Der Friede sei mit dir, BWV 158

{{Short description|Cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach}} '''{{lang|de|Der Friede sei mit dir}}''' (Peace be with you), '''{{abbr|BWV|Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (catalogue of Bach's works)}}{{nbsp}}158''', is one of the shortest of the cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach and features a bass soloist. It survives as a cantata for the third day of Easter but might be a fragment of a work originally written for Purification. Given this background, and the fact that it was copied by Christian Friedrich Penzel, one of Bach's last students, there is a confusing variety of proposed composition dates. It may date back to Bach's Weimar period,<ref name=dates>[http://www.bach-cantatas.com/LCY/Osterdienstag.htm Lutheran Church Year / Dates of "Osterdienstag" (Easter Tuesday, 3rd Day of Easter)]</ref> although a date as late as 1735 has been suggested.<ref>David Schulenberg, ''"Der Friede sei mit dir"'' in ''Oxford Composer Companion: J. S. Bach'' ed. Malcolm Boyd</ref>

== History and text == The surviving source is a copy by Penzel, identified on the title page as being for the Purification (the Lutheran feast ''Mariae Reinigung''), which was celebrated on 2 February, but with an alternate designation for Easter Tuesday in the parts.

Bach composed several cantatas for the Purification and the texts are related to Simeon's canticle ''Nunc dimittis'', part of the prescribed readings.<ref>''Erfreute Zeit im neuen Bunde'', BWV 83, 1724; ''Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin'', BWV 125, 1725 (on Luther's hymn after Nunc dimittis); ''Ich habe genug'', BWV 82, 1727</ref> Because of the references to the "Nunc dimittis" in ''Der Friede sei mit dir'' and because of the alternate title page designation, it is widely assumed that at least the two central movements were originally part of a longer cantata for the Purification, with a different introductory recitative not evoking Christ's Easter reappearance to the disciples. The obbligato writing in the aria, which appears better suited to flute than the ''"violino"'' specified in Penzel's copy, is cited in support of the hypothesis that it was originally written for a different occasion.<ref>David Schulenberg, op. cit.</ref>

Joshua Rifkin has proposed the dates 15 April 1727 or 30 March 1728 for the premiere of the surviving Easter version.<ref>Linernotes to L'oiseau-lyre 425 822-2, cited in David Schulenberg, ''"Der Friede sei mit dir"'' in ''Oxford Composer Companion: J. S. Bach'' ed. Malcolm Boyd (p. 134)</ref> The prescribed readings for this day were from the Acts of the Apostles, the sermon of Paul in Antiochia ({{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Acts|chapter=13|verse=26|range=–33}}), and from the Gospel of Luke, the appearance of Jesus to the Apostles in Jerusalem ({{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=24|verse=36|range=–47}}).<ref name=dates /> The librettist is unknown but may have been Salomon Franck, quoting hymn stanzas by Johann Georg Albinus and Martin Luther.<ref name=bc>{{cite web|url=http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV158.htm|access-date=3 June 2013|title=BWV 159|publisher=bach-cantatas}}</ref>

== Scoring and structure == The cantata is scored for soprano and bass vocal soloists, four-part choir, oboe, violin, and basso continuo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://webdocs.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/158.html|access-date=3 June 2013|title=BWV 158|publisher=University of Alberta}}</ref>

Because no complete copy of the work survives, it is possible that there were originally more than the four movements now known. In particular, another aria is thought to have preceded the final movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Pic-Rec-BIG/HL-L38-5c%5BTeldec-2CD%5D.pdf|access-date=3 June 2013|title=Liner notes to ''Bach Cantatas, Vol. 38''|author=Gerhard Schuhmacher|pages=15–16|publisher=bach-cantatas}}</ref> # Recitative (bass): {{lang|de|Der Friede sei mit dir|italic=no}} (21 measures)<ref>{{cite web|title=Der Friede sei mit dir|url=https://www.vmii.org/bwv-158-der-friede-sei-mit-dir/1-der-friede-sei-mit-dir|url-status=live|access-date=11 April 2021|website=Vocal Music Instrumentation Index|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412063612/https://www.vmii.org/bwv-158-der-friede-sei-mit-dir/1-der-friede-sei-mit-dir |archive-date=2021-04-12 }} </ref> # Aria (bass) and chorale (soprano): {{lang|de|Welt, ade, ich bin dein müde|italic=no}} (94 measures with chorale tune by Johann Rosenmüller)<ref>{{cite web|title=Welt, ade, ich bin dein müde|url=https://www.vmii.org/bwv-158-der-friede-sei-mit-dir/2-welt-ade-ich-bin-dein-muede|url-status=live|access-date=11 April 2021|website=Vocal Music Instrumentation Index|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412063933/https://www.vmii.org/bwv-158-der-friede-sei-mit-dir/2-welt-ade-ich-bin-dein-muede |archive-date=2021-04-12 }}</ref> # Recitative and arioso (bass): {{lang|de|Nun, Herr, regiere meinen Sinn|italic=no}} (18 measures)<ref>{{cite web|title=Nun, Herr, regiere meinen Sinn|url=https://www.vmii.org/bwv-158-der-friede-sei-mit-dir/3-nun-herr-regiere-meinen-sinn|url-status=live|access-date=11 April 2021|website=Vocal Music Instrumentation Index|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412063614/https://www.vmii.org/bwv-158-der-friede-sei-mit-dir/3-nun-herr-regiere-meinen-sinn |archive-date=2021-04-12 }}</ref> # Chorale: {{lang|de|Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm|italic=no}} (16 measures)<ref>{{cite web|title=Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm|url=https://www.vmii.org/bwv-158-der-friede-sei-mit-dir/4-hier-ist-das-rechte-osterlamm|url-status=live|access-date=11 April 2021|website=Vocal Music Instrumentation Index|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412063612/https://www.vmii.org/bwv-158-der-friede-sei-mit-dir/4-hier-ist-das-rechte-osterlamm |archive-date=2021-04-12 }}</ref>

== Music == Both recitatives are "supple" and secco. The second movement is "a fusion of a dulcet aria in the form of a trio sonata" for bass, violin, and continuo, with interspersed lines from the chorale performed by soprano and oboe.<ref name=am>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/composition/cantata-no-158-der-friede-sei-mit-dir-bwv-158-bc-a61-mc0002356052|access-date=3 June 2013|publisher=Allmusic|title=Cantata No. 158}}</ref> It is formally a da capo aria introduced by an eighteen-measure ritornello. The work ends with a four-part harmonization of the chorale.<ref name=min>{{cite web|url=https://www.jsbachcantatas.com/documents/chapter-70-bwv-158|access-date=4 September 2022|author=Mincham, Julian|title=Chapter 70 BWV 158|publisher=jsbachcantatas}}</ref>

== Recordings == * Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale Berlin / Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Forster. ''Bach: Cantatas, Arias & Chorales''. EMI Classics, 1958. * Monteverdi-Chor, Leonhardt-Consort, Jürgen Jürgens. ''J.S. Bach: Kantaten · Cantatas Nr. 27, Nr. 118, Nr. 158, Nr. 59''. Telefunken, 1966. * Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling. ''J.S. Bach: Solokantaten''. Cantate, 1969. * Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Ton Koopman. ''J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 21''. Josef Loibl, 1984. * Thomanerchor / La Stagione, Michael Schneider. ''Bach: Kantaten · Cantatas BWV 82, BWV 158, BWV 56''. Capriccio, 2006. * ''Bach Cantatas for Bass BWV 82/158/56/203'' Ryo Terakado, il Gardellino, Dominik Wörner. Passacaille 2013.

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * [http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-158/ Der Friede sei mit dir, BWV 158]: performance by the Netherlands Bach Society (video and background information) * ''J. S. Bach - Cantata BWV 158 ″Der Friede sei mit dir″'': [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeDD5Lpa_DM Performance] with Peter Harvey, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqFMFSKSc_g Workshop] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDmdocy03wQ Reflection Lecture] by Hans-Rudolf Merz, by J. S. Bach Foundation, on YouTube * {{IMSLP2|work=Der Friede sei mit dir, BWV 158 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)|cname=Der Friede sei mit dir, BWV 158}} * [http://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000192?lang=en Der Friede sei mit dir BWV 158; BC A 61 / A 171 / Sacred cantata (3rd Easter Day)] Bach Digital * [https://www.emmanuelmusic.org/bach-translations/bwv-158 German text and English translation], Emmanuel Music * [http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach/BWV158.html BWV 158 Der Friede sei mit dir] University of Vermont * [http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=BWV+158&qt=results_page Entries for BWV 158] on WorldCat

{{Easter}} {{Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach}} {{Bach cantatas}} {{authority control}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Der Friede sei mit dir'', BWV 158}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Friede Sei Mit Dir}} Category:Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach Category:1730 compositions Category:Music for Easter