‘Hebr, GEHE NICHT IN'S GERICHT’
(LORD, ENTER NOT INTO WRATH)
Relayed from the Guildhall School of Music
ALICE MoxoN (Soprano) Doris OWENS (Contralto)
TOM Purvis (Tenor)
ARTHUR CRANMER (Bass)
THE WIRELESS CHORUS
JOHN FIELD (Oboe)
AMBROSE GAUNTLETT
(Violoncello)
Continuo EUGENE CRUFT (Bass)
LESLIE WOODGATE t (Organ)
THE WIRELESS ORCHESTRA
(Trumpet, Oboes and Strings)
Conducted by STANFORD ROBINSON
THIS Cantata has a striking and impressive opening chorus in which the vocal parts arc simple and straightforward, while the instrumental accompaniments illustrate, in the most vivid way, the images which the text calls up. Schweitzer hears, in this first chorus, the- anxious trembling, the sighing and groaning, of the reluctant sinner as he comes before the Judgment Seat.
In the same picturesque way, the words ' zittern und wanken' (trembling and reeling) in the third number, are vivified by the oboe figure above the quavering of the strings. The hint of death in the bass recitative which follows, gives Bach an opportunity of suggesting funeral bells in the orchestra-bells which have something of gladness in their tone ; this sense of joy grows in the tenor aria, ' If my Lord Jesus only deigns to love me,' to one of real gaiety, voicing the soul's release. The Chorale at the end has a full and interesting orchestral accompaniment, eloquent of the spirit's passing into peace.
More than many of the other
Cantatas, it has a sense of unity : though composed in separate numbers, it forms a compact and complete whole.
L—Chorus:
* Lord, enter not into wrath with Thy servant ; for shall no man in Thy sight be justified’ (Psalm cxliii, 2).
II—Recit. (Atlo) :
0 God, do not condemn when in Thy presence awful I bow, humbly with reverent mien to Thee I I know how just Thy wrath, how great my trespass is; that Thou hast right whene'er Thou chastenest, and that Thy judgment faultless is. I offer Thee a full confession here ; nor would Thine anger I desire my sore offences hiding, my trespass false denying.
III.—Aria (Soprano) :
Thoughts. fearful and. haunting, The sinner are daunting.
Mark how one the other's fault bitter condemneth
And see, too, how eager each t'other arraigneth I
Thus conscience is vexed and tormented, And by deep misgiving is daunted.
IV.—Recit, (Bass) :
But happy he who his Redeemer knows, and all his reckoning payeth Clean shall his sinning be expunged when Jesus with His Blood it washeth. Himself He nails it fast, to His own Cross. Thyself, thy goods, thy body soul, and spirit, He wHi, when Death's dread belfry tolls, present unto the Father through His merit. Then, when thy body's dead and earth upon it falls, to dust from dust returning, thy Lord will call thee hence to bliss in heaven.
V.-Aria (Tenor) :
If My Lord Jesus only deigns to love me. I count vain Mammon nothing worth. They're dross to me, the joys of earth,
Vain empty trifles all They nought can allure me.
VI.— Chorale :
Now I know that Thou art loving, And hast moved my load of sin.
Lord, Thy promise sure is coming. It doth ease my heart within. Through this life's long weary journey
None is e'er forgotten by Thee. ' Who on Thee in faith believes Blest-joy in heaven receives.
(The words are taken from' Bachg Cantata Tertt, Sacred and Secular,' by C. Sanford Terry ;) by permission of Constable and Co.)
Cantatas for the next four Sundays are :—
August 4. No. 101—
'Nimm von uns Herr, du treuer Gott.'
‘O take from us, thou righteous
Lord.'
August 11. No. 179—
' Siehe zu, dass deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei.'
' Take thou hoed, thy praise of God be not a false and vain thing.'
August 18. No. 137—
' Lobe den Herren, den mach. tigen Konig cfer Ehren.'
'Praise Him the Father.'
August 25. No. 95-
' Christus der ist mein Leben.’
' 0 Christ my all.'