Und es waren Hirten from Christmas Oratorio
BWV 248/2 performed by the Netherlands Bach Society
conducted by Shunske Sato
Muziekcentrum van de Omroep, Hilversum
Behind the music
Story
Story
Extra videos
Extra videos
Texts
Texts
Credits
Credits
Heaven and earth
In the second cantata of the Christmas Oratorio, Bach brings together shepherds and angels
In the second cantata of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, we are with the shepherds in the field. In a colourful patchwork of recitatives, arias, choruses, chorales and even an instrumental section, Bach tells how a host of angels appears to a group of shepherds tending their flocks in the field. Just for a moment in the biblical narrative by Luke, Jesus is not the main character. Instead, the focus is on a group of ordinary people who are receiving the tidings of the birth of Jesus.
This cantata is the only one in the Christmas Oratorio without an opening chorus. Instead, Bach uses the orchestra to express how heaven and earth become one for a brief moment in time. This ‘Sinfonia’ is the only instrumental section in the whole Christmas Oratorio. As is often the case, Bach makes effective use of contrast; here between the group of strings and the reed players. Ever since the Middle Ages, strings have been associated with angels, whereas in Bach’s day reed instruments brought to mind the life of shepherds. In the rhythm, too, Bach separates the two groups. The strings play the rocking rhythm of the siciliano (an Italian folk dance), while the reeds play a pastorale (a piece of music glorifying rural life), blowing long (bourdon) notes. In this charming ‘Sinfonia’, just as in the first cantata, Bach sometimes lets profound moments shine through – right in the middle he even modulates to E minor, a key that in Bach’s day corresponded to sadness with the hope of comfort.
This cantata is unusual in its length (the number of movements makes it the longest cantata in the Christmas Oratorio), but also in its extremely quick action. In a short recitative, the tenor announces how the shepherds are suddenly surrounded by the ‘radiance of the Lord’ and an angel appears to them from the heavens. Even before the shepherds have been able to react, the chorus enters with a chorale to lift the shepherds’ spirits: “You shepherd folk, do not be alarmed; for the angels tell you that this helpless little boy shall be our comfort and joy”. Then the angel speaks in the recitative: “Fear not! Look, I announce to you great joy that will befall all the people [in the world]; for to you this day is born in the city of David the savior, who is Christ, the Lord”. Following an ultra-short recitative by the bass, in the first aria the tenor urges the shepherds to hasten to Bethlehem, accompanied by a gentle flute and pizzicato bass part. When the shepherds arrive, the chorus once again sings a chorale, as a lullaby for the newborn Jesus.
Another urging bass recitative is followed by the longest movement of the cantata: an alto aria lasting almost ten minutes (‘Schlafe, mein Liebster’), reworked from one of Bach’s secular cantatas (BWV 213). But here in this Christmas oratorio, it is shown off to its best advantage. Accompanied by a warm ensemble, with no fewer than four oboes, a transverse flute and the full complement of strings, the alto sings a lullaby to Jesus in his crib.
It is only after this long aria that the starry skies light up with the full host of angels, in a restless chorus that gives a striking impression of the overwhelming number of angels: “Glory to God in the highest!” Just as in the ‘Sinfonia’, here too Bach modulates halfway through to E minor and, even more remarkably, he copies the harmonic plan from the opening movement in its entirety. It shows how the appearance of the angels was foretold to us in the ‘Sinfonia’ like a musical prophecy. Following a joyful bass recitative, the chorus enters with the closing chorale, interrupted in turn by reworked short excerpts from the ‘Sinfonia’, as if Bach wants to underline the unity of the cantata once again.
- BWV
- 248/2
- Title
- Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend
- Epithet
- Cantata no. 2 from Christmas Oratorio
- Instrument
- alto, bass, soprano, tenor
- Genre
- cantatas
- Year
- 1734
- City
- Leipzig
- Occasion
- Boxing Day
- First performance
- 26 December 1734
- Special notes
- Bach reused parts from his cantatas BWV 213 and 214
Extra videos
Bach's Christmas Oratorio - Bridging the earthly and the heavenly
“In this background video on the Christmas Oratorio violinist and leader Shunske Sato takes the viewer back to eighteenth-century Germany and the Christmas traditions of the time. How does Bach's Christmas Oratorio fits within these traditions?”
Vocal texts
Original
1. Sinfonia
2. Rezitativ (Tenor)
Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend
auf dem Felde bei den Hürden,
die hüteten des Nachts ihre Herde.
Und siehe, des Herren Engel trat zu ihnen,
und die Klarheit des Herren leuchtet um sie,
und sie furchten sich sehr.
3. Choral
Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht,
und laß den Himmel tagen!
Du Hirtenvolk, erschrecke nicht,
weil dir die Engel sagen,
daß dieses schwache Knäbelein
soll unser Trost und Freude sein,
dazu den Satan zwingen
und letztlich Friede bringen!
4. Rezitativ (Tenor, Sopran)
Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen:
Fürchtet euch nicht, siehe,
ich verkündige euch große Freude,
die allem Volke widerfahren wird.
Denn euch ist heute der Heiland geboren,
welcher ist Christus, der Herr, in der Stadt David.
5. Rezitativ (Bass)
Was Gott dem Abraham verheißen,
das läßt er nun dem Hirtenchor erfüllt erweisen.
Ein Hirt hat alles das zuvor
von Gott erfahren müssen.
Und nun muß auch ein Hirt die Tat,
was er damals versprochen hat,
zuerst erfüllet wissen.
6. Arie (Tenor)
Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet,
eh ihr euch zu lang verweilet,
eilt, das holde Kind zu sehn!
Geht, die Freude heißt zu schön,
sucht die Anmut zu gewinnen,
geht und labet Herz und Sinnen!
7. Rezitativ (Tenor)
Und das habt zum Zeichen:
ihr werdet finden das Kind
in Windeln gewickelt
und in einer Krippe liegen.
8. Choral
Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall,
des Herrschaft gehet überall!
Da Speise vormals sucht ein Rind,
da ruhet itzt der Jungfrau’n Kind.
9. Rezitativ (Bass)
So geht denn hin, ihr Hirten, geht,
daß ihr das Wunder seht:
Und findet ihr des Höchsten Sohn
in einer harten Krippe liegen,
so singet ihm bei seiner Wiegen
aus einem süßen Ton
und mit gesamtem Chor
dies Lied zur Ruhe vor!
10. Arie (Alt)
Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der Ruh,
wache nach diesem vor aller Gedeihen!
Labe die Brust,
empfinde die Lust,
wo wir unser Herz erfreuen!
11. Rezitativ (Tenor)
Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel
die Menge der himmlischen Heerscharen,
die lobten Gott und sprachen:
12. Chor
Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe
und Friede auf Erden
und den Menschen ein Wohlgefallen.
13. Rezitativ (Bass)
So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt und singet,
daß es uns heut so schön gelinget!
Auf denn! wir stimmen mit euch ein,
uns kann es so wie euch erfreun.
14. Choral
Wir singen dir in deinem Heer
aus aller Kraft Lob, Preis und Ehr,
daß du, o lang gewünschter Gast,
dich nunmehr eingestellet hast.
Translation
1. Sinfonia
2. Recitative (Tenor)
And there were shepherds in the same area,
in the field next to the live-stock pens,
who were tending their flock by night.
And look, the angel of the Lord approached them,
and the radiance of the Lord lit up around them,
and they were very afraid.
3. Chorale
Break forth, [Lord,] oh lovely morning light,
And let heaven [rise like the] dawn.
You shepherd folk, do not be alarmed;
For the angels tell you
That this helpless little boy
Shall be our comfort and joy,
[Shall] vanquish Satan, too,
And finally bring peace!
4. Recitative (Tenor, Soprano)
And the angel declared to them:
Fear not! Look,
I announce to you great joy
that will befall all the people [in the world];
for to you this day is born in the city of David
the savior, who is Christ, the Lord.
5. Recitative (Bass)
[A worldwide blessing] that God pledged to Abraham,
He now lets be revealed to the choir of shepherds as fulfilled. A [lowly] shepherd [Abraham] had to learn
all this from God in the first instance;
And now, too, a shepherd must [be the] first
To come to know as fulfilled
The deed that he [God] promised back then.
6. Aria (Tenor)
Joyful shepherds, hurry, ah hurry,
Ere you tarry too long;
Hurry on, to see the gracious child!
Go, the joy is all too lovely;
Seek to gain the refinement [of this child];
Go and refresh [your] hearts and minds!
7. Recitative (Tenor)
And take this for a sign:
you will find the child
wrapped in bands of cloth
and lying in a manger.
8. Chorale
Behold, there lies in the dark stable [God’s messiah],
whose dominion extends over all [the world].
Where formerly an ox sought food,
There [Mary] the Virgin’s child now rests.
9. Recitative (Bass)
So go forth, then, you shepherds; go,
That you may see the marvel [of Christ’s advent].
And when you find the son of [God] the Most High
Lying in a harsh manger,
Then sing for him by his cradle,
In a sweet tone
And with [your] whole choir,
This lullaby:
10. Aria (Alto)
Sleep, my most beloved, enjoy your rest,
Awake after this for the flourishing of all [in faith].
Refresh our breast,
Feel our delight
[There] where we gladden our hearts.
11. Recitative (Tenor)
And immediately there was with the angel
the mass of the heavenly army formations [of angels]
who lauded God, declaring:
12. Chorus
May honor be to God on high,
and peace on earth,
and to humankind [God’s] great pleasure.
13. Recitative (Bass)
Quite right, you angels; shout and sing, that [with] this day [of Christ’s advent] we have come so beautifully to prosper. Arise, then! We join in with you [in shouting and singing]; It [Christ’s advent] can gladden us and you.
14. Chorale
[Lord Jesus,] we sing to you, along with your army [of angels], With all [our] might, “laud, praise, and honor,” That you, oh long desired guest [on earth],
Have now presented yourself.
transl. © Daniel R. Melamed and Michael Marissen
For the annotated version of the text and translation, see here.
Credits
-
- Release date
- 5 December 2024
-
- Recording date
- 4 January 2023
-
- Location
- Muziekcentrum van de Omroep, Hilversum
-
- Violin and direction
- Shunske Sato
-
- Soprano
- Viola Blache
-
- Alto
- Ulrike Malotta
-
- Tenor
- Daniel Johannsen
-
- Bass
- Matthias Helm
-
- Ripieno soprano
- Marta Paklar, Anna Bachleitner, Monica Monteiro
-
- Ripieno alto
- Bernadett Nagy, Sofia Gvirts, Georgia Burashko
-
- Ripieno tenor
- João Moreira, Adriaan de Koster, Immo Schröder
-
- Ripieno bass
- Matthew Baker, Donald Bentvelsen, Samuel Wong
-
- Violin 1
- Pieter Affourtit, Anneke van Haaften, Lidewij van der Voort
-
- Violin 2
- Lucia Giraudo, Annelies van der Vegt, Iris Kengen
-
- Viola
- Deirdre Dowling, Ivan Saez Schwartz
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- Cello
- Lucia Swarts, Barbara Kernig
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- Double bass
- Robert Franenberg
-
- Traverso
- Marten Root, Doretthe Janssens
-
- Oboe
- Rodrigo Lopez Paz, Katharina Verhaar
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- Oboe da caccia
- Hanna Lindeijer, Johanna Boehm
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- Bassoon
- Benny Aghassi
-
- Organ
- Leo van Doeselaar
-
- Harpsichord
- Siebe Henstra
-
- Theorbo
- Fred Jacobs
-
- Director and editor
- Onno van Ameijde
-
- Music recording
- Guido Tichelman, Lilita Dunsk, Pim van der Lee
-
- Music edit and mix
- Guido Tichelman
-
- Camera
- Rieks Soepenberg, Jorne Tielemans, Maria Smeets, Jasper Verkaart
-
- Lights
- Ernst-Jan Thieme, Tino Schoeber, Jordi Kooij, Patrick Galvin
-
- Assistant director
- Marieke Donker Kaat
-
- Data handling
- Jasper Verkaart
-
- Assistant music recording
- Marloes Biermans
-
- Documentary
- Onno van Ameijde, Marloes Biermans
-
- Producer concert
- Imke Deters
-
- Producer film
- Marieke de Blaay, Laura Jonker
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