The Liturgies of Advent, including the music, ring with the theme of staying awaking and watchful, ever ready to respond to the voice of the Bridegroom who is coming. In 1731, Bach wrote this cantata for the Mass for the 27th Sunday after Trinity. The cantata has seven movements with lyrics from the poetry of the Songs of Songs as a song between the Bridegroom (Jesus) and his chosen bride (the soul).[i]
Here we find the voice of the Lord calling us to await his coming with loins girt and lamps alight. There is a connection between the Advent call to patient watchfulness, the waiting of Israel for her Messiah in the first covenant, and the Bridegroom in the Song of Songs. Those who awaited the new covenant were called to righteous and godly lives. We who await the return of the Bridegroom are also called to prepare our hearts. The expectation of Christ’s coming even extended to those faithful who were asleep in death before His Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection. In the Office of Readings for Holy Saturday, in the second reading, we read,
[Christ] took [Adam] by the hand and raised him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’ I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in Hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I in you; together we form one person and cannot be separated.[ii]
The author of this ancient homily is likely reflecting on Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Chapter 5, where we read the exhortation to live in the light in the following words:
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be associated with them. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.[iii]
Again and again this message reverberates in the life of the Christian. Those who have faith hear the voice of the Bridegroom and see His coming even now, for He is present in spirit, power, and Sacrament.[iv]
Read the about the themes of Bach’s cantata, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, calls the voice to us), below:
“1 Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (“Awake”, we are called by the voice [of the watchmen])
A chorale fantasia based on the first verse of the chorale
2 Er kommt (He comes)
Recitative for tenor as a narrator calling the daughters of Zion
3 Wenn kömmst du, mein Heil? (When are You coming, my Salvation?)
With obbligato violino piccolo, the soprano represents the Soul and the bass as the voice of Jesus.
4 Zion hört die Wächter singen (Zion hears the watchmen singing)
Based on the second verse of the chorale.
5 So geh herein zu mir (Then come in to me)
Recitative for bass, accompanied by the strings picturing the unity of the bridegroom and the “chosen bride”.
6 Mein Freund ist mein! (My Friend is mine!)
A love duet between the soprano ‘Soul’ and the bass ‘Jesus’.
7 Gloria sei dir gesungen (Let Gloria be sung to You)
The closing chorale.”[v]
Listen to the entire cantata:[vi]
0:07 Wachet auf (Choral)
7:51 Er kommt (Rezitativ)
9:00 Wenn kömmst du (Duett)
15:19 Zion hört (Choral) 19:43 So geht herein (Rezitativ)
21:15 Mein Freund (Duett)
26:43 Gloria sei dir gesungen (Choral)
Von Schadow, Wilhelm. “The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.” Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Commons, September 18, 2020. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_parable_of_the_wise_and_foolish_virgins_(SM_895).png.
[i] “‘Wachet Auf’: The Meaning Behind the Music.” Oxford Bach Soloists, October 10, 2016. https://www.oxfordbachsoloists.com/2016/10/30/wachet-auf-the-meaning-behind-the-music/.
[ii] “The Lord Descends into Hell.” Holy Saturday – Office of Readings. Accessed December 4, 2020. http://www.liturgies.net/Liturgies/Catholic/loh/lent/holysaturdayor.htm. (PG 43, 439, 451, 462-463) https://www.olgcparish.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Holy-Saturday-Office-of-Readings-1.pdf
[iii] “Ephesians 5 – New International Version.” Bible Gateway. Accessed December 4, 2020. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians+5.Eph 5:6-20
[iv] Clairvaux, St. Bernard of. “Advent: St. Bernard, ‘The Three Comings of the Lord’.” Catholic Online. Catholic Online, December 3, 2008. https://www.catholic.org/advent/story.php?id=30845. (Sermo 5, In Adventu Domini, 1-3: Opera Omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 4 {1966}, 188-190 is used in the Roman Office of Readings for Wednesday of the First Week of Advent. http://rcchurch.com/uploads/The%20Three%20Comings%20of%20the%20Lord.pdf
[v] “’Wachet Auf’: The Meaning Behind the Music.” Oxford Bach Soloists, April 18, 2020. https://www.oxfordbachsoloists.com/2016/10/30/wachet-auf-the-meaning-behind-the-music/.
[vi] “Bach – Cantata Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme BWV 140, Van Veldhoven | Netherlands Bach Society,” uploaded by Netherlands Bach Society, 12 Mar. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqZE54i-muE
Published December 16, 2020
