71. Christ lag in Todesbanden. J.S. Bach, BWV 4

Another cantata our choir sang for a Sunday service. This is an Easter cantata, about how Christ conquered death. I find it a bit strange that it's in a minor key, but I guess it's not inappropriate because the subject is so heavy. Below are the words in German and English.

Christ lag in Todesbanden für unsre Sünd gegeben,
er ist wieder erstanden und hat uns bracht das Leben;
des wir sollen fröhlich sein, Gott loben und ihm dankbar sein
und singen halleluja, halleluja!

Christ lay in death's bonds, given over for our sins,
He has risen again and brought us life;
therefore we should be joyful, praise God and be thankful to Him
and sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

During the "des wir sollen fröhlich sein," the music gets a little cheerful to fit with the words. At the end, in the halleluja part, there's this thing called an alla breve, which means cut time - basically, all the hallelujas speed right up.



This other chorus is great too. If you ever hear it, listen for the words at the end: "wie ein Tod den andern fraß" - "how one death ate the other" - it's a great line. And when the choir sings "Ein Spott aus dem Tod ist worden," they almost spit it out.

Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg, da Tod und Leben rungen,
das Leben behielt den Sieg, es hat den Tod verschlungen.
Die Schrift hat verkündigt das, wie ein Tod den andern fraß,
Ein Spott aus dem Tod ist worden. Halleluja!

It was a strange battle that death and life waged;
life claimed the victory, it devoured death.
The scripture had prophesied this, how one death gobbled up the other,
a mockery has been made out of death. Hallelujah!

Dedicated to G, D, and H.