Like Cantata 86, which had been played the week prior, Cantata 44 also features a libretto based on a fragment of Jesus’ “Farewell Discourse” as narrated in the Gospel of John. The work was premiered in 1724 on the sixth Sunday after Easter (May 21), also referred to as Exaudi, or Sunday after Ascencion (Ascencion of the Lord being a feast that occurs 40 days after Easter, i.e. between the fifth and sixth Sundays after Easter). Bach composed two cantatas for this Sunday, this one in 1724 and BWV 183 a year later, in 1725. They both carry the same title since their librettos, while different, both start with the same dictum from John’s Gospel (John 16: 2).
The Gospel reading prescribed for Exaudi Sunday (John 15: 26 – 16: 4) is the fragment of the Farewell Discourse in which Jesus foretells his disciples some of the adversities that they will face after his death. The libretto, unusually, uses direct Gospel quotations for the first two movements. The title line refers to a ban from the synagogue, set by Bach as a duet for tenor and bass. The next verse, made into a chorus, mentions attempts to kill the disciples in the name of God. Movements 3 (alto aria), 4 (a chorale by Martin Moller of 1587), and 5 (bass recitative) reflect on Jesus’ words in a somber mood. The last two lines of the recitative, however, offer an inflexion point: Christians are like palm branches which grow taller under weight (a reference to Psalm 92: 12). This allows movements 6 (soprano aria) and 7 (closing chorale by Paul Fleming of 1642) to adopt a more optimistic perspective, expressing confidence in God’s protection and wisdom.
The cantata is scored with the usual oboes, strings and continuo. It requires four solo voices as well as a four-part choir. As mentioned earlier, the Gospel dictum is divided into two sections. Bach’s usual treatment of “Vox Christi” text is to give it to the bass; however he departs from that custom and sets the initial verse of the Gospel quote as a duet for tenor and bass, accompanied by the two oboes and continuo. Fittingly, the theme is assertive and austere, and it’s introduced imitatively by the oboes as part of the instrumental ritornello. As the voices come in they repeat the pattern, and the piece becomes a quintet of intricate counterpoint. After a last enunciation of the theme by the basso continuo line, the movement flows without interruption into the chorus, to cover the second verse of the dictum. The effect of its sudden start, the agitation conveyed by the upward leaps in the voices, and the constantly moving basso continuo line, are reminiscent of the “turbae” choruses of the St. John Passion, which the Leipzig community would have heard just a few weeks prior. Bach also uses dynamics, setting the words “wer euch tötet” (“whoever kills you”) as “piano” over a chromatic bass line, followed by a sudden “forte” for dramatic effect.
In stark contrast, the movement that follows is a serene da-capo aria for alto, accompanied by the oboe. It adopts an attitude of resignation, reflecting on the duty of Christians on earth. The wandering theme of the oboe, in constant triplets over a slower moving bass line, suggests an unfolding journey. In the B section, the strong concepts of torture, exile, and pain are set to long and sustained low notes on the voice.
Next is the first chorale of the piece. Bach gives the tune associated with the Moller hymn to the solo tenor in a slightly ornamented version. The ostinato continuo line also quotes the tune, but implements it in shorter note values and adds chromaticism to illustrate the heartache, tribulation and “narrow path” mentioned in the text.
The bass then gets a secco recitative which summarizes the elements of the libretto so far, but concludes with a turning point: Christians will come back stronger from the adversity. This leads to a lively and upbeat soprano da-capo aria with the full orchestra, featuring a dance-like agile bass line in eighths with flourishes on the top instrumental line. In the B section, the mention of the “storms of tribulation” on a marked change in orchestral texture is followed by an illustration of laughter of the “joyful sun”, in long melismas with triplets.
The closing chorale, also used by Bach in both Passions, is harmonized in four parts with the customary doubling of voices by the orchestra.
