(No. 95) BACH
'CHRISTUS DER 1ST MEIN LEBEN
(' 0 CHRIST My ALL') ')
Relayed from the Midland Institute,
Birmingham
DORIS VANE (Soprano)
TOM PICKERING (Tenor)
JOSEPH FARRINGTON (Bass)
CYRIL CHRISTOPHER (Continue)
THE BIRMINGHAM STUDIO CHORUS and ORCHESTRA
Conducted by JOSEPH Lewis *
The text is reprinted by courtesy of Mcssrr.
Novello & Co., Ltd
I. C orus :
0 Christ, my all in living, Dying brings me reward
What joy to end the striving, And come to Thee, my Lord I
Tenor Solo:
With joyful, O yea, with joyful heart I make me ready to be departing, And if God call to me today,
Content and glad am I to go ;
My weary limbs, my frail and wasted body. My feeble mortal frame,
To earth again do I willingly surrender. My dying song hath long been made; If only the hour had come to sing it I
Chorus :
In peace and joy from life I part, As God ordaineth,
And sweet content is o'er my heart. Soft and tender;
Now, as God foretold to me,
Is death made one with slumbei n. Recitative end Chorale, Soprano :
Oh, sinful world, now have I done with thee for evermore !
My mansion is prepared, where sweeter rest is mine
Than when I was with thee, and tasted at thy bidding
The bitterness of idle pleasures. The vain delight of empty joys, The deadly fruit of disenchantment.
No, no I Now can I say, with calm. untroubled spirit:
Content am I to leave thee, 0 world of sin and pain,
For all I now surrender I count not loss but gain.
In Heav'n is joy eternal. And love beyond all worth.
For there the Saints are gathered, Whr served their Lord on earth.
III. Recitative, Tenor :
0 would the hour were close at hand for me !
If only death the end 01 all my pain, Ere long would claim me for its own I
How eagerly would I prepare to give it welcome,
And count the hours until its coming I
IV. Air, Tenor:
Ah, toll for me soon, bell most holy, Thou most desired and welcome bell !
Come, I give to thee my hand in greeting. Come, end for me my pain and sorrow, Thou long awaited day of death I
V. Recitative, Bass
For this I know and sure is my belief, that I shall soon arise from the grave and go unto my heav'nly Father's dwelling. My death is but a sleep that eaUeth me to rest from weariness and sorrow of earthly labour... -
Doth not a shepherd seek his sheep ast ray, and will not Jesus seek until He find me ? He is my head, and am I not His limbs ? On one sure hope my faith is builded that I shall rise again-My Saviour's loving mercy.
VI Chorale :
Since Thou hast risen from the grave, My soul to Thee ascendeth,
The pledge Thy loving mercy gave New strength and courage lendeth. "Where'er Thou art I come to Theo, For there alone is found for me A joy that never endeth I
Cantatas for the nest four Sundays are :—
September 22. No. 114-
' Ach lieben Christen, seid getrost.'
' Ye Christian people, weep no more.'
September 29. No. 19—
Es erhub sich ein Streit.'
' A strife arose.'
October 6. No. 5—
' Wo soil ich fliehen hin ' Whither shall. I flee ? '
October 13. No. 180—
' Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele." ' Rise, 0 Soul.'