Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, BWV 226

History#

For , the autograph score survives. Bach himself noted on its title: “.” ( – Motet for two choirs for the funeral for the blessed Rector, Professor Ernesti, by J. S. Bach). Ernesti was professor of poetry at Leipzig University and director of the Thomasschule. The first performance took place in the Paulinerkirche, the university church). Scholars debate if the performance was 24 October, or rather 21 October, as indicated by the title page of the sermon. As well as being part of a series of works connected with the university, Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf as a funeral motet is one of a series of Bach motets.

Text#

The text is taken from the Epistle to the Romans () and Martin Luther’s third stanza to the hymn "" (1524). Ernesti himself had chosen the text from the epistle for the funeral sermon.

Scoring and structure#

The motet is scored for two four-part choirs, combined in a single 4-part chorus in movements 2 and 3. Although the concluding chorale “Du heilige Brunst” seems to have been sung at Ernesti’s funeral, there is controversy over whether it was combined with the preceding movements or is to considered a separate composition. Bach’s autograph score survives, and in addition there are orchestral parts in the hand of Bach’s son Carl Philip Emanuel Bach, indicating that choir I was doubled by strings, choir II by reeds (two oboes, taille and bassoon). For the basso continuo, separate violone and organ parts are provided. # # #

Music#

Bach composed the text according to its meaning, not as music for mourning. The opening contrasts two choirs in imitation. In lively time, the word "" (Spirit) is illustrated by a lively melismatic figure. The following idea, "" (but the Spirit itself intercedes for), is given as a fugue, first with independent entrances of all eight parts, but concentrated to four parts in the end, "" (with unutterable sighs). The sighs are audible in the broken melodic lines of all voices. The thought "" (He, however, who examines hearts) appears as a double fugue in four parts in . Here the word "" (saints) is illustrated in extended melismatic writing. The third verse of the hymn Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott, is used as the closing chorale, and is set for four parts.

Sources#

• Motets BWV 225-231 history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, bach-cantatas website
• Bach Motet Translations / BWV 226 - “Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf” English translation, discussion, Emmanuel Music
• Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf history, scoring, Bach website
• BWV 226 Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf English translation, University of Vermont

Further reading#

• Klaus Hofmann: Johann Sebastian Bach. Die Motetten. Bärenreiter, Kassel 2003, .

External links#

• Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf, BWV 226: performance by the Netherlands Bach Society (video and background information)
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) / Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf klassika.info
• Free MP3 recording of Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf – BWV 226 from Umeå Akademiska Kör