Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz, BWV 136 (Score)

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The cantata “Erforsche mich Gott und erfahre mein Herz” BWV 136 was composed in Bach’s first year as Kantor of St. Thomas’s in Leipzig and was first performed on the 8th Sunday aft er Trinity, the 18th July 1723. The librettist is unknown. The title of the cantata is taken from verse 23 of Psalm 139: “Erforsche mich Gott und erfahre mein Herz, prüfe mich und erfahre, wie ich’s meine.” (Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts) The opening chorus forms an extended fugue, framed by string writing bursting with energy. The obbligato horn accentuates and enriches the movement with a special tonal color. The alto aria in F sharp minor (movement 3) comprises a trio movement with an oboe d’amore as solo instrument in a contrasting range – a presto middle section which dramatically charges the words “Denn seines Eifers Grimm vernichtet” (“For the fury of its zeal will destroy”). In the duet (movement 5) the text is sung by tenor and bass line by line, sometimes imitating contrapuntally, and sometimes both singing together dramatically in homophonic writing. A simple chorale setting to the melody “Auf meinen lieben Gott” concludes the cantata. Particularly charming here is the violin which joins the four vocal parts as an independent part. Show more