Bach: Cantata No. 120 “Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille” / Nikolaus Harnoncourt
This cantata was composed for the “Ratswechsel” (City Council Member Election) of the city of Leipzig. The first piece is an alto aria “Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille” with two oboes d’amore and string accompaniment. Paul Esswood sings the richly ornamented Siciliano melody with great fluidity. The second piece is the chorus “Jauchzet, ihr erfreuten Stimmen” where three trumpets and timpani enter for the first time to create a festive sound. This movement was later used as “Credo_et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum” in the “Mass in B minor”. Following the bass recitative, the soprano aria “Heil und Segen” is a joyful piece with the solo violin playing a decorative obbligato over the string ensemble, and Markus Huber’s (Wiener Sangerknaben) soprano is very good. Following the tenor recitative, the piece closes solemnly with the chorale “Nun hilf uns, Herr, den Dienern dein” (German translation of Martin Luther’s “Te Deum”). #baroque #bach #cantata #片山俊幸
