J.S. Bach: Erschallet, ihr Lieder, BWV 172 - The Church Cantatas, Vol. 113

The Pentecost Cantata 172 ‘Erschallet, ihr Lieder’ is a fine example of the economical and painstaking manner in which Bach borrowed his own music. This is one of the cantatas composed after his appointment as concertmaster in Weimar, with the obligation to produce a church composition every month. The work dates from 20 May 1714; Bach was to repeat it several times in Leipzig, though in a somewhat more extensive form in which the opening chorus was repeated at the end, as an extra seventh movement after the original final chorale. Moreover, the entire work was transposed from C major to D major. The radiant and dance-like opening chorus to the text ‘Erschallet, ihr Lieder’ is reinforced by three trumpets (and timpani), seeming to compete with the strings. The mood of the music reminds one of the opening of the Christmas Oratorio. In the more subdued middle section the trumpets are silent, only to claim a leading role once more in the bass aria ‘Heiligste Dreieinigkeit’, where their triad patterns symbolise t