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Cantata BWV 78
Jesu, der du meine Seele
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Thomas Braatz wrote (September 18, 2001):
Authentic Source:
The set of original parts (the autograph score has been lost.) The NBA (KB) does not list any later performance of this cantata in Bach's lifetime. For many years it was thought that Bach performed it a second time, dropping the "Corno" part and only using the flute colla parte. The "Corno" is used in both the opening mvt. as well as in the final chorale (Mvt. 7.) As a result, in some recordings no "Corno" can be heard. In 1978 Harnoncourt uses a very audible instrument from his HIP instrumentarium that includes, "corno naturale," "tromba naturale," and "tromba da tirarsi." Instead of following the only reliable information that we have about this "Corno" part in the NBA, information which was available to him at the time, Harnoncourt decides to substitute the "tromba da tirarsi" (slide trumpet/Zugtrompete) for "Corno" which obviously means something else.
Text:
An unknown librettist condensed the 12 verses of the chorale by Johann Rist (1641) into the 7 verses/mvts. of this cantata, and still managed to include two references to the Gospel designated for the 14. Sunday after Trinity: Luke 17: 11-19 (The Cleansing of the Ten Lepers.) The two specific references are "Du suchest die Kranken" and "Der Sünden Aussatz." The librettist did the following with the original chorale text:
Verse 1 retained completely as Mvt. 1
Verse 2 one line retained in Mvt. 2
Verse 3 lines 1 and 2 at the beginning of Mvt. 3
Verse 4 lines 5 and 6 become lines 7 and 8 of Mvt. 3
Verse 5 lines 7 and 8 as the final two lines of Mvt. 3
Verse 10 lines 5 to 8 as the end of Mvt. 5
Verse 11 one line retained in Mvt. 6
Verse 12 retained completely as Mvt. 7.
All the remaining text added by the librettist is a madrigal-like paraphrase of the thoughts contained in the chorale.
The central thought of the chorale: a focus on Christ's suffering which heals those who have faith and brings calm to their consciences. |
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