J.S. Bach: Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt, BWV 68 - The Church Cantatas, Vol. 111

BWV68 (21 May 1727) quotes the gospel for the day, John 3, 16-21, literally. Verse 16, a verse of which Luther once said that it ought to painted in golden letters on every home’s wall, is turned into a beautiful siciliano. The sopranos sing the chorale melody, but with so many decorations as to be hardly recognisable; the other voices sing imitations. `Bleibet ewig unverloren’ has long sustained notes, and dramatic breaks on `unverloren’. One of Bach’s most delightful soprano arias now follows. One wonders which of the two is most unforgettable: the violoncello piccolo’s tune or the soprano’s. The aria is based on one in BWV208, but transformed into something very special; the ritornello extends the delight for almost as many bars as already went before. A fine bass recitative leads to another parody from the Hunting Cantata, in which the bass expresses his relief that Jesus has done enough (`genung!’) for us. The final chorus is a grand fugue, the sternness of which lives up to the solemn words. The lon