Bach Cantata: Christ lag in Todes Banden | Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir

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An early masterpiece that packs a punch. Johann Sebastian Bach’s cantata “Christ lag in Todes Banden” (Christ lay in death’s bonds), BWV 4.2 is both traditional and avant-garde at the same time. Conducted by its founder and director, Ton Koopman, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir plays and sings it with empathy. The cantata is an excerpt from a live recording from the Bachfest Leipzig on 12 June 2023 in the St. Thomas Church.

00:07 Sinfonia
01:18 Christ lag in Todes Banden (Christ lay in death’s bonds)
05:17 Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt (No one could defeat death) (choir: soprano, alto)
08:54 Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn (Jesus Christ, son of God) (tenor)
11:10 Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg (It was a strange battle)
13:25 Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm (Here is the true Easter lamb) (bass)
16:55 So feiern wir das hohe Fest (So we celebrate the high festival) (soprano, tenor)
18:51 Wir essen und leben wohl (We eat and live well)

Elisabeth Breuer | SOPRANO
Tilman Lichdi | TENOR
Klaus Mertens | BASS

AMSTERDAM BAROQUE ORCHESTRA AND CHOIR
Ton Koopman | CONDUCTOR & ORGAN

“Christ lag in Todes Banden” (Christ lay in death’s bonds), BWV 4.2 is one of the earliest cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and is probably from the year 1707 or 1708. That said, only its subsequent Leipzig edition has survived to this day. Bach had revised the Easter cantata during his early time directing the Thomanenchor choir in Leipzig in 1724/1725. It is now one of his most frequently performed cantatas.

The text is about Christ’s resurrection and, by association, about the God’s power reigning victorious over death. The piece is what is referred to as a chorale cantata, as was common in the 17th century. The recipe was simple: One took a chorale – in this case the Easter song “Christ ist erstanden” (Christ is risen) by Martin Luther, and then applied different instrumentalization, vocal parts and melodies to every strophe throughout the piece. The chorale the piece is based on is one of the most important in Protestant church music.

Despite the traditional approach in the form, Bach had a few ideas to make this cantata more musically complex. In terms of its structure, it is symmetrically designed, with an opening chorus and closing chorus, while in the middle, there is also chorale singing at the verse “Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg“ (It was a strange battle). A musical celebration ensues, praising God’s triumph over death through Jesus’ resurrection. At the part about the power of death, the violinists have to play demanding double stops. In this manner, Bach manages to harness the music to lend the content special expressive power.

For the Dutch conductor, organist and harpsichordist Ton Koopman, the opening chorus’ chromaticism and the – as he says – almost jazzy rhythms make it particularly stirring. The second verse that immediately follows is no less moving, with the aria “No one could defeat death,” sung as a soprano and alto duet. It is about how Jesus took the sins of humanity upon himself. In the Leipzig version, this aria is accompanied by a double bass, trombone and cornett, along with the choral voices.

Ton Koopman is not only a conductor and musician but also the President of the Leipzig Bach Archive, which organizes the Bachfest every year. Part of what makes the event so special is that the concerts are held at original settings where Bach directed the Thomanenchor choir until his death on 28 July 1751. In 2023, the 300-year anniversary of when he took up the position in 1723 was celebrated at the Bachfest with cantatas popular among Bach aficionados. For Ton Koopman, a Bach expert and connoisseur of the classic music scene, the cantata “Christ lag in Todes Banden” (Christ lay in death’s bonds), BWV 4.2 is one of his favorites.

© 2023, Deutsche Welle / Bachfest Leipzig

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