Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal in das Reich Gottes eingehen
BWV 146 performed by the Netherlands Bach Society
conducted by Jos van Veldhoven
St Martin's Church, Groningen
Behind the music
Story
Story
Extra videos
Extra videos
Texts
Texts
Credits
Credits
Yearning for Heaven
Here on earth, life is miserable, but fortunately it does not last long, and then there is heaven
‘Though you are sad, your sorrow will turn to joy’. These words from the sermon that was read in Leipzig on the third Sunday after Easter – Jubilate Sunday – sum up the message of this cantata. Here on earth, life is miserable, but fortunately it does not last long, and then there is heaven. The sorrow of earthly life is juxtaposed with the joy offered by faith and the promise of heaven.
The cantata begins fairly cheerfully, with a mini organ concerto as a sinfonia. But immediately afterwards, the misery on earth becomes audible as the singers have difficult lines filled with obstacles. The alto then turns aside from this terrible world and yearns for heaven. The heart of the cantata is formed by the emotional aria ‘Ich säe meine Zähren’, in which Bach illustrates the transition from the bitter present to the sweet future through minimal changes in the solo parts of the soprano, flute, and oboe d’amores. In the final duet and the closing chorale, all the suffering is forgotten.
- BWV
- 146
- Title
- Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal in das Reich Gottes eingehen
- Instrument
- alto, bass, organ, soprano, tenor
- Genre
- cantatas
- Year
- ca. 1726
- City
- Leipzig
- Lyricist
- unknown
- Occasion
- Jubilate Sunday
- Special notes
- The first two parts are based on a lost violin concerto. Bach also used this music in his harpsichord concerto BWV 1052.
Extra videos
Vocal texts
Original
1. Sinfonia
2. Chor
Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal
in das Reich Gottes eingehen.
3. Arie (Alt)
Ich will nach dem Himmel zu,
schnödes Sodom, ich und du
sind nunmehr geschieden.
Meines Bleibens ist nicht hier,
denn ich lebe doch bei dir
nimmermehr in Frieden.
4. Rezitativ (Sopran)
Ach! wer doch schon im Himmel wär!
Wie dränget mich nicht die böse Welt!
Mit Weinen steh ich auf,
mit Weinen leg ich mich zu Bette,
wie trüglich wird mir nachgestellt!
Herr! merke, schaue drauf,
Sie hassen mich, und ohne Schuld,
als wenn die Welt die Macht,
mich gar zu töten hätte;
und leb ich denn mit Seufzen und Geduld
verlassen und veracht’,
so hat sie noch an meinem Leide
die grösste Freude.
Mein Gott, das fällt mir schwer.
Ach! wenn ich doch, mein Jesu,
heute noch bei dir im Himmel wär!
5. Arie (Sopran)
Ich säe meine Zähren
mit bangem Herzen aus.
Jedoch mein Herzeleid
wird mir die Herrlichkeit
am Tage der seligen Ernte gebären.
6. Rezitativ (Tenor)
Ich bin bereit,
mein Kreuz geduldig zu ertragen;
ich weiss, dass alle meine Plagen
nicht wert der Herrlichkeit,
die Gott an den erwählten Scharen
und auch an mir wird offenbaren.
Itzt wein ich, da das Weltgetümmel
bei meinem Jammer fröhlich scheint.
Bald kommt die Zeit,
da sich mein Herz erfreut,
und da die Welt einst ohne Tröster weint.
Wer mit dem Feinde ringt und schlägt,
dem wird die Krone beigelegt;
denn Gott trägt keinen nicht
mit Händen in dem Himmel.
7. Arie (Tenor, Bass)
Wie will ich mich freuen,
wie will ich mich laben,
wenn alle vergängliche Trübsal vorbei!
Da glänz ich wie Sterne
und leuchte wie Sonne,
da störet die himmlische selige Wonne
kein Trauern, Heulen und Geschrei.
8. Choral
Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele,
und vergiss all Not und Qual,
weil dich nun Christus, dein Herre,
ruft aus diesem Jammertal.
Aus Trübsal und grossem Leid
sollst du fahren in die Freud,
die kein Ohre hat gehöret,
die in Ewigkeit auch währet.
Translation
1. Sinfonia
2. Chorus
We must through much tribulation
enter into the kingdom of God.
3. Aria
I desire to go to heaven,
wicked Sodom, you and I
are henceforth through with each other.
My abode is not here,
for never more shall I
live with you in peace.
4. Recitative
Ah! to be in heaven now!
How this evil world oppresses me!
With weeping I rise,
with weeping I go to bed,
how treacherously they lie in wait for me!
Mark this, O Lord,
they hate me, and with no cause,
as though the world had the power
to kill me utterly;
and though I live with patience and sighs,
forsaken and despised,
yet the world derives from my sorrow
the greatest pleasure.
My God, that is hard to bear.
Ah! would that I, my Jesus,
even today, were with Thee in heaven!
5. Aria
I sow my tears
with anxious heart.
Yet my heart’s distress
will bear me glory
on the day of the blessed harvest.
6. Recitative
I am prepared
to bear my cross with patience;
I know that all my sufferings
are not worthy to be compared with the
splendour that God shall reveal
to His chosen throng and me.
I weep now, when the tumult of the world
seems glad at my sorrow.
Soon the time will come
when my heart shall rejoice,
and the world weep without a Comforter.
He who struggles against and fights the foe
shall be crowned;
for you do not get carried by God
to heaven.
7. Aria
How I shall rejoice
and be refreshed,
when all passing torment is over!
Then shall I gleam like stars
and shine like the sun,
and my heavenly bliss shall not be disturbed
by grieving, howling and shouting.
8. Chorale
Rejoice greatly, o my soul,
and forget all misery and torment
since Christ your Lord
calls you from this valley of misery!
From affliction and sorrow
you will journey to the joy
no ear has ever heard
that awaits you in eternity.
Credits
-
- Publicatiedatum
- 23 May 2014
-
- Date
- 5 October 2013
-
- Location
- St. Martin's Church, Groningen
-
- Conductor
- Jos van Veldhoven
-
- Soprano
- Maria Keohane
-
- Alto
- Maarten Engeltjes
-
- Tenor
- Benjamin Hulett
-
- Bass
- Christian Immler
-
- Choir soprano
- Monica de Jesus Monteiro, Hilde Van Ruymbeke, Klaartje van Veldhoven, Orlanda Velez Isidro
-
- Choir alto
- Victoria Cassano McDonald, Gemma Jansen, Saskia Kruysse, Elena Pozhidaeva
-
- Choir tenor
- Yves van Handenhove, Diederik Rooker, Kevin Skelton, Ronald Threels
-
- Choir bass
- Donald Bentvelsen, Jelle Draijer, Michiel Meijer, Frank Hermans
-
- Violin 1
- Shunske Sato, Lidewij van der Voort, Hanneke Wierenga
-
- Violin 2
- Pieter Affourtit, Anneke van Haaften, Paulien Kostense
-
- Viola
- Deirdre Dowling, Jan Willem Vis
-
- Cello
- Lucia Swarts, Barbara Kernig
-
- Double bass
- Joshua Cheatham
-
- Traverso
- Marten Root
-
- Oboe
- Martin Stadler, Peter Frankenberg, Sarah Aßmann
-
- Bassoon
- Benny Aghassi
-
- Harpsichord
- Siebe Henstra
-
- Church organ
- Leo van Doeselaar
-
- Organ registration
- Tim Knigge
-
- Concert production
- Imke Deters, Marco Meijdam
-
- Producer
- Frank van der Weij
-
- Film director
- Lucas van Woerkum
-
- Director of photography
- Sal Kroonenberg
-
- Camera
- Robert Berger, Jorrit Garretsen, Sal Kroonenberg
-
- Montage
- Lucas van Woerkum, Frank van der Weij
-
- Music recording producer
- Leo de Klerk
-
- Gaffer
- Alban Riphagen
-
- Production assistant
- Zoë de Wilde
-
- Score reader
- Jan Van den Bossche
-
- Make up
- Marloes Bovenlander, Jamila el Bouch, Emine Camadan
-
- Camera assistant
- Chris Tjong Ayong
-
- Music producer's assistant
- Mieneke van der Velden
-
- Music recording assistants
- Jaap van Stenis, Gilius Kreiken
-
- Music edit & mix
- Leo de Klerk, Frank van der Weij
-
- Music edit & mix asssistant
- Martijn Snoeren
-
- Colorist
- Ruud de Bruyn
-
- Acknowledgements
- Jan Haak
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