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Bachs Oboe

A library of J.S.Bachs music for oboe

BWV 183 Sie werden Euch in den Bann tun

Cantata for the Sunday Exaudi

Complete score
Oboe d’amore 1
Oboe d’amore 2
Oboe da caccia 1
Oboe da caccia 2
Violoncello piccolo
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Continuo

This wonderful cantata from the 2nd Leipzig cantata cycle was performed for the first time on 13th of May 1725. Even though most of the cantatas of the second cycle are chorale cantatas (based on a church chorale), „Sie werden euch in den Bann tun“ is not. Bach stopped on eastern 1725 to use chorales, probably because his librettist for the chorale cantata cycle, Andreas Stübel, Konrektor of the St.Thomas church, died on 27th January 1725. The textbook for the sundays were then finished from Septuagesimae sunday, 28st january, until Announciation to Mary, 25th of march 1725.

Bach switched to a series of librettos from Christiana Mariana von Ziegler and so is the case in BWV 183. Bach slightly changed von Zieglers libretto.

In contrast to the cantata with the identical name BWV 44, which begins on the same dictum from the gospel in a duet for tenor and bass, the cantata in 1725 starts with the Vox Christi recitativo for basso accompied by no less than four oboe instruments: two oboi d’amore and two oboi da caccia (Bach later used the same oboe-instrumentation in the 2nd cantata of the Christmas oratorio).

It is followed by an aria for tenor and violoncello piccolo, a smaller tenor variant for the violoncello. The next movement is recitativo accompagnato for alto, the four oboes strings and basso continuo and resembles the text from Acts 21,13 where Paulus states:

Was macht ihr, daß ihr weinet und brechet mir mein Herz? Denn ich bin bereit, nicht allein mich binden zu lassen, sondern auch zu sterben zu Jerusalem und um des Namens willen desn Herrn Jesu.

Rectitativo 3:

Ich bin bereit, mein Blut und armes Leben
Vor dich, mein Heiland, hinzugeben,
Mein ganzer Mensch soll dir gewidmet sein;
Ich tröste mich, dein Geist wird bei mir stehen,
Gesetzt, es sollte mir vielleicht zuviel geschehen.

This connects the movements and the story of the cantata, aria 4 is a joyful dance for soprano, two oboi da caccia unisono and strings:

Höchster Tröster, Heilger Geist,
Der du mir die Wege weist,
Darauf ich wandeln soll,
Hilf meine Schwachheit mit vertreten,
Denn von mir selbst kann ich nicht beten,
Ich weiß, du sorgest vor mein Wohl!

The soul gains help through the holy spirit, who shows the way to redemption. The text even has a reference to Martin Luthers 4th verse of „Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist“:

Du höchster Tröster in aller Not,
Hilf, daß wir nicht fürchten Schand noch Tod,
Daß in uns die Sinnen nicht verzagen,
Wenn der Feind wird das Leben verklagen.
Kyrieleis.

The cantata closes with the 3rd verse of Paul Gerhards chorale „Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen“ on a melody from Wolfgang Filius.

The scores are based on Bachs authograph scores.

Epistle: 1 Peter 4, 8-11
Gospel: John 15,26-27 & 16,1-4

Bach cantatas website
Cantata text
Facsimile bach-digital.de
Facsimile parts bach-digital.de
Facsimile parts (doublets) bach-digital.de

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