Cantata 25 was composed for the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity in 1723 (August 29th), as part of Bach’s first annual cycle of church cantatas in Leipzig.
The Gospel reading for this Sunday (Luke 17:11-19) narrates the episode of Jesus healing ten lepers on his way to Jerusalem. We don’t know who Bach’s librettist was, but they based their work on “Geistlichen Poesien in zwey Theilen” by Johann Jacob Rambach, a theologian from Halle, published in 1720. The text uses sickness (and leprosy in particular), described in quite crude and shocking language, as a representation of sin, and portrays Jesus as savior, cleanser and healer.
As in several other cantatas of this period, the libretto opens with a biblical quote (or “dictum”), this time Psalm 38, verse 3, which Bach sets as a chorale fantasia of massive proportions. From a scoring perspective, he requires a 4-part choir, basso continuo, plus two distinct instrumental groups: the first one with a cornetto and a trio of trombones doubled with recorders, and the second one with violins, violas and two oboes.
In addition to the text from Psalm 38, Bach brings to bear a chorale reference – the melody to “Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder”, by Cyriakus Schneegass (1596), whose second stanza refers to the same themes of God as healer of the afflicted soul. This melody would have been recognized by the congregation. Bach introduces the melody first on the basso continuo line in long notes, while the strings and oboes engage in a sighing motif that sets the stage for the voices to enter. Later on, the other instrumental ensemble (cornetto, trombones and recorders) restate the chorale in full 4-part harmony, superimposed to the vocal lines and sighing strings and oboes. This makes for 12 independent lines woven together! Halfway through the movement, as the voices transition to the second part of the verse (“there is no peace in my bones”), Bach increases the angst and sense of pleading by giving the basso continuo a very busy line of continuous 16th notes, which some commentators equate to a serpent, or the devil torturing the soul.
Following this masterful display of technical prowess, Bach keeps us in a desolate space for a while longer, as the three upcoming movements are only accompanied by a basso continuo line. In movement 2 the librettist mentions the “first fall” and goes over a long list of sins equating them to different illnesses (possibly a nod to the Epistle of the day, Galatians 5: 16-24). Bach sets it as a tenor “secco” recitative and uses harmonic turns and twists to illustrate the words, ending upwards with a question.
Next, the bass aria features a continuo line that is also infirm and unsteady, with a repeated motif of a downward fifth that tries to “get up” with rapid notes over a third, only to fall again. The text is, congruently, depicting a search and plea for Jesus, the “balm of Gilead”, the doctor (“Arzt”, highlighted with a long melisma).
Yet another secco recitative goes to the soprano. Now it’s a prayer, illustrated musically with more upward phrases. Of note are the word painting on “flieh” (“flee”), with an ascending scale of sixteenth notes, and the skipping motif for “lebenslang” (“lifelong”), as the text refers to the one leper (out of the ten) who came back to thank Jesus for having healed him.
The soprano’s prayer is, in fact the “turning point” of the narrative arc. After issuing it, the mood changes and becomes colorful, animated and rhythmic as Bach gives us a richly orchestrated dance-like aria. The soprano voice is joined by instrumental forces laid out in two groups – the three recorders (maybe illustrating the angelic choir mentioned in the text?) opposing the strings and oboes (representing earth and humankind). The harmonies are pleasing and congenial, with instrument pairs often moving in thirds.
The cantata closes with a traditional chorale harmonization in which the instruments double the voices. Its text is by Johann Heermann, dating from 1630, and the melody was used by Bach in as many as seven other cantatas.
