In allen meinen Taten
BWV 97 performed by the Netherlands Bach Society
conducted by Shunske Sato
Philharmonie, Haarlem
Behind the music
Story
Story
Texts
Texts
Credits
Credits
Boundless faith
An aria-filled cantata set to popular lyrics
The German poet, doctor and diplomat Paul Fleming wrote the hymn In allen meinen Taten around 1633. The words he wrote are brimming with boundless faith in God’s plan. That faith had to sustain Fleming during the perilous diplomatic trade mission he undertook to Moscow, on the orders of his lord - Frederik III of Holstein-Gottorp.
Around a hundred years later, Bach composed a new cantata to Fleming’s text, which was well-known by then. The arrangement of the text is unusual. Bach wrote many other cantatas on the basis of chorales, but usually had new words written to them. In this cantata, however, he adheres strictly to Fleming’s words, with no additions whatsoever.
The cantata opens with a chorale fantasy in the style of an overture. At the French court, this festive and ceremonious dance rhythm accompanied the entrance of the Sun King. Here, it represents the magnificent glory of God. Today, as in Bach’s day, German congregations sing Fleming’s text to the same melody as the famous chorale Ich bin‘s, ich sollte büßen from Bach’s St Matthew Passion. Bach only presents this melody in the opening chorus and the closing chorale.
The number of arias in this cantata is remarkable. There are no fewer than four; one for each voice type, plus a duet for soprano and bass. On the other hand, the cantata has only two fairly short recitatives. The aria Ich traue seiner Gnaden for solo tenor is unusual. The accompanying violin part is of a particularly high standard, with many difficult double stops – chords that the violinist has to play on two strings at once.
It is unclear when the first performance of this cantata took place, but it is likely that Bach wanted to use it for a wedding. The words “nach der Trauung”, or “after the wedding” are crossed out in the score. Fleming’s hymn is suitable for any time in the ecclesiastical year, and it is very possible that Bach reused it on another occasion.
- BWV
- 97
- Title
- In allen meinen Taten
- Genre
- cantatas
- Year
- 1734
- City
- Leipzig
- Lyricist
- Paul Fleming
- Occasion
- Fifth Sunday after Trinity?
- Special notes
- Bach may have intended this cantata for a wedding
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Vocal texts
Original
1. Chor
In allen meinen Taten
laß ich den Höchsten raten,
der alles kann und hat;
er muß zu allen Dingen,
solls anders wohl gelingen,
selbst geben Rat und Tat.
2. Arie (Tenor)
Nichts ist es spat und frühe
um alle meine Mühe,
mein Sorgen ist umsonst.
Er mags mit meinen Sachen
nach seinem Willen machen,
ich stells in seine Gunst.
3. Rezitativ (Tenor)
Es kann mir nichts geschehen,
als was er hat versehen,
und was mir selig ist;
ich nehm es, wie ers gibet;
was ihm von mir beliebet,
das hab ich auch erkiest.
4. Arie (Tenor)
Ich traue seiner Gnaden,
die mich vor allem Schaden,
vor allem Übel schützt.
Leb ich nach seinen Gesetzen,
so wird mich nichts verletzen,
nichts fehlen, was mir nützt.
5. Rezitativ (Alt)
Er wolle meiner Sünden
in Gnaden mich entbinden,
durchstreichen meine Schuld!
Er wird auf mein Verbrechen
nicht stracks das Urteil sprechen
und haben noch Geduld.
6. Arie (Alt)
Leg ich mich späte nieder,
erwache frühe wieder,
lieg oder ziehe fort,
in Schwachheit und in Banden,
und was mir stößt zuhanden,
so tröstet mich sein Wort.
7. Duett (Sopran, Bass)
Hat er es denn beschlossen,
so will ich unverdrossen
an mein Verhängnis gehn!
Kein Unfall unter allen
wird mir zu harte fallen,
ich will ihn überstehn.
8. Arie (Sopran)
Ihm hab ich mich ergeben
zu sterben und zu leben,
sobald er mir gebeut.
Es sei heut oder morgen,
dafür laß ich ihn sorgen;
er weiß die rechte Zeit.
9. Choral
So sei nun, Seele, deine
und traue dem alleine,
der dich erschaffen hat;
es gehe, wie es gehe,
dein Vater in der Höhe
weiß allen Sachen Rat.
Translation
1. Chorus
In all my actions
I let the Most High give counsel,
Who can do, and holds, all;
Unto all things he must—
If it is otherwise to prosper well—
Himself grant counsel and action.
2. Aria (Tenor)
There is nothing, night and day,
For all my labor;
My trouble is in vain.
He may deal with my affairs
According to his will—
I lay this to his grace.
3. Recitative (Tenor)
Nothing can befall me
Except what he has provided
And what is blessed to me:
I take it as he grants it;
What he desires from me,
I have chosen that as well.
4. Aria (Tenor)
I trust his mercy
That protects me from all injury,
From all evil.
If I live according to his laws,
Then nothing will harm me;
Nothing will be lacking that is of benefit to me.
5. Recitative (Alto)
May he, in mercy,
Absolve me of my sins,
Strike out my debt/guilt!
Upon my violations he will
Not pronounce judgment straightaway
And will have patience yet.
6. Aria
If I lie down at night,
Reawaken in the morning,
Recline, or go forth
In my weakness and in fetters
And something befalls me,
Then his word comforts me.
7. Duet (Soprano, Bass)
If he has determined it so,
Then I will go unwearily
About my [God-given] lot.
Not one mishap among them all
Shall come down too harshly on me;
I will endure it.
8. Aria (Soprano)
I have given myself up to him
To die and to live,
As soon as he commands me.
Be it today or tomorrow,
I will let him take care of that;
He knows the right time.
9. Chorale
So be now, soul, yours,
And trust only in the one
Who has created you.
Let things be, as they may;
Your father [God] on high,
He knows counsel in all matters.
transl. © Daniel R. Melamed and Michael Marissen
For the annotated version of the text and translation, see here.
Credits
-
- Release date
- 4 May 2023
-
- Recording date
- 20 June 2022
-
- Location
- Philharmonie, Haarlem
-
- Violin and direction
- Shunske Sato
-
- Soprano
- Isabel Schicketanz
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- Alto
- Franz Vitzthum
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- Tenor
- Thomas Hobbs
-
- Bass
- Wolf Matthias Friedrich
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- Ripieno soprano
- Lauren Armishaw, Marta Paklar
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- Ripieno alto
- Sofia Gvirts, Bernadett Nagy
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- Ripieno tenor
- Adriaan de Koster, João Moreira
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- Ripieno bass
- Matthew Baker, Pierre Guy Le Gall White, Jaap van der Wel
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- Violin 1
- Sayuri Yamagata, Kano Imada, Femke Huizinga
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- Violin 2
- Pieter Affourtit, Lucia Giraudo, Annelies van der Vegt
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- Viola
- Staas Swierstra, Deirdre Dowling
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- Cello
- Lucia Swarts, Barbara Kernig
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- Double bass
- Robert Franenberg
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- Oboe
- Ivan Podyomov, Rodrigo Lopez Paz
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- Bassoon
- Benny Aghassi
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- Harpsichord
- Siebe Henstra
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- Organ
- Leo van Doeselaar
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- Director and editor
- Bas Wielenga
-
- Music recording
- Guido Tichelman, Pim van der Lee, Lilita Dunska
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- Music edit and mix
- Guido Tichelman
-
- Camera
- Martijn Struijf, Jesper Blok, Rob van der Gragt, Matthijs Notten, Lisa Xiu Kok
-
- Lights
- Zen Bloot, Dirk Zijlstra, Nick Fadieiev
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- Grip
- Rinco Ederveen, Ferenc Soeteman
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- Set technique
- Justin Mutsaers
-
- Data handling
- Jesper Blok
-
- Assistant music recording
- Marloes Biermans
-
- Producer concert
- Marco Meijdam
-
- Producer film
- Marieke de Blaay
-
- With support from
- MWH4impact
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