A church cantata blending baroque complexity with theological depth, featuring a chorale fantasia and vivid arias illustrating both spiritual struggle and divine trust.
This aria from Bach's chorale cantata BWV 107 exemplifies his fusion of intricate counterpoint with theological expression, reflecting the Baroque emphasis on textual Affekts. The aria's hunting motifs and harmonic tension mirror the struggle against spiritual adversaries described in Heermann's hymn.
Bach's BWV 107 features a striking tenor aria portraying Satan's fury through irregular rhythmic shifts (alternating 6/8 and 3/4) and an angular, dissonant continuo line described by Albert Schweitzer as evoking "the contortions of a huge dragon." The bass aria includes a surprising hunting-horn trill on "erjagen" (to hunt), playing on the double meaning of achieving through struggle.
This aria is part of Bach's church cantata BWV 107, composed in Leipzig for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity. Based on Johann Heermann's 1630 chorale, the cantata explores themes of divine trust amid adversity. The aria features a unique structure with melismas on words like "Freuden" (joy) and embeds the chorale tune within an intricate orchestral texture. Its text encourages resilience against spiritual struggles, reflecting Lutheran theology of God's protection against evil forces.
