About this work
In Cantata BWV 38, the chorale “Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir” is not simply placed above an accompaniment: it runs through a compact polyphonic fabric. The tune moves in long values while the other voices and instruments take up its contours. This density gives the cry of the text a collective gravity without making it static.
For the opening chorus, first locate every entrance of the cantus firmus, then the motifs that prepare it. Inner lines should articulate their text without trying to compete in volume with the voice carrying the chorale. A pulse that is too slow makes the suspensions heavy; one that is too quick erases the depth of the dissonances and the breathing of the German phrases.
In the recitatives and arias, retain the same attention to words even when the texture becomes lighter. Consonants provide impulse and vowels carry the line. Rehearse the ensemble in small groups, then progressively restore the balance with the orchestra. The movement from distress towards trust can then be heard without turning the cantata into a uniform block.
What the document containsCantata BWV 38 for soloists, choir, and orchestra;a 22-page PDF;no accompanying MIDI file.The document is a complete score intended for studying the vocal and instrumental ensemble.