Ich habe meine Zuversicht, BWV 188

Ich habe meine Zuversicht
BWV 188
Church cantata by J. S. Bach
Performed17 October 1728? (1728?-10-17): Leipzig
Movements6
VocalSATB choir and solo
Instrumental
  • 2 oboes
  • taille
  • 2 violins
  • viola
  • organ
  • continuo

Ich habe meine Zuversicht (I have [placed] my confidence), BWV 188, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the cantata in Leipzig for the 21st Sunday after Trinity and probably first performed it on 17 October 1728.

History and text

[edit]

Bach composed this cantata for the 21st Sunday after Trinity. However, the score was "cut to pieces and sold to private individuals" in the 1800s; the work as it now exists is a reconstruction.[1]

The prescribed readings for the day were Ephesians 6:10–17, and John 4:46–54. The text for movements 2 to 5 was written by Picander.[2] The sixth movement is an anonymous chorale, "Auf meinen lieben Gott", written before 1603.[3]

The earliest possible date for the first performance is 17 October 1728, but it could have also been a year later.[4]

Scoring and structure

[edit]

The work is scored for four solo voices (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, two oboes, taille, two violins, viola, organ, and basso continuo.[3]

The piece has six movements:

  1. Sinfonia
  2. Aria (tenor): Ich habe meine Zuversicht
  3. Recitative (bass): Gott meint es gut mit jedermann
  4. Aria (alto): Unerforschlich ist die Weise
  5. Recitative (soprano): Die Macht der Welt verlieret sich
  6. Chorale: Auf meinen lieben Gott

Music

[edit]

The opening sinfonia for solo organ and orchestra derives from the third movement of Bach's keyboard concerto in D minor, BWV 1052.[5]

The tenor aria has been compared to movements from both the French Suites and the Fifth English Suite. It opens with a string ritornello doubled by oboe; the two parts move into counterpoint after the tenor enters. Formally, the movement has an extended two-part A section before moving to a B section remarkable for its emphasis on instrumental arpeggiation.[5]

The bass recitative is secco and concludes with a pastoral arioso.[5]

The alto aria is "dark and dramatic", in E minor with cello and organ obbligato. The organ line is complex, contributing to a movement that is "a complex and ever-changing kaleidoscope of richly entwined rhythms and melodies".[5]

The soprano recitative is short and accompanied by chordal strings. The final movement is a four-part setting of the chorale tune, doubled by oboe, taille, and strings.[5]

Recordings

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Cantata No. 188". Allmusic. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  2. ^ "Cantata BWV 188 Ich habe meine Zuversicht". Bach Cantatas. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  3. ^ a b "BWV 188". University of Alberta. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  4. ^ "Bach digital - Ich habe meine Zuversicht BWV 188". www.bach-digital.de. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  5. ^ a b c d e Mincham, Julian. "Chapter 45 BWV 188". jsbachcantatas. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
[edit]