Bach’s Magnificat

Theology

Weekends with Bach

When Bach took up his duties as cantor in the church of St. Thomas in Leipzig in 1723, so much was demanded from him to produce music. Every Sunday he had to prepare 2 new motets for the main service and another work for Sunday afternoon Vespers. Among others, he had to write a Magnificat and a Sanctus for each Christmas season.

Of these, the Magnificat composed for Christmas of 1723 is the foremost. One version of this composition, a solo cantata, has been lost, as have Bach’s Latin motets. There have been different versions of the Magnificat as a choral work. It is entirely probable that Bach had composed other settings of the Magnificat, but this is version is the one available today.

The hymn of praise, Magnificat, is a traditional part of the cult of Mary. It is based upon Mary’s words when she learns from the angel Gabriel that she will give birth to a Savior. The work begins resplendently, the 3 trumpets heralding with festive D major chords, lively orchestral prelude, from which the 5-part chorus burst out in highly embellished phrases: “Magnificat anima mea Dominum” (My soul doth magnify the Lord.). The A major bass aria follows, including the tenor aria, etc., and the 2 choral pieces that end it – “as he promised our fathers, Abraham and his descendants for ever and ever,” and the mighty “Gloria Patri …” (“Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”)

The work comes to a powerful conclusion: “Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum, amen” (“As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, Amen”) – a devotion to an exultation.

  • http://twitter.com/JosephWinston Joseph Winston

    The first post apparently was lost in cyberspace where no one can hear you scream…

    I like to hear your thoughts on why Lutherans in the North American context seem to ignore the Magnificat. Of course there is the, “That's Roman Catholic and we ain't no Catholics” but I would like to go deeper than that. What is our aversion to the Magnificat?

    Here's a summary of what I said in Sunday's sermon. Songs have the ability to recall the past, to frame the present, and to tell what might be. We recognize this power in songs and if you have any question on the validity of these ideas, look at the amount of money spent on music. We are afraid of the Magnificat since it accurately tells us about God's mighty deeds of power, it critiques our current behavior, and it shows us what the Kingdom of God will look like. We see the Magnificat functioning as law, so we avoid it like the plague.

    Any thoughts or comments?

  • http://twitter.com/JosephWinston Joseph Winston

    The first post apparently was lost in cyberspace where no one can hear you scream…

    I like to hear your thoughts on why Lutherans in the North American context seem to ignore the Magnificat. Of course there is the, “That's Roman Catholic and we ain't no Catholics” but I would like to go deeper than that. What is our aversion to the Magnificat?

    Here's a summary of what I said in Sunday's sermon. Songs have the ability to recall the past, to frame the present, and to tell what might be. We recognize this power in songs and if you have any question on the validity of these ideas, look at the amount of money spent on music. We are afraid of the Magnificat since it accurately tells us about God's mighty deeds of power, it critiques our current behavior, and it shows us what the Kingdom of God will look like. We see the Magnificat functioning as law, so we avoid it like the plague.

    Any thoughts or comments?


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