Cantata BWV 126
Erhalt uns Herr, bei deinem Wort
Emblemata

Source:

"Icones Mortis Sexaginta Imaginibus", Eberhard Keiser, 1648 ; derived from the Holbein cycle of the "dance of Death"

Association:

Cantata BWV 126: Mvt. 1: Chorus (Chorale) [S, A, T, B]

Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort,
Preserve us, Lord, with your word,
Und steur' des Papsts und Türken Mord,
and control the murderous rage of the Pope and the Turks,
Die Jesum Christum, deinen Sohn,
who would want to cast down Jesus Christ, your son,
Stürzen wollen von seinem Thron.
From his throne.

Description:

From a cycle of sixty images depicting mortality, the suppliant secular Prince is seen kissing the foot of the Pope, an image in conflict with Lutheran concepts of duty ( "Obrigkeit") owed to the Prince alone as the "summepiskopat", acting as over Bishop or Superintendent. The text above reflects that one day the Pope's foot will be cold and no longer to be kissed. The illustration depicts the generally hostile attitude to the Papacy (Luther wrote of him as the "Anti-Christ" in the 1520's), quite apart from the message of mortality suggested by the hour glass and skeletons in the background.

Written and contributed by Peter Smaill (March 2010)

Cantata BWV 126: Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2