjes wrote (January 11, 2000):
Though a bit late according to the schedule, there are still a few remarks I'd like to make about BWV 65. This schedule has one great thing going for it: it makes you more or less "re-discover" performances (most of them on LP) that were last listened to a long time ago.

I listened to [9], [8], [6], [7], [12], [11], [10], & [4]. Don't ask me how I ended up with all these performances: it just came about, in many years of cantata hunting. It gets even worse by the time we reach BWV 140 or BWV 147. It has become an art to avoid yet another one of those. I concur with most of the comments Aryeh made regarding [9], [8], [6], & [7]. As for the other ones:

[12] Mertens' glorious voice makes the Aria sound very natural. The long runs come off as if he were doing a small chore off-hand, while in reality the voice "color", expression and the ease he sings this not particularly easy Aria blends beautifully with the text. Koopman serves him well in the accompaniment.

[10] Daniel Lichti is no match for the other Basses mentioned: his voice sounds a bit shaky and he puts emphasis on almost each syllable, thereby breaking the flow of the music.

[11] I'm not quite sure how to view McCreesh/Harvey: in the context of the Epiphany Mass the cantata works wonderfully, but when taken out of this context Harvey's voice seems to lack the strength to bring it off.

While listening to these performances, I was very much surprised (again, after a few years) by the quality of the performances from the sixties on LP.

[6] Kahlhöfer/Stämpfli (my guess: mid sixties) just let the music go. There are no, more or less "artificial" attempts, for example by emphasizing syllables or strophes, to introduce some drama (there's no call for that in this cantata). Stämpfli sings confidently, with strength and ease even in the most difficult parts. His voice, with the right timbre deserves only admiration.

[4] Franz Crass has a slightly better voice than Stämpfli, IMHO: the timbre and ease with which he sings in this Aria works just a notch better for me. The joy and sadness are expressed very well and the Aria comes out "in one flow", just a bit more so than in the Kählhofer/Stämpfli recording. I find this the case for the whole cantata performances.

So if I would have to make a choice (fortunately I don't have to), it would be Crass, Stämpfli and Mertens, without disliking the others (though IMO, Daniel Lichti is outclassed).

It is indeed a pity that many recordings from the fifties and sixties with gorgeous voices like Adam, Stämpfli, Crass (and others like Sotin, Heinz Rehfuss, etc.) are hard to get, never released on CD, no longer available or whatever. Labels like CANTATE, EMI, PHILIPS, ERATO, CARUS (with quite a few recordings by Günter Graulich) and some small German labels (most of them now extinct?) could do many Bach fans a favor by opening up their archives. Dutch radio must have some performances with Rehfuss. PHILIPS...please?

I'm not sure whether Fritz Werner recorded BWV 65 [5]. If so, I must have been blind at the time. ERATO: there's work to be done on all of Werner's recordings. There's a lot more than the four 2-CD sets that are/have been available.

Carl Burmeister wrote (January 3, 2000):
[11] I've got the Epiphany Mass. It is the only recording of BWV 65 I have so caparisons aren't us. Taken as a whole, this recording of the Epiphany mass is one of the more creative I've heard in a long time. As I've said before these re-constructions are largely fantasies. In this case the result is a most pleasing fantasy. The opening Chorus (Mvt. 1) is very pleasing but this Aria, is a jewel. The Bass soloist is Peter Harvey. He's no Heinz Ruhfuss but is still quite good. And that blaring in horns at the ritornello before the Da Capo; was that historically inspired or just a nice musical touch? I'm sure McCreesh will never fess up. Anyway, this version of BWV 65 is without a doubt my favorite period instrument performance of a cantata (at least for another week or so).

Ryan Michero wrote (January 12, 2000):
Hi, folks. I thought I'd add my proverbial two cents to the discussion on BWV 65. Forgive me if I'm not as well prepared as I usually am for my Suzuki discussions, but I am trying to keep up!

This one is a nice little cantata, isn't it? I have four versions: [12], [8], [7], & [11]. But I haven't listened to Richter [7] or Harnoncourt [8] yet! I'll get back to you guys if they sound exceptional to me, but for now my pick is Koopman [12]. As Wim and Jane mentioned, Mertens is excellent in the Bass Aria (Mvt. 4). What clenches it for me, though, is Koopman's wonderfully joyous opening chorus (Mvt. 1). The colorful instrumentation sounds wonderfully rich on Koopman's period-instrument orchestra, and the vocal counterpoint is exceptionally clear and exciting.

[11] I like McCreesh's version a lot too, but it doesn't work quite as well outside of the context of the "Epiphany Mass" recording. The cathedral organ sounds fine, but I prefer the clearer acoustic of Koopman's recording overall. Suzuki might have trouble displacing my affection for Koopman in this one.

Marie Jensen wrote (January 3, 2000):
I would like to put another angle on BWV 65, an instrumentation one. In the opening recorders (flauti) among other instruments appear. We have the 3 holy kings entering, not the kind of guys who make their entries to triumphant trumpets, but peaceful spiritual leaders accompanied by horns and recorders. In BWV 182 Jesus rides into Jerusalem again not to trumpets but to a recorder, again a peaceful spiritual leader entry. Is the kind, sweet sounding flauto used symbolic? Is it a symbol of wisdom or an attempt to add a special Bach kind of oriental flavor? (He had never heard the Arab music from Saba I'm quite sure, but what a fantastic musical integration, if he had!). Other recorder cantatas are for example: BWV 106, BWV 46 and BWV 161. Here the instrument clearly is a symbol of eternal life.

There are not many recorder parts in the cantatas. The tonal range of the flauto is smaller than the traverso one, and it can't play so loud. In BWV 13 it underlines sadness. In the famous “Schafe konnen sicher weiden” from the Hunting cantata (BWV 208) it has a pastoral aspect, which oboes and traversi also often have. Did the baroque time have rules for using instruments symbolic?

It is well known that solo instruments could be replaced with others in chamber or orchestral music. On the other hand Albert Schweitzer once wrote, that the oboes were the shepherds and the angels the violins in the Christmas Oratorio Sinfonia (BWV 248), and In St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) the words of Christ are underlined by violin. Thank You in advance to any one who would like to write a little about instrumentation and symbols.

Simon Crouch wrote (January 3, 2000):
Off the top of my head I can't remember all the details but basically the answer is yes. The recorder was associated with pastoral settings and with death (so, for the latter, pre-figuration of death can be signaled by the recorder in an otherwise happy scene...) Also, there was a hierarchy of instrument "status" with the violin near the top and with the recorder near the bottom - the latter would definitely be someone's "second" instrument. A very good reference for this is Michael Marissen's book on the Brandenburg Concertos - he gives much more detail on this instrumental symbolism and status stuff than I can remember and argues that Bach enjoyed turning these hierarchies on their heads.

Marie Jensen wrote (January 4, 2000):
Thank you Simon for an interesting answer to my instrumentation question. You wrote: “Also, there was a hierarchy of instrument "status" with the violin near the top and with the recorder near the bottom - the latter would definitely be someone's "second" instrument.” A simple explanation could be: It is much more difficult to learn to play the violin than to learn to play recorder.

Yet organ had no high rank, and it must be very difficult to play. In the TV serial about Bach’s life from 1985: there was a scene about Bach’s troubles with his carrier as Kapellmeister in Weimar. Caused by different intrigues he was not promoted, and his job now "only" was to play the organ (A conflict which lead to imprisonment and later a new carrier in Kothen). The only musician with lower rank was "Der Stadt Pfeiffer". In the film he used words about the low rank jobs a little unsuitable for this list. Fiction of course, but it tells about hierarchies in the music world in those days.

Discussions in the Week of January 29, 2006

John Pike wrote (January 28, 2006):
BWV 65 "Sie Werden aus Saba alle kommen" : Introduction

As we proceed with our chronological survey of Bach's cantatas, in order of composition, the cantata for discussion this week (beginning 29th January 2006) is Cantata BWV 65 "Sie Werden aus Saba alle kommen"
("All they from Sheba shall come"

Basic Information

Event in the Lutheran church calendar: Cantata for the Feast of Epiphany

Readings: Epistle: Isaah 60: 1-6; Gospel: Matthew 2: 1-12
See: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Read/Epiphany.htm

Composed: Leipzig, 1724

First Performed: January 6, 1724 - Leipzig

Text: Isaiah 60: 6 (Mvt. 1); Paul Gerhardt (Mvt 7); Anon (Mvts. 2-6)
See: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Gerhardt.htm

Short Commentary

At Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ to the Magi, which is celebrated on 6th January in Western Christianity, the gospel reading - and usually also the sermon - is about one of the most folk-tale like episodes of the Christmas story: the Wise Men from the East who, following the star, find the "new-born King of the Jews" in the stable in Bethlehem, worship the Christ child and offer him gold, incense and myrrh (Matthew 2: 1-12). The legend has variously turned the Wise Men into Magi, astrologers and even into kings, has given them the names Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar - in which guise, to this day, they travel from house to house in many parts of Europe, singing, one of them traditionally with a blackened face to suggest his African origins. The lesson that is read during the church service on that day is excellently suited in this context, and may even have encouraged such customs. It is a vision of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 60: 1-6): one day the heathen peoples will come from afar and turn to God. "Sie werden von Saba alle kommen" ("All they from Sheba shall come"), it concludes, "Gold und Weihrauch bringen und des Herren Lob verkuendigen" ("they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord"). "Sheba" represents a faraway, legendary country somewhere in the south-west of Arabia, but ultimately means "from all over the world".

Bach's Cantata was composed for 6^th January 1724. The author of the text - whose identity, as unfortunately is so often the case, is unknown - demonstrated that he was theologically competent and poetically skilful. On the basis of this text, bach created one of the most beautiful of his Christmas cantatas. With astonishing sureness of touch he combines high art with the folk style. Nowhere does he allow any doubt concerning the seriousness of the theological messages. At the same time, however, he does full justice to the expectations of the lay theologians; it is as though he were adding colour to the biblical images. The use of horns (which at that time were still relatively unusual in church music), oboi da caccia (also a novelty in the sound world of the era and recorders lends the opening chorus (Mvt. 1) a slightly exotic character - without, however, forcing the actual musical artistry into a subservient position. Indeed, quite the opposite is true; as the movement progresses, Bach lays bare his artistry as a composer of fugues. The only surviving material for this cantata is the full score in Bach's own hand; the original parts have been lost. One of the major problems as far as the interpretation of the work is concerned is the absence of a text to which the final chorale (Mvt. 7) should be sung. The tenth verse of "Ich hab in Gottes Herz und Sinn" (1647) by Paul Gerhardt, however, "Ei nun, mein Gott, so fall ich denn getrost in deine Hände" ("Now, my God, I fall consoled into your embrace") which appears in the space below the chorale in the full score - probably in the hand of Carl Friedrich Zelter, conductor at the Berlin Singakademie - seems eminently appropriate to this context, the confession and expression of unlimited faith in God, and performers usually use it for this purpose.

The order of the cantata is: Mvt. 1. Chorus; Mvt. 2. Chorale; 3. Recitative (Bass); 4. Aria (Bass); 5. Recitative (tenor); Mvt. 6. Aria (Tenor); Mvt. 7. Chorale

Useful information

Link to texts, translations, details of scoring, references, provenance, commentary, vocal score, music examples, and list of known recordings: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV65.htm
and: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV65-2.htm

Link to previous discussions: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV65-D.htm

Chorales used in this cantata

Bach used two chorale melodies in this cantata:
1. Ein Kind geborn zu Bethlehem (Puer natus in Bethlehem). See:
CT: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale075-Eng3.htm
CM: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Ein-Kind-geborn-zu-Bethlehem.htm

2. Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit with the alternative text, Ich hab in Gottes Herz und Sinn. See:
CT: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale076-Eng3.htm
CM: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Was-mein-Gott-will-das-gscheh-allzeit.htm

Music

Streamed over the internet, it is possible to hear Leusink's recording of the complete cantata [14] and extracts by other performers: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Mus/BWV65-Mus.htm

Please note that the link to Harnoncourt's recording [8] is not working.

You can listen to short examples from other recordings through the links to Amazon provided at the Recordings page.

I look forward to reading your comments about this cantata and about the available recordings.

Neil Halliday wrote (February 1, 2006):
BWV 65

It's interesting that Werner's 1959 performance [5] of the opening chorus (Mvt. 1) is closest in concept to the latest recording, that of Suzuki (2002) [15], in comparison with all the recordings in between. Both have a spacious tempo (taking around 4 & 1/2 minutes), with flowing instrumental and vocal lines, and both recordings have reverberant acoustic that adds richness to the sound, especially that of the horns. This is complex, richly scored music that I find most appealing and easiest to digest at a slower tempo. After the opening ritornello, the choir makes beautiful canonic entries over a pedal point, then in the reverse order; a fugue ensues during the course of which more and more instruments are added to the accompaniment.

Rilling [9] and Richter [7], both at a faster tempo, sound somewhat inflexible in comparison to Werner [5] and Suzuki [15], IMO.

Werner's [5] symphonic approach to the tenor aria (Mvt. 6) is most pleasing, with Kreb's voice nicely complementing the orchestral accompaniment. This movement has Bach displaying the timbres of the four orchestral groups (flutes, horns, oboes, and strings), both alternately and together.

Richard wrote (February 1, 2006):
[To Neil Halliday] I do agree with you about Werner's performance [5] which has a true Christmas atmosphere, with its slow tempi. And the recording quality is astonishly good, it was made in 1960... I think that Suzuki [15] take this spacious tempo to manage with his natural horns weakness and lack of virtuosity.

Scott Sperling wrote (February 2, 2006):
Text in Cantata 65

The textual theme of Cantata BWV 65 is (if I would be permitted to give it a title) "Giving Gifts to the Lord". The librettist, it seems, desires that the listener be inspired to ask this question: "What can I give to the Lord?"

The Readings for the Epiphany (for which Cantata 65 was written) are Isaiah 60:1-6 and Matthew 2:1-12. The two Readings are closely related. The Reading in Isaiah is a prophecy concerning the coming of the "light" of the Lord to the "darkness" of the Gentile nations. It ends speaking of the obeisance and tribute that the Gentile nations will eventually pay toward the Messiah. The Reading in Matthew tells of the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. Their visit is a partial fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah. They were guided to the Lord by a supernatural "light", the star. Also, Isaiah 60:6 seems to contain a reference to the Magi's visit: "All they from Sheba shall come: They shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord."

The librettist for Cantata BWV 65 uses this verse, and this verse alone, as the text for Mvt. 1 Chorus. In the Mvt. 2 Chorale, the librettist then ties this verse from Isaiah to the visit of the Magi to Jesus: "The kings came from Sheba. They brought from there gold, incense and myrrh."

Now, the Magi, as far as we can discern from history, were not physically from the land of Sheba (which was located in the Southern Arabian peninsula). They were most likely from Persia, which had for hundreds of years Christ, a priesthood called "Magi". The prophecy in Isaiah, in referring to "Sheba", was using symbolic language. A signal event in the history of the nation of Israel, was when the Queen of Sheba, having heard of King Solomon's great wisdom from the Lord, visited him, bringing gifts of gold and spices (see I Kings 10:1ff). That event can be considered typologically as the light of the Lord (typified by Solomon) shining on the Gentile nations (typified by the Queen of Sheba). And so, the prophet Isaiah uses Sheba as a symbol of the Gentile nations for the prophecy in Isaiah 60.

In Mvt. 3 Bass Recitative, the libretto (as is often done in the Cantatas) moves beyond Theological considerations, and applies the Readings in a personal way, so as to involve the listener. The Bass Recitative begins by recounting story of the Magi, as prophesied by Isaiah: "What Isaiah foretold has happened in Bethlehem...". Then, in the middle of the 3rd Mvt, the Recitative (and indeed, the rest of the Cantata) becomes a personal meditation: "My Jesus, when I think now of my duty, I must also turn to Your crib." The singer is thankful for the Epiphany, the "light" coming to the Gentiles, but is concerned about what gifts he should give to his Lord: "But what should I bring You, King of Heaven?" His gift? His heart: "If my heart is not too little, then accept it through Your mercy, since I can bring nothing more noble."

Mvt. 4 Bass Aria is a further meditation on this. In the 3^rd Mvt, the singer seemed hesitant that he had nothing better to give (no riches of kings) than his heart. In the 4th Mvt, the singer realizes that, indeed, his heart is a much better gift to the Lord, than something such as gold, which is "broken from the Earth". "Gold from Ophir is too slight. Away, away with vain gifts... Jesus wants to have your heart. Give this, O Christian flock to Jesus for the New Year."

On a few different levels, the gifts of the Magi were appropriate for Jesus, at that time. The gifts can be seen as symbolic of the offices of Jesus Christ. The gold speaks f His royalty; the incense (which was commonly used in sacrificial offerings) speaks of His Deity; the myrrh (which was used in the embalming of deceased bodies, see John 19:39) points to His death and thus speaks of His priesthood. On a more material level, I think that it is quite interesting that this was perhaps the only time when our Lord could have needed gifts of a monetary value. Recall that just after the visit of the Magi, the Holy Family would be forced by Herod (who sought to kill Jesus) to flee to Egypt. Certainly, for that journey, they could have well-used any gifts of material value.

But for us, at this time, a gift of gold to the Lord, the stuff of earth, does, as the librettist says, seem to be a "vain gift". When one ponders the question, "What is the greatest gift that I have seen given to the Lord?", one does not consider as greatest, a large check made out to a church. Rather, one recalls the life-long gifts Mother Theresa gave, bringing the love of God to poor and sick children in India. Or one thinks of the Prison Chaplain, seeking to use the love of God to mend broken lives. Or even, one thinks of the love of God shared by the helping hand of a neighbor, given during a time of need. These are gifts of the heart, not the stuff of earth. This sentiment is reflected in Mvt. 6 Tenor Aria: "Take me as Your own... Take my heart as my gift... All, all that I am... I shall always be dedicated to Your service."

The Cantata ends with Mvt. 7 Chorale, which is a prayer that the gift be accepted, and through it, God's honor be exalted.

Eric Bergerud wrote (February 2, 2006):
[To Scott Sperling] I listened to two 65s and a wild card. Impressions below.

Cantata 65 is another lovely work produced by Bach. No matter how many cantatas listens to in depth, it is striking how much Bach has to say musically in each of them. Perhaps it's ignorant to generalize thus, but I cannot think of a bad Bach cantata.

In our world that means if you have a copy of BWV 65 you have lovely music. I liked Leusink's [14] quite a bit. Perhaps because of artistic policy or because of the extreme pressure of the schedule of Leusink's cantata cycle, the conductor rarely took chances. The result is always straight forward, sometimes ragged, more often just fine and sometimes inspired. (Although I don't believe for a moment that any artist should make an intentional error for the sake of "authenticity" the very human scale of Leusink's work strikes me as being close to the spirit and perhaps practice of the master. I wouldn't say the same about much of the music, however beautiful, produced by adult musicians in a studio over a long period of time. Except Harnoncourt [8] - see below.) Leusink's BWV 65 is a perfectly good rendition of a fine work. I think both van der Meel and Ramsclaar do a fine job in a cantata based upon bass and tenor (Mvt. 6) arias. My single greatest criticism of Leusink is that sometimes alto Syste Buwaldo, who has did some fine solos in the cycle, is over-miked in the chorus, drowning out the trebles. To my ears this happens in the first and second choral movements of BWV 65.

Harnoncourt's BWV 65 [8] is one of the finest in his cycle I think. There certainly is no attempt to hide the "period instrument" sound of the instrumentalists. Equiluz and van der Meer (singing 12 years before his performance with Leusink) do a wonderful job. The chorus (Mvt. 1) is wonderful throughout. If well done (at least to my ears) trebles in the chorus give the movements a quality that cannot be equaled regardless of the skill of the singers. And, as BWV 65 has no solos for the boys, no one can complain of lack of "stability" (or whatever other term is used to say "I don't like boy solos"). The chorus is its movements with skill and grace. I also like Harnoncourt's leisurely tempo in the work: although it's hard to read a message into the performance it strikes me that his work is very consistent with the theme of gratitude found in this work.

And then there's McCreesh [11]. BWV 65 appears on McCreeh's Epiphany Mass CD along with works by Bach but also by Luther, Praetorious, Pachabel and "anonymous". The attempt, of course, is to somehow reproduce a liturgical service as it might have appeared in Leipzig in 1730. It joins a series of McCreesh works that attempt the same in the world of Mother Church in the late 16^th and 17^th Century. At last count I have all of them so I guess I'm a fan. It's not that McCreesh succeeds in a deep sense - if he did he would accomplish what the most eager of the period instrument hoped for a generation ago - a reproduction of music as it took place. He certainly doesn't do that. His Bach work (also includes the Magnificat (BWV 243) and the SMP (BWV 244) is OVPP and leaves boys behind altogether. So much for reproduction. And yet the overall impact of McCreesh's works surpasses nitpicking on any individual piece. I don't see how one can reproduce a liturgical experience on an audio CD, but with one's mind and ear open the hymns, organ works, cantatas etc do indeed create a different plane of listening if one has the patience. Ditto with other CDs coming from the same conductor. It doesn't hurt that the Gabrielli Players and the soloists employed are of the highest caliber. It also doesn't hurt that McCreesh has received some of the finest engineering I've heard on CD. Anyway, if you like 65 and have Epiphany Mass, start at track 17. If you don't have it, consider acquisition - Epiphany Mass is not only a splendid recording but it could well lead to about a dozen CDs of equal quality.

BTW: If you like the McCreesh approach all, you might want to check _Moon, sun and all things: Baroque Music from Latin America_ by Ex Cathedra under Jeffrey Skidmore. It reproduces a church service that o/ne might have encountered in Peru or Bolivia in the 18^th or 19^th Century. It includes lovely religious music composed by musicians from New Spain and the Old World combined with local works in Indian languages that were used to keep the faithful in their seats. If one can imagine some 18th century religious Salsa combined with more conventional work you get the idea. Anyway, the CD is a triumph.

John Pike wrote (February 2, 2006):
Cantata 65

[To Scott Sperling] Thank you very much for this most interesting and moving commentary. And many thanks to all those who have written in such an interesting way about this wonderful cantata. In particular, I found myself agreeing with much of what Eric said.

The opening chorus (Mvt. 1) and the tenor aria (Mvt. 6) are particularly fine.

I have listened to Suzuki [15], McCreesh [11], Rilling [9], Leusink [14] and Harnoncourt [8]. I found much to enjoy in all these recordings which, sadly once again, I have only had time to listen to as background music. However, a few impressions emerged: like Eric, I enjoyed Leusink a lot. I think Neil said he enjoyed Suzuki, and I would certainly second that. I found some of the intonation in Harnoncourt's opening chorus (Mvt. 1) a little uncertain, and the vibrato in the upper 2 voices of the chorus for Rilling was too obtrusive for my taste. I am particularly grateful to Eric for reminding me of the excellent recording by McCreesh on the "Epiphany Mass recreation". When I win the lottery, I will buy all McCreesh's recordings, but at present, this is sadly one of only a few I have. Nevertheless, what a beauty it is! The instrumental playing, soloists and chorus are absolutely top draw...a very fine achievement indeed, and undoubtedly my top choice for this cantata.

Douglas Cowling wrote (February 2, 2006):
Eric Bergerud wrote:
< And then there's McCreesh [11]. BWV 65 appears on McCreeh's Epiphany Mass CD along with works by Bach but also by Luther, Praetorious, Pachabel and "anonymous". The attempt, of course, is to somehow reproduce a liturgical service as it might have appeared in Leipzig in 1730. It joins a series of McCreesh works that attempt the same in the world of Mother Church in the late 16^th and 17^th Century. >
One of the interesting things about the MCcreesh recreation [11] is that it allows us to see some of the resonances that Bach builds into the cantata. I could never figure out why Bach has a chorale verse right after that wonderful opening chorus (Mvt. 1).

In the McCreesh recording [11], that chorale is sung in full at the beginning as the introit or entrance motet. Bach may well be suggesting that the Three Kings who journey from the East in the opening chorus (Mvt. 1) now enter the house to see Jesus just as the congregation has come into chruch.

Later we hear "Schmücke Dich" as a communion cantata and the text resonates with the act of communion. I'm convinced that "Christ Lag in Todesbanden" functions the same way with the "Osterfest" accompanying the communion.

The McCreesh recording [11] is also invaluable in that it demonstrates the three types of congregational chorale-singing and their close relationship to the organ chorale-preludes in Bach's time.

The only thing I don't like about McCreesh is his overly-rushed tempi in the "Gloria" and "Sanctus"

Cantata BWV 65: Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions

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Last update: ýDecember 7, 2007 ý14:44:28