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2014–2015 Series
March 15, 2015
The Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus
at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Schedule of Concerts
BACH AT THE SEM – 2014-2015
Dr. Maurice Boyer, Music Director
OCTOBER 19, 2014, 3:00 p.m.
(TRINITY 24)
J. S. Bach: Chorus from BWV 137, Lobe den Herrn, den mächtigen König; Cantata BWV 33, Allein
zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ; Soprano aria from BWV 10, Meine Seele erhebt den Herren; Cantata BWV 74,
Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten; Chorus from BWV 69, Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele
DECEMBER 14, 2014, 3:00 p.m.
(ADVENT 3)
Michael Praetorius: Works for brass; J. S. Bach: Cantata BWV 62, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland;
Alto aria from BWV 147, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben; Cantata BWV 36, Schwingt freudig euch empor
MARCH 15, 2015, 3:00 p.m.
(LENT 4)
J. S. Bach: Sinfonia from BWV 75, Die Elenden sollen essen; Cantata BWV 187, Es wartet alles auf dich;
Chorus from BWV 102, Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben; Cantata BWV 72, Alles nur nach Gottes Willen
MAY 17, 2015, 3:00 p.m.
(EASTER 7)
J. S. Bach: Missa in g-moll, BWV 235; Sinfonia from BWV 42, Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats;
Cantata BWV 249, Oster-Oratorium
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portion of the fees related to the archival-only recording of the program.
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Bach at the Sem
March 15, 2015, 3:00 p.m.
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Dr. Maurice Boyer, Music Director
The American Kantorei
Dr. Jeral Becker, Assistant Conductor
In Nomine Jesu
Cantata: Es wartet alles auf dich, BWV 187 (Everything depends on you)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Part I
1. Chorus
2. Bass Recitative (David Berger)
3. Alto Aria (Stephanie Ruggles)
Part II
4. Bass Aria (Jeffrey Heyl)
5. Soprano Aria (Emily Truckenbrod)
6. Soprano Recitative (Emily Truckenbrod)
7. Chorale
Chorale Prelude: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, BWV 1116
Johann Sebastian Bach
Hymn: “What God Ordains is Always Good”
The assembly stands to sing the hymn provided on page 10.
Chorus: Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben, BWV 102
(Lord, Your eyes look for faith)
Johann Sebastian Bach
“Sinfonia,” on Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
Johann Sebastian Bach
from Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75
The offerings to be received at this time support the Bach at the Sem concert series.
Cantata: Alles nur nach Gottes Willen, BWV 72 (All solely according to God’s will)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Chorus
Alto Recitative-Arioso-Aria (Katharine Lawton Brown)
Bass Recitative (David Berger)
Soprano Aria (Marita Hollander)
Chorale
Soli Deo Gloria
1
Johann Sebastian Bach
Program Notes
grace is always present” [emphasis mine]. Each strand
of material in these intricate polyphonic textures has a
different effect, which accounts for the extraordinarily
layered emotional response the works evoke in the
listener. Astonishing compositional skill anchored in
profound understanding here creates musical utterances
that lead from paralyzing anxiety to lustral serenity in
the light of God’s grace.
“He wants to sweeten your cross”
God’s Will in God’s Time
Lent is a time of reflection and self-examination, but
also one of hope in the light of God’s love revealed
in Christ. It is a time of pruning away “distraction”
to still the heart, enabling it to grow in contemplation
upon the central mystery of the Christian faith: “God
was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Cor.
5:19). It is a time for going inward and quieting down
to prepare for following Jesus through the events of
Holy Week. It is a yielding of one’s self-will to God, a
sinking of one’s will into God’s will (BWV 187), just
as Christ did in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Cantata: Es wartet alles auf dich, BWV 187
Composed for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity, BWV
187 was performed on August 4, 1726, and represents
the third and final cantata written for this Sunday. As
we will hear on May 17, Bach later reused the opening
chorus and all three arias in the “Gloria” of his Mass
in G minor (BWV 235).
In Leipzig in Bach’s time, Lent just as Advent
was a tempus clausum, a period during which there
was no concerted music, i.e., with instrumental
accompaniment. There are no cantatas per se for this
season. Today’s works, however, in their reflective
tone, embody the spirit of Lent.
This cantata is a musical sermon on the Gospel of
the day: the feeding of the four thousand (Mark 8:19). Bi-partite in structure, its libretto grounds the
affirmation of God’s abiding care for His creation in
the witness of the two Testaments. Part I presents the
objective dimension of God’s faithful involvement in
the workings of the natural order (references to the
Psalms). With Part II, the lens focuses in to reveal how
this care extends to the particularity of the individual’s
situation (the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:3132). With the final chorale, the lens opens out again.
These works are related in a number of ways. Apart
from BWV 75’s Sinfonia, they were all written in
1726. By this time and only since arriving in Leipzig
(1723), Bach will have already produced some 122
cantatas, the first version of the Magnificat (BWV
243a, E-flat), the first two versions of the St John
Passion, as well as, in all likelihood, a fair amount of
the St Matthew Passion—a staggering achievement.
Bach is at the height of his powers.
Although in two parts, the cantata is in fact a mirror
structure in which the bass aria (movement 4) functions
as the mirror in the following schema:
Additionally, Bach will later cull movements from
each cantata and refashion them into his Mass in G
minor, which will be performed here on May 17. His
having done so points to a deeper connection. There is
indeed a unifying thread weaving through the whole
fabric of today’s program. It is that of perceiving
the signs or traces of God’s sustaining and renewing
activity in the created order: God’s will in God’s time.
Chorus - Recit - Aria - ARIA - Aria - Recit - Chorale
Chorus, bass aria, and chorale inhabit the same key:
G minor, the home key one might say. The opening
chorus affirms God as creator and sustainer of all
things. The bass aria presents Christ Himself relating
this reality to the crowds gathered to hear Him. The
final chorale prays for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The
arc is Trinitarian: from Father to Son to Holy Spirit.
It is noteworthy that the bass aria’s placement shows
Bach’s understanding that Christ is the center, He is
the “the radiance of God’s glory and the representation
of his being” (Hebrews 3:1), the Mediator.
These musical sermons make plain that God’s will for
humanity is healing and communion with Him—it is
grace. Cantata 187 defines this as sinking one’s will
into God’s will, waiting for the Lord. In Cantata 102, it
is interpreting signs of God’s fierce love. According to
Cantata 72, it is knowing that Christ wants to sweeten
one’s cross. God’s will is mercy and love—return to Him.
Before turning to individual movements, it should
be added that the aforementioned structural mirror
operates also at a deeper level, below the surface, in the
overall harmonic planning of the cantata. Ascent in the
In his Calov Bible, which is here in the Seminary
Library, Bach wrote in the margin next to 2 Chronicles
5: “N.B. Where there is devotional music, God with his
2
first half is answered by descent in the second half; each
is followed by a return to the opening key (see below).
God’s care over creation is affirmed and elevated (alto
aria). It is mediated through the Christ (bass aria) and
brought down to the individual (soprano aria).
G minor
Bx major
G minor
Between Parts I and II, there would have been an hourlong sermon on the Gospel of the day. Opening Part II,
the bass as “Vox Christi” (voice of Christ) utters Jesus’
very words from the Sermon on the Mount about not
worrying “for your Heavenly Father knows that you
need all that.” Bach’s musical choices here again are
illuminating. At a surface level, the text would seem to
call for a gentle aria in a major key, with a generously
spun melody, and possibly an instrumental obbligato
line. Instead, Bach opts for a return to G minor, a trio
of equal parts (bass singer, unison violins and basso
continuo), and simple unadorned thematic material.
Bach eschews a warm embracive tone in order to say,
“Yes, God comforts, and does so faithfully, but not in
the way we think he ought. He does so in His way and
in His time.”
G minor
Ex major
The opening chorus, as with most of Bach’s cantatas,
contains in nuce the substance of the entire work: all
things are in God’s care and what is needed is granted
in God’s time. This assertion is borne out in the music.
The motive that most permeates the texture, from
the opening instrumental ritornello to the final bar, is
associated with the words “es wartet.” Everything thus
“waits upon the Lord.”
As seen above, the soprano aria is the lowest harmonic
point in the cantata. It also employs the smallest
instrumentation (oboe solo and basso continuo) and
highest voice part, one suggesting vulnerability and
childlike trust. Furthermore, it unfolds as a tri-partite
French Overture (ABA’), A and A’ being slow and
ceremonial, B light and in a faster tempo.
The tri-partite structure of this movement follows an
ABC pattern. A is freely imitative polyphony, with
each line of text given its own thematic material. B is
a choral fugue whose subject carries the words “When
You give it (food) to them…” and countersubject
“When You open Your hand…” The fugue’s rigor
is a fitting evocation of God’s ordered activity. C is
essentially a telescoped recapitulation of the entire
movement. Much of the movement unfolds over a
walking bass line, symbolic of “being on the way.”
Waiting is not stasis, it is pilgrimage.
The French Overture was associated with the entrance
of royalty—initially Louis XIV of France, the Sun
King—and was lavishly orchestrated (viz. Bach’s own
Orchestral Suites). Employing here modest forces,
Bach shows that this King redefines royalty—He is
gentle and, as the Scriptures say, enters on a colt, in
quiet nobility.
Pondering the workings of the natural order, the
bass recitative asks in the end: Who is in control?
A monarch? Gold? In answering the question, Bach
thwarts expectations. In effect, the recitative’s cadence
in D major would seem to call for a return to G.
Instead, by turning to B-flat major for the alto aria,
which is not a natural resolution from D, Bach subtly
but clearly answers the bass’s question: “No, rather it
is You, O Lord.”
The first utterance of the oboe is two wide descending
intervals followed by a fluid and long-breathed line.
The same pattern is taken up by the soprano when
she enters with the words “God cares for all life.”
The downward gesture suggests bestowal of care,
God coming down in and among humanity. Fluidity
bespeaks of the generosity and breadth of God’s love.
Soprano and oboe unfolding at the same pitch level,
often in entwined imitation, show what God does: He
regenerates humanity from within.
Given the aria’s text, one may have expected a setting
evincing strength and might, possibly sung by the
bass—in lesser hands, a likely scenario. Instead, the
aria is given to the alto voice, whose warmth is often
associated with words of consolation. Furthermore,
couched in an easy triple meter, its straightforward
utterance is a breath of fresh air after the complexity of
the opening movement. The expressive tone is one of
simplicity and gentleness—this Lord is King of all, but
not as one would expect. Quiet affirmation that God is
in control gives confidence to the anxious soul.
As is typical for a French overture, the B section
is in a faster tempo in triple meter. It is all lightness
because the weight of worry has been lifted. The
return of the A section seals the identity of the one who
faithfully bestows “many gifts of fatherly love” and has
made the cares to vanish: the King himself.
3
Throughout the cantata, one witnesses a process of
diminishing orchestration from movements 1 to 5: all
forces (#1), strings and oboe (#3), unison violins (#4),
and oboe solo (#5). From the lowliness of the aria (#5),
the soprano accompanied recitative gradually wends
its way to B-flat major. Its tone is simple childlike trust
that God “also determines my part.” The string
accompaniment represents God’s enfolding of the one
who holds to Him “with childlike trust.” From a place
of lowly destitution, one is met and clothed with God’s
faithfulness. One rises, not by self-will but yielding to
God’s abiding care.
tone suggests a crying out of those being sought by the
Lord: “Do not cease from calling us back to You!”
The words, “you strike them,” would baldly suggest
heavy hammered blows and jarring dissonance. Bach
instead weaves a delicate staccato figure into a complex
imitative texture colored by rich harmonies redolent
with pleasing dissonance (7ths and 9ths) moving back
and forth from major to minor. These choices confound
expectations. The lightness conjures the tapping gesture
of a parent trying to wake a slumbering child. Lest the
picture veer into sentimentality, Bach sets “but they do
not feel it” as a downward sequence of suspensions
expressive of God’s own quiet grieving at “their”
unfeeling. Thus, Bach counterbalances seeming
thematic ease with contrapuntal and harmonic
complexity. The sophistication of the musical language
seeks to capture the many and varied ways in which God
“taps” those who have wandered off the path. In its
harmonic inventiveness, it also conjures a sense of
urgency. Thus, God appears not as an angry judge, but
as a Father yearning for the return of His loved ones.
The final chorale, all voices and instruments now joined
together, is the community’s response. A reminder of
God’s generosity becomes the occasion for thanks and
praise as well as a prayer for the Spirit’s gift of right
understanding that one might recognize the signs of
God’s providing, of His love.
Chorus: Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben,
BWV 102
Bach’s third and final cantata for the Tenth Sunday
after Trinity was first heard on August 25, 1726. In the
late 1730s, Bach will refashion its opening chorus into
the “Kyrie” of the Mass in G minor.
Another instance of vivid text painting is found in the
fugue subject associated with the words: “They have
a face harder than a rock / and are not willing to be
converted.” Hardness is evoked by three angular leaps,
two of which are tritones, (once known as “the
devil in music”), descending then ascending. By
contrast, the unwillingness “to be converted” is
given an anodyne downward stepwise sequential
pattern, depictive of aimless wandering. Eventually,
individual parts join in pairs singing benign thirds
unspooling in contrary motion. Bach here shows a
keen understanding of “not converting.” At the core, it
is less being combative than being lost in a herd-like
pattern of meandering or downward spiraling.
In the day’s Gospel reading (Luke 19:41-48), Jesus
looks out over Jerusalem and weeps in lament over
its not having recognized the signs of peace and “the
time of [its] visitation from God.” He then drives
out of the Temple those who have turned a house of
prayer into a den of robbers. Quoting from the Prophet
Jeremiah (5:3), the opening chorus of this cantata
shows God fiercely striving to bring His people from
their hardened ways back to Himself.
In confronting this difficult text, Bach monopolizes on
music’s ability to evoke simultaneously multiple layers of
meaning: a fitting richness for something so wondrous,
even paradoxical, as God’s dealings with humanity.
In the Book of Jeremiah, the text ends in starkness:
“[they] are not willing to be converted.” Bach however
returns to the verse’s opening words for the final
cadence:“Lord, your eyes look for faith!” In fact, the
musical material that is associated with this first line of
text permeates the movement. A look at
the overall unfolding of this complex structure reveals
the text to be treated as follows:
line 1 / lines 2-3 / line 1 / lines 4-5 / all-line 1
A / B / A / C / A’
The manifold utterances of “Lord!”—variously in
block chords, by a single part or in canon—recall the
opening chorus of the St John Passion (1st version).
There as here, the chorus’s opening sentence is not only
a declarative statement, it is also a plea. Its imploring
4
By punctuating the movement with line 1, Bach captures
the extent and pervasiveness of God’s “seeking out.”
A further musical sign of this persistence is captured
vividly, yet subtly within the texture, in the insistent
and fast-moving half-step motive. God will not be
deterred from calling His loved ones to wakefulness.
With the alto recitative, time stops—turbulence gives
way to stillness. Building confidently on the recitative,
the arioso unfolds with flowing ease in triple meter.
The words, “Lord, as you will,” echo those of the
leper in the Gospel. Their nine-fold repetition suggests
the prayerful pattern of a litany in which the Kyrie is
uttered in multiples of three. Another brief recitative
leads into a spirited aria with an imitative string trio
accompaniment (two violins and cello). The intricate
counterpoint and the minor mode underline that the
way is not easy (“thorns and roses”). But the fast tempo
and sturdy vocal line evoke joyful abandon. The four
sections flow seamlessly one into the other. Forming
one continuous movement with a built-in accelerando,
they enact a gradual welling up of confidence and
willingness to believe.
Cantata: Alles nur nach Gottes Willen, BWV 72
The third of four surviving cantatas for the Third
Sunday of Epiphany, BWV 72 was first performed on
January 27, 1726. Its opening will later be revised in
the “Gloria” of the Mass in G minor.
The Gospel of the day would have been two parallel
stories of healing and faith: that of a leper and that of
the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:1-13). Both the
leper and the centurion would have been considered
outsiders to be shunned: the one for being ritually
unclean, and the other for being a Roman soldier.
To Jesus, their condition and vocation are irrelevant.
Seeing faith surge forth so honestly into a plea for
healing, He recklessly loves and, stretching out His
hand, answers, “I will.” It is to this generous narrative
that BWV 72 responds.
The succeeding bass recitative, Vox Christi, presents
the heart of the matter: “It is His [Jesus] way that His
merciful hand is ever most willingly outstretched.” The
turn of phrase, “under the lowly roof of poor hearts He
will not scorn graciously to enter,” is a direct reference
to the day’s Gospel. The centurion, recognizing in
Jesus the One who can heal his dying servant, pleads
for help. In spite of the man’s being a Roman, Jesus
answers that He will come and cure him. Genuinely
stunned, the centurion responds, “I am not worthy to
have you come under my roof; but only speak the word,
and my servant will be healed.” Jesus in turn says, “Go;
let it be done for you according to your faith.”
Bach opens this cantata with a vigorous and fleetfooted chorus in 3/4 time. Blustery 16th notes, kept
as if chronometrically in time by quarter note chords,
conjure a vivid tableau of turbulence alternating with
calm, as well as calm within turbulence. In meter,
thematic material, as well as effect, it recalls BWV 33
(“To You alone, Lord Jesus Christ”) performed here
this past fall.
Bach’s burrowing into texts to uncover their underlying
meaning has been pointed out above. Here, as in many
other instances, he poignantly confounds expectations.
In the hands of a less insightful composer, this text
might have yielded a slow and earnest meditation.
Instead, Bach opts for a joyful and quick tempo. He
pairs the childlike voice of a soprano (in his time, it
would have been a child) paired with the oboe, as in
BWV 187. Weaving the two parts in and out of patterns
of imitation and sweetly flowing parallel thirds, he
portrays the ways in which Jesus works—anticipating,
following, holding. In Bach’s hands, the aria becomes
the occasion for exuberance in knowing that “Jesus
wants to do this, he wants to sweeten my cross.”
Bach uses two musical figures for the word “alles” (all).
One is a series of fast moving sixteenth notes often
canonically spun. Pictorial in nature, it suggests the
turbulence in all things. By contrast, the other, a pair of
quarter notes, is declarative in nature. Sung or played
by some part of the ensemble in 89 of the movement’s
114 measures, it inflects the whole musical narrative
together. Its omnipresence and its rhythmic steadiness
suggest that it depicts “God’s will in all things.” This
assertion is confirmed by its occurrence over and
around all the lines of the text.
5
Canonically twined violin lines in dialogue with oboe
and soprano, cross accents (displaced downbeats), and
syncopated figures depict the afflictions, the “cross,”
while the tonality of C major embodies the “sweetening.”
In setting “many afflictions,” Bach chooses a descending
sequential pattern, one portraying the idea of being
weighed down. To express “and rest still in His arms,”
cross accents, syncopations, and imitative polyphony
cease, the tempo relaxes, and the voice finally rests
in a fermata. Throughout the aria, the phrase, “He
wants to sweeten your cross,” is set in many varied
forms, pointing to the myriad ways in which Jesus will
perform this sweetening. The final phrase is uttered
over a pedal point and, ending without fermata, opens
out into the communal response of the chorale.
The cantata closes with the first verse of “Was mein
Gott will, das g’scheh allzeit,” which Bach uses at
the point in the St Matthew Passion when Jesus in
the Garden of Gethsemane says, “My Father, if this
cup cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
In the end, yielding to God transfigures both will and
understanding. It grants the faith to pray, without
ceasing, “Your will be done.”
Maurice Boyer
Dr. Maurice Boyer, Music Director
Dr. Maurice Boyer is associate professor of music at Concordia University
Chicago (CUC), where he conducts the chamber orchestra and Laudate,
a women’s choir, and teaches all levels of Ear Training. Although born
in the United States, he began his musical training (piano, voice, and
solfège) in Aix-en-Provence, France, where he lived until the age of 18.
Boyer earned a Bachelor of Music in sacred music, with piano as his
principal instrument, and a Master of Music in choral conducting at
Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New
Jersey, where he also studied theology at Princeton Theological Seminary.
He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in orchestral conducting from the
University of Maryland, College Park. His principal conducting teachers
have been Joseph Flummerfelt, Kenneth Kiesler, and James Ross.
Boyer also is artistic director of Aestas Consort of Chicago, the Heritage
Chorale of Oak Park, and assistant conductor of the Symphony of Oak
Park River Forest. He has served as guest conductor of the Chicago
Choral Artists and guest chorus master for Chicago’s Music of the
Baroque. Additionally, he has been chorus master of the New Jersey State
Opera and director of music at several churches.
6
Text and Translation
Es wartet alles auf dich, BWV 187
Everything depends on You – J. S. Bach
3. Aria (Alto)
Du Herr, du krönst allein das Jahr mit deinem Gut.
You, Lord, You alone crown the year with Your good.
Es träufet Fett und Segen
Richness and blessing trickle
Auf deines Fußes Wegen,
on the paths of Your feet,
Und deine Gnade ist’s, die alles Gutes thut.
and it is Your grace that bestows goodness upon all.
1. Chorus (S A T B)
Es wartet alles auf dich,
Everything waits upon You [O Lord]
daß du ihnen Speise gebest zu seiner Zeit.
so that You give them food in due season.
Wenn du ihnen giebest,
When You give it to them,
so sammlen sie,
then they gather;
wenn du deine Hand aufthust,
when You open Your hand,
so werden sie mit Güte gesättiget.
then they will be satiated by Your kindness.
Part II
4. Aria (Bass)
Darum sollt ihr nicht sorgen noch sagen:
Therefore you should not be anxious nor say:
Was werden wir essen,
What shall we eat,
was werden wir trinken,
what shall we drink,
womit werden wir uns kleiden?
with what shall we clothe ourselves?
Nach solchem Allen trachten die Heiden.
The gentiles strive after all such things.
Denn euer himmlischer Vater weiß,
For your Heavenly Father knows
daß ihr dies Alles bedürfet.
that you need all this.
2. Recitative (Bass)
Was Creaturen hält
What created things are contained
Das große Rund der Welt!
by the great circle of the world!
Schau’ doch die Berge an,
Look at the mountains,
da sie bei tausend gehen;
how they are ranged in their thousands.
Was zeuget nicht die Flut?
What do the waters not generate?
Es wimmeln Ström und Seen.
Streams and lakes are teeming with life.
Der Vögel großes Heer
The great flock of all types of birds
Zieht durch die Luft zu Feld.
flies through the air into the fields.
Wer nähret solche Zahl, und wer
Who feeds such a number, and who
Vermag ihr wohl die Nothdurft abzugeben?
is capable of providing well for their needs?
Kann irgend ein Monarch nach solcher Ehre streben?
Can any monarch lay claim to such an honour?
Zahlt aller Erden Gold
Can all the gold of earth
Ihr wohl ein einig Mahl?
buy them a single meal?
5. Aria (Soprano)
Gott versorget alles Leben,
God cares for all life
Was hienieden Odem hegt.
that draws breath here below
Sollt’ er mir allein nicht geben,
Would He not give to me alone
Was er allen zugesagt?
what He has promised to all?
Weicht, ihr Sorgen, seine Treue
Be gone, you anxieties; His faithfulness
Ist auch meiner eingedenk
keeps me also in mind
Und wird ob mir täglich neue
and from day to day is made new for me
Durch manch’ Vaterliebs Geschenk.
through many gifts of fatherly love.
7
6. Recitative (Soprano)
Halt ich nur fest an ihm mit kindlichem Vertrauen
If only I can cling to Him with the trust of a child
Und nehm’ mit Dankbarkeit, was er mir zugedacht,
and take with gratitude what He has planned for me,
So werd’ ich mich nie ohne Hilfe schauen,
then I shall see myself as never without help,
Und wie er auch vor mich die Rechnung hab’ gemacht.
and [I shall see] also how for me He has made reckoning.
Das Grämen nützet nicht, die Mühe ist verloren,
Grieving is no use; the effort is wasted
Die das verzagte Herz um seine Nothdurft nimmt;
that the despondent heart takes about its needs;
Der ewig reiche Gott hat sich die Sorge auserkoren,
God, who is ever rich, has taken these cares upon Himself,
So weiß ich, daß er mir auch meinen Theil bestimmt.
so I know that He also determines my portion.
Herr, deine Augen sehen nach
dem Glauben!, BWV 102
Lord, Your eyes look for faith! – J. S. Bach
1. Chorus (S A T B) [from Jeremiah 5:3]
Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben!
Lord, Your eyes look for faith!
Du schlägest sie, aber sie fühlen’s nicht;
You strike them, but they do not feel it.
du plagest sie, aber sie bessern sich nicht.
You torment them, but they do not improve themselves
Sie haben ein härter Angesicht denn ein Fels
They have a face harder than a rock
und wollen sich nicht bekehren
and are not willing to mend their ways.
Alles nur nach Gottes Willen, BWV 72
All solely according to God’s will – J. S. Bach
7. Chorale (S A T B)
Gott hat die Erd’ schön zugericht’t,
God has set up the earth in such a way
Läßts an Nahrung mangeln nicht;
that He will not allow food to be lacking;
Berg und Thal, die macht er naß,
mountain and valley He makes moist
Daß dem Vieh auch wächst sein Gras;
so that grass may also grow for the cattle.
Aus der Erden Wein und Brot
From the earth wine and bread
Schaffet Gott und giebt’s uns satt,
God creates and gives us enough
Daß der Mensch sein Leben hat.
so that man may have his life.
1. Chorus (S A T B)
Alles nur nach Gottes Willen,
All solely according to God’s will,
So bei Lust als Traurigkeit,
both in pleasure and sorrow,
So bei gut als böser Zeit.
both in good and bad times.
Gottes Wille soll mich stillen
God’s will should calm me
Bei Gewölk und Sonnenschein.
in clouds and sunshine.
Alles nur nach Gottes Willen!
Everything according to God’s will!
Dies soll meine Losung sein.
This should be my watchword.
Wir danken sehr und bitten ihn,
We give great thanks and pray to Him
Daß er uns geb’ des Geistes Sinn,
that He may give us the Spirit’s mind
Daß wir solches recht versteh’n,
so that we may rightly understand,
Stets nach sein’n Geboten geh’n,
ever walk according to His commandments,
Seinen Namen machen groß
make great His name
In Christo ohn’ Unterlaß:
in Christ without ceasing.
So sing’n wir recht das Gratias.
Then justly we sing, “Gratias!” [Thanks!]
2. Recitative, Arioso, Recitative, Aria (Alto)
O selger Christ, der allzeit seinen Willen
O blessed Christian, who at all times sinks his will
In Gottes Willen senkt, es gehe wie es gehe,
in God’s will, come what may,
Bei Wohl und Wehe.
in prosperity and adversity.
Herr, so du willt, so muß sich alles fügen!
Lord, as You will, so must everything happen!
Herr, so du willt, so kannst du mich vergnügen!
Lord, as You will, you can make me content!
Herr, so du willt, verschwindet meine Pein!
Lord, as You will, my pain vanishes!
8
Herr, so du willt, werd ich gesund und rein!
Lord, as You will, I become healthy and pure!
Herr, so du willt, wird Traurigkeit zur Freude!
Lord, as You will, sorrow shall turn to joy!
Herr, so du willt, find ich auf Dornen Weide!
Lord, as You will, I find pasture from thorns!
Herr, so du willt, werd ich einst selig sein!
Lord, as You will, I shall one day be blessed!
Herr, so du willt (laß mich dies Wort im Glauben fassen
Lord, as You will (let me seize this word in faith
Und meine Seele stillen!)
and calm my soul!)
Herr, so du willt, so sterb’ ich nicht,
Lord, as You will, I shall not die,
Er stärkt, was schwach,
He strengthens what is weak,
Und will das niedre Dach
and under the lowly roof
Der armen Herzen nicht verschmähen,
of poor hearts He will not scorn
Darunter gnädig einzugehen.
graciously to enter.
5. Aria (Soprano)
Mein Jesus will es thun, er will dein Kreuz versüßen.
My Jesus wants to do this, he wants to sweeten your
cross.
Obgleich dein Herze liegt in viel Bekümmernissen,
Although your heart lies amid many afflictions,
Soll es doch sanft und still in seinen Armen ruh’n,
it will rest gently and calmly in His arms
Wenn es der Glaube faßt; mein Jesus will es thun!
if faith holds it fast. My Jesus wants to do this!
ob Leib und Leben mich verlassen,
though body and life forsake me,
Wenn mir dein Geist dies Wort ins Herze spricht!
if Your Spirit speaks this word to me in my heart!
6.Chorale
Was mein Gott will, das g’scheh allzeit,
What my God wills, may that always happen;
Sein Will, der ist der beste,
His will is what is best.
Zu helfen den’n er ist bereit,
He is ready to help those
Die an ihn glauben feste.
who believe firmly in Him.
Er hilft aus Noth, der fromme Gott,
He helps those in need, the kind God,
Und züchtiget mit Maßen.
and chastises with moderation.
Wer Gott vertraut, fest auf ihn baut,
He who trusts in God, on Him firmly builds,
Den will er nicht verlassen.
him will He [God] never forsake.
Mit Allem, was ich hab und bin,
With all that I have and am
Will ich mich Jesu lassen,
I want to abandon myself to Jesus.
Kann gleich mein schwacher Geist und Sinn
Although my weak spirit and mind cannot
Des Höchsten Rath nicht fassen;
grasp the counsel of the Highest,
Er führe mich nur immer hin
may He always lead me along
Auf Dorn- und Rosenstraßen!
the ways of thorns and roses!
4. Recitative (Bass)
So glaube nun!
Therefore now believe!
Dein Heiland saget: Ich wills tun!
Your Saviour says: I want to do it!
Er pflegt die Gnadenhand
It is His way that His merciful hand
Noch willigst auszustrecken,
is ever most willingly stretched out.
Wenn Kreuz und Leiden dich erschrecken,
When cross and suffering terrify you,
Er kennet deine Noth und löst dein Kreuzesband.
He knows your distress and loosens the bonds of
your cross.
9
What God Ordains Is Always Good, LSB 760
10
The American Kantorei
Chorus
Soprano
Emily Truckenbrod, Principal Jean Baue
Kathryn Crumrine
Katherine Gastler
Megan Glass
Krista Hartmann
Marita Hollander
Camille Marolf
Jenny Maske
Lynn D. Morrissey
Alto
Katharine Lawton Brown, Principal
Stephanie Ruggles, Assistant Principal
Danielle Gines
Mona Hauser
Sarah J. Ludwig
Ashley Mommens
Amy Will
Anna Woell
Lisa Young
Bass
Jeffrey Heyl, Principal
David Berger, Associate Principal
Joe Beran
Gary Lessmann
Dan Maske
Greg Upchurch
Kyle Will
Tenor
Scott Kennebeck, Principal
Jeral Becker, Associate Principal
Greg Gastler
Thomas Jarrett (Jerry) Bolain
Bill Larson
Steve Paquette
Orchestra
Violin I
Wanda Becker, Concertmaster
Cynthia Bowermaster
Jane Price
Double Bass
Frederick DeVaney
Oboe / Oboe d’amore
Ann Homann, Principal
Eileen Burke
Violin II
Kaoru Wada, Principal
Marilyn Park Ellington
Margret Heyl
Bassoon
Robert Mottl
Viola
Laura Reycraft, Principal
Stephen Luehrman
Positiv (Continuo) Organ
Melissa Niemeyer
Chapel Organ
John Walsh
Cello
Catherine Lehr Ramos
11
Welcome to Bach at the Sem!
The generation that designed and built the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus
did well, I think. The high vaulted ceiling invites our thoughts upward to the
unseen God. This afternoon Dr. Maurice Boyer, the American Kantorei, and
our musicians focus our stillness upon the greatness of the Creator and creation.
Through J.S. Bach’s Es Wartet Alles auf Dich, “Everything Depends on You,”
we are reminded of the wonders of nature, timely in these March days as we
await the fullness of spring. And in Alles nur nach Gottes Willen, “All solely
according to God’s Will,” Bach uses nature to provide metaphors for all the
experiences of the Christian’s life of faith. May this afternoon’s concert lift
your thoughts to the highest heavens and comfort you with the divine presence
in your life. “He strengthens what is weak, and under the lowly roof of poor
hearts He will not scorn graciously to enter” (Bass Recitative). Our thanks to
Director Boyer and the talented musicians who give of their time and talent
for our blessing. I thank you for attending and for supporting Bach at the Sem.
Concordia Seminary’s goal is to enrich our community through this series and
we thank you for your presence and gifts to help make that happen.
Dale A. Meyer
President
Join Us!
A Special Reception with Dr. Maurice Boyer
Music Director for the Bach at the Sem Concert Series
After the 3:00 p.m. concert
Koburg Hall on the Seminary Campus
All are welcome!
12
Always and Forever
O Holy Night
with Christine Brewer
season XIV
December 6
Salem United
Methodist Church
Shalom House benefit
March 7, 2015
St. Gabriel the
Archangel
Catholic Church
Requiem
O For !e Lov"...
December 7
Resurrection
Lutheran Church
Feed My People benefit
with special guests
St. Gabriel Chancel Choir
Mary Beth Wittry, Director
Salem UMC Chancel Choir
a concert in honor of women
and mothers
May 9, 2015
Venue TBA
check website for details
american chamber chorale
Stephen Morton
american
chamber chorale
�������������������������������
season XIV
2014
- 2015
For tickets and information,
visit
americanchamberchorale.com
americanchamberchorale.com
or call (314) 638-0793
SINGERS
OF JOY!
f eat u r i n g t h e c hora l s o u nd s
of c on c ordi a s e m i na ry
resurrection joy
april 19, 2015
Philip Barnes
Artistic Director
Join one of the country's best a cappella
choirs for our 59th season!
2014~2015
Mendelssohn & Judith Bingham
October 5 • 3pm
St. Louis Abbey • 500 S Mason Road • Creve Coeur • 63141
Juan Gutierrez de Padilla & Heitor Villa-Lobos
November 9 • 3pm
St. Cecilia Catholic Church • 5418 Louisiana Ave • St. Louis • 63111
Palestrina & Herbert Howells
Messiah Lutheran Church
December 21 • 3pm
First Presbyterian Church Kirkwood • 100 E. Adams Ave • Kirkwood • 63122
2846 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63118
Milhaud & Purcell
7 p.m.
Kodály & Vaughan Williams
February 15 • 3pm
Christ Church Cathedral • 1210 Locust Street • St. Louis • 63103
April 12 • 3pm
St. Mary of Victories Catholic Church • 744 S 3rd St • St. Louis • 63102
William Billings & Richard Rodney Bennett
May 31 • 3pm
Union Avenue Christian Church • 733 Union Blvd • St. Louis 63108
SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Subscribe and Save! For tickets or a brochure call
636-458-4343
chamberchorus.org
You Can Bless and Enrich Lives!
Bach’s amazing music continues to bless and enrich lives because people like you have not only appreciated the
music personally, but have made provisions to make it possible for new generations to experience the highest
quality performances of not only his music but also that of other master composers of the Christian musical
heritage. This wonderful music still touches the lives of people of all ages and all beliefs.
“Friends of Bach at the Sem” make it possible for children, students, families and members of the community to
be enriched by the professional, live performances that Bach at the Sem has delivered for 21 uplifting seasons.
With a full schedule of Sunday concerts featuring the American Kantorei, now is the perfect time for you to
experience the joy of being one of the patrons who make Bach at the Sem possible.
By becoming a “Friend of Bach at the Sem” you will have the satisfaction of enriching others just as you have
been blessed and enriched.
Pledges, checks, and credit card donations are welcomed. Please use the envelope provided.
Or, to ask questions or donate by phone, please call: 1-800-822-5287.
Bach at the Sem Sponsorship
Friends of Bach at the Sem
Concert Sponsor
Conductor Sponsor
Reception Sponsor
Board Sponsor $1,000
Guest Sponsor $500
Friend Sponsor $100
$10,000
$5,000
$2,500
For more information about sponsoring Bach at the Sem,
please call 314-505-7009 or email [email protected].
Concordia Seminary
801 Seminary Place
St. Louis, MO 63105
314-505-7000
www.csl.edu