Bach - Motet Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf BWV 226 - MacLeod | Netherlands Bach Society

If we did not know the precise circumstances of 'Der Geisthilft unser Schwachheit auf', performed by the Netherlands Bach Society for All of Bach, you might easily think that Bach wrote it for a cheerful Whitsun service. It is hard to sit still during the light-hearted passepied rhythm and the jubilant exclamations of ‘Der Geist hilft!’. On the contrary, it was composed for a solemn memorial service and was probably carefully prepared in collaboration with the dying man himself, the Thomasschule headmaster Johann Heinrich Ernesti (1652-1729).
Recorded for the project All of Bach on May 14th 2016 at the Grote Kerk, Naarden. If you want to help us complete All of Bach, please subscribe to our channel bit.ly/2vhCeFB or consider donating bit.ly/2uZuMj5.
For the interview with bass Sebastian Myrus on 'Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf' go to • Myrus on Bach Motet BW...
For more information on BWV 226 and this production go to allofbach.com/e...
All of Bach is a project of the Netherlands Bach Society / Nederlandse Bachvereniging, offering high-quality film recordings of the works by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by the Netherlands Bach Society and her guest musicians. Visit our free online treasury for more videos and background material allofbach.com/en/. For concert dates and further information go to www.bachvereni....
Netherlands Bach Society
Stephan Macleod, conductor

[@mogalelebethe6082]

00:00 - Der Geist hilft unsref Schwachheit auf 03:14 - Der aber die Herzen forschet 05:18 - Du heilige Brunst, süßer Trost

[@markbell9973]

Am going public with a more individualized reply, buried down there somewhere. ====== @Stephen Golden Some of us [Americans] stay behind and work "mit aller Kraft' to bring back--BRING tout court--that better America. You marvelous freedom-loving Dutch! You, yes YOU, "das andere Deutschland"* of 'Der alte Fritz, Bach, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, geliebte Clara (Schumann-Brahms😇), Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Hugo Distler und SO weiter!! You all higher people who took in this extraordinary performance of an even more extraordinary score that flies above the clouds! Paul(!) wherever you are!! Who taught us and Bach the sheer humility of "we don't really know what we should pray for. And we should be damn careful WHAT we pray for, bc we just might get that; and we might force God to "choose our thoughtless delusions" (until the bitter end if necessary). But Paul also assures us that in our stupid weakness there is help. The Universally Available Holy Spirit will tell us--maybe not in words--what we should (sollen) pray for...to pray for the good to come upon me and us. And where else might you find THAT theology? Nowhere that I know of. To all of yawl: stay with us 55% in America. With nearly 100% of the age group 17-24 who wants NO MORE of the bullshit; and who votes. We stayed with you 1942-1945 and a bit beyond. Duh! We are gonna make it over here. Grandpa Biden had better things to do. Like take phone calls from the grandkids who call him "pops." Like enjoy the company of most excellent Lady Jill. Joe stepped up to the hotplate. No one else in the world was in his unique position. We will all get a 2nd, 3rd, 4th chance. Let us "Make Music-Love not war." Agreed? *"Das andere Deutschland is Bullshit." More like: "The real Germany." 70+ years later, it is time. Agreed? Mark (Arizona) ❤💌😉💡🔥

[@Twentythousandlps]

It's not the absence of young people but the absence of middle-aged people that is most disturbing. But when they retire, they too will be looking for an excuse to get out of the house, which is why classical music will remain a going business. But it is sad that there is such an abundance of young people performing and so few listening.

[@carloscorreia8928]

I'm not young anymore, but I feel a little sad (pessimist) seeing such an elderly audience. Long live to baroque music!

[@johnryan9577]

But look at how young many of the performers are!

[@starther]

@@johnryan9577 well yeah but what does it matter if you only have the performers but not the audience to hear it? For whom are they gonna sing or play in 20 years? What saddens me most is that here in Germany most young people are not interested in it- they don't KNOW it anymore because they barely get in touch with it - maybe in school but music at school (and classical music as such) have such a low prestige and appreciation... it is a shame. I've grown up like this and am in my early 30ies now.

[@jeffschultz4182]

For the last 40 years, I have noticed that the age of people attending baroque/classical/etc. concerts has been consistently elderly. Today's young people will be tomorrow's elderly listeners. No worries - this music will always be appreciated by those who have spent a lifetime of enjoying music.

[@edwardgeorge4881]

Never mind, there are numerous international people who adore your music: it never dies, believe me. 🇨🇰💐🇩🇪

[@mariavanhoof7961]

Zolang er zo'n jonge zangers in het koor zijn die met zo'n overgave zingen, geeft het niet dat het publiek ouder is, Bach's muziek is onsterfelijk

[@phwbooth]

Thanks for another excellent performance, for which many thanks. The best translation of Romans 8:26 (into English) is from the Revised Standard Version of the NT: "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words."

[@markbell9973]

Thanks for this! The Spirit 'blew where it listeth,' namely, outside the fortress of "theology" (uggh). Then, blew into this kind of miraculous MUCH larger, quite chaotic ovetall context of social media. Can't stop Him from doing as He pleases, right? And thank goodness. But then blew into perhaps the finest, most *emotionally* intelligent performance of the original score, ever. I know maybe 40 performamces mostly from recordings. If anyone knows better, Lmk please. But back on specific topic: with your inclusion of just this translation into the lingua franca, English, THE Spirit blew an almost unknown corner(stone) of Christian doctrine into the mind and heart of who know how many people present and future. The idea is something like be careful what you pray for bc you just might receive it. And why? Bc we pretty much know what we want, but way too often do not know what we need to be alive, healthy, happy and to impart the same onto other people and onto Mother Earth herself. The Universal Spirit is there to help is the good news. And this is the best rendering of Paul's initial utterance I know of. Agreed! May it reach, touch and chsnge a little many many people. Thank you. Thank Bach. Thank these musicians, who obviously believe in "higher than themselves." BUT: may I throw this out there. It is worth knowing German in order to be able to read Luther's translation. So clear. So intense, emotionally. So relatively free from confirmation bias, relatively speaking, in the service of one "theology" over another of the 800+ often hairsplitting Christian theologies. Here again, the original Luther translation Bach uses does it for me just that little bit extra. Take that for what it might be worth, and not from a guy who'll throw a hissy fit if you don't see it my way. 😀(NOT. bc of the horrific divisions between those professing faith in Jesus). Cheers n thanks again, Mark (Arizona usa)

[@sylviepierre1942]

Oh que oui, l'Esprit nous aide à nous sortir de nos moments de faiblesse! Merci pour ce magnifique Motet à la NBS et aux beaux et bons choristes

[@andreabetz3699]

Geistiger Gesang..noch ohne Abstand...sooo schööön!

[@powerliftingcentaur]

Thank you, from San Francisco. I really needed this.

[@nunziomeatballs]

You poor thing. Leave San Fran while you still can!

[@powerliftingcentaur]

Nunz M It would be better to leave the country entirely.

[@markbell9973]

@@powerliftingcentaur Some of us stay behind and work "mit aller Kraft' to bring back--BRING tout court--that better America. You marvelous freedom-loving Dutch! You, yes YOU, "das andere Deutschland"* of 'Der alte Fritz, Bach, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, geliebte Clara (Schumann-Brahms😇), Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Hugo Distler und SO weiter!! You all higher people who took in this extraordinary performance of an even more extraordinary score that flies above the clouds! Paul(!) wherever you are!! Who taught us and Bach the sheer humility of "we don't really know what we should pray for. And we should be damn careful WHAT we pray for, bc we just might get that; and we might force God to "choose our thoughtless delusions" (until the bitter end if necessary). But Paul also assures us that in our stupid weakness there is help. The Universally Available Holy Spirit will tell us--maybe not in words--what we should (sollen) pray for...to pray for the good to come upon me and us. And where else might you find THAT theology? Nowhere that I know of. To all of yawl: stay with us 55% in America. With nearly 100% of the age group 17-24 who wants NO MORE of the bullshit; and who votes. We stayed with you 1942-1945 and a bit beyond. Duh! We are gonna make it over here. Grandpa Biden had better things to do. Like take phone calls from the grandkids who call him "pops." Like enjoy the company of most excellent Lady Jill. Joe stepped up to the hotplate. No one else in the world was in his unique position. We will all get a 2nd, 3rd, 4th chance. Let us "Make Music-Love not war." Agreed? *"Das andere Deutschland is Bullshit." More like "The real Germany." 70+ years later, it is time. Agreed? Mark (Arizona) ❤💌😉💡🔥

[@franciscolima5793]

MUITO LINDO FANTÁSTICO BRAVO 👋👋👋❤️♥️

[@lordlouckster2315]

Rector Ernesti died on 16 October 1729, and this motet was performed either on 20, 21, 23 or 24 October 1729 (researchers still debate on the exact date). So he probably wrote the motet anywhere between 2-4 days, had the parts copied in 1-2 days (instruments colla parte too, so 16 parts), and rehearsed it for one day. And his handwriting is so neat, almost like a fair copy!

[@machida5114]

いつもながら素晴らしい合唱です。 As always, it's a great chorus. Wie immer ist es ein großartiger Refrain.

[@javierperez6774]

Wow!!!!! Grande bach! Gran Director! Grandes musicos!!!

[@Lampenmensch]

I never heard this „Sondern der Geist selbst....“ passage that fast, but I have to admit I find it ultimately most fascinating. What a dance momentum throughout the piece, so many recordings don’t get here. Technically, as I often find at All of Bach, the choir sound would need a tiny bit more clarity and definition. It sounds a bit as it looks like: No microphones visible... But that’s a small detail on a truely fantastic production.

[@wolkowy1]

Excellent choir under the excellent guidance of the conductor Stephan Macleod! Bravi! Thanks NBS!

[@markbell9973]

Watch Stephan M! Ie, the one to watch for decades to come as one who "has come not to destroy, but to fulfill." Indeed, keep that work of "fulfilling Bach" (and all that had gone on beginning with Mendelssohn) in an effective blend of historic-original practice on the one hand, and an ever-bringin of the original into the now. A very humbling Bravo to the conductor, for now!

[@lenanielsen5903]

So wonderful thank you🍃

[@stigekalder]

First part really swings as it should, and the chorale is just wonderful. And great with a performance as per Bach's practice with wind and strings to follow each choir. My reservations: "Sondern der Geist" is way to fast, it leaves no room to enjoy those wonderful sighs. "Der aber die Herzen" would also gain from a more moderate tempo. The latter part is the one which Bach mysteriously wrote out for double choir, even though the 2 parts are identical, apart from one or 2 octave drops in bass 2. He was usually very economic with space, paper was not cheep in his time. Maybe he had not planned from scratch, exactly how that part would unfold. By the way: The chorale may not initially have been part of the motet (it is not contained in the score, only in the individual parts which may have been added later). But today, who can imagine the motet without it...

[@luciagarcia888]

Bello, etéreo, sublime 🌹

[@ivotamm7405]

I was baffled by the speed change in "Sondern der Geist selbst...". A great idea to underline this passage! One of my new favourites in the All of Bach serie. Having sung some of Bachs Mottetes and Choral works, I know quite good all the work and rehearsals that lays behind this wonderful choir. Excelente presentación, en la ya conocida y apreciada alta calidad de Netherlands Bach Society. Ich muss mir gleich die Werksanalyse vornehmen! Großartig und nochmals vielen Dank!

[@ramseytauro]

The music and performance were truly wonderful. Such a nice thing to wake up to. However as a native English speaker who has no past instruction in German, I often have to go to external sources to find translations of the text. Is there any way you could provide captions for those of us who are not familiar with the language? One again, truly beautiful music.

[@sabinedalincourt2735]

It is indeed wonderful, Ramsey! By the way, I kindly recommend the appreciation of the work of a living classical composer dedicated mostly to sacred music. I feel myself like a sort of non-official ambassador for his music - and, effectively, also one of his few supporters. He is very, very talented. You won't be disappointed. Greetings from France! kzbin.info

[@rorycoker6601]

Music for the castles of Heaven.

[@donna25871]

Rory Coker If you are referring to the excellent Bach biography by John Eliot Gardiner it’s Music in the Castle of Heaven.

[@rorycoker6601]

@@donna25871 Yes, my variation was deliberate. Thanks for your note.

[@jacobushubertuskirchner9948]

One can experience how these words get wings.

[@anthonysandle5055]

Super. Ich liebe diese Musik.

[@pilarizquierdo3542]

Angelical... Muchas gracias.

[@MrNiceilas]

Hey guys, look more to Holland, that's where the music is playing! Dude fantastic 😅 German choir landscape is really too overrated... only I notice that …. Hey Leute blickt echt mehr nach Holland, da spielt die Musik! Alter fantastisch😅 Deutsche Chorlandschaft ist doch echt zu overrated…Merk das nur ich 😂🙈🫣🤔☺️

[@flemmingranch8777]

Rigtig dejlig og skøn musik og meget flot korsang.....

[@이광형-u6o]

touch my soul thank you

[@ShaneDiffily]

superbly good.

[@sabinedalincourt2735]

Agreed, Shane! By the way, I kindly recommend the appreciation of the work of a living classical composer dedicated mostly to sacred music. I feel myself like a sort of non-official ambassador for his music - and, effectively, also one of his few supporters. He is very, very talented. You won't be disappointed. Greetings from France! kzbin.info

[@redbrian3655]

As long as I have known this Motet, it is only today that I learned that it was actually composed for a Professor's funeral. The joy in the music fooled me! This was a lovely performance.

[@misterphilgood1451]

Très beau !!!

[@sabineschett6277]

Danke ♥

[@douglasaugusto3706]

Belíssima Música celestial

[@stefanotrivini3703]

Amazing thanks!

[@sabinedalincourt2735]

It is indeed, Stefano! By the way, I kindly recommend the appreciation of the work of a living classical composer dedicated mostly to sacred music. I feel myself like a sort of non-official ambassador for his music - and, effectively, also one of his few supporters. He is very, very talented. You won't be disappointed. Greetings from France! kzbin.info

[@notaire2]

Lebhafte und wunderschöne Aufführung dieser fein komponierten Motette mit gut harmonisierten und perfekt vereinigten Stimmen des ausgezeichneten Chors sowie zurückgehaltenen und perfekt entsprechenden Tönen aller historischen Instrumente. Der talentierte Dirigent leitet alles im inspirierenden Tempo und mit möglichst effektiver Dynamik. Wahrlich hörenswert!

[@babayaga9466]

This is beautiful, no question. But jeez, when it comes to the part of "unutterable sighs", you speed up heavily. Why on earth would you do so? We're talking about sighing, not hyperventilation. Bach composed all these little sighs, and you run over it. It's so sad because apart from that I meant to say it's the best recording for this motet I found at youtube.

[@jsc5492]

Weren't these motets designed for graveside performance? One might possibly imagine a Bassoon as instrumental support, but how would stringed instruments survive a rainy burial?

[@eronidesortizfogaca5797]

Dos seis motetos este é o melhor. Perfeição musical. Assim como em Paixão de São Mateus

[@katharinascharlowski3877]

Meine Mynu heart and soul and myn Gottes yygGeist, rnein, Gott enfin Dank. DIEU GIT DANS LE DETAIL. IN EINJEDEM und Uns..Und das stimmt übrigens. In reiner Geistesliebe selbst ist Alles Schön mein ygeist begehr die Schönheit die war und wahr Wahrhaftig ist, die Heilig heilig heilig ist und in Liebe wohlweisslich kostbarst ist. Und Sinn in Geist und Wort Ist Gott GOTTBEfohlen KATHARINA SCHARLOWSKI

[@daboukir]

Le ralentendo final est de mauvais goût, dommage; trop marqué

[@pedrosantos3743]

Masterpiece!

[@smguy7]

Do you do any of Bach's works with cornetts and sackbuts?

[@Dnomasorneiluj]

L'interpretation me parait trop hâtive...

[@Dnomasorneiluj]

il n'y a aucune saveur dans le rythme

[@tedc.4956]

The chorale is exceptionally beautiful. Mr. MacLeod is quite gifted, so I will give myself some time to try to understand the gale force speed of the Spirit. After repeated listening it is not quite as frantic as it seemed the first time. I would love to hear his thoughts on the tempos. I am sure there must be an underlying mathematical relationship between the beat units at the "Sondern" transition that he is employing. In general, the phrasing clearly illuminates the structure and it is an exciting performance. I love this motet. I am extremely grateful for all the hard work that has produced so many beautiful recordings!

[@MattWeisherComposer]

Before “Sondern...” there is a hemiola where the beat goes from 2 beats of 3 (1,2,3, 1,2,3) to sounding like 3 faster beats of two (1,2, 1,2, 1,2.) If what I think is happening is happening, MacLeod uses this new beat placement as the macrobeat for the “Sondern” section.

[@BoulderMamacita]

How utterly beautiful!!

[@oldshad65]

Love the monster lute but it was lost in the mix. Too bad, but it is neato!

[@drtmuir]

It's a theorbo. It's here as continuo. It's not a loud instrument.

[@SDGRTX1455]

SDG BACH

[@edwardgeorge4881]

🇦🇺💐🇩🇪

[@shimashironeko1400]

147

[@Hallow1]

UwU

[@christianroadrunner3075]

Viel zu schnell. Das wirkt total gehetzt.