Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, BWV 7

{{short description|Church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach}} {{good article}} {{Infobox Bach composition | name = {{lang|de|Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam}} | bwv = 7 | type = Chorale cantata | composer = J. S. Bach | image = José de Ribera 063.jpg | caption = Baptism of Jesus (topic of the chorale) {{nowrap|by José de Ribera,}} 1643 | translation = Christ our Lord came to the Jordan | occasion = {{nowrap|Feast of St John the Baptist}} | performed = {{Timeline-event|date={{Start date|1724|06|24|df=y}}|location=Leipzig}} | movements = 7 | chorale = {{based on|"{{langr|de|Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam}}"|Martin Luther}} | vocal = {{plainlist| * {{abbr|SATB|soprano, alto, tenor and bass}} choir * solo: alto, tenor and bass }} | instrumental = {{hlist | 2 oboes d'amore | 2 violins | viola | continuo }} }} '''{{lang|de|Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam}}''' (Christ our Lord came to the Jordan), '''{{abbr|BWV|Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (catalogue of Bach's works)}}{{nbsp}}7''', is one of several church cantatas which Johann Sebastian Bach composed for the Feast of St. John the Baptist. He wrote it in Leipzig and led its first performance on 24 June 1724.

It is the third cantata Bach composed for his chorale cantata cycle, the second cantata cycle he started after being appointed Thomaskantor in 1723. The cantata is based on the seven stanzas of Martin Luther's hymn "{{langr|de|Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam}}", about baptism. The first and last stanza of the chorale were used for the outer movements of the cantata, while an unknown librettist paraphrased the inner stanzas of the hymn into the text for the five other movements. The first movement, a chorale fantasia, is followed by a succession of arias alternating with recitatives, leading to a four-part closing chorale.

The cantata is scored for three vocal soloists (alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir, two oboes d'amore, two solo violins, strings and continuo. {{TOC limit|3}}

== History and words == Bach composed {{lang|de|Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam}} for St. John's Day, 24 June 1724, in Leipzig, as the third cantata of his second annual cycle, the chorale cantata cycle, which had begun about two weeks earlier on the first Sunday after Trinity. The cycle was devoted to Lutheran hymns, in the format of his chorale cantatas rendered by retaining their text of the first and last stanza, while a contemporary poet reworded the inner stanzas.<ref name="Dürr" />

The prescribed readings for the feast of the birth of John the Baptist were from the Book of Isaiah, "the voice of a preacher in the desert" ({{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Isaiah|chapter=40|verse=1|range=–5}}), and from the Gospel of Luke, the birth of John the Baptist and the {{langr|la|Benedictus|}} of Zechariah ({{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=1|verse=57|range=–80}}).{{sfn|Bach Digital|2024}}<ref name="Dürr" /> Martin Luther's hymn "{{langr|de|Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam}}" (To Jordan came our Lord the Christ) is associated with the feast.<ref name="Massie" /> Its topic, differing from that of the readings, is baptism, which is treated based on biblical accounts, starting from Christ's baptism by John the Baptist in the river Jordan.<ref name="chorale text" /> The hymn tune is "{{langr|de|Es woll uns Gott genädig sein}}", Zahn No. 7246.<ref name="Dürr 1998" />

Bach used the text of the first stanza of Luther's hymn for the first movement of his cantata, with its chorale melody sung as {{lang|la|cantus firmus}}. The final movement of the cantata is a four-part chorale setting of the seventh stanza, on the hymn tune. The five arias and recitatives between these choral movements are settings of text paraphrased from the hymn's other stanzas.{{sfn|Hofmann|2002}}<ref>Clemens Romijn. Liner notes for BWV7 ''Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam''. Brilliant Classics, 2000. (2014 reissue: ''J.S. BACH COMPLETE EDITION''. [http://www.brilliantclassics.com/media/1119359/94940-JS-Bach-Complete-Edition-Liner-Notes-Sung-Text-download.pdf "Liner notes"] p. 23)</ref>

Bach led the first performance on 24 June 1724.{{sfn|Bach Digital|2024}}

== Music == === Scoring and structure === Bach structured the cantata in seven movements and scored it for three vocal soloists (alto (A), tenor (T) and bass (B)), a four-part choir (SATB), two oboes d'amore (Oa), two solo violins (Vs, the second one only introduced in a later performance), two violins (Vl), viola (Va) and basso continuo (Bc).{{sfn|Bach Digital|2024}}<ref name="Dürr" /> {| |- |In the following table of the movements, the scoring and keys and time signatures are taken from Alfred Dürr, using the symbol for common time (4/4).<ref name="Dürr" /> The instruments are shown separately for winds and strings, while the continuo, playing throughout, is not shown. |} {{Classical movement header | show_text_source = yes | work = ''Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam'' | instruments1 = Winds | instruments2 = Strings }} {{Classical movement row | number = 1 | title = {{langr|de|Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam}} | text_source = Luther | type = Chorus | vocal = SATB | instruments1 = 2Oa | instruments2 = Vs 2Vl Va | key = {{nowrap|E minor}} | time = {{music|common-time}} }} {{Classical movement row | number = 2 | title = {{langr|de|Merkt und hört, ihr Menschenkinder}} | text_source = {{abbr|anon.|anonymous author}} | type = Aria | vocal = B | instruments1 = | instruments2 = | key = G major | time = {{music|common-time}} }} {{Classical movement row | number = 3 | title = {{langr|de|Dies hat Gott klar mit Worten}} | text_source = {{abbr|anon.|anonymous author}} | type = Recitative | vocal = T | instruments1 = | instruments2 = | key = | time = }} {{Classical movement row | number = 4 | title = {{langr|de|Des Vaters Stimme ließ sich hören}} | text_source = {{abbr|anon.|anonymous author}} | type = Aria | vocal = T | instruments1 = | instruments2 = 2Vs | key = A minor | time = 9/8 }} {{Classical movement row | number = 5 | title = {{langr|de|Als Jesus dort nach seinen Leiden}} | text_source = {{abbr|anon.|anonymous author}} | type = Recitative | vocal = B | instruments1 = | instruments2 = 2Vl Va | key = | time = }} {{Classical movement row | number = 6 | title = {{langr|de|Menschen, glaubt doch dieser Gnade}} | text_source = {{abbr|anon.|anonymous author}} | type = Aria | vocal = A | instruments1 = 2Oa (unis.) | instruments2 = 2Vl Va | key = G major | time = {{music|common-time}} }} {{Classical movement row | number = 7 | title = {{langr|de|Das Aug allein das Wasser sieht}} | text_source = Luther | type = Chorale | vocal = SATB | instruments1 = 2Oa | instruments2 = 2Vl Va | key = {{plainlist| * E minor * B minor }} | time = {{music|common-time}} }} {{End}}

=== Movements === The seven-movement cantata begins with a chorale fantasia and ends, after a sequence of alternating arias and recitatives, with a closing chorale as a four-part setting. Bach increased the number of accompanying instruments for the arias, from only continuo in the second movement, over two solo violins in the central movement of the cantata, to two oboes d'amore and strings in the sixth movement.<ref name="Dürr" />

==== 1 ==== thumb|upright|The hymn in a print of 1577 In the opening chorus, "{{langr|de|Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam}}" (Christ our Lord came to the Jordan),{{sfn|Dellal|2024}}<ref name="chorale text" /> the tenor has the melody<ref name="chorale melody" /> as a cantus firmus, while the other voices sing free counterpoint.{{sfn|Gardiner|2004}} In the first cantata of the chorale cantata cycle, {{lang|de|''O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort'', BWV 20|italic=unset}}, Bach had given the cantus firmus of the chorale tune to the soprano, and in the second, {{lang|de|''Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein'', BWV 2|italic=unset}}, to the alto.

The opening chorus resembles an Italian violin concerto,{{sfn|Hofmann|2002}} although in the context of a single movement rather than the three-movement format favoured by composers such as Vivaldi. Bach had studied Italian composers from 1714 onwards, when working in Weimar. He went on to assimilate the Italian style into his own compositions (the violin concerto in A minor, BWV 1041 is another example). Alfred Dürr compares the vocal sections of the chorus, all with the solo violin, to the solo sections of a violin concerto, as opposed to the tutti sections with the orchestra.<ref name="Dürr" /> The musicologist Julian Mincham likened the "solo violin's persistent, rocking, wave-like idea" to the waves of the Jordan River.{{sfn|Mincham|2010}} Klaus Hofmann notes that the movement combines the old style of motet writing with the new type of solo concerto, and observes that "the main violin solo episodes ... are at first linked to the choral entries, but gradually assume larger proportions and greater independence as the movement progresses".{{sfn|Hofmann|2002}} John Eliot Gardiner sees a French influence in the movement, interpreting it as a French overture, "replete with grandiloquent baroque gestures to suggest both the processional entrance of Jesus and the powerful flooding of the River Jordan".{{sfn|Gardiner|2004}}

==== 2 ==== The first aria, "{{langr|de|Merkt und hört, ihr Menschenkinder}}" (Mark and hear, you humans),{{sfn|Dellal|2024}} is accompanied by the continuo alone. Mincham observes that a characteristic fast motif of five notes, repeated abundantly in the cello, always flows downward, while Bach usually also inverses motifs, such as in his Inventions. Mincham concludes that it represents the "pouring of the baptismal waters".{{sfn|Mincham|2010}}

==== 3 ==== The following recitative is given to the tenor as an {{langr|la|Evangelist}}: "{{langr|de|Dies hat Gott klar mit Worten}}" (This God has clearly provided with words),{{sfn|Dellal|2024}} narrating the biblical command to baptise.<ref name="Dürr" />

==== 4 ==== The central aria is sung by the tenor, accompanied by two violins, marked "solo" in a later performance, "{{langr|de|Des Vaters Stimme ließ sich hören}}" (The Father's voice can be heard).{{sfn|Dellal|2024}} Gardiner notes that the music "describes, through its pair of soaring violins, the circling flight of the Holy Spirit as a dove".{{sfn|Gardiner|2004}} Hofmann notes the character of the movement as a gigue, and several appearances of the number 3 as a symbol of the Trinity: it is a trio for voice and two violins, "in triple time – and markedly so: not only is the time signature 3/4, but also the crotchets are each divided into triplets", and in a form of three solo sections as "all variants of a single model that is presented in the opening and concluding ritornellos". Hofmann concludes: "The sequence that this creates – three different forms of the same musical substance – is evidently to be understood as a symbol of the Holy Trinity."{{sfn|Hofmann|2002}}

==== 5 ==== A recitative for bass, the {{langr|la|vox Christi}} (voice of Christ), "{{langr|de|Als Jesus dort nach seinen Leiden}}" (As Jesus there, after His passion),{{sfn|Dellal|2024}} speaks of Jesus after his passion and resurrection. It is accompanied by the strings, similar to the words of Jesus in Bach's ''St Matthew Passion''.<ref name="Dürr" />

==== 6 ==== The last aria is sung by the alto with rich accompaniment: "{{langr|de|Menschen, glaubt doch dieser Gnade}}" (People, believe this grace now).{{sfn|Dellal|2024}} The two oboes d'amore double the first violin when human beings are requested to accept the grace of God to not "perish in the pit of hell".{{sfn|Gardiner|2004}}

==== 7 ==== The closing chorale is the final stanza of the hymn, with the instruments playing colla parte: "{{langr|de|Das Aug allein das Wasser sieht}}" (The eye sees only water),{{sfn|Dellal|2024}} a summary of Luther's teaching about baptism.{{sfn|Gardiner|2004}}{{sfn|Dahn|2024}}

== Editions == In 1851, about a century before the cantata was assigned its BWV number, it was published as No. 7 in the first volume of the Bach-Gesellschaft-Ausgabe.<ref name="Forkel 1920" /> The editor was Moritz Hauptmann. In the New Bach Edition the cantata was included in Series I, Volume 29, ''Kantaten zum Johannisfest'' (Cantatas for St. John's Day) along with BWV 30 and BWV 167.<ref name="NBE" /> Calmus and Breitkopf & Härtel published performance scores.<ref name="Rosewall 2007" /> The Breitkopf score translates the cantata's title as ''Lord Christ of old to Jordan came''.<ref name="BH7" />

== Recordings == A list of recordings is provided on the Bach Cantatas Website.{{sfn|Oron|2024}} Ensembles playing period instruments in historically informed performance are shown with green background.

{{Cantata discography header|work=''Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam'' |show_orchestra_type=yes }}

{{Cantata discography row | id = Werner | title = {{lang|fr|Les Grandes Cantates de J. S. Bach Vol. 22}} | conductor = {{sortname|Fritz|Werner}} | choir = Heinrich-Schütz-Chor Heilbronn | orchestra = Pforzheim Chamber Orchestra | soloists = {{plainlist| * Barbara Scherler * Georg Jelden * Jakob Stämpfli }} | label = Erato | year = {{Start date|1966}} | orchestra_type = }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Leonhardt | title = ''J. S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk • Complete Cantatas • Les Cantates, Folge / Vol. 2'' | conductor = {{sortname|Gustav|Leonhardt}} | choir = Choir of King's College, Cambridge | orchestra = Leonhardt-Consort | soloists = {{plainlist| * Paul Esswood * Kurt Equiluz * Max van Egmond }} | label = Teldec | year = {{Start date|1971}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Rilling | title = {{lang|de|Die Bach Kantate Vol. 40}} | conductor = {{sortname|Helmuth|Rilling}} | choir = Gächinger Kantorei | orchestra = Bach-Collegium Stuttgart | soloists = {{plainlist| * Helen Watts * Adalbert Kraus * Wolfgang Schöne }} | label = Hänssler | year = {{Start date|1976}} | orchestra_type = }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Leusink | title = ''Bach Edition Vol. 9 – Cantatas Vol. 4'' | conductor = {{sortname|Pieter Jan|Leusink}} | choir = Holland Boys Choir | orchestra = Netherlands Bach Collegium | soloists = {{plainlist| * Sytse Buwalda * Nico van der Meel * Bas Ramselaar }} | label = Brilliant Classics | year = {{Start date|1999}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Koopman | title = ''J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 11'' | conductor = {{sortname|Ton|Koopman}} | orchestra = Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir | soloists = {{plainlist| * Annette Markert * {{nowrap|Christoph Prégardien}} * Klaus Mertens }} | label = Antoine Marchand | year = 1999 | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Gardiner | title = ''Bach Cantatas Vol. 1: Long Melford For Whit Sunday For Whit Monday'' | conductor = {{sortname|John Eliot|Gardiner}} | choir = Monteverdi Choir | orchestra = English Baroque Soloists | soloists = {{plainlist| * Nathalie Stutzmann * Christoph Genz * Panajotis Iconomou }} | label = Soli Deo Gloria | year = {{Start date|2000}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Suzuki | title = ''J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 22 (Cantatas from Leipzig 1724)'' | conductor = {{sortname|Masaaki|Suzuki}} | orchestra = Bach Collegium Japan | soloists = {{plainlist| * Robin Blaze * Jan Kobow * Peter Kooy }} | label = BIS | year = {{Start date|2002}} | orchestra_type = Period }}

== References == {{reflist | 30em | refs =

<ref name="BH7">{{cite web | url = https://www.breitkopf.com/work/577/kantate-bwv-7-christ-unser-herr-zum-jordan-kam | title = Cantata BWV 7 Lord Christ of old to Jordan came | publisher = Breitkopf & Härtel | access-date = 28 February 2016 }}</ref>

<ref name="chorale text">{{cite web | url = http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale106-Eng3.htm | title = Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam / Text and Translation of Chorale | publisher = Bach Cantatas Website | year = 2006 | access-date = 17 June 2012 }}</ref>

<ref name="chorale melody">{{cite web | url = http://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Christ-Jordan.htm | title = Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam | publisher = Bach Cantatas Website | year = 2006 | access-date = 17 June 2012 }}</ref>

<ref name="Dürr">{{cite book | last = Dürr | first = Alfred | author-link = Alfred Dürr | title = Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach | year = 1981 | publisher = Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag | isbn = 3-423-04080-7 | volume = 1 | edition = 4 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/diekantatenvonjo0002durr/page/561 561–563] | language = de | url = https://archive.org/details/diekantatenvonjo0002durr/page/561 }}</ref>

<ref name="Dürr 1998">Alfred Dürr, Yoshitake Kobayashi (eds.), Kirsten Beißwenger. ''Bach Werke Verzeichnis: Kleine Ausgabe, nach der von Wolfgang Schmieder vorgelegten 2. Ausgabe''. Preface in English and German. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1998. {{ISBN|3765102490}} - {{ISBN|978-3765102493}}, [http://bachmidi.info/kpost1.html#p0473 p. 473]</ref>

<ref name="Forkel 1920">Forkel, Johann Nikolaus, translated by Charles Sanford Terry (1920). ''Johann Sebastian Bach: His Life, Art, and Work''. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Howe; London: Constable, [https://archive.org/stream/johannsebastian01terrgoog#page/n275/mode/1up p. 226]</ref>

<ref name="Massie">Martin Luther. [http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/754#lf0225_label_081 "XXXIV.: Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam. To Jordan came our Lord the Christ."] translated by R. Massie (amended) in [http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/754 ''The Hymns of Martin Luther: Set to their Original Melodies''] edited by Leonard Woolsey Bacon assisted by Nathan H. Allen. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1884.</ref>

<ref name="NBE">New Bach Edition, [https://www.baerenreiter.com/en/catalogue/complete-editions/bach-johann-sebastian/nba/series-i/ Series I: Cantatas], [https://www.baerenreiter.com/noten/produkt/?artNo=BA5058_01 Vol. 29: ''Kantaten zum Johannisfest''] edited by Frieder Rempp. Bärenreiter, 1983</ref>

<ref name="Rosewall 2007">Michael Rosewall. [https://books.google.com/books?id=6p8YA62QcDcC ''Directory of Choral-orchestral Music''.] Taylor & Francis, 2007. {{ISBN|9780415980043}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=6p8YA62QcDcC&pg=PA17 p. 17]</ref>

}}

=== Cited sources === * {{cite web | url = http://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000008?lang=en | title = Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam BWV 7; BC A 177 | website = Bach Digital | date = 2024 | ref = {{sfnref|Bach Digital|2024}} }} * {{cite web | last = Dahn | first = Luke | url = http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0007_7.htm | title = BWV 7.7 | date = 2024 | website = bach-chorales.com | access-date = 29 May 2024 }} * {{cite web | last = Dellal | first = Pamela | author-link = Pamela Dellal | url = https://www.emmanuelmusic.org/bach-translations/bwv-7 | title = BWV 7 – "Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam" | publisher = Emmanuel Music | date = 2024 | access-date = 20 August 2022 }} * {{Cite AV media notes | last = Gardiner | first = John Eliot | author-link = John Eliot Gardiner | url = https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/notes/301012-B.pdf | title = Bach Cantatas Vol. 1: City of London | publisher = Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website) | pages = 10–11 | date = 2004 | access-date = 29 June 2019 }} * {{cite web | last = Hofmann | first = Klaus | author-link = Klaus Hofmann | url = http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Pic-Rec-BIG/Suzuki-C22c%5BBIS-CD1321%5D.pdf | title = Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, BWV 7 / Christ our Lord came to the Jordan | page = 8 | publisher = Bach Cantatas Website | date = 2002 | access-date = 17 June 2012 }} * {{cite web | last = Mincham | first = Julian | url = https://www.jsbachcantatas.com/documents/chapter-4-bwv-7/ | title = Chapter 4 Bwv 7 – The Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach | date = 2010 | access-date = 16 August 2022 | publisher = jsbachcantatas.com }} * {{cite web | last = Oron | first = Aryeh | url = http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV7.htm | title = Cantata BWV 7 Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam | date = 2024 | publisher = Bach Cantatas Website | access-date = 20 June 2015 }}

== External links == * {{IMSLP|work=Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, BWV 7 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)}} * Tim Smith: [https://www.baltimoresun.com/2008/08/31/bach-fan-thrills-to-discovery-of-lost-1724-pages/ Bach fan thrills to discovery of lost 1724 pages] ''Baltimore Sun'', 31 August 2008 * [http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach/BWV7.html BWV 7 Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam]: English translation, University of Vermont * [http://webdocs.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/7.html BWV 7 Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam]: text, scoring, University of Alberta * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150630164134/http://oregonbachfestival.com/assets/discovery/BWV_7.pdf Cantata BWV 7 Christ unser Herr zum Jordan Kam] Oregon Bach Festival 2006 * {{YouTube|06PQgj_K8dI|J.S. Bach - Cantata BWV 7 "Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam" (J.S. Bach Foundation)}} 2022

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christ Unser Herr Zum Jordan Kam Bwv 7}} Category:Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach Category:1724 compositions Category:Chorale cantatas