Composed in Weimar for the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, which fell on September 27, 1716, Bach's Cantata No. 161 "Komm, du susse Todesstunde" (Come, Sweet Death) (BWV 161) sets a text by Salomon Franck with the text of the closing movement taken from a chorale byChristoph Knoll from 1611. The cantata is scored for alto and tenor soloists, chorus, a pair of flutes, strings, and basso continuo. "Komm, du susse Todesstunde" is in C major with its first, second, fourth, and fifth movements in the tonic and its third movement in the relative minor of A minor. However, all of the C major movements lean heavily toward the relative minor, giving the cantata a more mournful quality. The first movement is a fusion of an aria for alto soloist with recorders and organ obbligato plus continuo with statements of lines from Knoll's chorale by the sopranos. The second movement starts as a sorrowful secco recitative for tenor soloist and continuo, but becomes much more ornate in its final bars. The third movement is a da capo aria for tenor soloist and strings with continuo. The fourth movement is a highly involved recitative for alto soloist with flutes and strings plus continuo. "Komm, du susse Todesstunde" concludes with a combination double concerto for the flute soloists accompanied by strings and continuo with a lushly harmonized statement of Knoll's chorale for chorus.

© 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.