Bach - Cantatas for Eastertide cont. "Good Shepherd Sunday"

Following on from my previous post on Bach Cantatas for Easter this post focusses on the fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as "Good Shepherd Sunday". The name derives from the gospel reading for the day, which is taken from the tenth chapter of John's Gospel. In this reading Christ is described as the "Good Shepherd" who lays down his life for his sheep.

From what I can ascertain, the fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as Jubilate Sunday, although there seems to be some contradiction on the Wikipedia page . In the first paragraph says Jubilate Sunday is indeed the fourth Sunday of Easter, then in the table below on the same page says it is the third Sunday of Easter! There are online dates for both 26th April 2020 and 3rd May 2020 for Jubilate Sunday. I would love to hear from anyone who can offer clarification! 

The incipit of the Gregorian chant introit Jubilate Deo, from which Jubilate Sunday gets its name.

Cantatas for Good Shepherd Sunday
Bach was able to compose three Good Shepherd cantatas, all alluding to Psalm 23;

1. Cantata 104, “Du Hirte Israel, höre" (You Shepherd of Israel, Give Ear), in 1724; 
2. Cantata BWV 85, “Ich bin ein gutter Hirt” (I am a Good Shepherd), composed in 1725, 
3. Chorale Cantata BWV 112, “Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt” (The Lord is my faithful Shepherd), completed in 1731 for a special Easter presentation of otherwise previously-composed church-cycle cantatas, the only time of Bach documented repeat performances following the Good Friday premiere of the St. Mark Passion, BWV 247. 

Cantata 104 offers contrasts of hope and joy with doubt, reflecting the mood of the apostles when Christ appeared to them after his resurrection. Cantata 112 in Wolfgang Meuslin's alternate setting of the melody "Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr" (To God alone on high be glory) and offers a pastoral mood of calm to meet the increasing anxiety of the disciples. Cantata 112 is the only complete chorale setting for Easter that Bach composed, although he composed chorale choruses and internal settings in other cantatas.

In BWV 85 “Ich bin ein gutter Hirt” The poet opens the cantata with the beginning from the Gospel, verse 11. The second movement explains that being a Good Shepherd was realised in the Passion and is a paraphrase of Psalm 23. The only recitative is a miniature sermon, accompanied by the strings which accent phrases of the text. Movement 5 is the only movement in the cantata which has a pastorale rhythm. The tenor part frequently appears as the highest part, beginning with three times "Seht" (look). This is reminiscent of an alto aria (movement 60) of the St Matthew Passion, Sehet, Jesus hat die Hand, The similarities in both the theme "pastoral love emanating from the cross", and the music, described as "rich, flowing melody and gently rocking rhythm" were described by Sir John Eliot Gardiner CBE. The closing chorale is a four-part setting.

There is a recording of BWV 85 directed by Nikolaus Harnoncourt below:-



For Good Shepherd Sunday our choir have this week recorded "The Lord is my Shepherd" by Howard Goodall (with permission), a beautiful arrangement of Psalm 23.

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.


I won't lie, this is an incredibly emotional piece for me this week. Amidst a pandemic bringing premature death to hundreds of thousands of people this Spring, it's going to be emotional listening for anyone. A beautiful arrangement and one of my favourites.