Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
BWV 62
Chorale cantata by J. S. Bach
Martin Luther, author of the hymn, in 1533 by Lucas Cranach the Elder
Occasion	First Sunday in Advent
Chorale	"Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" by Martin Luther
Performed	3 December 1724 (1724-12-03): Leipzig^[1]
Movements	6
Vocal	SATB choir and solo
Instrumental	horn 2 oboes 2 violins 2 violas continuo

Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (Now come, Savior of the heathens),^[2] BWV 62, in Leipzig for the first Sunday in Advent and first performed it on 3 December 1724. The chorale cantata is based on Martin Luther's Advent hymn "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland". It is part of his chorale cantata cycle.

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Transcription

History and words

Bach wrote the cantata in 1724, his second year as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, for the First Sunday of Advent.^[3] The prescribed readings for the Sunday were from the Epistle to the Romans, night is advanced, day will come (Romans 13:11–14), and from the Gospel of Matthew, the Entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9). The cantata is based on Martin Luther's Advent hymn in eight stanzas "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland", the number one hymn to begin the Liturgical year in all Lutheran hymnals.^[4] The unknown poet retained the first and last stanza, paraphrased stanzas 2 and 3 to an aria, stanzas 4 and 5 to a recitative, the remaining stanzas to an aria and a duet recitative.

Bach first performed the cantata on 3 December 1724,^[3] and he performed it again in 1736, adding a part for violone in all movements, after the Thomasschule had bought an instrument at an auction in 1735.^[5] Bach's successor Johann Friedrich Doles performed the cantata after Bach's death.^[4]

Scoring and structure

The cantata in six movements is scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of horn only to support the chorale melody, two oboes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.^[3]

Chorus: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
Aria (tenor): Bewundert, o Menschen, dies große Geheimnis
Recitative (bass): So geht aus Gottes Herrlichkeit und Thron
Aria (bass): Streite, siege, starker Held!
Recitative (soprano, alto): Wir ehren diese Herrlichkeit
Chorale: Lob sei Gott dem Vater ton

Music

The old hymn tune is in four lines, the last one equal to the first.^[6] The instrumental ritornello of the opening chorus already quotes this line, first in the continuo, then slightly different in meter in the oboes.^[3]^[7] Other than these quotes, the orchestra plays a free concerto with the oboes introducing a theme, the first violin playing figuration. The ritornello appears shortened three times to separate the lines of the text and in full at the end.^[3] The soprano sings the cantus firmus in long notes, while the lower voices prepare each entry in imitation.^[7] Alfred Dürr suggests that Bach was inspired to the festive setting in 6/4 time by the entry into Jerusalem.^[3] Christoph Wolff stresses that the instrumentation is simple because Advent was a "season of abstinence".^[4] Church music was allowed in Leipzig only on the first Sunday of Advent. John Eliot Gardiner observes about all three extant cantatas for this occasion, also Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 61, and Schwingt freudig euch empor, BWV 36, which all deal with Luther's hymn, that they "display a sense of excitement at the onset of the Advent season. This can be traced back both to qualities inherent in the chorale tune itself, and to the central place Bach gives to Luther's words."^[5]

The first aria deals with the mystery of "the Supreme Ruler appears to the world, … the purity will be entirely unblemished."^[2] in Siciliano rhythm and string accompaniment, doubled in tutti-sections by the oboes. In great contrast the second aria stresses fight, "Struggle, conquer, powerful hero!",^[2] in a continuo line.^[3] In a later version it is doubled by the upper strings.^[4] Gardiner regards its "pompous, combative character" as a sketch for the aria "Großer Herr und starker König" (#8) from Part I of Bach's Christmas Oratorio.^[5] The duet recitative expresses thanks, "We honor this glory", intimately accompanied by the strings. The closing stanza is a four-part setting.^[3]

Recordings

Cantatas, Erhard Mauersberger, Thomanerchor, Gewandhausorchester, Adele Stolte, Gerda Schriever, Peter Schreier, Theo Adam, Eterna 1967
J. S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk – Sacred Cantatas Vol. 4, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Tölzer Knabenchor, Concentus Musicus Wien, soloist of the Tölzer Knabenchor, Paul Esswood, Kurt Equiluz, Ruud van der Meer, Teldec 1977
Die Bach Kantate Vol. 60, Helmuth Rilling, Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Inga Nielsen, Helen Watts, Aldo Baldin, Philippe Huttenlocher, Hänssler 1980
J. S. Bach: Adventskantaten, John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Nancy Argenta, Petra Lang, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Olaf Bär, Archiv Produktion 1992
J. S. Bach: Advent Cantatas, Philippe Herreweghe, Collegium Vocale Gent, Sibylla Rubens, Sarah Connolly, Christoph Prégardien, Peter Kooy, Harmonia Mundi France 1996. HMC901605.
Bach Edition Vol. 12 – Cantatas Vol. 6, Pieter Jan Leusink, Holland Boys Choir, Netherlands Bach Collegium, Ruth Holton, Sytse Buwalda, Nico van der Meel, Bas Ramselaar, Brilliant Classics 1999
J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 13, Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Deborah York, Franziska Gottwald, Paul Agnew, Klaus Mertens, Antoine Marchand 2000. CC72213.
J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 13, John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Joanne Lunn, William Towers, Jan Kobow, Dietrich Henschel, Soli Deo Gloria 2000. SDG 162.
J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 28 – Cantatas from Leipzig 1724, Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, Yukari Nonoshita, Robin Blaze, Makoto Sakurada, Peter Kooy, BIS 2004. BIS-1221.
J. S. Bach: Cantatas for the Complete Liturgical Year Vol. 9, Sigiswald Kuijken, La Petite Bande, Gerlinde Sämann, Petra Noskaiová, Christoph Genz, Jan van der Crabben, Accent 2008. ACC25309.

References

^ "Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 62". Bach Digital.
^ ^a ^b ^c Dellal, Pamela (2021). "BWV 62 – Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland". pameladellal.com. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Dürr, Alfred (1981). Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach (in German). Vol. 1 (4 ed.). Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag. pp. 97–100. ISBN 3-423-04080-7.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Wolff, Christoph (2002). "Chorale cantatas from the cycle of the Leipzig church cantatas 1724–25" (PDF). Ton Koopman (liner notes on Bach Cantatas Website). pp. 8–9. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gardiner, John Eliot (2009). Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Cantatas Nos 36, 61, 62, 70, 132 & 147 (Media notes). Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website). Retrieved 31 December 2018.
^ Braatz, Thomas; Oron, Aryeh (28 May 2006). "Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
^ ^a ^b Mincham, Julian (2010). "Chapter 27 Bwv 62 – The Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach". jsbachcantatas.com. Retrieved 22 August 2022.

External links

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62: performance by the Netherlands Bach Society (video and background information)
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Cantata BWV 62 Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, Bach Cantatas Website
Luke Dahn: BWV 62.6 bach-chorales.com

v t e Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach
Before Leipzig	Early: BWV 4 131 71 1138.1 & .2 106 196 150 143 Weimar: BWV 61 70a 186a 132 147a 63 152 155 18 54 80a 182 31 12 172 165 21 185 199 161 162 163 Köthen: BWV Anh. 5
First cycle (1723–24)	Between Trinity and Advent: BWV 75 76 24 167 147 186 136 105 46 179 69a 77 25 138 95 148 48 109 89 60 90 70 From Advent to Trinity: BWV 40 64 190 153 65 154 73 81 83 144 181 22 23 66 134 67 104 166 86 37 44 59 184
Second cycle (and chorale cantatas)	Chorale cantatas between Trinity and Easter: BWV 20 2 7 135 10 93 107 178 94 101 113 33 78 99 8 130 114 96 5 180 38 115 139 26 116 62 91 121 133 122 41 123 124 3 111 92 125 126 127 1 Continuation of the second cycle: BWV 6 42 85 103 108 87 128 183 74 68 175 176 Later additions to the chorale cantata cycle: BWV 80 137 129 58 112 140 177 9 14 Other late chorale cantatas: BWV 117 192 100 97
Third cycle	After Trinity 1725: BWV 168 164 79 Liturgical year 1725–26: BWV 110 57 151 28 16 32 13 72 146 43 39 88 170 187 45 102 35 17 19 27 47 169 56 49 98 55 52 1727: BWV 82 84 34 173
Later and other	Picander cycle: BWV 149 188 197a 171 156 159 145 174 Late parodies: BWV 36 30 191 200 248 (I, II, III, IV, V, VI) 1083 Council election (Leipzig): BWV 119 193 29 120 69 (lost: 1139.1, 1140–1141) Wedding: BWV 34a 195 120a 197 Funeral: 157 244a Other: 194 190a 120b 51 158 50 Doubtful: 53 142 189 217 220 221 223 224
Bach cantata List of Bach cantatas Discography: Monteverdi Choir/Koopman/Teldec

v t e Advent
Liturgy	Advent Sunday Angelus Christmas Eve Ember days Gaudete Sunday Hail Mary Magnificat Saint Nicholas Day
Narratives	Fall of man Christian messianic prophecies Isaiah 9:6 Isaiah 53 Davidic dynasty in Bible prophecy Genealogy of Jesus John 1:1 John the Baptist Saint Joseph's dreams Tree of Jesse
Traditions	Advent calendar Advent candle Christingle Hanging of the greens Christmas markets List Stir-up Sunday Advent wreath Moravian star
Songs and hymns	"Adam lay ybounden" "Advent är mörker och kyla" Advent song Adventstid Angelus ad virginem "Bereden väg för Herran" "Come, thou Redeemer of the earth" "Conditor alme siderum" "The Cherry-Tree Carol" "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus" "Det är advent" "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" Gabriel's Message "The Holly and the Ivy" "Hosianna, Davids son" "In das Warten dieser Welt" "Jesus Christ the Apple Tree" "Kündet allen in der Not" "Lo! He comes with clouds descending" "Long Ago, Prophets Knew" "Macht hoch die Tür" "Macht weit die Pforten in der Welt" "Maria durch ein Dornwald ging" "Meine Seele, dank und singe" "Mit Ernst, o Menschenkinder" "Der Morgenstern ist aufgedrungen" "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" O Antiphons "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" "O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf" "O How Shall I Receive Thee" "Of the Father's Heart Begotten" Rorate Caeli "Sei uns willkommen, Herre Christ" "Singet fröhlich im Advent" "There is no rose of such virtue" "Tochter Zion, freue dich" "Savior of the Nations, Come" "Vi tänder ett ljus i advent" "Hark, a Thrilling Voice Is Sounding" "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme"
Cantatas and other music	Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht, BWV 186a Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn, BWV 132 Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147a Handel's Messiah (Part I) Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (Böhm) Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 61 Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62 This Is the Record of John Unser lieben Frauen Traum Virga Jesse (Bruckner) Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140 Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! BWV 70a Wir sagen euch an den lieben Advent List of Advent cantatas
Music publications	Carols for Choirs The New English Hymnal The Oxford Book of Carols The New Oxford Book of Carols Piae Cantiones The English Hymnal Hymns Ancient and Modern The Hymnal 1982
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