Bach: Cantata No. 16 “Herr Gott, dich loben wir” / Gustav Leonhardt
The first movement chorus, Herr Gott, dich loben wir, is based on Martin Luther’s translation of Te Deum into German. The piece begins with a basso continuo, with the soprano and corno da caccia playing the melody of the “Te Deum”, and the other voices singing the antiphonal melody. The piece remains half cadence, and continues to a bass recitative. The third piece is the four-voices aria “Laßt uns jauchzen, laßt uns freuen,” in which the bass voices lead throughout the piece, with a long solo section in the middle. The solo by Corno da Caccia is also an important element. After the alto recitative the tenor da capo aria “Geliebter Jesu, du allein,” is sung with the oboe da caccia’s charming obbligato. What a gentle and warm tune! The piece ends with the chorale “All solch dein Güt wir preisen”. #baroque #bach #cantata #片山俊幸
