Bach's Christmas Oratorio - Cantata 4

New Year's Day is also the Feast of the Circumcision in the liturgical calendar, the day on which Joseph and Mary named their child. Bach's fourth cantata in the oratorio for this day is Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben (Fall with thanks, fall with praise); after all the excitement, what with choirs of angels singing in the heavens and such, this cantata strikes a reflective note, a pause to absorb it all and ponder. Here's Simon Crouch on the subject:

The fourth part of the Christmas Oratorio starts in the now familiar fashion with a fine opening chorus (a parody of BWV 213/1) which is, perhaps, lower key than that which one might expect from the text. It does fit well, though, with the general mood of the cantata, which is one of reflection of the preceding events. In fact, the only narrative within the cantata, the first recitative, is that telling us that Christ is brought forth for circumcision. Reflective bass recitative then introduces a section of recitative with interlinear chorale singing sopranos. The famous echo aria that follows was parodied from BWV 213/5, where Hercules was talking things over with Echo and really, however beautiful it is here, its structure really does make more sense in its original setting. More recitative intermingled with chorale is followed by a lively and upbeat aria (parodied from BWV 213/7) in which the tenor pledges himself to the glory of the Lord. The cantata finishes with a very fine chorale setting with full orchestral accompaniment.

Copyright © 1999, Simon Crouch.

Unfortunately the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Peter Dijkstra doesn't seem to have posted videos for cantatas 4 and 5 of the oratorio. Fortunately, though, the excellent Early Music ensemble La Petite Bande under the direction of Sigiswald Kuijken does have a video for the fourth cantata, and they are one of the more important interpreters of Baroque music on the scene, which makes this performance well worth a listen. Enjoy!

     

Photo © 2017 by A. Roy Hilbinger