The Immanuel Bach Cantata Vespers series continues its 23rd season at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12 with Bach Cantata #61: Nun komm, der heiden Heiland (Savior of the Nations, Come.) Fellowship and refreshments follow the service.
The cantata was written for the first Sunday of Advent and based on Luther’s Advent chorale of the same name, which is ELW #263. The chorale prays for the coming of the Savior and gives thanks and awe for the divine gift.
Luther’s hymn was included in the very first Lutheran hymnal of 1524 and is core of Lutheran Advent hymnody. In fact it was the proscribed Hymn Of The Day for the first Sunday of Advent.
The central message of the cantata has two parts:
- We plead for Messiah to come to save us
- Will we accept him into our hearts?
The Sunday lessons on which the cantata was based were Romans 13: 11-14, in which Paul warns early Christians to get ready to receive Christ; and Matthew 21: 1-9, Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
The Advent mood of this cantata requires a strings-only orchestra, soprano, tenor and bass soloists and choir.
Here’s what to listen for in the cantata:
- The opening choral fantasy is in the form of a French Overture—a three-part musical structure for kingly entry procession—appropriate to first Advent Sunday and to Christ’s entry to earth. The movement opens the first part with a section of stately dotted rhythms where each voice repeats the first line of the chorale, followed by all voices singing together the second line of the chorale. The second part continues in the form of a brisk dance fugue, three beats to the bar marked “gai,” in which voices sing independently of each other the third line of the chorale. We hear the happy throng of the world receiving her king. The third part returns to the stately processional style of the first section for the fourth and final line of the chorale—in every way the entrance of royalty.
- In the second part, the tenor (Evangelist) sings a recitative to outline the significance of the Incarnation. “The Savior has come, has taken on himself our poor flesh and blood, and receives us as blood-relatives. O most precious good, what have you not done for us?” The music moves into a flowing Arioso and he continues: “You pour down from heaven its radiant light and blessing.”
- The tenor then moves into a beautiful aria with flowing string accompaniment: “Come, Jesus, come to thy church and grant a blessed new year. Advance thy name’s honor, Preserve the sound teaching and bless pulpit and altar.
- The fourth movement is both unusual and pivotal. In his recitative, the bass (Jesus) sings the lesson from Revelations 3:20: “Behold, I stand before the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to you, there make my home and celebrate the evening meal.” The strings begin with dissonant knocking chords, played by plucking the strings. We hear in them the savior knocking. Will we open our hearts?
- The soprano speaks for us as the individual Soul in her aria in the fifth part, answering the door: “Open wide to him, O heart of mine. Jesus comes to enter.” It is interesting that these opening phrases all have a rest of silence mid phrase—creating an open space where Jesus might enter. The music slows, becomes more serious and she sings, “Though I am but dust and earth, yet He would not disdain to find his pleasure in me, so that I become his dwelling”. The music again picks up as she exclaims: “Oh, how blessed I shall be!” With only the simplest of accompaniment (cello and organ) she must stand alone to personally open her own heart.
- In the final movement, the chorus joins to celebrate the Christ coming into all our hearts. Bach concludes the cantata with the last half of the beautiful Epiphany chorale “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright!” (found as ELW #308 and prescribed for the Feast of the Annunciation). He uses the last two lines of the hymn--perhaps to portray the “can’t wait” anxiousness to receive the Savior. Sopranos sing the melody high above the other voices who underscore the phrases in anxious musical activity. In the last line, the first violins ascend a long scale to the very highest final note. It is the morning star shining brightly as Christ takes his place in our sky—a beacon of hope and assurance. This final movement is a beckoning prayer of petition for the Christ to enter our hearts:“Come, O beautiful crown-of-joy, tarry not long! I await for thee with yearning.”
Join our Vespers worship to welcome the Savior. Experience the Savior knocking at your heart’s door and be there to open your heart to welcome him in. Experience the lessons in a profound way and invite a friend to share the experience of worship and music.
William T. Stewart, Bach Cantata Vespers Director
