Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft
BWV 50 performed by the Netherlands Bach Society
conducted by Jos van Veldhoven
St. Martin's Church Groningen
Behind the music
Story
Story
Extra videos
Extra videos
Texts
Texts
Credits
Credits
Dizzying network
Although we know little about the origins of this choral work, Bach gives us vocal fireworks from beginning to end
There are more unknowns about Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft than knowns. Is it a separate piece or was it part of something else? For what occasion did Bach write it? Is the eight-voice version actually by Bach, or has someone else adapted Bach's perhaps original five-part version into a double-choir work?
There is doubt about the authenticity of the standard version with eight vocal parts divided over two choirs (the version being performed here). Some experts believe that the double choir element was added by someone else later on, after which Bach's original version was lost. This supposed five-part original version has been reconstructed by various musicologists, including Jan Kleinbussink. We also recorded that reconstructed five-part version.
The occasion of the work is not clear either. The words correspond well to the Feast of St Michael or Michaelmas. In heaven, according to the Book of Revelations, the archangel Michael and his troops of angels conquered the devil disguised as a dragon. Evil was thus cast back down to earth from heaven. So this feast day celebrates the belief that good will conquer evil.
Neither is it clear whether the piece is an independent whole or rather the opening or closing section of a lost cantata. What is certain is that Bach gives us vocal fireworks from beginning to end. In the two sections of equal length, the ascending theme with the audible key words ‘Macht’ and ‘Gott’ is continually repeated (once in descending mirror image), while the other voices add virtuoso countermelodies. It is only towards the end of each half that the structure becomes temporarily a little looser. The result is a dizzying network of musical lines, as if thousands of souls are joining together in exuberant praise of God.
- BWV
- 50
- Title
- Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft
- Genre
- cantatas
- City
- Leipzig?
- Text
- lyrics derived from Revelations 12:10
- Occasion
- Michaelmas? (29 September)
Vocal texts
Original
1. Chor
Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft
und das Reich und die Macht
unsers Gottes seines Christus worden,
weil der verworfen ist,
der sie verklagete Tag und Nacht vor Gott.
Translation
1. Chorus
Now is come salvation and strength,
and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,
which accused them
before our God day and night.
Credits
-
- Release date
- 3 October 2014
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- Recording date
- 5 October 2013
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- Location
- St. Martin's Church, Groningen
-
- Conductor
- Jos van Veldhoven
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- Soprano
- Maria Keohane
-
- Alto
- Maarten Engeltjes
-
- Tenor
- Benjamin Hulett
-
- Bass
- Christian Immler
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- Choir soprano
- Monica de Jesus Monteiro, Hilde Van Ruymbeke, Klaartje van Veldhoven, Orlanda Velez Isidro
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- Choir alto
- Victoria Cassano McDonald, Gemma Jansen, Saskia Kruysse, Elena Pozhidaeva
-
- Choir tenor
- Yves van Handenhove, Diederik Rooker, Kevin Skelton, Ronald Threels
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- Choir bass
- Donald Bentvelsen, Jelle Draijer, Michiel Meijer, Frank Hermans
-
- Violin 1
- Shunske Sato, Lidewij van der Voort, Hanneke Wierenga
-
- Violin 2
- Pieter Affourtit, Anneke van Haaften, Paulien Kostense
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- Viola
- Deirdre Dowling, Jan Willem Vis
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- Cello
- Lucia Swarts, Barbara Kernig
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- Double bass
- Joshua Cheatham
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- Oboe
- Martin Stadler, Peter Frankenberg, Sarah Aßmann
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- Bassoon
- Benny Aghassi
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- Trumpet
- Robert Vanryne, Mark Geelen, Michael Harrison
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- Timpani
- Luuk Nagtegaal
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- Harpsichord
- Siebe Henstra
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- Church organ
- Leo van Doeselaar
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- Organ registration
- Tim Knigge
-
- Concert production
- Imke Deters, Marco Meijdam
-
- Producer
- Frank van der Weij
-
- Film director
- Lucas van Woerkum
-
- Director of photography
- Sal Kroonenberg
-
- Camera
- Robert Berger, Jorrit Garretsen, Sal Kroonenberg
-
- Film editors
- Lucas van Woerkum, Frank van der Weij
-
- Music recording producer
- Leo de Klerk
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- Gaffer
- Alban Riphagen
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- Production assistant
- Zoë de Wilde
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- Score reader
- Jan Van den Bossche
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- Make up
- Marloes Bovenlander, Jamila el Bouch, Emine Camadan
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- Camera assistant
- Chris Tjong Ayong
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- Music producer's assistant
- Mieneke van der Velden
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- Music recording assistants
- Jaap van Stenis, Gilius Kreiken
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- Music edit and mix
- Leo de Klerk, Frank van der Weij
-
- Music edit and mix asssistant
- Martijn Snoeren
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- Colorist
- Jef Grosfeld
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- Interview
- Onno van Ameijde
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- Acknowledgements
- Jan Haak
Five or eight voices?
We recorded two versions of this work: the 'standard' version with eight vocal parts and a reconstructed five-part version.
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