Ich freue mich in dir
BWV 465 performed by Daniel Johannsen and Matthias Havinga
Walburgiskerk, Zutphen
Behind the music
Story
Story
Extra videos
Extra videos
Texts
Texts
Credits
Credits
Welcome, bro’!
The closest thinkable relationship: Jesus becomes my sibling
Bach seems to have liked the verses of this sacred song by Caspar Ziegler (1621 – 1690; philosopher, legal scholar and renowned poet), otherwise he wouldn’t have chosen them for a Christmas cantata: BWV 133, Ich freue mich in dir. And he wouldn’t have decided to arrange it for Schemelli’s hymnal: a collection of sacred songs published in Leipzig in 1736 by Georg Christian Schemelli, to which Johann Sebastian Bach contributed.
The idea of Jesus Christ as a real flesh-and-blood brother was distinctively preached by Luther (“Des sollt ihr alle fröhlich sein, dass Gott mit euch ist worden ein. Er ist geborn euer Fleisch und Blut, euer Bruder ist das ewig Gut.”). And it fits perfectly a crowded family scenario Bach himself was very familiar with. Bach had known four out of seven siblings, and his many own children were a true orchestra of brothers and sisters to each other.
The incarnation of our divine Saviour - inconceivable to the intellect - becomes comprehensive through this family parable. The image of a brother who needs to be nursed and protected, grows to a big solace: the adult Jesus - now being familiar with sorrow and challenge, trained and tempted on this very earth - is a comforter and defender for each of us. And the contemplation of this miracle is the richest source of confidence and calmness: while I am singing a cradle song to baby Jesus, I am anticipating a peaceful and confessional farewell song for my own parting.
Musicalisches Gesang-Buch G.C. Schemelli
In the eighteenth century, sacred songbooks for private use were an important aid in simple, domestic devotion. For example, no fewer than 17 editions of Johann Freylinghausen’s Geistreiches Gesangbuch were published between 1704 and 1734. Two years later, pietist Georg Christian Schemmel, alias Schemelli, launched his own songbook, containing no fewer than 954 songs, 69 of which included melody, text incipit and figured bass. In order to outdo the competition, he involved probably the most famous music consultant of all time, who happened to be his son’s music teacher: Bach. Following intensive research, only three of the 21 original melodies in the collection (BWV 439-509) can be attributed with certainty to the cantor at the Thomasschule: BWV 452, 478 and 505. The others are accompaniments, revisions and improvements. Bach’s precise role in Schemelli’s Gesangbuch will probably always remain a mystery.
- BWV
- 465
- Title
- Ich freue mich in dir
- Instrument
- tenor
- Genre
- songs and arias
- Serie
- Schemelli's Musicalisches Gesang-Buch
- Year
- before April 1736
Extra videos
Vocal texts
Original
Ich freue mich in dir
und heiße dich willkommen,
mein liebstes Jesulein!
Du hast dir vorgenommen,
mein Brüderlein zu sein.
Ach, wie ein süßer Ton!
Wie freundlich sieht er aus,
der große Gottessohn.
Translation
Lord, I rejoice in you,
and bid you hearty welcome,
o Jesus, you have come
to be my little brother!
Oh what a lovely sight,
and what a lovely sound!
The Son of God this night
from heaven to earth came down.
translation © Ruth van Baak Griffioen, 2024
Credits
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- Release date
- 26 December 2024
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- Recording date
- 29 May 2024
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- Location
- Walburgiskerk, Zutphen
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- Tenor
- Daniel Johannsen
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- Organ
- Matthias Havinga
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- Instrument
- Henrick Bader, 1639/1643
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- Director and editor
- Gijs Besseling
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- Music recording
- Guido Tichelman, Pim van der Lee
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- Music edit and mix
- Guido Tichelman
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- Camera
- Danny Noordanus, Manon Hoskens, Remco van Leest
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- Grip
- Wouter Visser
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- Assistant music recording
- Marloes Biermans
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- Producer
- Lisanne Marlou de Kok
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