Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen
BWV 65 performed by the Netherlands Bach Society
conducted by Hans-Christoph Rademann
Grote Kerk, Harlingen
Behind the music
Story
Story
Extra videos
Extra videos
Texts
Texts
Credits
Credits
An Eastern touch
Bach appears to revel in exotic sounds
The three magi came from distant parts. They travelled from the East (Saba or Sheba was probably located somewhere in present-day Yemen) to Bethlehem in order to see the newborn Jesus. Bach illustrated their exotic origins with ‘oriental’ sounds. He opted for a varied instrumental setting, including strings, horns, recorders and oboes da caccia. “It’s very beautifully done”, says conductor Hans-Christoph Rademann. “The mix of sounds in the instrumental introduction is like a wonderful organ. Voice by voice, in canon, the different choir parts then enter in a rising line. Bach thus creates the image of the curious bystanders coming together to behold the exotic visitors”.
Bach rounded off his first Christmas cycle in Leipzig with this composition. He appears to revel in the exotic sounds, with the whole orchestra resounding in unison now and then in the opening procession. When the swaying bars in 12/8 time, representing the caravan, come to a halt, the music zooms in on the plain stable where Jesus lies. And the ball is once again in the court of the Lutherans. Although we have no exotic gifts like myrrh and gold to offer, we can give our souls to Jesus. In the aria sung by the bass, where this message is expressed, the two oboes da caccia seem to create more of a pastoral than an exotic atmosphere.
- BWV
- 65
- Title
- Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen
- Instrument
- bass, tenor
- Genre
- cantatas
- Year
- 1724
- City
- Leipzig
- Lyricist
- unknown
- Occasion
- Epiphany
- First performance
- 6 January 1724
Extra videos
Vocal texts
Original
1. Chor
Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen,
Gold und Weihrauch bringen,
und des Herren Lob verkündigen.
2. Choral
Die Kön’ge aus Saba kamen dar,
Gold, Weihrauch, Myrrhen brachten sie dar,
Halleluja!
3. Rezitativ (Bass)
Was dort Jesaias vorhergesehn,
das ist zu Bethlehem geschehn.
Hier stellen sich die Weisen
bei Jesu Krippe ein
und wollen ihn als ihren König preisen.
Gold, Weihrauch, Myrrhen sind
die köstlichen Geschenke,
womit sie dieses Jesuskind
zu Bethlehem im Stall beehren.
Mein Jesu, wenn ich jetzt
an meine Pflicht gedenke,
muss ich mich auch zu deiner Krippe kehren
und gleichfalls dankbar sein:
Denn dieser Tag ist mir ein Tag der Freuden,
da du, o Lebensfürst,
das Licht der Heiden
und ihr Erlöser wirst.
Was aber bring ich wohl, du Himmelskönig?
Ist dir mein Herze nicht zu wenig,
so nimm es gnädig an,
weil ich nichts Edlers bringen kann.
4. Arie (Bass)
Gold aus Ophir ist zu schlecht,
weg, nur weg mit eitlen Gaben,
die ihr aus der Erde brecht!
Jesus will das Herze haben.
Schenke dies, o Christenschar,
Jesu zu dem neuen Jahr!
5. Rezitativ (Tenor)
Verschmähe nicht, du, meiner Seele Licht,
mein Herz, das ich in Demut zu dir bringe;
es schliesst ja solche Dinge
in sich zugleich mit ein,
die deines Geistes Früchte sein.
Des Glaubens Gold, der Weihrauch des Gebets,
die Myrrhen der Geduld sind meine Gaben,
die sollst du, Jesu, für und für
zum Eigentum und zum Geschenke haben.
Gib aber dich auch selber mir,
so machst du mich zum Reichsten auf der Erden;
denn, hab ich dich, so muss
des größten Reichtums Überfluss
mir dermaleinst im Himmel werden.
6. Arie (Tenor)
Nimm mich dir zu eigen hin,
nimm mein Herze zum Geschenke.
Alles, alles, was ich bin,
was ich rede, tu und denke,
soll, mein Heiland, nur allein
dir zum Dienst gewidmet sein.
7. Choral
Ei nun, mein Gott, so fall ich dir
getrost in deine Hände.
Nimm mich und mach es so mit mir
bis an mein letztes Ende,
wie du wohl weisst, dass meinem Geist
dadurch sein Nutz entstehe,
und deine Ehr je mehr und mehr
sich in ihr selbst erhöhe.
Translation
1. Chorus
All they from Sheba shall come:
they shall bring gold and incense;
and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord.
2. Chorale
The Kings from Sheba came forth,
gold, frankincense, myrrh they brought,
Alleluia!
3. Recitative (Bass)
What Isaiah there foretold,
at Bethlehem it came to pass.
Here the Wise Men gather
around the crib of Jesus,
and wish to proclaim Him as their king.
Gold, frankincense, myrrh
are the most precious gifts
with which they honour the little Jesus
in the stable at Bethlehem.
My Jesus,
if I now recall my duty,
I too must come to Thy crib
and likewise show my thanks:
because this day, for me, is a day of joy,
when Thou, O Prince of Life,
become the heathen’s light
and their Redeemer.
But what shall I bring Thee, King of Heaven?
If Thou dost not deem my heart too little,
accept it with grace,
for I have nothing more noble to bring.
4. Aria (Bass)
Gold from Ophir is too base,
away, away with vain gifts,
that you tear from the bowels of the earth!
Jesus would have your heart.
Offer this, O Christian throng,
to Jesus at the New Year!
5. Recitative (Tenor)
Do not despise, O Thou, the light of my soul,
my heart that I humbly bring Thee;
for it contains such things
within it
which are the fruits of Thy spirit.
The gold of faith, the frankincense of prayer,
the myrrh of patience, these are my gifts,
which Thou shalt, Jesus, evermore
have as Thine own, and as a gift from me.
But give Thyself to me as well,
Thou shalt make me the richest man on earth;
for, having Thee, I must inherit
the most abundant wealth
one day in Heaven.
6. Aria (Tenor)
Take me to Thyself as Thine own,
take my heart as a gift.
All and everything I am,
what I speak and do and think,
shall, my Saviour, be offered
to Thy service alone.
7. Chorale
Ah now, my God, I come to Thee
consoled into Thy hands.
Take me and guide me
until my final moment,
as Thou knowest well, that my soul
thereby will be benefitted,
and Thine own honour
be evermore exalted.
Credits
-
- Release date
- 6 January 2017
-
- Recording date
- 23 January 2016
-
- Location
- Grote Kerk, Harlingen
-
- Conductor
- Hans-Christoph Rademann
-
- Tenor
- Daniel Johannsen
-
- Bass
- Matthew Brook
-
- Ripieno soprano
- Lauren Armishaw, Lucie Chartin, Zsuzsi Toth
-
- Ripieno alto
- Elsbeth Gerritsen, Bart Uvyn, Barnabas Hegyi
-
- Ripieno tenor
- Immo Schröder, Kevin Skelton
-
- Ripieno bass
- Sebastian Myrus, Drew Santini
-
- Violin 1
- Sayuri Yamagata, Anneke van Haaften, Annelies van der Vegt
-
- Violin 2
- Pieter Affourtit, Hanneke Wierenga, Lidewij van der Voort
-
- Viola
- Staas Swierstra, Jan Willem Vis
-
- Cello
- Lucia Swarts, Richte van der Meer
-
- Double bass
- Robert Franenberg
-
- Oboe da caccia
- Martin Stadler, Peter Frankenberg
-
- Recorder
- Benny Aghassi, Lara Morris
-
- Horn
- Erwin Wieringa, Gijs Laceulle
-
- Bassoon
- Benny Aghassi
-
- Organ
- Bart Naessens
-
- Harpsichord
- Siebe Henstra
-
- Director
- Simon Aarden
-
- Assistant director
- Ferenc Soetman
-
- Music recording
- Guido Tichelman, Bastiaan Kuijt, Micha de Kanter
-
- Music edit and mix
- Guido Tichelman
-
- Camera
- Bart ten Harkel, Thijs Struick, Chris Reichgelt
-
- Lights
- Daan de Boer, Arjen Seykens
-
- Video engineer
- Vincent Nugteren
-
- Set technique
- Martin Struijf, Glenn van den Eerden, Marco Korzelius
-
- Data handling
- Jasper Blok
-
- Project manager nep
- Peter Ribbens
-
- Interview
- Gijs Besseling, Jan Van den Bossche
-
- Producer concert
- Imke Deters
-
- Producer film
- Marco Meijdam
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