A deep note sounds from the pedalboard of the organ, and over it a
serene web of harmony builds up over it, wandering, sighing from key
to key. It's not an improvisation; but it has that quality of
searching and discovery. Each voice enters one by one and dances with
the other in counterpoint; but instead of strictly repeating itself,
the melody subtly changes. While the alto and soprano start with an
interval of a fourth, the tenor leaps further, to a fifth, and the
feeling of urgent search is heightened. It's as if the artist is
trying to represent something that only he can hear, getting closer
and closer to the form of perfection in his head. The words echo this
arduous journey: “der schmale Weg ist truebsalvoll”, the
narrow way is full of trouble. But out of all the chaos and
uncertainly, the bass crystallises into a recognisable chorale
melody. It's like a film of a glass breaking, run backwards:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHN7ia1Dn3I
. Reinforced by sombre horns, the melody rings out and gives
direction to all the herzeleid- heart's pain- which ensnares
the upper parts. So under this winding road is a firm foundation.
The next movement is psychologically fascinating. It starts off as
just another accompanied chorale- vigorous, well-crafted and
reassuring. All the singers join together to sing a familiar tune.
But at the end of each line, the jolly rhythm pauses and we're left
with one singer's own words, sung to a freer speech-rhythm and more
emotionally anguished. It's as if we're zooming in on the thoughts of
each one. Under the confident collective chorale, all the individuals
are full of fears, frustrations and disappointment that their flesh
and blood is only concerned with earthly and vain things.
(And for those of you who wonder why the man in the picture is
distracted, just look at where his eyes are going.)
But
the last person whose “thought-bubble” we see, the bass, takes
the individual meditation forward. Although we experience Höllenangst
und Pein- fear of Hell and pain-
in our own fallen consciences, we can voluntarily push away this pain
once we recognise how to defeat it: “Ich darf nur Jesu
Namen nennen”- “I need only
speak the name of Jesus”. It's almost reminiscent of a Buddhist
attitude to suffering. To be liberated from mara,
the pain of being attached to physicality, one just needs to look it
in the eye, recognise it and let it go. And the freedom that results
from the letting go is depicted in the bass's flourish on
Freudenhimmel- “heaven's
joys”- the melodic line goes up like a firework!
So
after a brief triumphant recitative, it's those joys we hear in the
duet for soprano and alto; both parts compete in exuberance, echoing
each other on the words “Will ich in Freudigkeit zu
meinen Jesu singen”- I will
sing to my Jesus in joyfulness. And we close with a chorale melody
“straight”, as it were. Those tormenting inward thoughts have been
acknowledged and stepped away from- and, for now, they return no more.
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