Bach: Cantata No. 161 “Komm, du süße Todesstunde” / Nikolaus Arnoncourt

Cantata from the Weimar period, composed with lyrics by Salomon Frank. It begins with the alto aria “Komm, du süße Todesstunde”. The obbligato is played by two recorders. The basso continuo is designated as “organ” and the right hand plays a part of the chorale melody with the figured basses. The recorders are written in French violin clef in E-flat major. Why is this? Perhaps it is due to the pitch of the organ, but it is also possible that different sized recorders are used. If anyone knows more details, please let me know. Following the tenor recitative, the tenor aria “Mein Verlangen ist, den Heiland zu umfangen” is sung with string accompaniment. The alto recitative “Der Schluß ist schon gemacht” is sung with full orchestra. In the final arioso section, recorder repetitions of16th notes and string pizzicato announce “the hour of death”. This is the same method used in the first movement of the cantata “Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben” (BWV , where the traverso is used. The chorus “Wenn es meines Gottes Wille” is also performed by a full orchestra. Two recorders add a flourish to the homophonic chorus. The final chorale “Der Leib zwar in der Erden” is also sung by two independent recorders obligato.　#Baroque #Bach #Cantata #片山俊幸 https://excelkobo.net/bachwerke/archive/BWV0161.pdf