Johann Sebastian Bach
Es ist dir gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist
“You have been told, mankind, what is good”
(Cantata BWV 45)

One of three cantatas composed by Bach for use on the Eighth Sunday after Trinity, Es ist dir gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist, is a musical homily inspired by the Gospel reading for the day (St. Matthew 7:15–21). (The entire text of the cantata is here. A description of another cantata for this week — BWV 136, Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz, “Search me, God, and know my heart” — is on this page)

The work opens with a chorus which takes its text from the prophet Micah:

You have been told, mankind,
what is good and what the Lord requires of you, namely:
to keep God’s word and to live in love and be humble before your God.

This chorus is followed by a tenor recitative and aria in which the dangers of disobedience are stressed. Especially notable is the warning in the final sentence of the aria:

Reward follows obedience; torment and shame threaten you when you transgress!

The German words translated here “torment and shame” are Qual und Hohn, which are repeated forcefully by the soloist, so listeners won’t fail to hear the sober warning.

An aria for bass follows, singing some of the words of Jesus from the Gospel:

Many will say to me on that day: Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, have we not driven out devils in your name, have we not done many deeds in your name? Then I shall declare to them: I have never known you, all of you go away from me, you evil doers!

An alto aria and recitative continue with this theme of exhortation and warning about the danger of hypocrisy and disobedience, but the soloist concludes with some words of comfort:

The Lord’s will must happen, but his assistance is also certain, so that he may see his work in me accomplished well.

The final chorale (to a melody that Bach used in cantatas half a dozen times, O Gott, du frommer Gott) uses a text from Johann Heermann (1585–1647), a noted Lutheran poet and hymn writer. Heermann’s words form a closing prayer for the cantata:

Grant that I may do with diligence
what it is proper for me to do,
wherever your command leads me in my position!
Grant that I may soon do it
at the time when I should do it;
and when I do it, then grant
that it may turn out well!

Es ist dir gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist is sung here by the Netherlands Bach Society conducted by Hans-Christoph Rademann. The soloists are Franz Vitzthum, alto; Guy Cutting, tenor; and Tobias Berndt, bass.