In June 1722, Leipzig Thomaskantor Johann Kuhnau passed away after having been on the post since 1701, and the City Council began the search for his replacement. Georg Philipp Telemann and Christoph Graupner were both offered the position, but didn’t accept for different reasons. At that point, the council reached out to Bach and invited him to apply. After a successful audition, the Council decided to extend him an offer, stating that “since we cannot get the best, we will have to settle for the mediocre” (as logged in the Town Council Protocols).
The cantata “Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe”, BWV 22, was one of the two pieces that Bach presented as part of his audition, the other being “Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn”, BWV 23. Both cantatas were performed in the same service, on Quinquagesima Sunday 1723 (February 7th). Cantata 22 took the place of “Hauptmusik”, performed before the sermon, and 23 after, during Communion. The autograph score of Cantata 22, which was coincidentally copied by Johann Andreas Kuhnau, nephew of the late Thomaskantor Kuhnau, shows a note on the cover page that states “Das ist das Probestück in Leipzig” (“This is the trial piece for Leipzig”). We know of another performance of Cantata 22 the following year, on Quinquagesima 1724 (February 20th), thanks to a surviving printed libretto.
Quinquagesima Sunday, also known as “Estomihi Sunday”, is the last Sunday before Lent. “Quinquagesima” refers to the fact that this Sunday is exactly fifty days before Easter (when counting both Sundays). “Estomihi” is a contraction of the Introit for the day, “Esto mihi in Deum protectorem”.
The Gospel for this Sunday is Luke 18: 31-43, which includes two different stories: Jesus announcing the journey to Jerusalem (verses 31-34), and the healing of a blind beggar (verses 35-43). The libretto for Cantata 22, structured in five movements, focuses on the first of these narratives. The text of the first movement is taken verbatim from the day’s Gospel, verses 31 and 34. Movements 2, 3 and 4 are original poetry, and the closing chorale is the fifth stanza of the hymn “Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn”, by Elisabeth Kreuziger, dating from 1524. The libretto’s author is unknown, and it was probably sent to Bach from Leipzig while he was still in Cöthen, even though the score and performing materials suggest that the piece was actually composed in Leipzig, after Bach had arrived for his audition.
The cantata is scored for alto, tenor and bass solos, 4-part choir, oboe, strings and basso continuo.
The first movement is organized in two sections, each one covering one of the two disjunct verses of Gospel chosen for the libretto. The instrumental introduction presents an ascending theme with repeated eighths and sixteenths in stepwise motion (perhaps alluding to the walking into Jerusalem) followed by “sighing” motifs alternating between the oboe and first violin, with wide downward leaps and appoggiaturas, foretelling Jesus’ Passion. The text is enunciated by the tenor (in a proto-Evangelist role) and the bass (as “vox Christi”) in the form of an arioso. After a restatement of the ritornello by the instrumental group, the movement transitions into a choral fugue, as the text points out that the disciples didn’t understand the meaning of Jesus’ words. The subject is introduced by a quartet of solo voices in order (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), supported by the basso continuo, with a second round of entries by the full choir doubled by the instruments in reverse order (bass to soprano). The words “was das gesaget war” (“what was said”), a proxy for the confusion and lack of understanding among the disciples, are illustrated by quarter notes followed by rests, a figure that is brought into the closing instrumental section.
The following aria picks up on both concepts laid out in the previous movement: the journey, stating the willingness of the believer to follow Jesus, and the understanding of his words (“Happy am I if I can fully understand…”). It’s set for alto, oboe and continuo, in a gentle and expressive triple meter. The journey to Jerusalem is illustrated via rising scales, Jesus’ suffering with striking harmonic twists, and the assertive phrases such as “Ich bin bereit” (“I am prepared”) and “Wohl mir” (“Happy am I”, or “Well for me” in some translations) by shorter musical motifs that are repeated several times.
The bass recitative, accompanied by strings, notably opens with the same words as the preceding aria (“Mein Jesu, ziehe mich” – “My Jesus, draw me”). The extensive text, in twelve verses, continues to elaborate on the lack of understanding of Jesus’ words, adding several scripture references to highlight the confusion, such as the Transfiguration and Mount Tabor, in opposition to Golgotha (the site of the crucifixion). The last four verses become a prayer. Their change in character is highlighted by Bach’s transition into an energetic arioso, as the concept of the journey to Jerusalem is brought up again, now joyfully. This text setting is very expressive with several instances of word painting. A delightful reference to the traditional hymn melody is included on the words “eine feste Burg”.
The vow expressed towards the end of the recitative, and its associated sense of joy, are reinforced in the following aria for tenor in the manner of a lively, dance-like triple meter like a passepied or minuet, accompanied by strings and continuo. Several key expressions and words are deliberately illustrated: “Entsagung des Fleisches” (“renunciation of the flesh”) is highlighted by staccato chords on the strings. “Friede” (“peace”) is set to a sustained note on the voice while the instruments continue the theme in a lower tessitura, then all arriving to a fermata. In the varied da-capo segment, “ewiges” (“eternal”) is also illustrated with a long note on the voice followed by an intricate melisma. Bringing unity to the libretto, the words “ziehe mich” are included again in the last verse of the aria.
A very ornate choral setting of Kreuziger’s hymn concludes the cantata, with independent instrumental parts for the oboe and first violin in unison (as a “moto-perpetuo”), second violin, and viola, over a walking bass in eighths.
