Bach digital -

Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750)

Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe

BWV 197.1; BWV 197a; BC A 11^GND

Christmas Day, Musical settings of texts by Picander (1727-1729 and later)

Genre

Sacred cantata

Proper

Psalm: Psalm 92
Epistel: Titus 2, Vers 11–14
Epistel: Jesaja 9, Vers 2–7
Gospel: Lukas 2, Vers 1–14
Week song:

Gelobet seist du, Jesus Christ (M. Luther 1524)

Scoring

A*, B*, S, A, T, B; 2 Fl trav, Ob d’am, Fag, 2 Vl, Va, Vc, Bc

Date of origin, Work history

um 1728-1729

First performance on December 25, 1728 or 1729. The music is preserved from movement 4 (the last 18 and a half measures) and completely for movements 5–7. The text of the lost introductory chorus suggests a richly instrumented, extended introductory chorus (with trumpet and timpani). The concluding choral (text as indicated by Picander 1728) corresponds to BWV 398

Early performances

1728-25-12, Leipzig, St. Nicholas Church (Premiere) (Link to event)
(oder EA im Folgejahr)
Die EA dieser Kantate fand im Frühgottesdienst der Nikolaikirche mit Predigt von Salomon Deyling, und am gleichen Tag im Vespergottesdienst der Thomaskirche statt, hier mit Predigt von Johann Gottlob Carpzov.

relation to other works:

is part of BWV diverse [Jg. 4]

relation from other works

is adapted in BWV 197.1/7 ChSBC F 45.2b

Link to videos:

Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe, BWV 197.1 (Bach Collegium Japan, M. Suzuki)

Libretto

C. F. Henrici. Movement 1: Luke 2, 14. Movement 7: Ich freue mich in dir (C. Ziegler, date of composition 1648; first print 1697), stanza 4. Text prints Picander 1728, page 71; Picander 1732, page 85

Link to lyrics

Chorale