Cantata BWV 37
Wer da gläubet und getauft wird
Examples from the Score

Mvt. 1 | Mvt. 3 | Mvt. 5 | Mvt. 6

Mvt. 1

The opening bars of this mvt. immediately state three of the four important motifs.

The Belief-motif gets this name from the long, held-note patterns which the vocal parts sing on the word "gläubet" ("believes"). The 10-Commandment-motif is derived from the incipet of the Luther hymn which looks like this:

Bach also has some chorale preludes for organ. Here is the beginning of one.

The basso continuo immediately introduces the last line of the hymn "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern," here in a setting possibly from a lost cantata. In all of Bach's version of this hymn, he equalized the meter so that only quarter notes appear, but other older versions of this hymn had a combination of whole and half notes which might explain the rhythm he uses in this mvt.

This sample from the score begins with measure 6 where the Baptism-of-Christ-motif occurs for the first time.

Here is a Bach setting of this Luther hymn referring directly to this baptism with the appropriate upward jumps on an interval of a fourth marked.

The 10-Commandment-motif in the continuo moves up at the end in contrast with the contrary motion figures in the strings and oboes.

The final example highlights the problem area in the upper voice parts as they leave the held note and jump a seventh higher to a note that causes difficulty for many singers who fail to reduce volume on this note.

Mvt. 3

The conclusion of this aria relates to the Praise-God-motif used in mvt. 1, but also illustrates the very florid treatment of this hymn melody.

In this sample from another hymn using the same melody, notice the final words of each verse: "Und lobt Gott mit großem Schalle" ("and praise God with a great sound/noyse")

Mvt. 5

The 1^st example illustrates the Joy-rhythm and the fluttering or stirring of wings.

The 2^nd example has a typical musical gesture, an upward sweep of notes on the word "Himmel" ("heaven").

In the last example from this mvt., the Belief-motiv is stated by the voice, after which a cascade of notes on the word "getaufet" ("baptized") conjures up the image of a baptism, either the water falling from the head as the pastor performs the baptism, or the immersion of Jesus by John the Baptist.

Mvt. 6

Here we have an unusual twist in the harmonization of the words, "Sünd mir auch verzeihe" ("Also forgive my sins"). This once again proves that Bach's 4-part harmonizations are very frequently related directly to the verse being sung. Such harmonizations are not interchangeable with others, nor can a book of 4-part harmonizations be fully understood without reference to the text that underlies the harmonization as Schweitzer had already pointed out.

Snippets taken from NBA I/12
Contributed by Thomas Braatz (June 1, 2001)

BWV 37 Scores: Score Vocal & Piano [1.68 MB] | Score BGA [2.09 MB]
Autograph Score (Facsimile): D-B Mus. ms. Bach St 100 [Bach Digital]
Chorales: Mvt. 6
Capella: Mvt. 6 [cap]
MuseScore: Complete Cantata | Mvt. 1 | Mvt. 2 | Mvt. 3 | Mvt. 4 | Mvt. 5 | Mvt. 6 [MuseScore]
Score Examples: Examples from the Score
Score Examples: Examples from the Score
Annotated Score with Analysis: Complete Cantata [Unger]
Chorale Melodies: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern [BWV 37/3] | Ich dank dir, lieber Herre [BWV 37/6]