Composed for the Third Sunday after Epiphany, which fell on January 23, 1724, Bach's Cantata No. 73 "Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir" (Lord, as You will, so let it be with me) (BWV 73) sets a text by an unknown poet opposing the Lord's unbending will with mankind's sinful willfulness. The cantata is scored for tenor, bass and soprano soloists, chorus, strings, obbligato, and basso continuo, including a natural horn. "Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir" appears to be in G minor, but with only its first movement in the tonic (albeit ending with a picardy third); its second in the submediant of E flat major; and its third, fourth, and fifth movements in the subdominant of C minor. Retrospectively, the cantata can seem to be in C minor (the tonality of the final three movements) with the second movement in C minor's relative major and the opening movement functioning as a huge dominant. The first movement of the work is an unusual combination of a chorale fantasia for chorus and orchestra embodying the will of the Lord and recitatives for the three soloists depicting sinful and fearful humanity. The second movement is a da capo aria in the form of a trio sonata for tenor soloist, oboe, and continuo. The third movement is a very brief secco recitative for bass soloist and continuo, leading to the string-accompanied fourth movement aria for bass. "Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir" concludes with a harmonization of the entire chorus and orchestra.

© 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.