Composer

:

Johann Sebastian Bach

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Chorale Prelude

Compose Date

:

before 1710

Publication Date

:

1985

Average_duration

:

2:07

Christus, der ist mein Leben, BWV 1112 is a sacred cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is believed to have been composed in the early 1730s, although the exact date is unknown. The cantata was first performed in Leipzig, Germany, where Bach was the director of music at the St. Thomas Church. The cantata consists of six movements, each of which is based on a different biblical text. The first movement is a chorale, which sets the text "Christus, der ist mein Leben" (Christ, he is my life). The second movement is a recitative, which features a solo voice singing the text "Ich sterbe täglich" (I die daily). The third movement is an aria, which features a solo voice singing the text "Ich lebe, doch nicht ich" (I live, yet not I). The fourth movement is a duet, which features two solo voices singing the text "Mein Jesus soll mein alles sein" (My Jesus shall be my everything). The fifth movement is a recitative, which features a solo voice singing the text "Ich bin bereit, mein Kreuz geduldig zu ertragen" (I am ready to patiently bear my cross). The final movement is a chorale, which sets the text "Weil du vom Tod erstanden bist" (Because you have risen from the dead). The cantata is characterized by its use of counterpoint, which is a technique in which multiple melodies are played or sung simultaneously. Bach was a master of counterpoint, and he used it extensively in his compositions. The cantata also features a variety of musical textures, including solo voices, duets, and chorales. The text of the cantata is focused on the theme of Christ as the source of life and salvation, and it is intended to be a reflection on the Christian faith. Overall, Christus, der ist mein Leben, BWV 1112 is a beautiful and powerful sacred cantata that showcases Bach's mastery of counterpoint and his ability to create complex and moving musical textures. Its focus on the theme of Christ as the source of life and salvation makes it a powerful reflection on the Christian faith, and it continues to be performed and appreciated by audiences around the world.

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