13. Evangelist & Soprano Text: St Luke 2: v 10 - 11
In this movement the soprano takes the part of the angel. As in the St Matthew Passion, Bach accompanies all of the words sung by Christ with chords played by slow, sustained strings which surround the words with warmth. Here he encompasses the words of the angel with a kind of musical halo provided by static sustained string chords as the birth of the Saviour is announced to humankind through the shepherds.
| Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen: “Fürchtet euch nicht, siehe, ich verküundige euch große Freude,die allem Volke widerfahren wird. Denn euch ist heute der Heiland geboren, welcher ist Christus, der Herr, in der Stadt David.” |
And the angel said unto them: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” |
14. Recitative - Bass
The prophecy which is mentioned in the closing words of the Magnificat (St Luke 1:55) is referred to here. The words, delivered by the bass, are punctuated by staccato chords on the four oboes.
| Was Gott dem Abraham verheißen, das läßt er nun dem Hirtenchor erfülllt erweisen. Ein Hirt hat alles das zuvor von Gott erfahren müssen. Und nun muß auch ein Hirt die Tat, was er damals versprochen hat, zuerst erfüllet wissen. |
What God promised to Abraham, he now shows fulfilled to the shepherd choir. A shepherd was the first to learn all this from God, and now a shepherd must be first to learn of the fulfilment of what was promised then. |
15. Aria – Tenor
This light-footed tenor aria is taken directly from Cantata 214 where it appears with different words under the title Fromme Musen! – Godly Muses! The music, with flute obbligato, encourages the shepherds to hurry to see the child, sentiments which are to be echoed in the succeeding group of recitatives and chorales. The music for both tenor and flute is particularly fleet in the second half of the aria.
| Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet, eh ihr euch zu lang verweilet, eilt das holde Kind zu sehn! Geht, die Freude heißt zu schön, sucht die Anmut zu gewinnen, geht und labet Herz und Sinnen! |
Joyful shepherds, hurry, O hurry, do not delay too long, hurry to see the lovely child! Go, this joy is too wonderful, seek to partake in this loveliness, go and cheer both heart and senses! |
16. Evangelist Text: St Luke 2: v 12
| “Und das habt zum Zeichen: Ihr werdet finden das Kind in Windeln gewickelt und in einer Krippe liegen.” | And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. |
17. Chorale Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1667
This is the second occurrence of the chorale melody “vom Himmel hoch" (see no 9). Here it is harmonised without instrumental interpolations.
| Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall, des Herrschaft gehet überall! Da Speise vormals such ein Rind, da ruhet itzt der Jungfrau’n Kind. |
Look, there in the dark stable lies the ruler of all! Where cattle once sought food now there lies the virgin’s child. |
18. Recitative - Bass
Again, throughout the first part of this recitative the oboes are used to accompany the words of the bass with short, detached chords and the cello makes continuous ascending arpeggios, as if urging the shepherds along. On the word “singet” (sing) this all changes however. The cello plays a triplet-based rocking figure, and the oboes play gentle sustained repeated notes in a more melodic style – almost like a mini-lullaby.
| So geht denn hin, ihr Hirten, geht, daß ihr das Wunder seht: Und findet ihr des Höchsten Sohn in einer harten Krippe liegen, so singet ihm bei seiner Wiegen aus einem süßen Ton und mit gesamtem Chor dies Lied zur Ruhe vor! |
So go then, you shepherds, go to see the miracle; and find the son of the Almighty lying in a hard crib, and sing to him by his cradle this song in a sweet tone and full chorus to bring him peace! |
