So gehst du nun, mein Jesu, hin
BWV 500 performed by Charles Daniels,
Mieneke van der Velden, Fred Jacobs and Menno van Delft
at the Bartolotti House, Amsterdam
Behind the music
Story
Story
Extra videos
Extra videos
Texts
Texts
Credits
Credits
Facing the facts
Schemelli tried to outdo the competition by involving Bach
In this sacred song for personal devotion, Jesus enters into dialogue with the soul. The level of gratitude and relief with which the soul opens its prayer is matched by the fervour of Jesus’ reply. Does the worshipper realise how lightly she has been let off, despite all her crimes and vicious sins? And how heavy a burden He must bear so that she may be given eternal life? Incidentally, this song by Kaspar Friedrich Nachtenhöfer was also sung to the melody Was mein Gott will, das g’scheh allzeit, which lends a more triumphant touch to the fervent text. The singer Charles Daniels can well imagine that such a song was sung in the Bach family by two people – alternately in different positions, as he does himself here.
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
- 500
- Title
- So gehst du nun, mein Jesu, hin
- Instrument
- tenor
- Genre
- songs and arias
- Serie
- Schemelli's Musicalisches Gesang-Buch
- Year
- 1722-1725
- City
- Köthen/Leipzig
With support from
Stichting Elise Mathilde Fonds
Extra videos
Vocal texts
Original
Seele
So gehst du nun, mein Jesu, hin,
den Tod für mich zu leiden,
für mich, der ich ein Sünder bin,
der dich betrübt in Freuden.
Wohlan! Fahr fort,
du edler Hort,
mein Augen sollen fließen
ein Tränensee,
mich Ach und Weh,
die Leiden zu begießen.
Jesus
Ach Sünd! Du schädlich Schlangengift,
wie weit kannst du es bringen!
Dein Lohn, der Fluch, mich itzt betrifft,
in Tod tut er mich bringen.
Itzt kommt die Nacht
Der Sündenmacht
Fremd Schuld muss ich abtrage.
Betracht es recht,
du Sündenknecht,
nun darfst du nicht mehr zagen.
Seele
Ich, ich, Herr Jesu, sollte zwar
der Sündenstrafe leiden
an Leib und Seel, an Haupt und Haar,
auch ewig aller Freuden
beraubet sein
und leiden Pein,
so nimmst du hin die Schulde.
Dein Blut und Tod
Bringt mich für Gott,
ich bleib in deiner Hulde.
Jesus
Ja, liebe Seel, ich büß die Schuld,
die du hättst sollen büßen.
Erkenne daraus meine Huld,
die ich dir ließ genießen.
Ich nehm den Fluch,
und einzig Sach,
vom Fluch dich zu befreien.
Denk meiner Lieb,
durch deren Trieb
die Segen dir gedeihen.
Seele
Was kann vor solche Liebe dir,
Herr Jesu, ich wohl geben?
Ich weiß und finde nichts an mir,
doch will, weil ich wird leben,
mich Liebster dir,
hier nach Gebühr,
zu dienen ganz verschreiben,
auch nach der Zeit,
in Ewigkeit,
dein Diener sein und bleiben.
Translation
Soul
Now Jesus, you go to your fate
For my sake death to suffer
For me, a humble sinner’s sake,
This sacrifice you offer.
So you go hence,
My sure defense
From my eyes shall be flowing
A sea of tears
With pain and fears
On your ordeal bestowing.
Jesus
Oh Sin! You serpent’s deadly bane,
How wide you spread its poison!
The curse you cause now brings me pain,
To death and to destruction.
Now comes the night
Of Sin’s dark might
I bear the sins of others.
Take this well in,
You slave of Sin,
You dare not now give answer.
Soul
Lord Jesus, it is only I
Who should bear sin’s damnation
In body, soul, from head to toe,
And robbed of all elation
Throughout all time,
And suffer pain,
Yet you take on the penance.
Your death, your blood,
Bring me to God,
I shall remain your servant.
Jesus
Indeed, dear soul, I bear the shame
That you should have atoned for.
Do you now recognize my grace
That I have clearly shown you?
I bear the curse
In all its force,
From this same curse to free you.
Think of my love
And its resolve
To bless and to release you.
Soul
For such a love as deep as this,
What could I think of giving?
I know I cannot find within
But wish, while I’m still living,
To serve you here,
My Savior dear,
Entirely in your service.
Then may I be
Eternally
Devoted to your purpose.
translation © Ruth van Baak Griffioen, 2019, 2020
Credits
-
- Release date
- 31 May 2019
-
- Recording date
- 12 May 2018
-
- Location
- Bartolotti House, Amsterdam
-
- Tenor
- Charles Daniels
-
- Viola da gamba
- Mieneke van der Velden
-
- Theorbo
- Fred Jacobs
-
- Organ
- Menno van Delft
-
- Director, camera and lights
- Gijs Besseling
-
- Music recording
- Guido Tichelman, Bastiaan Kuijt
-
- Music edit and mix
- Guido Tichelman
-
- Camera, lights
- Nina Badoux
-
- Camera and lighting assistant
- Eline Eestermans
-
- Interview
- Onno van Ameijde, Marloes Biermans
-
- Producer concert
- Marco Meijdam
-
- Producer film
- Jessie Verbrugh
-
- With support from
- Stichting Elise Mathilde Fonds
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