Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt

Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt

BWV 151 performed by the Netherlands Bach Society
conducted by Jos van Veldhoven
Grote Kerk, Naarden

  • Menu
  • 1. Süsser Trost (Aria)
  • 2. Erfreue dich (Recitative)
  • 3. In Jesu Demut (Aria)
  • 4. Du teurer Gottessohn (Recitative)
  • 5. Heut schleusst (Chorale)
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Behind the music

Story
Story
Extra videos
Extra videos
Texts
Texts
Credits
Credits

Small and full of wonder

Intimate music with one of the most beautiful arias for soprano

This Christmas cantata revolves around amazement and humility. In one of the most beautiful arias ever written by Bach, the soprano expresses wonder at the fragile child in the crib. It opens with a lullaby, accompanied by a flute supported by oboe d’amore and strings. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the pastorale in the second movement of the Christmas Oratorio. In the middle section of the aria, the mood changes to one of joy, and the time signature goes from 12/8 to 4/4.

The intimacy of this cantata is reinforced by the fact that the whole text is written in the first person and that there is no four-part singing, except for the closing chorale. There is, however, a recitative or an aria for each of the soloists. The alto gives a beautiful description of the contrasts in the story of the nativity: the poverty of Jesus brings us riches and his humility brings us salvation. Bach illustrates this with illogical leaps, chromatics and sighing figures. Even the closing chorale is subdued.

BWV
151
Title
Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt
Instrument
soprano
Genre
cantatas
Year
1725
City
Leipzig
Lyricist
Georg Christian Lehms
Occasion
The third day of Christmas
First performance
27 December 1725

Extra videos

Sopraan Maria Keohane

“Maria Keohane explains how she managed to enter into the spirit of the lyrics.”

Vocal texts

Original

1. Arie (Sopran)
Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt,
Jesus wird anitzt geboren!
Herz und Seele freuet sich,
denn mein liebster Gott hat mich
nun zum Himmel auserkoren.

2. Rezitativ (Bass)
Erfreue dich, mein Herz,
denn itzo weicht der Schmerz,
der dich so lange Zeit gedrücket.
Gott hat den liebsten Sohn,
den er so hoch und teuer hält,
auf diese Welt geschicket.
Er lässt den Himmelsthron
und will die ganze Welt
aus ihren Sklavenketten
und ihrer Dienstbarkeit erretten.
O wundervolle Tat!
Gott wird ein Mensch und will auf Erden
noch niedriger als wir
und noch viel ärmer werden.

3. Arie (Alt)
In Jesu Demut kann ich Trost,
in seiner Armut Reichtum finden.
Mir macht desselben schlechter Stand
nur lauter Heil und Wohl bekannt,
ja, seine wundervolle Hand
will mir nur Segenskränze winden.

4. Rezitativ (Tenor)
Du teurer Gottessohn,
nun hast du mir den Himmel aufgemacht
und durch dein Niedrigsein
das Licht der Seligkeit zuwege bracht.
Weil du nun ganz allein
des Vaters Burg und Thron
aus Liebe gegen uns verlassen,
so wollen wir dich auch
dafür in unser Herze fassen.

5. Choral
Heut schleußt er wieder auf die Tür
zum schönen Paradeis,
der Cherub steht nicht mehr dafür,
Gott sei Lob, Ehr und Preis.

Translation

1. Aria (Soprano)
Sweet comfort, my Jesus comes,
Jesus now is born!
Heart and soul rejoice,
for my dearest God has chosen
me now for heaven.

2. Recitative (Bass)
Rejoice, O my heart,
for the pain shall now ease
which has for so long oppressed you.
God has sent His dearest Son,
whom He holds so high and dear,
into this world.
He leaves the throne of heaven
and would deliver all the world
from its chains of slavery
and servitude.
O wonderful deed!
God is made man and desires on earth
to be lowlier than we
and much poorer.

3. Aria (Alto)
In Jesus’ meekness I can find comfort,
in His poverty riches.
His wretched state reveals to me
naught but salvation and well-being,
yea, His wondrous hand
will weave me naught but garlands of blessing.

4. Recitative (Tenor)
O precious Son of God,
Thou hast opened heaven wide for me
and through Thy humble estate
hath brought the light of bliss to pass.
Since Thou now, all alone,
hast left Thy Father’s citadel and throne
out of love for us,
we would in turn
hold Thee within our hearts.

5. Choral
Today He opens wide again the door
to beautiful paradise,
the cherub stands no more before it,
to God be laud and honour and praise.

Credits

  • Release date
    1 January 2018
  • Recording date
    17 December 2015
  • Location
    Grote Kerk, Naarden
  • Conductor
    Jos van Veldhoven
  • Soprano
    Maria Keohane
  • Alto
    Alex Potter
  • Tenor
    Charles Daniels
  • Bass
    Matthias Winckhler
  • Violin 1
    Shunske Sato, Annelies van der Vegt, Anneke van Haaften, Lidewij van der Voort
  • Violin 2
    Sayuri Yamagata, Pieter Affourtit, Paulien Kostense
  • Viola
    Staas Swierstra, Jan Willem Vis
  • Cello
    Lucia Swarts, Richte van der Meer
  • Double bass
    Robert Franenberg
  • Traverso
    Frank Theuns
  • Oboe
    Martin Stadler
  • Harpsichord
    Siebe Henstra
  • Organ
    Pieter-Jan Belder
  • Director and editor
    Joost Honselaar
  • Assistant director
    Ferenc Soetman
  • Music recording
    Guido Tichelman, Bastiaan Kuijt, Micha de Kanter
  • Camera
    Jochem Timmerman, Rene Holbrugge, Martin Struif, Chris Reichgelt
  • Lights
    Zen Bloot, Patrick Galvin, Henry Rodgers, Emiel van Geenen
  • Set and video technique
    Justin Mutsaers, Glenn van den Eerden
  • Data handling
    Charlotte Storm
  • Project manager dutchview
    Peter Ribbens
  • Interview
    Onno van Ameijde
  • Producer concert
    Marco Meijdam
  • Producer film
    Jessie Verbrugh, Imke Deters
  • Acknowledgements
    Angela Mast

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