Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern

"Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" ("How beautifully shines the morning star"), BWV 1, is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is also a chorale prelude by Buxtehude (BuxWV 223).

One of Bach's more cheerful cantatas, it was written in Leipzig for the Annunciation, and was first performed on 25 March, 1725. Since the Annunciation falls during Lent, it was not usually celebrated with music, but in 1725 the day of the Annunciation was also Palm Sunday, as a result of which Bach's cantata was performed. It is based on the 1599 chorale of the same name by Philipp Nicolai (also author of the better-known "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme"). In common with many other Bach cantatas of the period, the words of the first and last verse of Nicolai's chorale are used unchanged in the first and last movements of the cantata, while the inner movements are freely adapted from Nicolai's words by an unknown poet.

Movements

The piece is written for two horns, two oboes da caccia, two solo violins, ripieno strings (violins, violas and basso continuo), vocal soloists and choir. It is in six movements, in F major unless otherwise noted:

#Chorus: "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" - in between instrumental-only passages, the sopranos in this gigue-like movement in 12/8 time sing the melody of Nicolai's chorale in long notes, around which the other instruments and voices weave a contrapuntal accompaniment. The only break from this vocal texture comes at the words "lieblich, freundlich" ("lovely, friendly"), which all the voices sing together in long notes.
#Recitative: "Du wahrer Gottes und Marien Sohn" ("You true Son of God and Mary") - for tenor and continuo (G minor).
#Aria: "Erfüllet, ihr himmlischen göttlichen Flammen" ("Fill, you divine heavenly flames") - a soprano aria with obliggato oboe da caccia (B-flat major).
#Recitative: "Ein irdscher Glanz, ein leiblich Licht" ("An earthly flash, a corporeal light") - for bass and continuo.
#Aria: "Unser Mund und Ton der Saiten" ("Our mouths and the sound of strings") - for tenor with accompaniment from the strings; the presence of two obbligato violins mirrors the words "Ton der Saiten" ("sound of strings").
#Chorale: "Wie bin ich doch so herzlich froh" ("How full I am of heartfelt joy") - the last verse of Nicolai's chorale, sung and played by the whole ensemble.

Bach's first cantata?

It should be noted that, despite its designation as BWV 1, this is not the first cantata, and still less the first piece, that Bach wrote. It was, however, the first piece to appear in the Bach Gesellschaft edition of all Bach's works in the 19th century. Bach's first cantata chronologically speaking is believed to most likely be "Aus der Tiefe rufe ich, Herr, zu dir", BWV 131 (1707).

For a chronological order of the Bach cantatas: see BWV#Chronological

Annunciation

BWV 1 celebrates the Annunciation, the Christian celebration of the revelation to the Virgin Mary by the angel Gabriel that she should become the mother of Jesus.

External links

*
* [http://www.carolinaclassical.com/bach/cantatas/cantata_no1.html Text, translation and audio]
* [http://www.bach-cantatas.com/IndexScores.htm Vocal score of the piece]
* [http://www.emmanuelmusic.org/notes_trans/transl_cantata/bwv001.htm German text with an English translation]
* [http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV1-D.htm Various comments on the piece]
* [http://www.emmanuelmusic.org/notes_trans/notes_cantata/bwv001.htm Programme notes by Craig Smith]
* [http://musicbach.blogspot.com/2008/04/bwv-1-wie-schn-leuchtet-der-morgenstern.html Song and Lyric]