The cantata Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm BWV 171 (God, as Thy Name is, so is Thy Praise) was likely first performed in Leipzig’s main churches on New Year’s Day, 1729. It belongs to the so-called Picander cycle, a series of cantata texts written for Bach in 1728 by Christian Friedrich Henrici. However, it is believed Bach only set some of the texts to music.
In the fugal opening chorus (Ps. 48:10), the instrumental ensemble, with the exception of the trumpets, mostly doubles the choir. An independent theme from the first trumpets, building into an extended solo, adds brilliance to the choir. Bach later reused this movement in a revised form as Patrem omnipotentem in his Mass in B Minor.
The rest of the cantata continues to explore the name of Jesus, fitting for the New Year’s Day Gospel reading about the naming of Christ. The two arias, for tenor and soprano, are accompanied solely by violins and are separated by a secco recitative for alto. The bass has an accompanied recitative with oboes, leading into the closing chorale — a reuse of the beautifully crafted final chorale from Jesu, nun sei gepreiset BWV 41 featuring choral lines interspersed with trumpet and timpani interludes.
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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
Ulrich Leisinger
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Editor
Anja Morgenstern
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Songwriter / Librettist
Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander)
| 1700-1764
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Translator
Henry Drinker