Composed for the Second Day of Christmas in 1725, Bach's Cantata No. 57 "Selig ist der Mann" (Blessed is the Man) (BWV 57) sets a cantata poem by Georg Christian Lehms. Lehms' 1711 poem is structured as a dialogue between the soul and Jesus, which Bach sets with the soul as a soprano ("my distress and pain would torture me forever, a feeble wounded worm writhing in its own juices") and Jesus as a bass ("Afflicted soul, leave off they sorrow, the sun will brightly shine tomorrow, the clouds of woe will roll away"). The cantata is scored for a dour orchestra of two oboes, taille, strings, and basso continuo, plus chorus in the final chorale. "Selig ist der Mann" starts in G minor, but ends in the relative major of B flat major with its first, second, and seventh movements in the tonic and its third, fourth, fifth, and eighth movements in the relative major of B flat major. The brief sixth movement starts in B flat major and ends on the dominant of G minor, the tonality of its seventh movement. The first movement is a triple-time aria for the bass soloists, with the strings doubled by oboes in an imitative counterpoint above a flowing basso continuo. The second movement is a terrified secco recitative for soprano soloist and continuo. The third is a triple-time aria for soprano soloist and strings continuo. The fourth is very brief secco recitative for both soloists and continuo. The fifth is a joyful triple-time Vivace aria for bass soloist, strings, and continuo. The sixth is a second secco recitative for both soloists and continuo. The seventh movement is a vivid triple-time Allegro aria in the form of a trio sonata for the soprano soloist and solo violin over a staccato continuo. "Selig ist der Mann" concludes with a simple chorale harmonization for chorus and full orchestra colla parte.

© All Music Guide

Portions of Content Provided by All Music Guide.
© 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. All Music Guide is a registered trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.