Bach Cantata 78:Analysis of Movement 2

Aria DuetAria duet for soprano and altoInstruments: Cello, organ and double bassHas a joyful, light-hearted mood compared

with movement 1B flat major (modulates to C minor and D

minor for the B section)Common timeTernary form (Da Capo Aria) and ritornello

form

AriaAn aria is a highly elaborate vocal pieceIt is usually from an opera, oratorio or cantataIt is often in da capo or ABA formA lot of the words have melismatic settings

(two or more notes per syllable) in ariasSequences are also very commonIn opera, the singer was expected to decorate the

second A section. This doesn’t happen here. Bach didn’t write operas!

Aria fell out of use in the 1800s as it was over elaborate and resulted in dramatic problems

TextThis aria is joyful The text talks of hastening eagerly towards Jesus for helpThere are excellent examples of word

painting in this movementThere is a long melisma at the start on

the word “eilen” which means “hasten”. The upward moving sequence used on this word captures the movement implied in the word

RitornelloThe opening 8 bar ritornello introduces the

instrumental themes that will be used throughout the movement

The cello and organ play a rocking quaver pattern

Meanwhile the double bass plays a pizzicato ground bass theme that moves in crotchets

This movement is unusual in that the continuo line is not the bottom part

Section AIn B flat major and starts with an upbeatBegins and ends with 8 bar ritornello sectionsSoprano and alto enter in canon. The alto enters

two bars after the soprano and a fourth lower.Declamatory antiphonal dialogue between

the parts for the words “O Jesu, o meister”Mainly polyphonic texture, due to the canonTowards the end of the section the singers sing

in parallel sixths and thirdsThere is an excellent example of word painting

on the word “hasten”

Section BBegins on an upbeat in g minor and moves to c

minor and d minor and finally to F majorSoprano and alto enter in canon at the 5th and at a

distance of 2 barsIn this section there are slower rhythms and more

sustained notesShorter ritornello passages break Section B upThere is word painting on the words “ach! Hore”

(“oh hear”) and “freulich” (“joyful”)In the second half of this section the alto enters first Section B ends with a perfect cadence in F major.

This prepares for an immediate return to Section A and to B flat major

Da Capo AriaAs this piece is a Da Capo Aria the Section

A is repeated in its entirety after Section B.The piece ends with a perfect cadence in B

flat major