The cantata Eternity, O awesome word BWV 60, which belongs to Bach’s first Leipzig annual cycle and was written for the 24th Sunday after Trinity Sunday, is one of Bach’s few dialog cantatas. It deals with the conflict between Dread (contralto) and Hope (tenor) in the face of death, which is already the topic of the expansive opening chorale arrangement . Using a device which was surprisingly dramatic for a Baroque church cantata, the bass joins in as a third vocal part (functioning as Vox Christi) in the penultimate movement – the recitative "Der Tod bleibt doch der menschlichen Natur verhasst" (Dread) – with the Bible quote "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." This also convinces Dread and leads into the concluding chorale "Es ist genug, so nimm Herr meinen Geist."
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Digital text (without sheet music) incl. printing licence, html file, singing text, english translationhtml file, singing text, english translation (Sample)1 AriaEternity, O awesome word,
2 Recitativo (Dialogus Alto, Tenore)
O sword that pierces heart and mind,
beginning with no ending!
– Lord, I wait but for thy grace. –
Eternity, time without time,
I in my sorrow and my gloom
know not where I am tending;
my spirit quakes with fear of death,
my tongue cleaves tightly to my mouth.What rocky path,
what battle shall await me?
– My Helper will be there;
my Saviour stands with comfort here
beside me. –
The fear of death, the last farewell,
comes close and overcomes my soul
and pains this sinful body.
– I lay this body down;...
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Digital text (without sheet music) incl. printing licence, html file, singing text, originalhtml file, singing text, original (Sample)1 Aria (Soli Furcht A und Hoffnung T)
O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort,
2 Recitativo (Alto, Tenore)
O Schwert, das durch die Seele bohrt,
O Anfang sonder Ende!
– Herr, ich warte auf dein Heil. –
O Ewigkeit, Zeit ohne Zeit,
ich weiß vor großer Traurigkeit
nicht, wo ich mich hinwende;
mein ganz erschrocknes Herze bebt
dass mir die Zung am Gaumen klebt.O schwerer Gang zum letzten Kampf und Streite!
– Mein Beistand ist schon da,
mein Heiland steht mir ja
mit Trost zur Seite. –
Die Todesangst, der letzte Schmerz ereilt
und überfällt mein Herz
und martert diese Glieder.
– Ich lege diesen Leib
vor Gott zum Opfer nieder....
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Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach
| 1685-1750Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most important composers of Western music history. He came from a widely ramified musical dynasty, which produced numerous musicians and organists in the Thuringian-Saxon area.
Bach vocal
Ever since Carus-Verlag was founded in 1972, publishing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach has been a special focus for us. In the 2017 Reformation anniversary year we completed the Bach vocal project. Bach's complete sacred vocal works are now available in modern Urtext editions, together with performance material. A complete edition of all the full scores is also available in a high quality box set. Personal details
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Editor
Reinhold Kubik
| 1942-2024
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Continuo realization
Paul Horn
| 1922-2016Paul Horn war ein deutscher Kirchenmusiker, Organist, Komponist und Musikwissenschaftler. Er studierte Kirchenmusik und Orgel an der Evangelischen Kirchenmusikschule Esslingen am Neckar bei Hans-Arnold Metzger und Musikwissenschaft, Theologie und Geschichte an der Universität Tübingen. Seine berufliche Laufbahn begann als Kantor an der Evangelischen Michaelskirche in Stuttgart-Degerloch. 1954 wurde er Kantor an der Evangelischen Stadtkirche Ravensburg, eine Position, die er bis zu seiner Pensionierung innehatte. Als Musikwissenschaftler arbeitete Horn bis ins hohe Alter eng mit Carus zusammen. So stammen zahlreiche Carus-Klavierauszüge aus seiner Feder. Personal details
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Preface writer
Ulrich Leisinger
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Translator
Jean Lunn
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