Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe, BWV 156

History and text#

BWV 156 was Bach’s fourth and last cantata for the Third Sunday after Epiphany. The prescribed readings for the Sunday were taken from the Epistle to the Romans, rules for life (), and from the Gospel of Matthew, the healing of a leper (). The librettist was Picander. He incorporated two chorale tunes: “Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt” by Johann Hermann Schein (1628) and “Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir” by Kaspar Bienemann (1582). The sinfonia was likely derived from an earlier oboe concerto and was later adapted as part of Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056. The earliest possible date for the first performance is 26 January 1727. 23 January 1729 is another possibility.

Scoring and structure#

The work is scored for three vocal soloists (alto, tenor, and bass), four-part choir, oboe, two violins, viola, and basso continuo. It has six movements: #Sinfonia #Chorale (soprano) and aria (tenor): #Recitative (bass): #Aria (alto): #Recitative (bass): #Chorale:

Music#

The opening sinfonia is scored for oboe, strings, and continuo. It is in F major and common time. The second movement is a combined tenor aria and soprano chorale with obbligato strings. Unusually, it begins with a syncopated continuo line under unison strings. The movement also features sequences and harmonic contrasts. The alto aria is accompanied by oboe and violin in parallel thirds and sixths. The movement includes several instances of word painting. Formally, the movement is an altered da capo aria. It has a “generally sunny affect … only momentarily disturbed by more charged harmonies”. The final movement is a four-part setting of the chorale in C major. The phrase lengths are varied to provide a “hint of timelessness”.

Recordings#

• American Bach Soloists, Jeffrey Thomas. J. S. Bach: Cantatas Volume II. Koch International Classics, 1992.
• Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Ton Koopman. J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 20. Antoine Marchand, 2003.
• Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki. J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 49. BIS, 2010.
• Figuralchor der Gedächtniskirche Stuttgart / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling. Die Bach Kantate. Hänssler, 1973.
• Holland Boys Choir / Netherlands Bach Collegium, Pieter Jan Leusink. Bach Edition Vol. 11. Brilliant Classics, 1999.
• Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner. J. S. Bach: Cantatas for the 3rd Sunday of Epiphany. Archiv Produktion, 2000.

External links#

• Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe BWV 156; BC A 38 / Sacred cantata (3rd Sunday of Epiphany) Bach Digital
• BWV 156 Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe: English translation, University of Vermont
• Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe, BWV 156: performance by the Netherlands Bach Society (video and background information)
• Luke Dahn: BWV 156.6 bach-chorales.com