Herr Jesu | 61st International Wratislavia Cantans Festival in honour of Andrzej Markowski

Can one, relying solely on one's own strength, persevere in faith, virtue, and love? This question was asked by many people who consciously directed their lives by certain values - regardless of religious belief or its absence. Johann Sebastian Bach did not know the answer either, and perhaps that is why he composed. At this year's Wratislavia Cantans, the cantatas of the musical theologian will be performed by Andrzej Kosendiaka and Giovanni Antonini, with soloists from the NFM Boys' Choir and Wrocław Baroque Ensemble taking the stage.

In some of his church cantatas, Bach turned to simple flutes (flauti dolci), prized for their pure, pastoral sound. This is the second time that two artistic directors of Wratislavia Cantans - the previous and current - have joined forces in this repertoire. The fruit of their collaboration is to be recordings of all the cantatas of the Leipzig cantor with flutes, produced for the Alpha Classics label. At the concert we will hear three works performed in 1723 and 1724 in the Church of St. Thomas.

The pre-Lenten cantata Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt (BWV 18, Leipzig version) tells how God's word is "sown" on earth. Two simple flutes - added to the original Weimar version - brighten the dark timbre of the orchestra without violins, heard already in the opening sinfonia. In Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn (BWV 96), two flutes also sound, including flauto piccolo and flauto traverso. The richest instrumentation awaits in Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinem Leibe (BWV 25): three flutes contrasted with cornetto, oboes, and three trombones. Despite this richness, the titular apostrophe falls in the bass aria with only continuo accompaniment: "Du, mein Arzt, Herr Jesu, nur weißt die beste Seelenkur" - 'You, my physician, Lord Jesus, only you know the best cure for the soul'.

Programme:
J.S. Bach
Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt - cantata BWV 18 (Leipzig version)
Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinem Leibe - cantata BWV 25
Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn - cantata BWV 96