On the third Sunday of Advent, our parish sang the hymn, “Wake, awake, for night is flying.” The remarkable text and tune behind this hymn have served as the starting point for a number of compositions that I’ve highlighted in the past week or so. Johann Sebastian Bach’s cantata Wachet auf, ruf uns die Stimme is the best known of these works.
But a much smaller scale cantata by Dieterich Buxtehude (1637-1707) is also worth repeated listenings. Buxtehude’s Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BuxWV 100) is in four short movements: a brief introductory instrumental Sinfonia, with four violins and continuo; Verse 1 of the hymn sung by a soprano solo with the instruments; Verse 2 sung by a bass solo; and Verse 3 sung by the bass and two sopranos.
Throughout the work, the familiar tune is never straightforwardly stated. Rather, fragments of the melody serve as material for riffing by voices and instruments, more like a good jazz performance of a standard tune than a strict “arrangement” of a fixed melody. Since we all know the melody, we infer its presence suggested in all of the ornamental work going on.
This performance of Buxtehude’s Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BuxWV 100) features sopranos Bettina Pahn and Dorothee Wohlgemuth and bass Klaus Mertens, with members of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra conducted by Ton Koopman. (The text and English translation is presented below the embedded video.)
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme
Wake up, the voice calls us
Der Wächter sehr hoch auf der Zinne,
of the watchmen high up on the battlements,
Wach auf, du Stadt Jerusalem!
wake up, you city of Jerusalem!
Mitternacht heißt diese Stunde;
This hour is called midnight;
Sie rufen uns mit hellem Munde:
they call us with a clear voice:
Wo seid ihr klugen Jungfrauen?
where are you, wise virgins?
Wohl auf, der Bräutgam kömmt;
Get up, the bridegroom comes;
Steht auf, die Lampen nehmt! Alleluja!
Stand up, take your lamps! Hallelujah!
Macht euch bereit
Make yourselves ready
Zu der Hochzeit,
for the wedding,
Ihr müsset ihm entgegen gehn!
you must go to meet him!
Zion hört die Wächter singen,
Zion hears the watchmen sing,
Das Herz tut ihr vor Freuden springen,
her heart leaps for joy,
Sie wachet und steht eilend auf.
she awakes and gets up in haste.
Ihr Freund kommt vom Himmel prächtig,
Her friend comes from heaven in his splendour,
Von Gnaden stark, von Wahrheit mächtig,
strong in mercy, mighty in truth.
Ihr Licht wird hell, ihr Stern geht auf.
Her light becomes bright, her star rises.
Nun komm, du werte Kron,
Now come, you worthy crown,
Herr Jesu, Gottes Sohn!
Lord Jesus, God’s son!
Hosianna!
Hosanna!
Wir folgen all
We all follow
Zum Freudensaal
to the hall of joy
Und halten mit das Abendmahl.
and share in the Lord’s supper.
Gloria sei dir gesungen
May gloria be sung to you
Mit Menschen- und englischen Zungen,
with the tongues of men and angels,
Mit Harfen und mit Zimbeln schon.
with harps and with cymbals.
Von zwölf Perlen sind die Pforten,
The gates are made of twelve pearls,
An deiner Stadt sind wir Konsorten
in your city we are companions
Der Engel hoch um deinen Thron.
of the angels on high around your throne.
Kein Aug hat je gespürt,
No eye has ever perceived,
Kein Ohr hat je gehört
no ear has ever heard
Solche Freude.
such joy.
Des sind wir froh,
Therefore we are joyful,
Io, io!
hurray, hurray!
Ewig in dulci jubilo.
for ever in sweet rejoicing.