The second verse is set as a duet for treble and bass, still in the key of D. After a ritornello, the bass enters with the words “all men born of God our Father, at the last will Jesus gather,” set to exceedingly florid passages, above which floats the melody in the treble voice.
Our utmost might is all in men,
All men born of God our
A bass recitative, commenting on the preceding sentiments follows, and then a treble aria, “Within my heart of hearts, Lord Jesus, make thy dwelling.” In the fifth number the whole chorus sings the melody in unison, now changed to 6/8 time, and with a very florid accompaniment.
This is followed by a tenor recitative, “Then close beside Thy Saviour’s blood-besprinkled banner, my soul remain,” &c., a duet for alto and tenor, “How blessed then are they, who still on God are calling;” and the cantata concludes with the chorale simply harmonised in four parts, “That word shall still in strength abide,” in the form familiar to English congregations.
Fertility of Invention
We have given a fairly full description of this fine cantata in order to show our readers what is meant when it is said that Bach based his church music essentially on chorale. Most of the cantatas are constructed in the same kind of way, i.e. a chorale is used as the chief subject. But that Bach did not merely work on a fixed model is shown by the fact that no two of the one hundred and ninety cantatas published by the Bachgesellschaft are alike. Nothing astonishes us more than the enormous fertility of invention shown in these wonderful works, the variety of detail, and yet the unity of purpose. The one idea of the composer was the religious effect to be obtained by the highest efforts of art devoted to the service of God. Except in Germany, they are rarely heard in their proper place as part of the church service: but the mere reading through of the scores produces a most profound effect, and creates a perpetual astonishment in the reader at the enormous resources of the composer.
Bach is generally considered as the greatest composer for the organ, but his organ works, wonderful as they are, seem small in comparison with these marvellous cantatas, all different and yet all connected, as it were, by an underlying unity of purpose.