Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75

Johann Sebastian Bach had served in several churches as {{lang|de|Kantor}} and organist, and at the courts of Weimar and Köthen, when he applied for the post of {{lang|de|Thomaskantor|italic=no}} in Leipzig. He was 38 years old and had a reputation as an organist and organ expert. He had composed church cantatas, notably the funeral cantata {{lang|la|Actus tragicus}} in Mühlhausen around 1708.{{sfn|Bach Digital BWV 106|2023}} In Weimar, he had begun a project to cover all occasions of the liturgical year by providing one cantata a month for four years, including works such as {{lang|de|Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV 12 |italic=unset}}, and {{lang|de|Erschallet, ihr Lieder, BWV 172 |italic=unset}}.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA13 13—14]}}

Bach composed the cantata for the First Sunday after Trinity and first performed it in the service in the {{lang|de|Nikolaikirche|italic=no}} on 30 May 1723,{{sfn|Bach Digital BWV 75|2023}} to take up his position as {{lang|de|Thomaskantor|italic=no}}. From then on, he was responsible for the education of the Thomanerchor, performances in the regular services in the {{lang|de|Thomaskirche|italic=no}}, the {{lang|de|Nikolaikirche|italic=no}}, {{lang|de|Neue Kirche|italic=no}} and {{lang|de|Petrikirche|italic=no}}. He started a project of composing one cantata for each Sunday and holiday of the liturgical year, termed by Christoph Wolff "an artistic undertaking on the largest scale".

The prescribed readings for the Sunday were from the First Epistle of John, "God is Love"

({{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=1 John|chapter=4|verse=16|range=–21}}), and from the Gospel of Luke, the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus ({{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=16|verse=19|range=–31}}).{{sfn|Bach Digital BWV 75|2023}} An unknown poet begins the cantata with a verse from a psalm, {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Psalms|chapter=22|verse=26}} (verse 27 in the Luther Bible),{{sfn|Bach Digital BWV 75|2023}} "The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever", connecting the gospel to the Old Testament as a starting point.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA384 384]}} The later cantata for the same occasion, {{lang|de|Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot, BWV 39 |italic=unset}} (Break your bread for the hungry), begins similarly with a quotation from the Old Testament. The poet expanded on the contrast of "{{lang|de|Reichtum und Armut|italic=no}}" (wealth and poverty, rich and poor) in fourteen elaborate movements, arranged in two parts to be performed before and after the sermon. The poet focused on the contrast of "{{lang|de|Reichtum und Armut|italic=no}}" (wealth and poverty, rich and poor) Both parts are concluded by a stanza of Samuel Rodigast's hymn "{{lang|de|Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan|italic=no}}", stanza 2 in movement 7, and stanza 6 in movement 14.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA384 384]}}

The autograph score is written neatly on non-Leipzig paper, probably while Bach still lived in Köthen.

A Leipzig chronicle, "{{lang|la|Acta Lipsiensium academica}}", reported the social event: "{{lang|de|... führte ... Hr. Joh. Sebastian Bach ... mit gutem applauso seine erste Music auf|italic=no}}" (... performed ... with good applause his first music).{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA384 384]}} "Good applause" means "great approval" rather than clapping of hands.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=384}} A different translation renders the note as "... the new Cantor and Director of the Collegium Musicum, Herr Johann Sebastian Bach, who has come hither from the Prince's court of Cöthen, produced his first music here with great success."

The cantata is structured in two parts of seven movements each, to be performed before and after the sermon. It is scored for four vocal soloists (soprano (S), alto (A), tenor (T) and bass (B)), a four-part choir SATB, trumpet (Tr), two oboes (Ob), oboe d'amore (Oa), two violins (Vl), viola (Va), and basso continuo (Bc) including bassoon.{{sfn|Bach Digital BWV 75|2023}} The two parts of seven movements each are composed as the same arrangement of alternating recitatives and arias with a concluding chorale, only Part II is opened by a sinfonia instead of a chorus.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA384 384]}} The duration is given as 40 minutes.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=381}}

In the following table of the movements, the scoring follows the Neue Bach-Ausgabe. The keys and time signatures are taken from Alfred Dürr, using {{music|common-time}} for common time rather than the numeric {{music|time|4|4}}.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|pp=381–383}} The instruments are shown separately for winds and strings, while the continuo, playing throughout, is not shown.

{{Classical movement header | show_text_source = yes | work = Die Elenden sollen essen, Part I | instruments1 = Winds | instruments2 = Strings}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m1

| number = 1

| title = {{lang|de|Die Elenden sollen essen|italic=no}}

| text_source = {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Psalms|chapter=22|verse=26}}

| type = Chorus

| vocal = SATB

| instruments1 = 2Ob Fg

| instruments2 = 2Vl Va

| key = {{nowrap|E minor}}

| time = {{hlist| {{music|time|3|4}} | {{music|common-time}} }}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m2

| number = 2

| title = {{lang|de|Was hilft des Purpurs Majestät|italic=no}}

| text_source = {{abbr|anon.|anonymous}}

| type = Recitative

| vocal = B

| instruments1 =

| instruments2 = 2Vl Va

| key =

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m3

| number = 3

| title = {{lang|de|Mein Jesus soll mein alles sein|italic=no}}

| text_source = anon.

| type = Aria

| vocal = T

| instruments1 = Ob

| instruments2 = 2Vl Va

| key = {{nowrap|G major}}

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m4

| number = 4

| title = {{lang|de|Gott stürzet und erhöhet|italic=no}}

| text_source = anon.

| type = Recitative

| vocal = T

| instruments1 =

| instruments2 =

| key =

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m5

| number = 5

| title = {{lang|de|Ich nehme mein Leiden mit Freuden auf mich|italic=no}}

| text_source = anon.

| type = Aria

| vocal = S

| instruments1 = Oa

| instruments2 =

| key = A minor

| time = {{music|time|3|8}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m6

| number = 6

| title = {{lang|de|Indes schenkt Gott ein gut Gewissen|italic=no}}

| text_source = anon.

| type = Recitative

| vocal = S

| instruments1 =

| instruments2 =

| key =

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m7

| number = 7

| title = {{lang|de|Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan|italic=no}}

| text_source = Rodigast

| type = Chorale

| vocal = SATB

| instruments1 = 2Ob

| instruments2 = 2Vl Va

| key = G major

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{End}}

{{Classical movement header | show_text_source = yes | work = Die Elenden sollen essen, Part II| instruments1 = Winds | instruments2 = Strings}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m8

| number = 8

| type = Sinfonia

| text_source =

| instruments1 = Tr

| instruments2 = 2Vl Va

| key = {{nowrap|G major}}

| time = {{music|alla-breve}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m9

| number = 9

| title = {{lang|de|Nur eines kränkt|italic=no}}

| text_source = anon.

| type = Recitative

| vocal = A

| instruments1 =

| instruments2 = 2Vl Va

| key =

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m10

| number = 10

| title = {{lang|de|Jesus macht mich geistlich reich|italic=no}}

| text_source = anon.

| type = Aria

| vocal = A

| instruments1 =

| instruments2 = 2Vl {{abbr|unis.|unison}}

| key = E minor

| time = {{music|time|3|8}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| id = m11

| number = 11

| title = {{lang|de|Wer nur in Jesu bleibt|italic=no}}

| text_source = anon.

| type = Recitative

| vocal = B

| instruments1 =

| instruments2 =

| key =

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| number = 12

| title = {{lang|de|Mein Herze glaubt und liebt|italic=no}}

| text_source = anon.

| type = Aria

| vocal = B

| instruments1 = Tr

| instruments2 = Vl Va

| key = C major

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| number = 13

| title = {{lang|de|O Armut, der kein Reichtum gleicht|italic=no}}

| text_source = anon.

| type = Recitative

| vocal = T

| instruments1 =

| instruments2 =

| key =

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{Classical movement row

| number = 14

| title = {{lang|de|Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan|italic=no}}

| text_source = Rodigast

| type = Chorale

| vocal = SATB

| instruments1 = 2Ob

| instruments2 = 2Vl Va

| key = G major

| time = {{music|common-time}}

}}

{{End}}

Bach marked the occasion, creating the opening chorus reminiscent of a French overture, with a slow first section in dotted rhythm and a fast fugue. He chose the same form one year later to begin his second annual cycle of chorale cantatas with {{lang|de|O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort, BWV 20 |italic=unset}}. The composition can also be seen as a prelude and fugue on a large scale. The prelude is again in two sections separated by a short interlude, in the way of a motet according to the different ideas of the text. In the fugue on the words "Euer Herz soll ewiglich leben" (your heart shall live for ever), the subject is developed three times, again separated by interludes.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA384 384–385]}}

Four of the recitatives are "secco", accompanied only by the continuo, but the first one of each part is "accompagnato", brightened by the strings. In the arias, the voice and the instruments mostly share the themes. The arias can be considered as a suite of French dance movements, the tenor a Polonaise, the soprano aria a Minuet, the alto aria a Passepied and the bass aria a Gigue. In the last aria, the trumpet opens the setting and then accompanies the bass in virtuoso figuration, adding splendour to the words "{{lang|de|Mein Herze glaubt und liebt|italic=no}}" (My heart believes and loves).{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA386 386]}}

The music of the two stanzas of the chorale is identical. The tune is not a simple four-part setting as in most of Bach's later cantatas, but the voices are embedded in a concerto of the orchestra, led by violin I and oboe I. The instrumental theme is derived from the first line of the chorale tune.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA386 386]}}

The sinfonia beginning Part II, rare in Bach's cantatas, is especially remarkable because it is a chorale fantasia on the same chorale melody. The trumpet (which was silent throughout Part I) plays the tune as cantus firmus against a polyphonic string setting, emphasizing once more "Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan" (What God does is well done).{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA386 386]}}

The entries of the following table are taken from the list of recordings as provided by Bach Cantatas Website. Ensembles playing on period instruments in historically informed performances are marked by green background.

{{Cantata discography header|work=Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75 |show_orchestra_type=yes }}

{{Cantata discography row

| id = Rilling

| title = {{lang|de|Die Bach Kantate Vol. 38}}

| conductor = {{sortname|Helmuth|Rilling}}

| choir = Frankfurter Kantorei

| orchestra = Bach-Collegium Stuttgart

| soloists = {{plainlist|

• Ingeborg Reichelt
• Verena Gohl (alto, 1)
• Julia Hamari (alto, 9,10)
• Adalbert Kraus
• Hanns-Friedrich Kunz

}}

| label = Hänssler

| year = {{Start date|1970}}

| orchestra_type = Chamber

}}

{{Cantata discography row

| id = Leonhardt

| title = J. S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk • Complete Cantatas • Les Cantates, Folge / Vol. 19

| conductor = {{sortname|Gustav|Leonhardt}}

| choir = {{plainlist|

• Knabenchor Hannover
• Collegium Vocale Gent

}}

| orchestra = Leonhardt-Consort

| soloists = {{plainlist|

• Marcus Klein (soloist of the Knabenchor Hannover)
• Paul Esswood
• Adalbert Kraus
• Max van Egmond

}}

| label = Teldec

| year = {{Start date|1977}}

| orchestra_type = Period

}}

{{Cantata discography row

| id = Koopman

| title = J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 6

| conductor = {{sortname|Ton|Koopman}}

| orchestra = Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir

| soloists = {{plainlist|

• Ruth Ziesak
• Elisabeth von Magnus
• Paul Agnew
• Klaus Mertens

}}

| label = Antoine Marchand

| year = {{start date|1998}}

| orchestra_type = Period

}}

{{Cantata discography row

| id = Suzuki

| title = J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 8 – Leipzig Cantatas

| conductor = {{sortname|Masaaki|Suzuki}}

| orchestra = Bach Collegium Japan

| soloists = {{plainlist|

• Midori Suzuki
• Yoshikazu Mera
• Gerd Türk
• Peter Kooy

}}

| label = BIS

| year = {{start date|1998}}

| orchestra_type = Period

}}

{{Cantata discography row

| id = Leusink

| title = Bach Edition Vol. 19 – Cantatas Vol. 10

| conductor = {{sortname|Pieter Jan|Leusink}}

| choir = Holland Boys Choir

| orchestra = Netherlands Bach Collegium

| soloists = {{plainlist|

• Ruth Holton
• Sytse Buwalda
• Knut Schoch
• Bas Ramselaar

}}

| label = Brilliant Classics

| year = {{Start date|2000}}

| orchestra_type = Period

}}

{{Cantata discography row

| id = Gardiner

| title = Bach Cantatas Vol. 1: City of London / For the 1st Sunday after Trinity

| conductor = {{sortname|John Eliot|Gardiner}}

| choir = Monteverdi Choir

| orchestra = English Baroque Soloists

| soloists = {{plainlist|

• Gillian Keith
• {{nowrap|Wilke te Brummelstroete}}
• Paul Agnew
• Dietrich Henschel

}}

| label = Soli Deo Gloria

| year = {{Start date|2000}}

| orchestra_type = Period

}}

{{Cantata discography row

| id = Herreweghe

| title = J. S. Bach: Weinen, Klagen

| conductor = {{hs|Herreweghe, Philippe}} {{nowrap|Philippe Herreweghe}}

| choir =

| orchestra = Collegium Vocale Gent

| soloists = {{plainlist|

• Carolyn Sampson
• Daniel Taylor
• Mark Padmore
• Peter Kooy

}}

| label = Harmonia Mundi France

| year = {{Start date|2003}}

| orchestra_type = Period

}}

{{End}}

{{reflist | 30em

| refs =

{{cite web

| last = Dellal

| first = Pamela

| author-link = Pamela Dellal

| url = https://www.emmanuelmusic.org/bach-translations/bwv-75

| title = BWV 75 – "Die Elenden sollen essen"

| publisher = Emmanuel Music

| access-date = 23 August 2022

}}

{{cite book

| last = Dürr

| first = Alfred

| author-link = Alfred Dürr

| title = Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach

| date = 1981

| publisher = Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag

| isbn = 3-423-04080-7

| volume = 1

| edition = 4

| pages = [https://archive.org/details/diekantatenvonjo0002durr/page/325 325–330]

| language = de

| url = https://archive.org/details/diekantatenvonjo0002durr/page/325

}}

{{Cite AV media notes

| last = Gardiner

| first = John Eliot

| author-link = John Eliot Gardiner

| url = https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/notes/301012-B.pdf

| title = Bach Cantatas Vol. 1: City of London

| publisher = Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website)

| pages = 12–13

| date = 2004

| access-date = 29 June 2019

}}

{{cite web

| last = Wolff

| first = Christoph

| author-link = Christoph Wolff

| translator = Stewart Spencer

| url = http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Pic-Rec-BIG/Koopman-C06-1c[Erato-3CD].pdf

| title = "Die Elenden sollen essen" BWV 75

| publisher = Bach Cantatas Website

| date = 1997

| page = 16

| access-date = 10 February 2017

}}

{{cite web

| last = Mincham

| first = Julian

| url = https://www.jsbachcantatas.com/documents/chapter-2-bwv-75

| title = Chapter 2 Bwv 75 – The Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach

| date = 2010

| access-date = 23 August 2022

| publisher = jsbachcantatas.com

}}

{{cite web

| last = Oron

| first = Aryeh

| url = http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV75.htm

| title = Cantata BWV 75 Die Elenden sollen essen

| publisher = Bach Cantatas Website

| date = 2006

| access-date = 8 June 2015

}}

{{cite book

| last = Verschaeve

| first = François

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-m9EtVvAtcYC

| title = Répertitres

| page = 525

| publisher = Lulu.com

| date = 2007

| isbn = 9780973845419

| access-date = 16 June 2014

}}

{{cite book

| last = Wolff

| first = Christoph

| author-link = Christoph Wolff

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=8WFNr4EZk2cC

| title = Bach: Essays on his Life and Music

| year = 1991

| publisher = Harvard University Press

| isbn = 9780674059269

}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.carus-verlag.com/index.php3?BLink=JSBach&selSprache=1

|title=Johann Sebastian Bach

|publisher=Carus-Verlag

|access-date=15 March 2013

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510104746/http://www.carus-verlag.com/index.php3?BLink=JSBach&selSprache=1

|archive-date=10 May 2012

}}

{{cite web

| url = http://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Was-Gott-tut.htm

| title = Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan

| publisher = Bach Cantatas Website

| date = 2006

| access-date = 21 June 2011

}}

}}

• {{cite web

| url = http://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000094?lang=en

| title = Die Elenden sollen essen BWV 75; BC A 94 / First Sunday after Trinity, Cantata Cycle I (1723/1724)

| website = Bach Digital

| date = 2023

| ref = {{sfnref|Bach Digital BWV 75|2023}}

}}

• {{cite web

| url = http://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000131?lang=en

| title = God's time is the very best time (Actus tragicus) BWV 106; BC B 18 / Funeral Service, Mühlhausen Cantatas

| website = Bach Digital

| date = 2023

| ref = {{sfnref|Bach Digital BWV 106|2023}}

}}

• {{cite book

| last1 = Dürr

| first1 = Alfred

| author1-link = Alfred Dürr

| last2 = Jones

| first2 = Richard D. P.

| author2-link = Richard D. P. Jones

| chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA381

| chapter = Die Elendenden sollen essen

| title = The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text

| publisher = Oxford University Press

| date = 2006

| pages = 381–387

| isbn = 978-0-19-929776-4

}}

• {{IMSLP|work=Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)}}
• [http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach/BWV75.html BWV 75 Die Elenden sollen essen] English translation, University of Vermont
• [http://webdocs.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/75.html BWV 75 Die Elenden sollen essen] text, scoring, University of Alberta
• Brian Robins: [http://www.allmusic.com/work/cantata-no-75-die-elenden-sollen-essen-bwv-75-bc-a94-c65232/description Cantata No. 75, "Die Elenden sollen essen," BWV 75] Allmusic
• Luke Dahn: [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0075_7_14.htm BWV 75.7=75.14] bach-chorales.com
• [https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-75 Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75]: performance by the Netherlands Bach Society (video and background information)

{{Good article}}

{{Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach|state=collapsed}}

{{Bach cantatas|state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elenden Sollen Essen, Die}}

Category:Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach

Category:Psalm-related compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach

Category:1723 compositions