Bach: Cantata No. 41 “Jesu, nun sei gepreiset” / Nikolaus Harnoncourt

A festive cantata written for the New Year and premiered in January 1725. It is based on a hymn by Johannes Hermann. The opening chorus, “Jesu, nun sei gepreiset” is a choral fantasy with three trumpets, timpani, three oboes, and strings. The soprano sings a cantus firmus which is accompanied by the other voices singing a free counter melody. After an adagio section in the middle, it becomes a fugue alla breve. And it returns to the festive beginning of the movement. The second movement is the soprano aria “Laß uns, o höchster Gott” accompanied by three oboes. The joyful melody is sung in the Gigue rhythm. The tenor aria “Woferne du den edlen Frieden” at an adagio tempo, with a mournful obbligato from the cello piccolo. Kurt Equiluz sings in graceful and charming voice. The bass recitative is interrupted by the chorus section “Den Satan unter unsre Füße treten (Tread the Satan under our feet)”. The final “Dein ist allein die Ehre, dein ist allein der Ruhm” begins with a simple chorale, but the opening instrumental passage appears at the interval of the line of chorale. The second half, “Solch’s singet” changes the beat and returns to the original beat with “Und wünscht”. #baroque #bach #cantata #片山俊幸