Unser Mund sei voll Lachens, BWV 110
Encyclopedia
Unser Mund sei voll Lachens, BWV
110, is a cantata
written by Johann Sebastian Bach
.
, alto
, tenor
, and bass
soloists, four-part chorus
, three trumpets, three oboe
s, two Western concert flute
s, fagotto (bassoon
), strings
, timpani
, and continuo
.
, Jeremiah 10
, and the second chapter of Luke
.
that expresses wonder about the nature of man that the Lord should seek to redeem him through such painful action.
BWV
The Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis is the numbering system identifying compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. The prefix BWV, followed by the work's number, is the shorthand identification for Bach's compositions...
110, is a cantata
Bach cantata
Bach cantata became a term for a cantata of the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach who was a prolific writer of the genre. Although many of his works are lost, around 200 cantatas survived....
written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
.
Instrumentation
This cantata is written for sopranoSoprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, alto
Alto
Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...
, tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
, and bass
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
soloists, four-part chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, three trumpets, three oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s, two Western concert flute
Western concert flute
The Western concert flute is a transverse woodwind instrument made of metal or wood. It is the most common variant of the flute. A musician who plays the flute is called a flautist, flutist, or flute player....
s, fagotto (bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
), strings
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
, timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
, and continuo
Figured bass
Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones, in relation to a bass note...
.
Origin
This piece is based on Psalm 126Psalm 126
Psalm 126 or Shir Hama'alot is a psalm and common piece of liturgy. It is one of the Songs of Ascents.-Text:A song of Ascents...
, Jeremiah 10
Book of Jeremiah
The Book of Jeremiah is the second of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the book of Isaiah and preceding Ezekiel and the Book of the Twelve....
, and the second chapter of Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
.
Movements
- Chorus: Unser Mund sei voll Lachens
- AriaAriaAn aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
(Tenor): Ihr Gedanken und ihr Sinnen - RecitativeRecitativeRecitative , also known by its Italian name "recitativo" , is a style of delivery in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms of ordinary speech...
(Bass): Dir, Herr, ist niemand gleich - Aria (Alto): Ach Herr! was ist ein Menschenkind
- Duet (Soprano, Alto): Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe
- Aria (Bass): Wacht auf, ihr Adern und ihr Glieder
- ChoraleChoraleA chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
: Alleluja! Gelobt sei Gott
Chorus
The opening chorus is "May our mouth be full of laughter and our tongues full of praise", which is an adaptation of the Bach's Overture in D major, BWV 1069. The soprano/tenor duet "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe" is a version of Bach's Magnificat. The cantata begins with its most powerful section, the opening chorus, which calls for all instruments to be performing besides bassoon. The text concludes with acknowledgement that the Lord has achieved great things for his people.Tenor Aria
A tenor aria includes two intertwining flutes as the soloist describes soaring thoughts and senses, prompted by the thought that God-become-man intends that his people be "Himmels Kinder", (heaven's children). A bass recitative (You, Lord, are unlike any other) is followed by an alto aria (Ach Herr, was ist ein Menschenkind) accompanied by oboe d'amoreOboe d'amore
The oboe d'amore , less commonly oboe d'amour, is a double reed woodwind musical instrument in the oboe family. Slightly larger than the oboe, it has a less assertive and more tranquil and serene tone, and is considered the mezzo-soprano of the oboe family, between the oboe itself and the cor...
that expresses wonder about the nature of man that the Lord should seek to redeem him through such painful action.
Soprano/Alto Duet
The two voices shine over a simple organ and continuo accompaniment as they offer to God glory in the highest as peace on Earth is awaited because the child has come as a sign of favor.Chorale
The closing chorale is related to the third section of the composer's Christmas Oratorio: "Alleluia! All praise be given God from the bottom of our hearts."Recordings
- J.S. Bach: Kantaten BWV 21, 110 (Ramin Edition Vol. 1), Günther RaminGünther RaminGünther Werner Hans Ramín was an influential German organist, conductor, composer and pedagogue in the first half of the 20th century....
, ThomanerchorThomanerchorThe Thomanerchor is a boys' choir in Leipzig, Germany. The choir was founded in 1212. At present, the choir consists of 92 boys from 9 to 18 years of age...
, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Gertrud Birmele, Lotte Wolf-Matthäus, Gert Lutze, Friedrich Härtel, organ: Diethard HellmannDiethard HellmannDiethard Hellmann was a German Kantor and an academic in Leipzig, Mainz and Munich.-Professional career:...
, harpsichord: Karl Richter, Fidelio 1947 - Les Grandes Cantates de J.S. Bach Vol. 11, Fritz WernerFritz WernerFritz Werner was a German choral conductor, church music director, conductor, organist and composer...
, Heinrich-Schütz-Chor Heilbronn, Pforzheim Chamber OrchestraPforzheim Chamber OrchestraPforzheim Chamber Orchestra, full German name: Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim, full English name South West German Chamber Orchestra Pforzheim, is an internationally known German chamber orchestra based in Pforzheim.- History :...
, Friederike Sailer, Claudia HellmannClaudia HellmannClaudia Hellmann is a German contralto singer in opera and concert.- Biography :Claudia Hellmann studied voice in Berlin with Erika Garski....
, Helmut KrebsHelmut KrebsHelmut Krebs was a distinguished German tenor in opera and concert, who sang a wide range of roles from Baroque to contemporary works.-Professional career:...
, Erich Wenk, EratoErato RecordsErato Records is a record label founded in 1953 to promote French classical music. In 1992 it became part of Warner Bros. Records. In 1999 Erato launched a subsidiary Detour Records....
1961 - J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 15, Ton KoopmanTon KoopmanTon Koopman is a conductor, organist and harpsichordist.Koopman had a "classical education" and then studied the organ , harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam...
, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & ChoirAmsterdam Baroque Orchestra & ChoirThe Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir is a Dutch early-music group based in Amsterdam.The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir was created in two stages by the conductor, organist and harpsichordist Ton Koopman. He founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra in 1979 and the Amsterdam Baroque Choir in...
, Sandrine PiauSandrine PiauSandrine Piau is an opera soprano. Trained as a harpist, she studied voice at the Collège Lamartine and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique du Paris....
, Bogna BartoszBogna BartoszBogna Bartosz is a Polish classical mezzo-soprano and alto.- Biography :Bogna Bartosz studied voice at the Academy of Music in Gdansk and graduated with distinction...
, Paul AgnewPaul AgnewPaul Agnew is a Scottish operatic tenor.Agnew read music as a Choral Scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford. He became associated with the Consort of Musicke, the Tallis Scholars, the Sixteen and the Gothic Voices, before embarking on a solo career in the early 1990s.Closely associated with William...
, Klaus MertensKlaus MertensKlaus Mertens is a German bass and bass-baritone singer who is known especially for his interpretation of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach.-Professional career:Klaus Mertens took singing lessons while attending school...
, Antoine Marchand