Bach: Cantata No. 109 “Ich glaube, lieber Herr, hilf meinem Unglauben” / Nikolaus Harnoncourt

The first choral piece, “Ich glaube, lieber Herr, hilf meinem Unglauben” features two cornos da caccia (tromba da tiralsi on the CD), two oboes, and a string ensemble. The theme melody is sung in a quiet, unobtrusive manner as the instruments and chorus intertwine with each other. The tromba da tirarsi (slide trumpet), which is sometimes added to the first violin and oboe’s line, is impressive. The tenor recitative was followed by the tenor aria “Wie zweifelhaftig ist mein Hoffen”. The dotted notes, reminiscent of a French overture for string ensemble, take a dramatic turn with anxious modulations. The surprising false end, which is assigned to the word “pain” (Schmerz), is shocking. The chromatic scale and diminished seventh chords are used extensively in this piece, a characteristic of Bach’s music. The piece probably brings anybody to mind “Ach Mein Sinn” from the John Passion. This is music that only Bach could have written. Following the alto recitative is the alto aria “Der Heiland kennet ja die Seinen” in which the two oboes play a joyful lornello that counteracts the seriousness of the previous aria. The final chorale, “Wer hofft in Gott und dem vertraut” is written in the form of a chorale fantasy accompanied by a full orchestra which would usually used to be placed at the beginning of the piece. #baroque #bach #cantata #片山俊幸