Johann Sebastian Bach Who believe and are baptised

True believers who believe and are baptised
shall be saved forever.

Assurance will my faith afford me,
of Jesus’ love and guarantee:
This will He at my end award me,
when in life’s ledger He records me
a priceless word, my soul to free.

Our God and Father, mighty Lord,
ere time began or men record,
Thou, trhough Thy Son, hast loved me.
Thy Son will ever be my guide.
He is my joy, I am His bride;
in Him my soul rejoiceth.
Eia, eia!
Joy supernal, life eternal:
hymnus be raised;
ever will my God be praised.

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Wer da gläubet und getauft wird,
der wird selig werden.

Der Glaube ist das Pfand der Liebe,
die Jesus für die Seinen hegt.
Drum hat er bloß aus Liebestriebe,
da er ins Lebensbuch mich schriebe,
mir dieses Kleinod beigelegt.

Herr Gott Vater, mein starker Held!
Du hast mich ewig vor der Welt
in deinem Sohn geliebet.
Dein Sohn hat mich ihm selbst vertraut,
er ist mein Schatz, ich bin sein' Braut,
sehr hoch in ihm erfreuet.
Eia! Eia!
Himmlisch Leben wird er geben mir dort oben;
ewig soll mein Herz ihn loben.

...

Karin Wollschläger
Translation: David Kosviner

The cantata Wer da gläubet und getauft wird (Who believe and are baptised) BWV 37 was ?rst performed on Ascension Day (24 May 1724) and is part of the ?rst annual cycle of cantatas. The Gospel reading (Mark 16:14–20) gives an account of the Great Commission with which Jesus, after the Resurrection but before the Ascension, charged his disciples.

The cantata’s libretto consists of Jesus’s words “Wer da gläubet und getauft wird, der wird selig werden”(He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, no. 1) from the Gospel reading, two chorale verses (nos. 3 & 6) as well as madrigal-like poetry written by an unknown author (nos. 2, 4 & 5).

The orchestra in the opening chorus is kept rather simple, with two oboes d’amore, strings and basso continuo; nevertheless, the movement retains a digni?ed and solemn character.

Three melodic components form the basic framework of the whole movement: a motive with a signal-like ascending fourth in the oboes d’amore, a livelier melodic idea with four repeated quarter notes in the violins and ?nally, a descending line in the bass

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