Johann Sebastian Bach was going through hard times, but his music had a profound sense of hope. One of his most popular motets, “Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf” BWV 226 (The Spirit helps us in our weakness) was composed in 1728/29 during his tenure as Cantor at St. Thomas Church, where he faced numerous challenges. To commemorate its 60th anniversary, the esteemed choir RIAS Kammerchor performed this motet, alongside the Akademie für Alte Musik under the baton of Hans-Christoph Rademann. The concert took place in 2008 in the Gethsemane Church in Berlin.
(00.00) Coming on stage
(00:16) Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf (The Spirit helps us in our weakness)
(02:48) Sondern der Geist selbst vertritt uns aufs beste (But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us)
(03:56) Der aber die Herzen forschet (He who searches our hearts)
(06:37) Choral: Du heilige Brunst, süßer Trost (Chorale: You holy fire, sweet comfort)
Stephanie Petitlaurent | SOPRANO
Waltraud Heinrich | ALTO
Susanne Langner | ALTO
Volker Arndt | TENOR
Christian Mücke | TENOR
Ingolf Horenburg | BASS
RIAS Kammerchor
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (Akamus)
Hans-Christoph Rademann | CONDUCTOR
The years of 1728/29 were not easy for Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Serving as the “Thomascantor” he led the boys’ choir at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. He was in trouble with his financial patron, the Leipzig City Council. Bach no longer had full autonomy to select the singers for his prestigious choir, and the quality of the voices suffered as a result. Gottfried Donrad Lehmann, Director of the Thomas School, had ensured Bach a free hand in the selection process, but he died in December 1728. The Rector of the Thomas School, Johann Heinrich Ernesti, died a year later. He, too, had supported Bach’s selection of the choir members.
Ernesti was also a professor of poetry at the University of Leipzig. Bach composed the motet “Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf” for his funeral in 1729. The lyrics of the first two parts of the motet come from Paul the Apostle’s letter to the Romans, and provided the basis of the funeral sermon. Ernesti is said to have personally selected the text together with Bach: "The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through sighs too deep for words."
“Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf” is one of only two Bach motets whose original manuscripts have survived. The lyrics portray the Holy Spirit as a source of comfort and aid. The Holy Spirit is integral to the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Within this context, the motet, with its emphasis on the "Geist" or spirit, forms a trilogy alongside the renowned motets “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied” BWV 225 (Sing unto the Lord a new song) and "Komm, Jesu, komm" BWV 229 (Come, Jesus, come). These three pieces are still cherished in the standard repertoire of the St. Thomas Choir - whose excellence Bach strived so hard for during his time there.
This recording from the Gethsemanekirche in Berlin showcases three musical greats. The Akademie für Alte Musik ensemble, established in Berlin in 1982, stands as one of the premier chamber orchestras. Its historically informed performances aim to achieve a faithful rendition of the era’s musical style, also through the use of replica original instruments. Guiding this performance is conductor Hans-Christoph Rademann, a distinguished figure in early music. Renowned internationally for his deep understanding of Bach's repertoire, he’s devoted himself entirely to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach with his own ensemble, the Gaechinger Cantorey. Serving as chief conductor of the RIAS Kammerchor from 2007 to 2015, he’s also led the Stuttgart International Bach Academy since 2013.
Known for its exacting precision, the RIAS Kammerchor stands among the foremost professional choirs, garnering both national and international acclaim. The ensemble was founded in Berlin in 1948, in the aftermath of World War II. The American sector’s radio service in Berlin, the 'Rundfunk im Amerikanischen Sektor' (RIAS), wanted to establish a choir. But a scarcity of singers led to the creation of a chamber choir instead. Their repertoire encompasses a rich variety of historically informed Renaissance and Baroque interpretations, alongside innovative renditions of Classical and Romantic works, as well as regular premieres of compositions by contemporary artists.
A production of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg & EuroArts Music International in cooperation with ARTE
© 2008 RBB & EuroArts
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9 фев 2024
