Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen
BWV 32 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
All's well that ends well
Bach celebrates the happy ending in an almost rustic dance
In this delicate and tender cantata, the soul enters into dialogue with Jesus. The associated gospel text is about the twelve-year-old Jesus, who escapes his parents and is only found several days later in the temple, in deep conversation with wise men. In the first aria, the oboe and soprano embrace one another in an intense, sorrowful lamentation. You feel the despair of Mary herself, and her search can be seen as a metaphor for the errant soul.
This becomes even more apparent when the answer to her questions comes not from the little Jesus she is searching for, but the adult Christ. In Christ’s lyrical aria, Bach illustrates God’s comfort with a virtuoso violin part. Then Jesus and the soul find one another, which is celebrated by the soprano in an arioso of gratitude. Together, they burst into a relieved ‘Nun verschwinden alle Plagen’. Bach casts this section in the mould of a familiar dance, a gavotte, to which the oboe and especially the jubilant violins make a strong contribution. After this ‘finale’, Bach added a dignified and careful ending, which he based on the hymn ‘Weg, mein Herz, mit den Gedanken’.
Supported by
Patrick Matthiesen and the Orbis Pictus Foundation
Extra videos
Vocal texts
Original
1. Arie (Sopran - Seele)
Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen,
sage mir, wo find' ich dich?
Soll ich dich so bald verlieren
und nicht ferner bei mir führen?
Ach! mein Hort, erfreue mich,
lass dich höchst vergnügt umfangen.
2. Rezitativ (Bass - Jesus)
Was ist's, dass ihr mich gesuchet?
Weisst du nicht,
dass ich sein muss in dem,
das meines Vaters ist?
3. Arie (Bass - Jesus)
Hier, in meines Vaters Stätte,
Find't mich ein betrübter Geist.
Da kannst du mich sicher finden
und dein Herz mit mir verbinden,
weil dies meine Wohnung heisst.
4. Rezitativ (Sopran - Seele, Bass - Jesus)
Ach!, heiliger und grosser Gott,
so will ich mir denn hier, bei dir,
beständig Trost und Hilfe suchen.
Wirst du den Erdentand verfluchen
und nur in diese Wohnung geh'n,
so kannst du hier und dort besteh'n.
Wie lieblich ist doch deine Wohnung,
Herr, starker Zebaoth!
Mein Geist verlangt nach dem,
was nur in deinem Hofe prangt;
mein Leib und Seele freuet sich
in dem lebend'gen Gott.
Ach, Jesu! meine Brust
liebt dich nun ewiglich.
So kannst du glücklich sein,
wenn Herz und Geist
aus Liebe gegen mich entzündet heisst.
Ach! dieses Wort, das itzo schon
mein Herz aus Babels Grenzen reisst,
fass' ich mir andachtsvoll
in meiner Seele ein.
5. Duett (Sopran - Seele, Bass - Jesus)
(Seele, Jesus) Nun verschwinden alle Plagen,
nun verschwindet Ach und Schmerz.
Nun will ich nicht von dir lassen!
Und ich dich auch stets umfassen!
Nun vergnüget sich mein Herz,
und kann voller Freude sagen:
(Seele, Jesus) Nun verschwinden alle Plagen,
nun verschwindet Ach und Schmerz!
6. Choral
Mein Gott, öffne mir die Pforten
solcher Gnad' und Gütigkeit,
lass mich allzeit aller Orten
schmecken deine Süssigkeit!
Liebe mich und treib' mich an,
dass ich dich, so gut ich kann,
wiederum umfang' und liebe
und ja nun nicht mehr betrübe.
Translation
1. Arie (Sopran - Seele)
Most beloved Jesus, my desire,
Tell me, where will I find you?
Shall I lose you so soon
And no longer feel you by me?
Ah! My refuge [Jesus], make me glad;
Be embraced most delightedly.
2.Rezitativ (Bass - Jesus)
Why is it that you sought me [in other places]?
Do you not know
that I must be [here, engaged]
in that which is of [God] my father?
3. Arie (Bass - Jesus)
Here, in [God] my father’s [dwelling] place,
Will a grieved spirit find me.
You can assuredly find me there
And bind your heart with me,
Because this [place] is called my dwelling.
4. Rezitativ (Sopran - Seele, Bass - Jesus)
Ah! Holy and great God,
Thus for myself will I then
Here [in this dwelling place]
Steadfastly seek comfort and help in you.
If you will curse earthly vanity
And but proceed into this dwelling [place],
Then you can abide here [on earth] and there [in heaven].
How lovely indeed is your dwelling [place],
Lord, mighty Sabaoth;
My spirit longs
For that which shines forth only in your [Temple] court.
My body and soul rejoice
In the living God;
Ah! Jesus, my breast just loves you eternally.
Thus can you be happy
When heart and spirit
Are called inflamed out of love for me.
Ah! This word [of wisdom], which now already
Plucks my heart out of [evil] Babylon’s borders,
I enclose devoutly in my soul.
5. Duet (Soprano - Soul, Bass - Jesus)
(Soul, Jesus) Now all torments vanish,
Now [the cry] “alas-and-agony” vanishes.
Now I will not leave you,
And I will also embrace you always.
Now my heart is delighted
And can say, full of joy:
(Soul, Jesus) Now all torments vanish,
Now “alas-and-agony” vanishes.
6. Chorale
My God, open to me the gates
Of such mercy and goodness [as yours];
Let me at all times, in all places,
Taste your sweetness.
Love me, and prod me
So that I in turn, as best I can,
May embrace and love you
And, yes, may now aggrieve you no more.
transl. © Daniel R. Melamed and Michael Marissen
For the annotated version of the text and translation, see here.
Credits
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- Release date
- 29 January 2016
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- Recording date
- 26 September 2015
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- Location
- St. Martin's Church, Groningen
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- Conductor
- Jos van Veldhoven
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- Soprano
- Monika Mauch
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- Alto
- Maarten Engeltjes
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- Tenor
- João Moreira
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- Bass
- Stephan MacLeod
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- Violin 1
- Shunske Sato, Annabelle Ferdinand, Anneke van Haaften, Annelies van der Vegt
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- Violin 2
- Sayuri Yamagata, Pieter Affourtit, Paulien Kostense
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- Viola
- Staas Swierstra, Deirdre Dowling
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- Cello
- Lucia Swarts, Richte van der Meer
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- Double bass
- Robert Franenberg
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- Oboe
- Martin Stadler
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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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- Film director and editor
- Simon Aarden
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- Music recording producers
- Guido Tichelman, Bastiaan Kuijt, Micha de Kanter
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- Music editor
- Guido Tichelman
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- Camera
- Jorrit Garretsen, Bart Ten Harkel, Chris Reichgelt, Jochem Timmerman
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- Gaffer
- Daan de Boer, Gijs 't Hoen
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- Score reader
- Niek Wijns
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- Data handler
- Niels Cnossen
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- Editor
- Pjotr 's Gravesande
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- Project manager
- Marco Korzelius
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- Sexton
- Jan Haak (sexton of the St. Martin's Church)
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- Interview
- Marloes Biermans, Onno van Ameijde
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- Producer concert
- Marco Meijdam, Imke Deters
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- Producer film
- Jessie Verbrugh
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- Supported by
- Patrick Matthiesen and the Orbis Pictus Foundation
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